2025 test13 productsOutdoor Power Equipment
Which Compact Chainsaw Brand Wins?
We compared 13 compact chainsaw options head to head. Milwaukee M18 FUEL came out on top. See the measured results, the runner-up, the budget pick, and a link to the full test video.
Winner
Milwaukee M18 FUEL
Price shown in test: $279
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Runner-up
Kobalt
Price shown in test: $149
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Budget pick
Knockoff Milwaukee
Price shown in test: $70 before coupon or $54 after coupon (genuine Milwaukee referenced at $279)
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The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Scroll sideways to see all measurements. Products are listed in the order they finished.
| Product | Weight_lb | Sprocket_rpm | Time_to_full_rpm | Automatic_oiler | Made_in | Softwood_cut_best_sec | Hardwood_cut_best_sec | Dyno_max_lb | Torture_runtime | Noise_db | Cuts_per_amp_hour | Average_finish | Hardwood_cut_sec | Brushless_motor | Comes_with | Claimed_power_w | System_voltage | Runtime_per_amp_hour | Cut_capacity | Softwood_cut_2 A_battery_sec | Softwood_cut_4 A_battery_sec | Softwood_cut_sec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL$279 | 7.3 lb (with red lithium XC 6.0 battery) | 2,531 RPM | 0.3 seconds | yes, tested working fine | China | 1.79 seconds (passes: 1.89, 1.79, 1.79) | 2.92 seconds (passes: 3.13, 2.92) | over 94 lb, could not be stalled | very close to 6 and 1/2 minutes (3 amp hour battery), did not overheat | 94 decibels | 41.5 (3.5-in log) | 1.5 (best of the lineup) | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 2Kobalt$149 | 4.1 lb | 3,933 RPM | 1.2 seconds (soft start) | yes, tested working fine | China | 2.1 seconds with 4 amp hour battery (passes: 4.38, 2.1, 2.15); with 2 amp hour battery best was 2.72 (passes 2.82, 2.72, 2.92) | not tested | 18 lb | 7 minutes and 10 seconds (4 amp hour battery) | 97.3 decibels | 31.7 (3.5-in log), second place | 3.5, second place overall | 3.39 seconds first pass, 3.75 seconds second pass | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 3Knockoff Milwaukee$70 before coupon or $54 after coupon (genuine Milwaukee referenced at $279) | 5.325 lb (with 6-A battery) | 4,219 RPM | about 0.35 seconds | yes, includes one and tested working well | China | 3.34 seconds (passes: 4.17, 3.84, 3.34), moved into the lead among knockoffs | not tested | 26 lb, by far the best of the sub-$130 group at that point | 5 minutes and 44 seconds (3 amp hour battery), did not overheat | 99.5 decibels | 21.8 (3.5-in log), third place | 3.75, third place overall | 5.26 seconds (passes: 5.26, 5.93), tied for third with Ryobi | yes | 6-in and 8-in bar, bar and chain oil, dual-side safety switch for left and right hand use | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 4MechanicAnts$35 | just under 2 1/2 lb | 2,915 RPM | about 1/10 of a second, immediate trigger response | no, does not include one | China | 12.08 seconds (passes: 12.08, 14.65, 13.67); handsaw control was 13.83 seconds | not tested | 10 lb | 4 minutes and 46 seconds, ran out of battery before any damage occurred | 91.7 decibels | not tested | not tested | 27.84 seconds (single attempt) | not tested | not tested | 550 W (claimed) | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 5Knockoff DeWalt$40 (genuine DeWalt referenced at $130) | 3.565 lb | 4,424 RPM | about 1/2 a second | not tested | China | 5.72 seconds (passes: 5.72, 6.13, 6.86) | not tested | 10 lb | overheated at very close to 4 minutes 10 seconds; after cooldown ran a total of 8 minutes 35 seconds | 101.2 decibels | not tested | not tested | 9.91 seconds (passes: 9.91, 11) | claimed brushless motor | not tested | 450 W (claimed) | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 6Knockoff Makita$49 (genuine Makita referenced at $166) | 3.245 lb | 3,897 RPM | 1/2 a second | no, does not include one | China | 6.34 seconds (passes: 6.34, 6.34, 7.01) | not tested | 10 lb, stalled at this load | overheated after 4 minutes; after cooldown ran a total of 8 minutes 37 seconds | 97.9 decibels | not tested | not tested | 10.01 seconds (passes: 10.58, 10.01) | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 7WORX$79 | 4.57 lb | 3,148 RPM | just over 1/2 second | no, does not have one | China | 4.9 seconds (passes: 6.08, 4.9, 5.67) | not tested | 9 lb, ran out of steam early | 6 minutes and 38 seconds | 90.3 decibels, quietest of the lineup | not tested | not tested | 10.68 seconds (passes: 16.36, 10.68) | no | 5-in bar; claimed 22 ft per second chain speed | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 8WORKPRO$90 | 3.19 lb | 3,372 RPM | very close to 1/2 second | no, does not have one | China | 10.47 seconds (passes: 14.7, 11.3, 10.47), only slightly faster than the $35 MechanicAnts | not tested | 5 lb, lowest torque of the lineup at that point | 2 minutes and 44 seconds, shortest of the lineup | 97 decibels | not tested | not tested | 19.72 seconds (passes: about 23, 19.72) | no | 6.3-in bar, two extra chains, two batteries; claimed 16.4 ft per second chain speed | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 9Greenworks$100 | 3.385 lb | just over 5,200 RPM, highest in the lineup | 1.75 seconds, slowest to reach full speed in the lineup | not tested | China | 4.58 seconds (passes: 6.19, 4.79, 4.58) | not tested | 17 lb | 5 minutes and 17 seconds | 103.1 decibels, loudest of the lineup | not tested | not tested | 8.93 seconds (passes: 8.93, 9.39) | yes | not tested | not tested | 24-V (other saws in lineup ranged 12-V to 21-V) | 2.64 minutes | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 10Craftsman$129 | 5.8 lb | 2,088 RPM | 3/10 of a second | no, does not have one | China | not tested | not tested | 36 lb, second most torque in the lineup | just over 7 and 1/2 minutes (4 amp hour battery) | 95.2 decibels | not tested | not tested | 8.62 seconds (passes: 8.62, 9.03) | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | up to 4-in | 4.84 seconds (passes: 5.2, 4.84, 4.84) | 3.75 seconds (passes: 3.75, 4.64, 3.81), bigger battery held chain speed better under load | not tested |
| 11DeWalt$130 | just over 6 lb (with 5-A battery) | 4,709 RPM, second place behind Greenworks | about 6/10 of a second | yes, but initially failed to flow (suspected air pocket); resolved after removing the bar and chain | China | 2.87 seconds (passes: 4.74, 3.13, 2.87), third place overall | not tested | 21 lb, great combination of chain speed and torque | 6 minutes and 54 seconds (5 amp hour battery) | 97.2 decibels | not tested | not tested | 7.07 seconds (passes: about 10, 7.07), second place behind knockoff Milwaukee at that point | claimed high efficiency brushless motor | 8-in bar; does not come with the screwdriver or wrench needed | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 12Ryobi$150 | 5.255 lb | 2,563 RPM | 0.2 seconds, quickest in the lineup | claimed oil-free design | Vietnam, the only saw in the lineup not made in China | not tested | not tested | 31 lb, third place | just over 7 and 1/2 minutes (4 amp hour battery) | 94.7 decibels | not tested | not tested | 5.26 seconds (passes: 5.26, 5.31), tied for third with knockoff Milwaukee | no, brushed motor | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | 3.7 seconds (passes: 3.7, 3.81), fourth place behind knockoff Milwaukee |
| 13Makita$166 | 4.29 lb (with 5-A battery) | just over 4,000 RPM | 0.3 seconds | yes, tested working fine | China | not tested | not tested | 4 lb, lowest torque of the entire lineup | very close to 10 minutes (5 amp hour battery), longest runtime in the lineup | 98 decibels | not tested | not tested | 12.29 seconds (passes: 12.29, 12.65), far slower than the top brands | Makita built brushless motor | bar and chain oil, chain sharpening file; claimed up to 140 cuts in 2-in cedar with a 2-A battery | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | 5.93 seconds (passes: 8.93, 5.93, 5.93), stalled on first pass |
How it was tested
- cutting speed on softwood (2x8 board), best of three timed passes
- cutting speed on hardwood (Osage orange log), best of two timed passes
- chainsaw dyno torque test, maximum load in lb before stalling
- torture test: repeated back to back cuts until overheating or battery depletion
- noise level at 2 ft from sound meter, in decibels
- time to reach full RPM from trigger pull
- sprocket/chain speed in RPM
- cutting efficiency: cuts completed per amp hour of battery capacity (3.5-in log)
- run time per amp hour of battery capacity
“the Milwaukee ran circles around the competition with the best average finish at 1.5”