In this article we review, what we believe to be the best petrol Chainsaws, currently available on the UK marketplace. Most men will love the idea of having their own chainsaw but really there is not much point in having one unless you are going to use it regularly. There are lots of different types of saws available and these are for heavy duty work.
There are massive safety issues with these type of powerful saws and its really important to know what you are doing. These are not a tool for the inexperienced amateur and you need to take them very seriously !
There are quite a few chainsaws available on the market, differently powered types and all designed for specific purposes. In theory they are all made to the same basic design but as you can imagine they are not all created equally. Make sure you know what you are looking for before you rush in and buy something that doesn't suit your needs.
What is the Best Petrol Chainsaw
We found that the Best Petrol Chainsaw is the Husqvarna HUSQ120-14 120 II 14" 38.2cc model. It outperforms the rest of the field by a small margin and if you are stuck for time just click on it to get the latest price.
Husqvarna HUSQ120-14 120 II 14" 38.2cc Petrol Chainsaw Review
90% buyer satisfaction based on 450+ online buyer reviews
- This is a 14" chainsaw that comes with a 38.2cc petrol engine that delivers 2hp
- Weighs 7.3Kg and has a max speed of 9000rpm
- Chain speed is 17ms
- Perfect for occasional tree felling, Limbing and firewood cutting.
- This saw is easy to start, easy to tension, is perfectly weighted and reliable. It also cuts extremely well
- Not designed for felling large trees or continuous all day work
This is the best rated petrol chainsaw we have found. At 14" it's not going to be suitable for lumberjacks but for contruction, home and garden it is absolutely perfect. Everything about it works really well and we can easily recommend this as the best all round model. Whether you are cutting trees or doing some logging, this is a great option for you.
Parker Brand 45cc 16" Petrol Chainsaw Review
92% buyer satisfaction based on 150+ online buyer reviews
- This is a 16" chainsaw that comes with a 45cc petrol engine that delivers 3.2hp
- Weighs 5.4Kg and has a max speed of 10,000rpm
- This saw is light and very easy to use, starts easily first time and runs smoothly.
- Comes with 2 chains and a range of accessories
- Incredible performance & Value for Money
- Comes with a 2 year warranty
I would say that this is the bargain of the bunch especially as it comes with two chains, carry bag, bar cover, tool kit & fuel mixing bottle. The 3.2hp engine is very powerful and a 16" is pretty perfect for me. This is definitely worth a look, especially at this price and with a 2 year warranty.
P1PE P6220C 2-Stroke Petrol Chainsaw Easy Start 20-inch Review
88% buyer satisfaction based on 500+ online buyer reviews
- This is a 20" chainsaw that comes with a 62cc petrol engine that delivers 3hp
- This is a the same engine as the Hyundai below thats £250+
- Weighs 5.4Kg and has a max speed of 9,000rpm
- This saw is very light for a 20" model and that make it much nicer to use
- Ideal for tackling large trees or smaller clearance jobs
- 2 Year Warranty, Including Full Uk Spares Back
This is a good all round 20" chainsaw that will do most jobs and is very well priced. It has all the features you would expect, like anti-kick back, auto chain lube, quick adjustment etc. The biggest plus for this model is it's weight. It is one of the lightest 20" models I have seen and that makes it very easy to work with.
Parker Brand 62CC 20" PETROL CHAINSAW Review
88% buyer satisfaction based on 1,500+ online buyer reviews
- This is a 20" chainsaw that comes with a 62cc petrol engine that delivers 3.5hp
- Weighs 7.5Kg and has a max speed of 9,000rpm
- This is a pretty heavy saw so it takes a bit of controlling
- This saw is very easy to use, starts easily first time and runs smoothly.
- Comes with 2 chains and a range of accessories
- Incredible performance & Value for Money
This is the bigger 20" Parker Brand model that also comes with two chains, carry abg, bar ocver, tool kit & fuel mixing Bottle. The bigger 62cc, 3.5hp engine is just that bit smoother and a 20" cut is big enough for anybody. This is definitely worth a look too, the price is great, the quality is great and again it comes with a 2 year warranty.
Hyundai HYC6220 62 cc Petrol Chainsaw Bar with 2 Chains Review
88% buyer satisfaction based on 150+ online buyer reviews
- This is a 20" chainsaw that comes with a 62cc petrol engine that delivers 3hp
- Weighs 7Kg and has a max speed of 9,000rpm
- Comes with 2 chains, guide bar safety cover, carry Bag, tool kit and chain file
- This is ideal for tackling large trees trimming jobs
- 2 Year Warranty, Including Full Uk Spares Back
- Its a very robust build and you can feel that its a quality tool
Great all round chainsaw again that will do all jobs very well. Slight problem with the price being so high. I know that Hyundai produce top quality tools but the PIPE model above has the same engine and is half the price. I'm not sure this is worth the extra.
Einhell GC-PC 2040 I 50 cc Petrol Chain Saw Review
80% buyer satisfaction based on 500+ online buyer reviews
- This is a 16" chainsaw that comes with a 50cc petrol engine that delivers 1.75hp
- Weighs 6.8Kg and has a max speed of 9,000rpm
- Cutting speed 21 m/s
- Oregon high-quality rail and chain
- Auto-choke and Primer for a fast start
- Kickback protection with instant chain brake
- Automatic lubrication of the chain
All the standard features that you would expect are on this saw. It cuts really well, is reliable and is a big seller. For me it's too heavy for a 16" saw. I could manage this weight in a smaller, or even a larger, saw but it doesn't feel right in this size, I just found it hard to use for long periods. The balance doesn't seem right.
What is a Chainsaw?
Might seem like a silly question but lets look at exctly what a chainsaw is. They are basically an engine driven device for felling trees, cutting branches or cutting up wood.
- Fuel is used to drive an engine
- The engine tdrives a metal chain along a guide bar at a high speed
- The teeth on the chain are dragged across the surface making a cut
They have a two-stroke engine that you can’t ignore – they aren’t exactly quiet. With no oil sump, the engine is lubricated by adding oil to the fuel at a set ratio. The clear advantage of a 2-stroke engine is that it is compact and lightweight. There’s a second oil in its own reservoir that’s vital for keeping both the bar and chain lubricated. Always keep the lubrication in mind as it’s an essential aspect of the machine.
THE ENGINE
Size matters and chainsaws come in a range of shapes and sizes. These can start as low as 20cc all the way up to a massive 70 CC. Obviously then the bigger the engine then the more powerful the saw is
The Bar
So this is a very important consideration. The bigger the better doesn't always apply here. If you get something thats too big it can be really hard to handle,it will be very heavy and you will get tired very quickly. You need to think about your level of fitness and how much cutting you need to do.
We recommend that your chainsaw should be around 2 inches larger than the width of branch that you are cutting. So to cut a 14″ tree in one go then a 16″ guide bar is perfect.
- 10-inch - This is ideal for delicate work such as topping off branches
- 16-inch – This is a very popular and easily handles size. It's perfect for small logs and bigger branches and really is an all-rounder.
- 18-inch – Quite popular too but great if you need that extra bit of power for some larger logs or branches
- 20-inch - This is for large gauge timber and larger logs and you will really need to get some experience with a smaller saw before you tackle something this size.
CHAINS
When everything is said and done, ultimately the chain does all the work. A chain is measured by its pitch and its gauge and the pitch of the chain must be compatible with both the bar and the sprocket.
The gauge is usually recorded on the bar of the chainsaw though when you are buying a chainsaw the manufacturer will have done everything for you, you just need to be aware if you are changing any parts on the saw.
A very quick video review
We have looked over all the video reviews and found this great short presentation on petrol chainsaws. It gives you an instant idea of what to expect as well as telling you all the features and spec in and easy to understand format.
I hope you enjoy watching it as I always think its much better to see a tool in action rather than just reading about it or seeing pictures. This guy is particularly good at explaining how to using a chainsaw correctly.
I hope you have enjoyed this article and will go ahead and get one of these chainsaws, you won't regret it. Dont forget our best value choice is the Husqvarna HUSQ120-14 120 II 14" 38.2cc Petrol Chainsaw.
If you need more information on what other saws are available you might want to check out our article on the Best Electric Chainsaws which has a host of information on all the corded and battery powered models.