If you’ve ever sawed through a log by hand, you know how useful a chainsaw can be, especially when there are a lot of cuts to be made. Powered by gas or electricity, a chainsaw takes only seconds to cut through a piece of wood that could take minutes to get through using a handsaw. Unlike a table saw, which is made for precise cuts, a chainsaw is made to handle tough jobs that require power or extra maneuverability.
If you’re shopping for a chainsaw on a budget, your primary concern should be safety. Today we’ll show you how to find the best deal on a chainsaw that is safe, powerful, and has the features you need.
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Picking Out the Right Chainsaw (Under $100/$200)
As has been earlier pointed out, buying the right chainsaws can be challenging due to the plethora of options on the market. The ten products reviewed above are some of the best you can buy under $100 and $200. The list of products above will help you to narrow your search. However, there are other factors as well that can help you in choosing the right chainsaws. Let us consider some of them.
Type of Chainsaw
We discovered the two main types of chainsaws; electric and gas-powered. That section covered the two types of electric chainsaws. Now, as promised, this section will consider the other type of chainsaw and highlight the advantages and disadvantages.
Gas Powered Chainsaw
As the name implies, gas-powered chainsaws run on fuel. As a result, they have more powerful engines than other types of chainsaws. If you are looking to fell trees, cut very thick wood, or some other heavy-duty cutting activity, these chainsaws have the necessary power you require. Here are some advantages of gas-powered chainsaws
Advantages of Gas-Powered Chainsaws
- They generate more power than electric chainsaws
- They can be used for heavy-duty cutting
- They can run for extended periods without any issues
- They are more durable than electric chainsaws
However, it is not all roses and butterflies for gas-powered chainsaws, they also come with flaws
Disadvantages of Gas-Powered Chainsaws
- They are not lightweight and are more massive than electric chainsaws
- They produce a lot of noise during operation
- They require more maintenance than electric powered chainsaws
Therefore, before choosing a chainsaw, you have to consider the pros and cons of gas-powered chainsaws, cordless electric chainsaws, and corded electric chainsaws.
If you are looking for cheap chainsaws for heavy-duty cutting, then gas-powered chainsaws are the best. If you want something super-portable for light work, then cordless electric chainsaws are ideal. And if you want a chainsaw that has minimal downtimes and can be used for light to medium work around the house, corded chainsaws will meet your needs.
Length of the Chainsaw
Chainsaws come in different lengths. The chainsaw’s length is another vital consideration because it affects the ease of use and the type of stuff you can cut.
A chainsaw with a long bar length will cut wide logs in a single pass. If the bar length is short, it will still be able to cut that same log of wood, but it will do so in more passes.
A longer bar length might be great for saving time, but it affects the chainsaw’s maneuverability. Longer bar lengths often mean heavier chainsaws.
Furthermore, the risk of injuries is reduced by using a chainsaw with a short bar length.
Safety
Safety is a paramount consideration when choosing a chainsaw. Chainsaws are heavy-duty tools that can easily cause injuries to the user. Furthermore, chainsaw injuries tend to be severe and especially bad. They are, without a doubt, some of the most dangerous tools you can ever handle.
With this in mind, you have to do everything possible to ensure that your chainsaw is safe. Before buying a chainsaw, ensure that you check out all the safety features it has. Expensive chainsaws usually have more features; however, the relatively cheap ones, for example, the chainsaws we reviewed, come with essential safety features.
Some safety features that should be found on a chainsaw regardless of the price include:
- Chain-brake; this feature ensures that the chain doesn’t swing out of control and hits the user
- Handguard; as the name implies, this feature protects the hands from the chain and any flying debris during operation
- Anti-kickback
- Anti-vibration
- Kill switch
- Auto-oiler
Ensure that all these features are on the chainsaw that you choose.
Brand
Although there are chainsaws from relatively unknown brands that produce excellent performance, the best brands often produce quality-controlled chainsaws. The chainsaws from these brands usually feature fewer errors in production.
They also come with lengthy warranties that show the amount of trust the manufacturer has in the products. No matter the brand you buy, ensure that the warranty is at least for one year.
Wrapping Up
Although we have provided just ten of the chainsaws under $100 and $200, these ten are the best you can buy. If a budget restricts you, these are the best options you can count on to deliver excellent performance. Choosing the right chainsaw can be challenging because there are so many on the market. We hope that you will use this guide and review to make the right choice!