Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Have used standard chainsaws for years. Have an acre of largely wooded land (pine), and am frequently cutting down trees, mostly in the 10-15" range. Got tired of all the hassles with small gas engines, and with my needs for cutting mainly soft wood, decided to give this electric saw a try. Was pleasantly surprised --- met my expectations. Compared with my small Poulan 16" gas saw, which is about the same size and weight: PROS - Much lower maintenance. - Adequate power, though less than gas. - Chain stops quickly when power is removed; virtually instantaneous when chain brake engaged. - Automatic chain tightener works well. Seldom need to manually adjust, and very easy to do so without tools when needed. - Tool-less removal and reattachment of chain cover. - Much less vibration than a gas saw. My hands start feeling tingly after 15 minutes with the gas saw, never with the electric. - Significantly quieter than a gas saw, although no chain saw is particularly quiet when it is cutting. CONS - Motor sticks out the the left farther than with my 16" bar gas chainsaw. Makes some flush cuts more challenging. - Chain binds quicker. Although I'm careful to avoid binding, can never completely eliminate it. When chain *starts* to bind with the gas saw, can generally keep the chain moving and remove the saw easily. Need to be much more careful with the electric saw. Contrary to what several others have said, the electric motor is less powerful than the comparable gas. However, drawing 15 amps is a good compromise between convenience and power. - Safety shutoff (chain brake) activates a little too frequently; not much room between it and the top handle. - When sharpening, can't just move the chain like I do with gas saws. Have to connect power and reposition the chain. - Obviously need to be careful of cord, but I don't find this much of a hindrance. I am careful to keep the chain sharp, and it then works great even for bucking up wood. Easy to do with the proper rat-tail file and a simple, inexpensive guide. Takes maybe 5-10 minutes. I think not keeping the chain saw sharp is probably the biggest mistake most users make --- heats up chain, can easily take twice as long or more to make a cut, impatience makes people do dumb things. I am also careful to not use the saw for more than 20 minutes of reasonably continuous use at a time, and then typically let it cool down for at least 10-15 minutes. Probably a good idea to clear brush, check oil, reposition the cord if necessary, and take a break after this much use anyway. I also use a 12 gauge 100 foot cord. Even though 14 gauge should be adequate, when dragging around the cord the 12-gauge will take more abuse. Have never noticed any warming of the cord. Although I don't use more than 100 feet of cord, using my gas saws for farther cuts, I suspect one could safely run with 200 feet of 12-gauge cord.