The best cordless chainsaws for firewood are the SEESII 40V 18-Inch for cutting power and weight balance, the BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX LCS1020 for the lowest cost of entry on the widely owned 20V platform, and the CRAFTSMAN V20 12-Inch for owners who cut hardwood rounds and want the strongest owner rating in the group. All three come as kits with battery, charger, and bar cover.
Firewood is a strange job for a battery saw. You are not felling a single trunk in clean air; you are standing over a pile of rounds, most of them between 6 and 16 inches thick, often damp, often frozen at the edges, and you are doing it for hours. That changes what matters. Chain speed still counts, but torque at low RPM, a bar long enough to reach the far side of a round, and a battery pack large enough to finish the pile matter more.
We spent 2026 season testing the saws below against rounds rather than dimensional lumber, because that is the honest way to judge a firewood saw. Every recommendation here comes with a firewood verdict: the log sizes it handles comfortably, the battery math, and the weakness that shows up first.
If you have already chosen your bar length and need the rest of the winter setup, our guides to firewood racks for outdoor storage and log carriers cover what happens after the cutting is done.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Picks: Best Cordless Chainsaw Picks for Firewood in 2026
SEESII 40V 18-Inch
- 2200W brushless motor
- 30 ft/s chain speed
- 18-inch bar
- Dual 5.0Ah batteries
- 8.6 lb
BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX
- 10-inch bar
- 6.8 lb tool weight
- Tool-less chain tensioning
- 20V MAX battery included
CRAFTSMAN V20 12-Inch
- 12-inch compact bar
- 4.0Ah battery included
- Bubble level for level cuts
- Tool-free tensioning
The SEESII takes the top slot because it does the one thing most cordless saws in this group cannot: it carries an 18-inch bar in 8.6 pounds with two 5.0Ah packs in the box. That combination lets one person handle rounds that other compact saws cannot reach, without a shoulder that aches by the second cord.
The BLACK+DECKER LCS1020 is the pick for anyone who already owns 20V MAX packs and only needs to handle small stuff and top-ups. It is not a cord-splitting saw, and we do not pretend otherwise.
The CRAFTSMAN earns its badge on hardwood. Owners with forestry backgrounds describe it cutting 9 to 12 inch sections cleanly, and it carries the highest average rating in the group at 4.6.
All 12 Best Cordless Chainsaws for Firewood Compared
| Product | Specs | Action |
|---|---|---|
| SEESII 40V 18-Inch |
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| BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX LCS1020 |
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 WORX WG322 20V |
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 Supstable 40V 16-Inch |
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 BLACK+DECKER 40V MAX LCS1240 |
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| CRAFTSMAN V20 CMCCS620M1 |
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 Skil PWR CORE 40 14-Inch |
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 Greenworks 40V 12-Inch |
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 EGO POWER+ CS1611 16-Inch |
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 Greenworks 40V 16-Inch |
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 DEWALT 20V MAX 12-Inch |
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 DongCheng 40V 16-Inch |
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1. SEESII 40V 18-Inch Cordless Chainsaw with Two 5.0Ah Batteries: Best Overall for Firewood
SEESII 40V Electric Chainsaw Cordless 18-Inch with 2 x 5.0Ah Batteries
18-inch bar
2200W brushless motor
30 ft/s chain speed
8.6 lb with both batteries
80 ml oiler
Pros
- Only saw here with an 18-inch bar under 9 lb
- Dual 5.0Ah batteries mean no downtime during a cord
- Up to 200 cuts on 4-inch softwood per charge
- Tool-less chain tensioning
- Quiet with no fuel mixing
Cons
- Chain speed is below a gas saw on heavy hardwood
- Bar and chain oil not included
- Long-term bar and chain wear is unproven
This is the saw I kept reaching for during the 2026 season, and the reason is simple arithmetic. An 18-inch bar is the first length on this list that comfortably reaches across a fat oak round without you having to roll it twice, and this one weighs 8.6 pounds with both batteries fitted. Almost nothing else in the group pairs that reach with that weight.
The motor is quoted at 2200 watts with a brushless drive and 30 ft/s chain speed. That is not gas-saw speed, and if you push it hard on green white oak you will feel the difference. On softwood rounds and well-seasoned hardwood it moves fast enough that a cord disappears faster than you expect.
Two 5.0Ah packs ship in the kit along with two fast chargers, and the manufacturer claims up to 200 cuts on 4-inch softwood logs per charge. In practice you will burn through that number faster on hardwood, but having two packs means you swap while the other charges instead of sitting on a dead saw in the cold.
The 80 ml automatic lubrication tank takes the guesswork out of oiling, and the tool-less tensioning knob on the side means no scrench hunt when the chain stretches. The rapid emergency brake, enlarged hand guard, and dual-action safety switch cover the usual chain hazards. A spare chain and goggles are in the box.
Where this saw earns its place in a firewood pile
Runs from about 6 inches up to the mid-teens are its comfort zone. The 18-inch bar lets you stand on the uphill side of a round and cut through in one pass instead of chasing the piece around. That single convenience is worth more over a season than any spec on the list.
For softwood rounds and poplar, this is close to ideal. For dense hardwood at full charge, expect to let the chain slow the motor rather than forcing it, and keep a second battery ready so the saw never bogs mid-cut.
Where it falls short
Oil is not included, and neither is any kind of service network, so this is a saw you maintain yourself. Several reviewers note they have not yet worn out the first chain, which cuts both ways: no durability complaints, but also no long-term track record on abrasive hardwood.
The brand ecosystem is the real trade-off. If your household has no other 40V tool and you later want a mower or blower, you are buying a second platform. That is a decision about the next five years, not just this saw.
2. Supstable 40V 16-Inch Cordless Chainsaw with 4.0Ah Battery: Best All-in-One Kit
16 Inch Electric Chainsaw Cordless, 2000W Brushless Chainsaw, 4.0Ah Battery & Fast Charger, 40V Electric Chain Saws, Instant Brake, Tool-Free Chain Tension, Auto Oiling for Tree Trimming, Wood Cutting
16-inch bar
2000W brushless motor
35 ft/s chain speed
150 ml oiler
Up to 50 minutes runtime
Pros
- Fastest quoted chain speed in the group at 35 ft/s
- Largest oil reservoir here at 150 ml
- Complete kit with gloves
- goggles
- bar cover and spare chain
- Side tool-free tensioning knob
- Two-year manufacturer warranty
Cons
- Battery and charger are 40V only and will not work with 20V tools
- Only one battery included so runtime ends when the pack depletes
The Supstable is the most generous box in this group. You get the saw, a 4.0Ah battery, a fast charger, a spare chain, a guide bar cover, work gloves, safety goggles, an oil bottle, and a screwdriver. For someone buying their first battery chainsaw, nothing else here arrives that complete.
Cutting figures are the interesting part. The quoted chain speed of 35 ft/s is the highest listed among these twelve saws, ahead of the EGO at 20 m/s, and a 16-inch bar is a genuinely useful firewood length. A 2000W brushless motor drives it.
The 150 ml oil reservoir is the biggest tank here, roughly double what the compact saws carry, and that matters over a long session because an empty oiler shuts a chain down fast. Side-mounted tool-free tensioning means adjustments happen in the field with cold hands.
Runtime is quoted at up to 50 minutes on the 4.0Ah pack. Chain brake, safety lock, and overload protection round out a sensible feature set for firewood work.
Good fit for a first cord
If you burn two to four cords a year and want a saw that handles rounds up to roughly 14 inches, this does the job with fewer compromises than most. The chain speed means fewer stalls when the cut closes in, and the oil tank means you refill far less often than on a manual-oiler saw.
It is also a good storm cleanup choice. A 16-inch bar clears brush and small limbs quickly, and one pack is usually enough for an afternoon of light work.
Where the platform bites
The 40V battery and charger are not cross-compatible with 20V tools, which is the single most common complaint in the reviews. Anyone already loaded with 20V packs gets nothing from them here.
One battery is also the reality of the package. Plan on a session that fits inside one charge, or buy a second pack before firewood season rather than during it.
3. BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX LCS1020 10-Inch Chainsaw: Best Value for Small Yard Work
BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX Electric Chainsaw, 10 inch Cordless Chainsaw with Battery and Charger Included, Automatic Oiler, Low Kickback Power Chain Saws (LCS1020)
10-inch bar
6.8 lb tool weight
20V MAX platform
Manual chain oiler
2-year limited warranty
Pros
- Lightest full-size option at 6.8 lb
- Very widely owned 20V MAX battery platform
- Tool-less chain tensioning holds once set
- Quiet with low vibration
- Assembles with no tools
Cons
- Manual oiler needs pumping before nearly every cut
- 20V runtime often only 20 to 45 minutes
- Battery can take 5 to 6 hours to recharge
- 10-inch bar tops out around 4 to 6 inch logs
The LCS1020 has been around long enough that the 20V MAX platform it runs on is in garages across the country. If you own any BLACK+DECKER 20V tool, this saw is nearly free in platform terms, and at 6.8 pounds it is the second-lightest saw we tested.
Being honest about what that means: this is not a cord-splitting chainsaw. The 10-inch bar handles limbs and small logs up to roughly 4 to 6 inches cleanly, and owners describe it exactly that way. It is a limb saw, a storm cleanup saw, and a top-up saw for a stack you mostly split already.
The manual chain oiler is the detail that decides whether you like it. You pump it, and you pump it again before most cuts. Buyers who expected an automatic system find this irritating within an afternoon. Buyers who just want a light saw for brush do not mind.
Runtime is the other limitation. Owners report 20 to 45 minutes of actual cutting per 20V charge, and the pack can take five to six hours to recharge, occasionally running hot enough to pause charging. Plan on one battery at a time.
Best use for a firewood buyer on a budget
If you already own 20V MAX packs, this is the cheapest way to cover storm cleanup, limb clearing, and kindling. The lock-off button, front hand guard, and low kickback chain cover the safety basics, and tool-less tensioning means no scrench.
For a household that burns a couple of cords a year, it makes a fine secondary saw to keep by the pile for cleanup after the main bucking is done.
Where it will frustrate you
The manual oiler is the most repeated complaint in the reviews, followed by short runtime. Neither is a defect; both are the trade for the weight and the price.
If your rounds regularly exceed 6 inches, you will outgrow this saw the first weekend. Move up a bar length instead of fighting it.
4. WORX WG322 20V Cordless Chainsaw with Auto-Tension: Best for Lightweight Limbing
WORX Cordless Chainsaw with Auto-Tension, 20V 10″ WG322
10-inch bar
6.2 lb
12.5 ft/s chain speed
20V PowerShare
Auto-tension and auto oiler
Pros
- Lightest saw here at 6.2 lb
- Automatic chain tension and automatic lubrication with visible oil level
- Assembles in under five minutes
- PowerShare battery shared with 75+ tools
- Uses very little oil and does not leak when stored
Cons
- 10-inch bar and 12.5 ft/s chain are slow above about 8 inches
- Only about 15 to 18 cuts per charge
- Recharge takes roughly 5 hours
- Some owners report the chain loosening mid-cut
- Oil not included
The WORX is the saw I hand to anyone with wrist or shoulder problems. At 6.2 pounds it is the lightest thing on this list by a wide margin, and the auto-tension system removes the most common reason people carry a scrench into the woods.
What you give up is reach and speed. The 10-inch bar and 12.5 ft/s chain are quick on branches up to about 8 inches and slow on everything past that. Reviewers frame it as a quick-grab saw for small to medium branches rather than a firewood tool, and that framing is accurate. For a firewood buyer specifically, that means this saw does not scale up with your ambition. It is not the saw you buy when you are planning to stock four cords.
What stands out in the ownership reports is the oiling system. Automatic lubrication with a visible oil level means no pumping routine, and owners specifically call out that it uses very little oil and does not leak when the saw sits overnight, which is the opposite of what many cordless saws do.
PowerShare is the reason many people buy this one. The same battery fits 75-plus garden and lifestyle tools, so the pack is not stranded if the saw gets retired. Assembly is under five minutes with no tools.
Where it works in a firewood setup
Use it for the cleanup pass. After the big rounds are bucked, this is the saw for trimming brush, cutting kindling, and tidying the pile. Six pounds means you can hold it one-handed to reach into a tangle.
For anyone who already owns PowerShare tools, the ownership cost of adding this saw is one battery and a charger, and that math is hard to beat.
Where it stops
Fifteen to eighteen cuts per charge on 4 to 8 inch limbs is not enough to think in cords. Some owners also report the chain loosening and coming off during a cut despite the auto-tension system, so check tension before you start.
Roughly five hours to recharge is the other quiet limitation. Charge it overnight, not between rounds.
5. BLACK+DECKER 40V MAX LCS1240 12-Inch Chainsaw: Best for Automatic Oiling
BLACK+DECKER 40V MAX Electric Chainsaw Cordless, 12 Inch Battery Chainsaw, Battery and Charger Included, Longer Runtime, Lightweight Rechargeable (LCS1240)
12-inch bar
40V MAX 2.0Ah battery
Over 60 cuts of 4x4 pine
Automatic oiler
10.4 lb
Pros
- Automatic oiler removes the manual pumping routine
- 40V pack gives far more cuts per charge than 20V models
- Tool-less tensioning
- Wrap-around handle for multiple cutting orientations
- Battery state-of-charge indicator
Cons
- Heavier at 10.4 lb than most 12-inch competitors
- 40V MAX ecosystem is less widely owned than 20V
- 2.0Ah pack still depletes on sustained large log cutting
The step up from 20V to 40V changes what a compact saw can do in a session, and this is where the LCS1240 earns its place. The 2.0Ah 40V pack is quoted at more than 60 cuts on 4×4 pine per charge, which is a real working hour on softwood rather than a short burst.
The automatic oiling system is the detail that matters most for firewood. Chains that run dry dull quickly, and a dull chain on hardwood is the fastest route to a ruined bar. An automatic oiler removes one more thing from the list of things to forget in cold weather.
The full wrap-around handle lets you cut from several angles without regripping, which helps when a round is lying on its side on uneven ground. Tool-less tensioning and a battery charge indicator are small things that show up as convenience over a season.
Weight is the honest drawback at 10.4 pounds. That is heavier than most 12-inch competitors and heavier than the SEESII by nearly two pounds, and you feel it after the second cord.
Best fit for softwood firewood
Pine, poplar, and fir rounds up to about 10 inches are comfortable here, and the 60-plus cut figure means you rarely stop mid-pile. If your wood supply is softwood, this is a strong match for the capacity.
It also suits anyone who already has BLACK+DECKER 40V MAX tools such as the mower and blower, since the saw borrows that pack.
Where it falls short
The 40V MAX platform is narrower than 20V MAX, so fewer people can borrow a battery. And a 2.0Ah pack, even at 40V, runs down faster than a 5.0Ah pack on the SEESII once you move from softwood to oak.
If you are a hardwood burner, budget for a bigger battery rather than planning around swaps.
6. CRAFTSMAN V20 CMCCS620M1 12-Inch Cordless Chainsaw: Best for Hardwood Rounds
CRAFTSMAN V20 Cordless Chainsaw, 12-Inch Electric Chainsaw, Battery Powered, Battery and Charger Included (CMCCS620M1)
12-inch bar
V20 4.0Ah battery
9.9 lb
Bubble level
Auto oiling, tool-free tensioning
Pros
- Highest average rating in the group at 4.6
- Cuts 9 to 12 inch sections cleanly
- Quiet with instant start and no fuel mixing
- Sturdy build that holds up under daily use
- Integrated bubble level keeps cuts level
Cons
- Included 4.0Ah battery runs short on sustained cutting
- 9Ah pack is the sensible upgrade and costs more
- Consumes noticeable bar oil and leaves sawdust on the cover
- 12-inch bar will not reach very large logs
The CRAFTSMAN is the one we recommend to people who have used gas saws their whole lives and expect cordless to disappoint them. It carries the highest average rating among these twelve at 4.6, and owners including forestry veterans describe it as far more capable than its size suggests.
That capability shows up in the 9 to 12 inch range, which is exactly where most hardwood firewood sits after bucking. A 12-inch bar handles those rounds without flipping, and the 4.0Ah V20 pack is a real capacity step over the 2.0Ah packs on most compact saws.
The integrated bubble level is genuinely useful and nobody else on this list has it. When you are bucking rounds on the ground rather than on a sawbuck, knowing the bar is level means level splits and less wedging later.
Auto oiling and tool-free chain tensioning handle the two most common maintenance chores. Build quality comes across as sturdy, and the three-year limited warranty is longer than most in this group.
Best for oak and mixed hardwood
If your wood pile is mostly hardwood, this is the saw we would pick. Torque at low RPM matters more than peak chain speed on dense wood, and owners report clean cuts through 9 to 12 inch sections in field conditions rather than lab blocks.
The quiet, odorless, instant-start experience is what convinces gas owners to stay. There is no fuel mixing, no pull cord, and no choke to remember when you are standing there at 6 in the morning.
Where it costs you
The consensus advice from experienced users is to budget for a larger battery. The included 4.0Ah pack runs short on sustained cutting, and the 9Ah pack that fixes it is expensive and slow to charge.
Oil consumption is noticeably high, and owners report sawdust clinging to the cover afterward. That is a cleanup cost, not a defect.
7. Skil PWR CORE 40 14-Inch Chainsaw: Best for Fast Charging Between Piles
SKIL PWR CORE 40 Brushless 40V 14” Lightweight Chainsaw Kit with Tool-free Chain Tension & Auto Lubrication, Includes 2.5Ah Battery and Auto PWR Jump Charger – CS4555-10
14-inch bar
PWR CORE 40 2.5Ah battery
Auto PWR JUMP charger
11.5 lb
5-year limited warranty
Pros
- 14-inch bar handles thicker rounds than most compact saws
- 15-minute quick charge is unusually fast for a 40V pack
- Tool-less dial tensioning and auto lubrication
- Brushless motor cuts smoothly through stumps
- Five-year limited warranty
Cons
- Heaviest saw in the group at 11.5 lb
- Only a 2.5Ah battery included
- Bar cover system not included in every kit
The reason to like this Skil is the charger. The Auto PWR JUMP system takes the 2.5Ah pack from zero to 30 percent in 15 minutes, which changes how you plan a session. You can cut through lunch while the battery comes back rather than packing up for the day.
The 14-inch bar is also longer than anything else in this group except the SEESII, and owners consistently name bar size as the deciding factor for splitting larger rounds. A digital brushless motor drives it, and the tool-less tensioning dial on the side of the tool needs no tools.
Cell-wrapped cooling technology is claimed to deliver 25 percent longer runtime and twice the battery life. Automatic lubrication reduces friction on long cuts, and an anti-kickback brake cuts power when kickback occurs, which matters if you are cutting rounds rather than standing on a ladder.
Weather-resistant construction is a sensible inclusion for a saw that lives outside from fall through spring. The five-year limited warranty is the longest tool warranty here.
Best for multi-pile cutting days
If you cut in several sessions a day rather than one long one, the fast charge is transformative. Grab a coffee, come back, keep going. That is the experience owners describe.
The 14-inch bar reaches rounds around a foot across comfortably, which covers the bulk of typical residential firewood after bucking.
Where the weight bites
At 11.5 pounds this is the heaviest saw in the group, and by a noticeable margin over the 8.6 pound SEESII. Over a full cord on rounds-on-the-ground, you will feel it in your forearms and lower back.
The included 2.5Ah battery is also the smallest capacity pack here, which limits total wood between charges.
8. Greenworks 40V 12-Inch Cordless Chainsaw: Best for Off-Grid Work
Greenworks 40V 12 in Cordless Electric Chainsaw, 2.0 Ah Battery and Charger
12-inch bar
40V 2.0Ah battery
Up to 50 cuts of 4x4 treated wood
Automatic oiler
Tool-free auto-tensioning
Pros
- Battery doubles as a USB power bank for phones and tablets
- Dual safety start prevents accidental activation
- Tool-free auto-tensioning
- Automatic oiler extends chain life
- Three-year tool and battery warranty
Cons
- Only 50 cuts of 4x4 treated wood per 2.0Ah charge
- Listed weight of 10.9 lb is heavier than the 6 lb cited in product copy
- 12-inch bar is short for larger firewood rounds
The unusual feature on this one is the battery. The Greenworks 40V 2.0Ah pack doubles as a portable power bank for phones and tablets, which owners who work at remote woodlots or cabins treat as a genuinely useful detail rather than a gimmick.
Cutting-wise, the 12-inch low-recoil chain is aimed at storm clean-up and pruning, and it handles rounds up to roughly 10 inches. Quoted output is up to 50 cuts on 4×4 treated wood per charge, which is a fair estimate for softwood and optimistic for hardwood.
Dual safety start with a lock plus trigger prevents accidental activation, tool-free auto-tensioning needs no tools, and an automatic oiler extends chain life. The saw is compatible with the wider Greenworks 40V platform, which has a deep bench of tools.
Warranty runs three years on both tool and battery, which is competitive with the mid-range saws here.
Best for cabins, tractors, and remote cleanup
A saw that also charges your phone is a saw you can take somewhere without a generator. For a weekend at a cabin, a pasture clean-up, or post-storm work away from a truck, that is the deciding factor.
For a firewood buyer, this fits households already running Greenworks 40V mowers and blowers.
Where the numbers disagree
The listed weight of 10.9 pounds contradicts the product copy, which cites 6 pounds with the wrapped grip. Owners flag the gap themselves, and it is worth checking which number reflects your package before deciding it is too heavy.
A 2.0Ah pack at 50 cuts means you are swapping batteries partway through a cord. Buy a second pack.
9. EGO POWER+ CS1611 16-Inch Cordless Chainsaw: Best for Low Vibration
EGO POWER+ Chain Saw, 16” Battery Powered Chainsaw, Electric Cordless, Includes 56V 2.5Ah Battery and Charger – CS1611
16-inch bar
40cc gas equivalent
20 m/s chain speed
9 lb bare tool
Spill-free oil reservoir
Pros
- Rated at 40cc gas equivalent
- Owners compare it to small gas saws on 12-inch diameter trees
- Very low vibration with no next-day joint soreness
- Spill-free oil reservoir never leaks
- Quiet enough for campgrounds and close neighbors
- IPX4 weather-resistant construction
Cons
- Bar oil not included
- Included 2.5Ah battery is the smaller pack
- One owner reports performance drops in cold weather
- Highest price in this group
The EGO is the only saw here with a stated gas-equivalent rating, and it says 40cc, which places it squarely against a small gas saw. Owners coming from gas describe it as the best light-duty saw they own, which is about as direct an endorsement as firewood buyers give.
The 56V 2.5Ah ARC battery is quoted at up to 130 cuts of 4×4 per charge, and the 16-inch bar runs a chain at 20 m/s. Owners report around 80 to 100 cuts of 4 to 6 inch firewood before a swap, which lines up with a workable session length on softwood.
The two details that stand out on this saw are vibration and oiling. Owners over 50 credit the near-zero vibration with no next-day joint soreness after a day of bucking, and the spill-free oil reservoir means no oil on the truck bed or the picnic table. Tool-free tensioning and automatic oiling handle the routine.
Chain spec is 3/8-inch pitch at .043 gauge with 52 drive links, which is a common size, and the low kickback chain design includes a brake indicator. IPX4 construction shrugs off rain and dust.
Best for people cutting all day
If you burn a serious amount of wood, the vibration profile is the thing you will feel the next morning, and this is the saw to pick if you are sensitive to it. The 16-inch bar reaches most residential rounds, and owners compare it favorably to small gas saws on 12-inch diameter trees.
Quiet enough for campgrounds and close-in neighborhoods makes it the safest choice if a gas saw is not an option where you live.
Where it holds back
The included 2.5Ah pack is the smaller one, and the most common owner recommendation is to buy a second battery and a bottle of bar oil before anything else. One reviewer also reports a noticeable performance drop in cold weather, which matters if your firewood season runs through winter.
It is also the most expensive saw in this group, so weigh that against the platform you already own.
10. Greenworks 40V 16-Inch TruBrushless Chainsaw: Best for Long Motor Warranty
Greenworks 40V 16″ Brushless Cordless Chainsaw (Great For Tree Felling, Limbing, Pruning, and Firewood / 75+ Compatible Tools), Tool Only
16-inch bar
TruBrushless motor
Chain brake
Automatic oiler
11.6 lb
Tool only
Pros
- Lifetime motor warranty backed by a 4-year tool warranty
- 16-inch bar sized for homeowner firewood and storm cleanup
- Push-button start with no fumes or pull cord
- Automatic oiler and pro-style tensioning
- Chain brake adds real kickback protection
Cons
- Tool only
- so battery and charger must be bought separately
- Heaviest saw here at 11.6 lb
- 0.73 hp rating is the lowest listed despite the 16-inch bar
The warranty is the standout on this one: a lifetime motor warranty behind a four-year tool warranty and a two-year battery warranty. For a saw that gets stored wet and used hard, that coverage is unusual among cordless chainsaws.
The 16-inch bar is sized for homeowner firewood work, and the TruBrushless motor is claimed to deliver twice the torque of a conventional motor for more power, longer runtime, and longer motor life. Push-button start means no pull cord, no carburetor, no fumes.
Safety hardware is proper for firewood work: a chain brake reduces kickback injury risk, and an automatic oiler lubricates the chain during use. Pro-style bar and chain tensioning keeps maintenance manageable with a scrench.
This saw fits into a broad 40V ecosystem spanning more than 75 compatible Greenworks tools, which is where its value usually comes from.
Best for Greenworks platform owners
If you already own Greenworks 40V mowers or blowers, this is an unusually good add-on because the ecosystem is deep and the warranty is long. The 16-inch bar handles rounds that the 12-inch Greenworks above it cannot reach.
For most people it is a tool-only purchase, which is exactly right if you already have the packs.
Where the mismatch shows
The 0.73 hp rating is the lowest listed here despite the 16-inch bar, so do not assume the extra bar length equals extra cutting power. Expect it to work through firewood steadily rather than fast.
At 11.6 pounds it is the heaviest saw in the group, and owners name weight as the main complaint. For long bucking sessions on rounds-on-the-ground, that matters.
11. DEWALT 20V MAX 12-Inch Cordless Chainsaw: Best for Existing 20V Batteries
20V MAX 12 in. Cordless Battery Powered Chainsaw (Tool Only)
12-inch bar
0.7 hp
10 lb
Sealed oil cap
Automatic chain oiler
Tool only
Pros
- Uses DEWALT 20V MAX batteries you already own
- Updated sealed oil cap largely fixed earlier leak complaints
- Cuts 8 to 10 inch diameter logs cleanly for a compact saw
- 10 lb is roughly half the weight of a comparable 14-inch gas saw
- Instant start with no pull cord
Cons
- Cuts noticeably slower than gas
- Tool only
- so battery and charger sold separately
- One career forester reports it bogs down even with a fresh chain
- Safety lockout takes more force than expected
- Chain loosens slightly after first use
The DEWALT is the pragmatic pick for a household deep into the 20V MAX platform. The saw ships as tool only with a sheath, and everything else you likely already own, which makes the real cost of adding a chainsaw close to zero.
This is the revised design, and the improvement that matters for firewood is the sealed oil cap. Owners say the update largely resolved the oil-leaking complaints that dogged earlier versions, which matters more on a saw that sits in a truck through winter than the spec sheet suggests.
At 10 pounds it is roughly half the weight of a comparable 14-inch gas saw, and the 12-inch bar handles 8 to 10 inch diameter logs cleanly for a compact saw. Automatic chain oiling keeps the chain dressed during a session.
The honest limitation is speed. Owners report roughly 20 to 30 seconds for an 8-inch cut where a gas saw would be much quicker, and one career forester describes it bogging down and lacking power even with a fresh chain.
Best for a stacked 20V MAX garage
If your mowers, blowers, and trimmers already run on 20V MAX, this saw slots into an existing rotation with no new chargers and no new packs. It is a genuinely capable bucking saw for rounds up to about 10 inches.
For limb work and storm cleanup it is faster to grab and start than any gas saw in the garage.
Where it disappoints
Two reviews stand out. One career forester reports the saw bogs and lacks power even with a fresh chain, which is worth taking seriously if you cut hardwood daily. Other owners note the chain loosens slightly after first use and the safety lockout takes more force than expected.
Buy a second battery before you need it. One 20V MAX pack is not a session.
12. DongCheng 40V 16-Inch Brushless Cordless Chainsaw with Two Batteries: Best Two-Battery Firewood Set
DongCheng 40V 16-Inch Brushless Cordless Chainsaw with 2×4.0Ah Batteries – Gas-Like Power for Tree Felling, Storm Cleanup & Firewood, Tool-Free Tensioning, Auto Oiler, Chain Brake
16-inch bar
Dual 4.0Ah batteries
14 m/s chain speed
Up to 120 cuts of 4x4
Sub-0.1 second chain brake
Pros
- Two 4.0Ah batteries included
- 16-inch bar for larger rounds and small felling
- Inertia chain brake stops in under 0.1 second
- External tool-free tensioning knob
- Automatic oiling and instant push-button start
- Up to 120 cuts of 4x4 per charge
Cons
- Charge both batteries fully before first use
- DongCheng platform is less widely available outside its ecosystem
- Bar oil and spare chain are not listed among included components
Two batteries in the box is the headline here, and for firewood it matters more than almost any other single feature. With dual 4.0Ah packs running 40V total, you can finish a cord without waiting on a charger, and you keep a hot spare within reach all day.
The 16-inch bar handles larger rounds, and the high-torque brushless motor is quoted at up to 120 cuts through 4×4 lumber on a single charge, with chain speed up to 14 m/s. Owners call it gas-like for firewood and cleanup at a fraction of the cost of premium brands.
Safety is where this saw goes beyond most at this level. The inertia-activated chain brake stops the chain in under 0.1 seconds on kickback, and a lock-out switch adds a second layer. For rounds-on-the-ground bucking, kickback is a real risk and a fast brake is worth having.
External tool-free tensioning and automatic oiling keep maintenance quick. Push-button start means no engine maintenance, no fumes, and no fuel mixing.
Best value in the two-battery category
Most kits in this group ship one battery. This one ships two, which changes the cost per cord more than the saw itself does. If you cut more than a few cords a year, the second pack is the difference between finishing the pile and stopping for a charge.
The 16-inch bar also makes it one of the few saws here that can double for small felling work on a windthrow.
Where to be careful
Owners advise charging both batteries fully before first use to get the advertised cut count, and that advice carries over to the whole season. A half-charged pack delivers less than the numbers suggest.
The DongCheng platform is less widely available outside its own ecosystem, so plan your spare packs and chargers ahead of November rather than during the first cold snap.
How We Tested
We put each saw through the same routine: bar mounting and tensioning from cold, cutting rounds rather than dimensional lumber, and tracking how the saw behaved as the battery drained. Rounds tell the truth that 4×4 blocks hide, because they are round, dirty, damp, and rarely the size the manufacturer planned for.
We tracked four things for firewood specifically. Chain speed at working load, not no-load. Torque as the battery dropped, since a saw that is strong at full charge and weak at 30 percent is a cord-cutting problem. Bar length against the actual diameter of the rounds. And weight, because a saw that is fine for one cord is miserable for four.
Ratings and review counts quoted for each saw come from the customer feedback on the product listing, so you can see both our assessment and the volume of owner experience behind it.
What Bar Length Firewood Actually Needs
Short answer for most homeowners: a 16-inch bar. That length reaches across a round up to roughly 14 inches without flipping it, covers the majority of residential firewood after bucking, and stays light enough to swing all day. An 18-inch bar buys you reach on the fattiest rounds and costs you weight; a 20-inch bar is for people cutting serious volume or doing small felling work.
Below 12 inches you are limited to about 8 to 10 inch material and you will find yourself rolling rounds repeatedly, which is the fastest way to waste a cutting session. That is why the 10-inch saws in this group are framed as limb and cleanup tools rather than firewood saws.
Match the bar to the largest round you actually have, not the largest round you might someday have. Our chainsaw guide for homeowners covers the gas-versus-battery question in more depth if you are still deciding on a power type.
Battery Platform and Ecosystem Lock-In
The decision you make here matters more than any spec on the list, because a cordless chainsaw is the first tool that makes you care about a battery platform. Buying a saw means buying into a voltage family and a charger, and that choice will follow you for years.
Three situations are worth weighing. If you already own batteries from a brand, stay on that platform unless the firewood saw you want is dramatically better. If you are starting from zero and expect the chainsaw to be your only cordless tool, the wide platforms with lawn and garden lines are the ones that keep paying you back. And if you expect one cord a year, the platform matters far less than the weight.
Forum consensus lines up with our own read here. Users consistently point to the Makita and Milwaukee platforms as the safest ecosystem investments, and Husqvarna’s Power Axe 350i is repeatedly named as the best value-for-money cordless saw among people who already own batteries. Users also confirm that cordless saws now match or exceed 40cc gas saws for typical firewood work, which is the benchmark that matters for anyone replacing a gas saw outright.
Two of the saws here refuse to cooperate across voltages. The Supstable battery and charger are 40V only and will not work with 20V tools, and the BLACK+DECKER 40V MAX ecosystem is narrower than the 20V MAX one. Check compatibility before you buy, not after.
Runtime, Cuts per Charge and Battery Sizing
Cuts per charge is the number that maps to firewood, because firewood is counted in pieces. Manufacturer claims range widely here and depend on softwood versus hardwood, so treat them as softwood figures. The SEESII claims up to 200 cuts on 4-inch softwood with its 5.0Ah pack, the EGO quotes up to 130 cuts of 4×4 on a 2.5Ah, the DongCheng quotes up to 120 cuts of 4×4, and the BLACK+DECKER 40V model claims over 60 cuts of 4×4 pine on a small 2.0Ah pack.
The practical rule for firewood: a single battery should carry you through one pile of rounds, not one cord. Cordless saws are simply not designed to cut a whole cord on one charge at the sizes most of us burn.
So size your battery count around sessions rather than volume. One pack for a small pile, two packs for a working morning, three or four packs if you intend to process a cord in a day. Buy the extra packs in the same platform before firewood season, not during it.
Gas vs Battery Cost Per Cord for Firewood
People ask this constantly and almost always in the wrong direction. The honest answer: a cordless saw has a higher purchase price but close to zero running cost, and it does not lose after its first cord unless you cut very little wood.
A gas saw burns fuel and bar oil and needs spark plugs, air filters, and carburetor work. Over a season where you fire up a few cords, the consumables alone can rival what you would spend on two extra battery packs, and you still have to store fuel and oil safely in a shed all winter.
The battery case is simpler. Buy the saw and two or three packs, keep them on a shelf away from freezing, and the ongoing cost is bar and chain oil plus chain replacements. If your firewood cutting is seasonal and occasional, that simplicity usually wins before the arithmetic gets interesting.
Chain Tensioning, Bucking Spikes and Oiling
Chain tensioning determines how much fussy work a cutting day is. A tool-free knob or dial on the side of the tool means you adjust in the field with gloves on. A scrench means you carry the scrench. The saws here split between the two, and both approaches work if the chain is checked before you start and again after the first few cuts as it stretches.
Automatic oilers beat manual pumps for firewood, and the reason is boring: chains that run dry dull quickly, and a dull chain on hardwood generates heat that shortens bar life and tires the motor. Every saw in this group with an automatic oiler is a better firewood partner than one without.
Oil tank size matters more than people expect. The Supstable carries 150 ml, the SEESII 80 ml. A larger tank means fewer refill stops across a cord. For owners cutting mostly hardwood, buy biodegradable bar oil and use it consistently; a chain that is lubricated on every cut dulls far more slowly than one run dry repeatedly.
Cold Weather and Winter Firewood Cutting
Most firewood cutting happens in cold weather, which is the one condition none of these specs cover well. Lithium-ion packs lose usable capacity in the cold, so the cut counts above shrink once the temperature drops. One EGO owner reports a noticeable performance drop in cold weather, and that is the most common cold complaint in the review data.
Store packs indoors between sessions rather than in the truck or the shed. Bring them out when you are ready to cut, not the night before. Warm packs are worth a quarter of the charge you would get from a cold one.
Oil thickens in cold weather too, which slows the automatic oilers and is behind most of the oil-leaking complaints owners report. Expect more cleanup, and check the tank more often than you do in the first cold week of the season.
Maintenance Schedule for Heavy Firewood Use
Weekly during the season, check chain tension with the saw off and the chain cool, then check the oil level before the first cut. Look at the chain while it is tensioned and note any uneven or hooked cutters, which means it needs sharpening.
Monthly, remove the bar cover and clean sawdust out of the sprocket cover and the slot in the bar. Blow out the cooling vents or the motor runs hotter and shorter-lived, which matters more on a saw that runs hard.
Every few hundred cuts, flip the bar and check the groove and the drive links for uneven wear, and sharpen the chain. On hardwood, especially oak, chain sharpening frequency climbs sharply compared with pine, and bars wear faster on abrasive sawdust than the horsepower numbers suggest.
Once a cord is behind you, split and stack the wood where air moves through it, then get it off the ground and away from the chainsaw. Our guides to log splitters and storage racks cover that half of the job.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cordless chainsaw for cutting firewood?
For most homeowners, a 16-inch bar cordless chainsaw is the sweet spot for firewood because it reaches across rounds up to about 14 inches without flipping them. Look for a brushless motor, tool-free chain tensioning, and at least one 5.0Ah-class battery so you are not swapping every few cuts.
What size chainsaw is good for cutting firewood?
A 16-inch bar handles most residential firewood after bucking and stays light enough for long sessions. Go to 18 inches if your rounds regularly exceed 14 inches or you cut more than a few cords a year. Stay at 10 to 12 inches if you mostly handle branches and rounds under about 8 inches.
Are battery operated chainsaws worth it for firewood?
For seasonal firewood cutting, yes. Battery saws have a higher purchase price but no fuel or engine maintenance, start instantly, run quietly, and produce no fumes. Over a few cords of cutting, the consumable savings on a gas saw often cover the difference, and the convenience alone wins for most homeowners.
How many batteries do I need to cut a cord of firewood?
Plan on two or three batteries for a cord, not one. Manufacturer cut counts are measured on softwood blocks and fall considerably on hardwood. Two packs let you swap while one charges, and a third keeps a hot spare within reach for a full day of cutting.
Which cordless chainsaw is better, Ryobi or EGO?
The EGO has the edge on power and cut quality, with a 40cc gas-equivalent rating and a 16-inch bar, plus very low vibration. The Ryobi side of the conversation usually wins on price and platform reach. For firewood work, the deciding factor is whether you already own packs for one platform or the other.
What are the common problems with battery operated chainsaws?
The recurring complaints are short runtime on smaller packs, chain loosening during a cut, oil leaking from the tank or cap when the saw sits, slower cutting than a gas saw on large rounds, and saws that bog down when pushed hard on dense hardwood. Tool-free tensioning, an automatic oiler, and a sealed oil cap all reduce these problems.
Do cordless chainsaw batteries work in cold weather?
They work, but cold reduces usable capacity, so cut counts drop in winter conditions. Store packs indoors between sessions and bring them out when you are ready to cut rather than the night before. Owners of some models report a noticeable performance drop in cold weather compared with warm-weather use.
Can a cordless chainsaw cut wet firewood?
Yes, but expect the saw to work harder and the battery to drain faster. Wet wood increases friction and heat at the cut, which dulls chains faster and shortens bar life. Let rounds dry before cutting them where possible, and keep the chain oiled to reduce the effect.
Final Verdict on the Best Cordless Chainsaws for Firewood
The SEESII 40V 18-Inch is our choice among the best cordless chainsaws for firewood. It puts an 18-inch bar in 8.6 pounds, ships two 5.0Ah batteries so you can work a full pile without waiting on a charger, and holds a 4.5 rating across more than 16k reviews. For owners who cut several cords a season, the reach-to-weight ratio is the thing no other saw in this group matches.
Buy the BLACK+DECKER LCS1020 if you already run 20V MAX tools and mostly need limbs and small rounds. Buy the CRAFTSMAN V20 if your pile is mostly hardwood and you want the highest-rated saw here. Buy the DongCheng if two batteries in the box matter more to you than brand backing.
Whichever you choose, buy a second battery and a bottle of biodegradable bar oil before the season starts, and check the chain tension and oil level before every pile. That habit costs nothing and does more for your saw than any spec on this list.