Makita EA4300F40B 16" 42 cc Chain Saw

Amazing little saw. Really powerful. Plenty light enough. Starts on the first pull every time. The chain brake is very fast and effective. No complaints whatsoever. I bought it because of the Makita name, as I've never been disappointed with this company's high-end tools. I'm sure everyone knows that this is a Dolmar 421 with blue covers. Great saw. I used it extensively for clean-up after Hurricane Matthew tore through the Daytona Beach area, and it made the work quite pleasurable.

I own most every tool in Makita, this is my first gas-powered Makita tool however and in the land of Stihl chainsaws, it's a bit of a black sheep. However, I did just cut down a 60ft oak with only this saw and I will say it ran perfectly both hot and cold - I had no issues with the chain oiler or bar tensioner. I did adjust the tensioner a few times throughout the day as per recommended but that's standard procedure for any unit. I can't fault it.

After I read the instructions on proper way to start it (I flooded it before reading)I love this saw. The Bar/chain that comes with it is on the light duty side (easy to jam/flex/pinch. but that is also careless user), but the power to weight ratio is great. Nothing slows this thing down. And it's relatively quiet ... for a chainsaw. (so not quiet,.. but less loud)Feel is great, balance great, controls don't feel cheap. I definitely believe you could throw an 18-20" bar on here and have no issue at all.Glad I went this way over Echo/Homelite/etc.

I am copying and pasting my response to a question posed regarding this particular chainsaw.Maybe I can partially answer your question. First the bulb, yes it does have one. The H/L/I adjustments I have not had to adjust as they work well for my geographical location, Florida, and I have done no power mods so they are still in as received condition.One thing I want to mention is the uniqueness of the way the engine is started (start assist feature). I have read a LOT of reviews about how these Makita/Dolmar saws which use the spring assist start feature are junk. Numerous posts even go so far as to say these are defective as they CANNOT get these saws started, even certified service centers are unable to get them started. I admit that as with anything there are always lemons and that must be expected. With that being said let me give you my opinion about these starters.When I first received this saw I had no issues getting it started. After maybe 5 times or so of using it I ran into this non start "issue" also. I have since learned this is not in fact an issue for the most part..... As with anything mechanical there are break in periods and I'm thinking this is what's happening when people are saying their new saws have gone bad. After some period I realized the issue was in fact my own, operator error. I found after what I consider too much time; There is a certain fluidity of pull, along with not using all out brute force to pull the starter cord, to get this saw started every time on two pulls at the most. Do it any other way and you can yank until you're blue in the face and it will never start! If I can explain further by making an association this possibly might further clarify what I'm trying to say.When new technologies such as cell phones, computers, social media, etc became main stream there was a certain learning curve that had to be gone through prior to realizing what you had was in fact a great new technology. Prior to spending a certain amount of time utilizing these devices a great deal of individuals complained of issues or even outright stating a product was defective when all it was is the individual not taking the time to learn this new device. Some might say the same with these saws, well it should just work out of the box as other saws. Just as those users state this, how many people still exist out there today that say cell phones, computers, and social media are problematic and too filled with issue for them to learn. In my view these two scenarios are very similar and hopefully what I'm trying to explain is slightly more clear.My opinion regarding this saw has only improved with use. I have to say I really like this saw. I use it much more than the average home owner or land owner for sure but surely not as much as a pro saw user that makes their living off chainsaws (they wouldn't be using this anyway if that was the case). I spend a fair amount of time in the volunteer sector and would guess to date (I have no hour meter so this is strictly a best guess based off of how much time a week I spend on location) I have approximately 60-80 hours on this saw. This is not a saw to be used for felling a great deal of large sized trees, not that we have many of those in Florida compared to the rest of the CONUS. Where I believe this saw would shine is occasional use felling of small to medium sized trees, and in the limbing and bucking of said trees. This is not a powerhouse saw and is a sub 45cc powerplant so take that into your consideration. For me I absolutely use it for what a 50-60 cc saw would be better suited for, however the weight savings it has compared to those sized saws is why I utilize in such a way. I have a fair amount of physical ailments and a 11 lb. saw vs a 13/14/15 lb. or more saw is what saves me at the end of the day. I absolutely love this little saw and highly recommend it if you were not able to deduce that already. R/S J.S. « Show Less

I've had this saw for about three months now and have taken down and bucked 11 trees so far of sizes ranging from 6 inches in diameter to 18 inches and heights of 40-50 feet. I've cut pine, maple, walnut and even awful Osage orange. This saw hasn't missed a beat. It has been absolutely awesome.I've been so impressed by how easily and reliably it starts. This saw cuts really fast for such a small saw, has more hp than a comparable Echo, Stihl or Husky. I was really apprehensive about buying because I don't have any dealers by me and everyone told me to buy a Stihl, Echo, or Husqvarna since those are the big three chain saw brands everyone knows. Information and reviews are scarce on this saw. I did my research and found that Makitas are Dolmar saws which are excellent. This particular model is a Dolmar PS-421 which is very highly rated. I preferred my saw Makita blue so I bought it over the Dolmar through Amazon marketplace. Shipping was fast, product was as described.I now run this saw with an Oregon Pro-Lite 91 16" professional bar and an Oregon 91VG chain. It cuts like a dream. Buy this saw, you'll love it. It's the best kept secret in the mid sized compact saw class. Highly recommended!

Received this today. Followed instructions and BANG! started right up. Plenty of power for my needs plus some. I have owned some 8 or so chain saws over my 71 years and this is by far the best.

Plenty of power for my use

Absolutely one awesome saw.. I'm a longtime owner & user of stihl, husqvarna, echo and shindaiwa having more then one model of all of them and this is by far one of the best I've used.. From power to weight ratio to ease of start hot or cold just a great saw..