Greenworks 40V 16" Brushless Cordless Chainsaw, 4.0Ah Battery and Charger Included

I am hopeful for products such as this but after seeing many of the cheesy company produced video reviews for this chainsaw, I was worried. I have owned several electric chain saws, I am no professional and have used chain saws gas and electric on and off but at best I am a weekend warrior. Current history with electric Ryobi 18Volt chain saw off a Large LiIon pack D+ (Very Slow and steady but fits the set and sometime better than the sawsall) Poulan 18 inch plug in electric A- (Runs great, cords are difficult with limbs everywhere) Remington 16 inch plug in electric Saw B- (Ran for 2 years plastic gear stripped) Remington 10 inch pole saw plug in electric C (Short or Relay issue fairly early on needs repair) On the Greenworks Saw I use both the 2AH (amp hour) and 4AH batteries that came with my duel bladed GreenWorks lawnmower. The batteries are less than a year old and are often stored refrigerated which I learned from one source extends the SHELF life of the battery. I have cut down and bucked 2 medium trees in my orchard. 13 and 10 inch diameter It went surprisingly well. The two batteries, with one on the charger are sufficient for small 30-45 minute jobs.. Good It cuts fast, not as fast as sharp gas saw, almost on par with my plug in Poulsen It produces lots less noise It has a decent amount of charge for a back yard project. Limbs great. A light cloth case and plastic blade sheath Fair It isn't meant for felling large trees, it can be done given time, but if pushed too hard it shuts down, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The chain is an Oregon R56 and is a particularly light and efficient chain perhaps its not a particularly rugged, time will tell. It doesn't seem to use much oil which concerns me that it is not functioning properly. It is light, and there is a lot of plastic, while light is good, I am concerned about longevity. Bad I run my chain a bit loose and I lost it a few times, I have started to run it tighter. (This has resolved this issue, obviously) It is expensive, but if you are into green things it is also a statement. Again even with a 4 year warranty I am worried about longevity and the Greenworks customer service. Resources: Battery= The saw only works with the newer G-MAX40V batteries the older 40V batteries, I am told, do not fit. CHAIN= Oregon R56 Oregon 16-Inch Micro Lite Chain Saw Chain Fits Husqvarna, Poulan R56 BAR= Possibly Oregon 164MLEA041 .043" Gauge 3/8" Low Pro Pitch 16" Double Guard Bar (Bar on stock=Oregon 8t 56562615) GREENWORKS help line 888 909 6757 1- Have model number 2- SN 3- Date or around Date of purchase 4- Manual with partnumbers might be helpful Wait time was about 5 minutes on a Tuesday morning. *(Oregons website does NOT list a bar for this chainsaw at this time, by the numbers is should work but cannot say for sure, purchase the above bar at your own risk, greenworks website now sells both a chain and the bar.) Summary: This is a quick review I plan to update some of the links and do a yearly update as the longevity of this saw is of great interest to me. I find that I do not want to use my Poulan plug in when this is so easy to use. I would recommend this to anyone who already had a GMAX tool or if the price were to dip and you think you could get your money's worth out of it. Thus far this saw earns a B- Updates 1- Greenworkstools the website now sells both the replacment chain and the bar on its website. www.greenworkstools DOT com/gmax40v/gmax-40v-parts-accessories/ 2- I own the Green Works (GW) duel bladed mower and now the Digipro 14 inch trimmer, and I would have to say the chainsaw is my favorite thus far of the three GW products. 3- I have also cut down a 14" tree of heaven with the saw, I have noticed the chain needs oil. I have cleaned the saw could not find the problem the saw has not been abused. I just got off the phone with customer service, they are sending me an oil pump and oil outlet tube. I found the part numbers in the manual. The manual is also available on their website.

I was wrong about electric chainsaws being up to the task. My 20" old Craftsman takes a lot of maintenance to keep running tip top. Periodic tubing replacements, spark plug changes, mixing of fuel, etc. Runs great and is powerful enough for my needs, but again, maintenance. In comparison, the Greenworks chainsaw is easy maintenance. Yeah, still have to adjust/sharpen blades and add chain oil like the gas powered version, but other than that and keeping a fresh battery charged up, that's it. I love that aspect of it, but even then, the chain saw cuts through limbs and small trees well. The chainsaw feels well-balanced and lighter, and my wife even can use it without complaining about the weight. Overall, I'm not sure about durability, but so far, it's cut several small trees and lots of firewood without issue. So it's a good value for the money. Be aware, new batteries are the expensive part should you need to replace it, as usual. Luckily, all the 40V amp-hour iterations from Greenworks should work. Electric doesn't mean maintenance-free. Still need to take care of it. Always take the battery out of the tool afterward and store the battery above freezing to prevent damage. I still maintain the gas powered versions are a bit more powerful in the same size range, but there are tradeoffs. The Greenworks electric comes close, though.

It works. It is much lighter and easier to use than gas chainsaw. And it is enough for pruning and cutting mid-size trees. Battery life is something what you expect (~40min ) . Basically you can cut one tree and do few bulk cuts. Recharge time could be less for Li battery currently it takes few hours to recharge.

I've used this chainsaw several times, enough to feel comfortable writing a review. Firstly, it has plenty of power, I've cut through 12 inch trees with it...no problem. If you're sawing down a tree or two and don't mind taking a break, then one battery will probably do. Heavy use means a second battery. The way I use the saw, two batteries means between 2 - 3 hours of cutting depending on how far I want to deplete the battery and the diameter of the tress I'm cutting. It takes about 1.5 hours to return 3/4 charge to the battery and 2 hours to return a full charge to zero. Bottom line. The power is there. It's easy to use and will fit the bill for most homeowners. It's quiet. It's smooth cutting. It's friendly for first time users. In my opinion, it feels like a well built, quality tool. A second 4ah battery is a requirement for all day work, but occasional users or those doing small jobs, like cutting firewood for a camping trip or cutting down very small trees, will probably find one battery pack will probably work well. *UPDATE* Downgraded to FOUR STARS. Excellent saw, took down some big trees with it this weekend, but the Tension Knob has plastic teeth. It's already starting to wear out. Luckily, it's a cheap part...only $3 online. I continue to recommend the product, but a extra tension knob isn't a bad idea, just google Green Works Part 34108583. In the tool's defense, I'm pretty sure I over-tensioned the chain. *UPDATE 5/28/2014* I've used this chainsaw EXTENSIVELY in the last six weeks. This morning, I had a number of logs to saw up. I started with a pile of longs cut to approximately 4 foot lengths, stacked 3 or 4 feet high and about 8-10 feet long. Big stuff, many were at least 1 foot in diameter. I needed about three charges to get through it all, but I started with two full batteries, so that meant stopping only briefly to put the spent battery on the charger while the full one was running. (Batteries never actually went to zero. I recharge when the indicator light shows a low battery.) The saw powered through everything, I had zero problem cutting it into firewood sized lengths. I replaced the chain tensioner that broke and haven't had any more problems. It's clear to me that I had over-tensioned the chain before, that said, the part should be made of metal, but it's easy and cheap to replace and I now have a couple of spares if it happens again. As far as I'm concerned this is the best electric chainsaw on the market. *UPDATE 4-25-15* I've been using the saw for a year. I broke the tensioner last year by over tightening the chain (user error), it's been fine since. I've already cut down at least 5 trees with the saw so far this year. Still going strong. Excellent saw. I continue to recommend TWO batteries and TWO chargers, it really speeds up big jobs. Bumping it back up to 5 stars.

The main issue with this saw is the brand new chain cutter links are so short that they look like a worn out chain that is about to be thrown away. But I cut half of a cord of blown down oak, the limbs and the 20" trunk using less than 3 charged batteries, WOW! I was so impressed that when my wife (we are both recently retired) told me she wanted to upgrade from a snow shovel to a little snow blower, I recommended that she buy the Green Works 12" snowblower package for about $200. No snow yet on the apron in front of the house yet to try the snowblower yet, but the extra 40v battery and extra battery charger looked like the perfect addition to the chainsaw! We can now go out in the morning and I cut oak firewood while she shuffles blocks of wood and branches for about 45 minutes, we split the wood with a 20 ton gas powered splitter pulled behind the 4 wheeler, go back home and put BOTH batteries on the 2 chargers on a timer set for 3 hours to avoid cooking the batteries (especially during end of the day charging), eat lunch and relax a bit and then go out in the afternoon and repeat the process with a LOT less noise and no yanking on that recoil starter rope of my 30 year old Jonsered 535 gas saw that has no decompression valve! ( I had shoulder rotator cuff surgery a couple of years ago) We are VERY HAPPY so far, I just hope the batteries last a couple of years. As far as the folks making comments about the oil tank leaking, or the chain falling off, or the chain oiler not working (enough oil for about 1 hour run time) or short battery run time, and regular bar oil works just fine by the way. I honestly believe that they are wanna-be lumberjacks that have NO past chainsaw experience to know how to set-up and safely operate such a well built product. I honestly (honestly, for ONCE in my life) highly recommend this CHINESE product! It works GREAT! As I mentioned earlier, the cutting links on the original chain are too short to sharpen more than a couple of times, but that's the only issue I have had after cutting my second face cord of big oak today! This saw is NOT a toy! We have so far cut 2/3 of our firewood to heat our home this winter! Update... attached pics are the 1/2 cord of oak wood I cut using a total of 3 charged batteries.The trailer bed is 8 feet long, 40" wide, and the pile averages 26" high. I like the saw so much I bought 2 new Oregon chains #R56 (fits PERFECT!) and use my same old Timber Tuff CS-BMM benchtop electric chain saw sharpener with the 3/16" wheel (@$50) for a REALLY sharp chain with great results, much better than a Dremel type tool with a 5/32" bit I used at first on both saws! Timber Tuff does not have a 5/32" grinding wheel available for that model sharpener. Even though it is 1/32" wider than the Greenworks and Johnsered 5/32" chains specify. It only makes a little nick in the main part of the chain that has never been an issue, and the saw power is not affected by the slightly deeper cut the chain makes. Don't worry, be happy! And GO CUT SOME WOOD!

We love the chainsaw. It is great for something to have. If anyone has ever spent what feels like forever pull starting a chainsaw after it has sat for 6 or more months, get frustrated because the ethanol has left residue in the carb, then figure out that the 10 minute job that you needed to use the chainsaw for has turned into an hour or more just getting ready.....this is the saw for you. No, it is not the same as our Husqvarna or Stihl, but it does the job well and I am not worn out by the time I get to the tree that fell on the fence. Just grab a battery out of the charger, make sure there is oil and go. The saw is lightweight by comparison and the cutting power is there. I didn't know how much we would use it, but it has become our goto saw now. I dread when we need something with a large bar and have to drag the other ones out. Make sure you buy extra batteries.

The Greenworks tool is excellent. Because it is every bit as good as any saw I've owned (Stihl, Husqvarna, Poulan), it is therefore "better". It cuts as effectively, with *as much power*, and for as long as a gas-powered machine of equal size (one 4 AH battery & 1 tank bar oil, will last as long as one tank of 2 cycle & bar oil - about 45 minutes). It is every bit as powerful. It is half the weight. It is comparatively silent. Even the easiest-starting gas-powered machine is more work to prepare/start than this machine. Greenworks is top-quality, and this machine lives up to that standard. I have the Greenworks 40V lawn mower, so I have three batteries and a charger already: three batteries will run this machine for far longer than I can work safely. 2+ hours of non-stop cutting is not what I call 'residential work'. Usually one 4.0AH battery (45 minutes of cutting) is enough - then I have to haul, split and stack the wood. It's a good day's workout. I have read reviews that complain about chain tension (& slipping off the bar). I have read complaints about 'storing bar oil in the chamber'. - "Chain tension". Basic chainsaw procedure has you checking chain tension before, and frequently during, use. As with every saw I've had, after 15-20 minutes, the chain and bar are sufficiently hot as to have caused expansion. You're the one in charge: it's *your* job to monitor and correct that. I have used this machine extensively and I have never had the chain slip off the bar. The chain requires re-tightening no more frequently than any gas-powered machine (usually once/use). Bottom line is - No, this is not a problem if you know how to operate a chainsaw. - "Bar oil leakage": It is *so* simple to use a $4 funnel to pour the un-used oil back into the original container, that I really don't know what to say. Remove the battery, open the chamber, open the bar oil container, put in the funnel, pour. It is *not* "used oil" - the used oil is splattered all over the bar! The oil in the chamber is clean - pour it back and use it next time. This process might possibly take 2:45 to 3:00 minutes, and it protects your $200 machine. What, there's a problem here?! I don't see it. This is the best >$100 purchase I've made in a long time (Well, The Beatles "Abbey Road" re-master box set ,,,,, ;) )

After using gas powered chain saws all these years it was nice to use this one because it is really quiet. I didn't have much difficulty putting it together and the battery got fully charged in under two hours. I'm not a super experienced chain saw user, more of a hobbyist. I do tree trimming and cut up fallen trees and firewood primarily. When I was adjusting the chain tension on this saw I found it somewhat difficult to get the tension right. I know from experience the chain tension has to be fairly tight otherwise the chain will pop off. I found that no matter how much I screwed down the plastic knobs that tighten up the chain I could not seem to get them as tight as I thought that they should be to operate this device without having the chain popping off. The saw started right up like it should and I began to tackle my first task, trimming off some low hanging branches over the driveway. They are thick branches, I know better than to use a chainsaw to trim thin ones. These branches are at least 4 inches wide. The first branch sawed off nicely. So did the second. Then the tension on the chain gave way on the third branch and the chain came off. Now there's a factor here aside from chain tension; the branches I was cutting are on a really old osage orange tree and if you know anything about this type of tree the living branches tend to be fairly soft but the dead ones on an osage orange can be almost as hard as a stone. I was cutting dead limbs and they were very solid and hard. So I was asking a lot of the saw to cut them but as I said the first two cut off just fine. After that I kept having problems with the chain tension. I could not get the chain tight enough to stay on the bar. Every time I put it back on the bar it came right off again within seconds. Now this is all happening during the first 20 minutes of the first time I had ever used the saw. So the battery was still doing fine but the chain tension was causing me fits. When it came off the fifth time I finally wrecked the chain. I just ordered a couple more chains. Once I receive them I'll try it again. I realize the hardness of the osage orange branches could have been a factor. I like the saw just fine-I only wish I could figure out how to get the chain tension where it needs to be. Putting that oily chain back on the bar every five minutes is not my idea of fun. I'll try again once I get the new chain (s) and will add on to this review as things progress.