What Chainsaw is Right for You?

There are three general categories of chainsaw that include the Trimming Saw, the Ground Saw and the Multi-purpose Saw. Within each category, a brand may have homeowner, mid-duty and commercial versions. Trimming Saws are compact and light. Homeowner versions are less expensive and designed for occasional use trimming branches while your feet are on the ground. Commercial versions are more expensive, more powerful and designed for 8-hour/day usage while climbing in a tree-top. Ground Saws are the big, heavy, high-powered saws designed for felling large trees and cutting-up the trunks. Multi-purpose Saws are capable of felling many trees while still light enough to swing around to take the branches off the tree while it is on the ground. Neither the Ground Saw nor the Multi-purpose Saw belong in the standing tree-top. Choose between homeowner, mid-duty and commercial by how often and how hard you will use the saw. If you and your wife will use it in the backyard 2-3 times a year for maintenance, get a homeowner grade. If you are putting it in the truck for your survey crew to use daily for light clearing consider a mid-duty and if you have 10-acres of forest to clear using a crew, get a commercial grade saw. Finally, select the bar/chain combination for the size of trees/branches you will be cutting.