Some chainsaw brands are more expensive than others. Certain brands command considerable initial costs as well as hefty maintenance costs which add up over time. It can be disheartening if you have a certain maximum budget, and your ideal chainsaw is just out of range.
Fortunately, there are dozens of chainsaws on the market available for lower budgets. Up-and-coming brands aren’t able to justify huge pricing, but they often build tools that match the upper-end versions in terms of quality. So if you know where to look, you can find excellent chainsaws within a modest budget range.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at some of the leading chainsaws within each budget range. We’ll also touch upon whether gas or electric chainsaws are the more cost-effective option, and whether renting a chainsaw is a good choice.
Chainsaw Brands and Their Pricing
As with every product in every market, certain brands are more expensive than others. These are often the brands that have been around for a very long time. And they’ve been able to build a very loyal customer base who will pay the premium price. They’ve also been able to develop a positive reputation, further justifying the costs.
So when it comes to pricing, cheaper options don’t necessarily mean poorer quality. We’ve reviewed chainsaws within the less expensive brackets and verified customer reviews confirm that they do a great job. And there are professionals out there who won’t use a particular expensive brand due to their own experience with them.
What follows is a breakdown of the price range for the leading chainsaw manufacturers on the market. Do keep in mind that prices can vary depending upon whether you buy direct from the manufacturer’s website or a registered dealer. So for the purposes of this comparison, all prices (at the time of writing) have been taken from the same dealer (acmetools.com).
| Brand | Lowest price | Highest price |
| BLACK+DECKER | $79 | $249 |
| Craftsman | $69 | $199 |
| Echo | $219 | $1169 |
| Ego | $279 | $1169 |
| Greenworks | $129 | $359 |
| Husqvarna | $269 | $2495 |
| Makita | $219 | $619 |
| Milwaukee | $269 | $849 |
| STIHL | $179 | $2449 |
Premium Brands
If you’re familiar with chainsaws, it won’t surprise you to see STIHL and Husqvarna in this upper-tier bracket. STIHL is widely-acknowledged as being an expensive brand, but as mentioned previously, it’s because they’ve “earned the right” to charge these prices.
STIHL chainsaws are known to be extremely reliable, with certain makes considered to be among the most powerful available. You’ll likely find them being used by many commercial log-clearing companies and professionals alike. However, as the chart suggests, they do still have some very reasonably-priced options for homeowners and those on smaller budgets.
Husqvarna is known for their innovative designs and features that keep pushing chainsaws to the next level. They’ve actually been around for even longer than STIHL, hence their excellent reputation. You can sometimes find good deals on Husqvarna saws as they’re often easier to find than STIHL’s, who only sell with specific, registered dealers.
Budget Brands
At the other end of the scale, there are a handful of manufacturers that might not have the reputation or history, but who still build quality tools.
Greenworks makes and sells many different types of tools and often catch arborists by surprise with how powerful their chainsaws are for the moderate price. We’ve reviewed several over the years and we can vouch for their high-quality.
BLACK+DECKER is a well-regarded brand, though they’re perhaps better known for their other tools rather than their chainsaws. Still, BLACK+DECKER chainsaws are great for homeowners and hobbyists looking to get some low-to-medium cutting tasks done around the yard.
And finally, there’s Craftsman. They’re definitely a solid brand for chainsaws, but if you’re looking for the quality of a STIHL chainsaw, you’re not likely going to find it. They’re at this price for a reason, and while they’ll certainly manage low–to-medium jobs, don’t expect them to handle tricky, heavy-duty cutting tasks.
Top 3 Chainsaws for Low Budgets (Under $400)
There are some fantastic tools within this range, starting with the EGO POWER+ CS1613. It’s a battery-powered model, which is perhaps why such a good chainsaw is able to be sold under $400. But that does not mean that it’s a tool without performance, with an equivalent power of a 40cc gas model.
Next we have another battery model – the Greenworks CS80L417. This chainsaw is noted for its ease-of-use and for how smoothly and quietly it runs. Equipped with an impressive 80-volt (4.0Ah) lithium-ion battery it’s no surprise this chainsaw offers performance that rivals a 55cc gas-powered model, definitely something to take note of.
Finally, there’s the STIHL MSA 60 C-B. We’re very happy that we’re able to include a STIHL in this section. At 12″, it might be slightly limited in terms of what it can do when up against bigger branches and trunks. But if you only need your chainsaw for occasional, low-stress jobs, then you can’t go wrong with this excellent battery model.
Top 3 Chainsaws for Medium Budgets ($400-$800)
Now we’re into the mid-tier chainsaws that can comfortably handle any job that a homeowner might have, and can also take care of some tasks that professionals would expect to deal with.
Let’s start with the Milwaukee 2727-21HD. Milwaukee is well-known for building intelligent machines that make the user’s life as straightforward as possible. Its in-built overload protection prevents damage during heavy-duty cutting work, and its patented Powerstate brushless motor generates enough speed and performance to rival any gas-powered model.
Then there’s the Makita XCU03PT1. It’s pricey for a saw with a 14″ length of bar, but the tool’s quality makes it worth the money. It comes with a Rapid Optimum Charger that remains in constant communication with the tool to keep it running at optimal levels, with a variable speed trigger and LED indicator lights. There’s also the added bonus of very little noise and fuss.
Lastly, we have the Echo CS-590, also known as the Timber Wolf. If you’re likely to be cutting wet wood in tough conditions, then this 59.8cc gas-powered model is the one for you. It’s built with durability in mind, with its engine making light work of even the gnarliest of hardwoods. Be sure to check out our full review.
Top 3 Chainsaws for High Budgets (over $800)
To round things off, let’s take a look at some of the most expensive chainsaws on the market. These are generally built for industrial, commercial jobs rather than for homeowners. But if you have the budget, then this is what you can get.
Firstly, there’s the Husqvarna 395XP with bar lengths starting at 20″ up to 36″. As you can see, we’re jumping up quite a long way in terms of bar length, which goes some way to explaining the price difference. This excellent piece of machinery is innovative and powerful, with a centrifugal air cleaning system and dampeners to significantly reduce vibrations.
Then there’s the STIHL MS661 MAGNUM®. This gas-powered monster makes quick work of even the toughest logs and is actually surprisingly lightweight given its power potential. The “M” model comes with STIHL’s patented M-Tronic engine management technology, guaranteeing optimized engine performance and efficiency.
Finally, we have one of the most expensive models, which will set you back $3,422 (at the time of writing). The Tempest Fire & Rescue 572HD – built specifically for fire services – uses Husqvarna components and is only really suitable for professionals. It comes packed with unique features including a cobalt guide bar, a depth gauge, a centrifugal air cleaning system, and a raptor carbide chain.
Gas vs Electric: Which is Cheaper?
It’s long been debated as to which type of chainsaw is better – gas or electric. Whatever budget you’re working with, you’ll likely be able to find great gas powered chainsaws and those that use electricity or batteries. But is one cheaper than the other?
For a long time, higher power usually meant higher prices. And because gas chainsaws were the more powerful type, they were generally the more expensive option.
But with battery-operated chainsaws now starting to rival their gas counterparts in terms of performance capabilities, it’s not quite so cut and dry. For example, the gas-powered STIHL MS162 will only set you back $199 (at the time of writing) – considerably cheaper than many electric models now available on the market.
As a general rule, you’ll usually find that corded electric chainsaws are the least expensive. The limitation of being attached to a power source has seen their popularity suffer in recent years, which is reflected in the price.
How Much is it to Rent a Chainsaw?
Of course, you might not want to purchase a chainsaw at all. If you know that you’re only going to need a chainsaw for a one-off clearing job, you might wish to rent a chainsaw instead.
Most leading suppliers and dealers offer this option. They’ll often request some form of evidence that you have experience or training in handling a chainsaw, for obvious reasons. But as long as you can clear this hurdle, you’ll gain access to dozens of the leading chainsaws on the market.
As you might expect, the price to rent a chainsaw is dependent on the type and brand of chainsaw being requested, as well as the type of job that needs doing. For light cutting jobs, you can find rental deals for as little as $35 a day. However, if you require a chainsaw for more heavy duty tasks, you may end up paying double or more.
For the more expensive options, you need to be sure whether it’s worth the money to hire, or whether it’ll be more cost-effective to just buy a high-quality tool outright. For example, to rent the Echo Timberwolf through The Home Depot’s Lawn & Garden Equipment Rental Service, you will pay $75 a day or $300 a week (at the time of writing). If you do this a couple of times, you will end up paying more than the cost of purchasing the chainsaw outright (currently selling for $450).
Final Thoughts
If you’re buying a chainsaw on a budget, it can feel a little daunting, particularly if you don’t have an in-depth knowledge of brands and models. Even the cheaper models can be a considerable outlay, and you don’t want to end up buying something that’s poor-quality.
But if we can offer some reassurance, it’s that even those models at the lower-end of the pricing scale are good-quality tools, especially if you only need your chainsaw for occasional, light-duty use. And if you know that you’ve got a heavy clearing task ahead of you, then renting a chainsaw as opposed to buying one might not be the worst idea in the world.
