Review — DEWALT DCCS620P1 (20V) / DEWALT FLEXVOLT

The DEWALT DCCS620P1 has proven itself to be a wonderful 20V compact (12-inch) battery powered chainsaw; perfect for light-duty cutting tasks around the yard. Most homeowners don’t need a large chainsaw around the yard, so for many people the DEWALT DCCS620P1 might just be the ideal chainsaw. This is one of the top rated chainsaws you’ll find on the market.

Let’s take a closer look and see if it will meet your needs and budget.

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Intro | DEWALT DCCS620P1

Since DeWalt introduced their FlexVolt range of tools, the older 20V Max tools are often seen at incredibly low, discounted, prices. This is great news for bargain hunters, looking for the outstanding quality and engineering that goes into DeWalt products, at a very affordable price.

Admittedly, the DeWalt DCCS620P1 isn’t in the same league as the newer DCCS670X1 FlexVolt, it’s an older design and not as powerful. Though, even at the regular retail price, the DeWalt DCS620P1 a great deal for a small chainsaw. If you can get it a discounted price (which is very likely, these days), it’s an exceptionally fantastic deal. The good news is that the FlexVolt 20V/60V batteries are backward compatible, meaning that you can use the new battery on the old 20V Max tools. Of course, this means buying the FlexVolt battery and charger separately, but it’s worth the investment if you’re already using DeWalt 20V Max tools – there are so many of them available in every shape, size, and description – well over 100, in fact.

Using the FlexVolt battery means that you can continue to get many years of usage from your existing range of 20V Max tools and can upgrade to any of the 60V and 120V FlexVolt tools at any time. This is a fantastic principle. Manufacturers of power tools have all been turning toward battery technology as this becomes more popular and the technology improves. New developments in battery technology is a constant process. While this is great news for users of cordless tools, it happens all too often that the new battery technology means replacing your existing range of cordless tools. These tools are not cheap and it seems a shame to discard a perfectly fine piece of equipment, simply because you can no longer use the upgraded battery technology.

Going for a higher voltage has its advantages, you’ll be using fewer amps for the same amount of watts. Across the board, we’ve seen tool manufacturers increase the voltage and ampere-hours (AH) of their batteries. This makes them able to give you better power and longer working times. Though if you have to replace your tools to take advantage of this new technology, you either have to spend a load of cash or be left behind. This is what makes the DeWalt FlexVolt system so amazing. You can use today’s battery technology in a cordless tool that you bought years ago. Let’s face it, DeWalt tools last for ages and don’t want to throw them away.

So it’s great that you can use the new FlexVolt battery technology in the DeWalt DCCS620P1 but it still remains a less powerful machine than the DCCS670X1 FlexVolt (60V). You have the advantage of the new battery technology which is going to give you up to five times the battery time that would have had with the old battery, and better charging times, but it won’t have all the new technology that’s gone into the 60V chainsaw. Soon after the FlexVolt battery system first came on the scene, we posted an in-depth article on the DeWalt Flex battery and how it works, you can follow the link to find out more about them.

VIDEO | See the DeWalt DCCS670X1 FlexVolt in action

This review is going to look at both these chainsaws. For people who are looking at affordability and have no problem with using a smaller 12” chainsaw, the DeWalt DCCS620P1 will be irresistible because of the outstanding value that you’re getting for a high-end cordless chainsaw. If you want to go the whole hog and splash out on the DeWalt DCCS670X1 FlexVolt, we’ll give you all the ins and outs of this fantastic machine.

Because they both come from the DeWalt stable, you’ll be getting an excellent cordless chainsaw – regardless of your choice. It’s really a question of how much you’re prepared to spend and whether you actually need a more powerful 16” chainsaw, or will the smaller 12” DeWalt be sufficient for your needs. By choosing to go with the DeWalt brand, you’re getting over a century of dedication to quality and outstanding, innovative, technology.

In my book, DeWalt tools are among the best, yet they’re not the most expensive. Okay, they’re far from the cheapest but, for the quality that you’re getting for your money, DeWalt tools offer incredible value. I’m also thoroughly impressed with DeWalt’s customer care and service; their Warranty is also fantastic. All DeWalt tools come with a 3-year warranty, 1-year free service plan, and a 90-day money back guarantee. They have a massive network of service centers around the world and, in the United States alone, they have over 70 service centers.

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DEWALT DCCS620P1 20V Chainsaw

Features:

• Low kick back 12 in. Oregon bar and chain for construction and outdoor cutting applications
• Compact, lightweight design (just 9 lbs. with battery) for maximum user control
• High-efficiency brushless motor maximizes runtime and motor life
• Up to 90 cuts per charge on 4×4 pressure treated wood (using a 20V MAX* 5Ah battery)
• Tool-free chain tensioning and bar tightening knob for proper bar clamping force
• Part of the 20V MAX* system of tools

Overview

Professional lumberjacks might laugh at a 12” chainsaw, calling it a Mickey Mouse machine, but for most homeowners, this is an ideal size for cutting branches, small to medium-sized trees, and firewood. It’s compact and incredibly light (9LBS). So even if you’re not a burly woodsman, the DeWalt DCCS620P1 is very easy to use.

The 12” Oregon bar and chain are tough and cut through any wood with ease. The front of the chainsaw has bucking teeth molded into the plastic housing and it will easily glide around wide logs without any effort. These might not be as tough as steel bucking teeth but you can trust DeWalt to use the most durable plastic and these are very thick solid teeth.

The soft grip handles both at the front and back are as comfortable as you could possibly want and, being an electric chainsaw, there really isn’t a lot of vibration. The chain is self-lubricating and you don’t need any tools to tension the chain. All these features make the DeWalt DCCS620P1 a really easy chainsaw to use and maintain.

VIDEO | See the DeWalt DCCS620P1 20V in action

The plastic chain guard is made to last and offers excellent protection if the chain happens to come flying in your direction. The chain guard also acts as an emergency brake and is close at hand when you need it. So the DeWalt DCCS620P1 has all the safety features that one would expect to find on a modern chainsaw.

The 20V 5AH battery, in conjunction with a super-efficient brushless motor, gives you a good amount of working time. You can expect to get about 90 cuts, if you’re cutting through 4X4 pressure treated wood, from a single battery charge. Upgrading to the top of the range 9AH FlexVolt battery will give you about 5-times as much working time. This battery delivers 9AH at 60V, but at 20V, this is increased to 27AH because a third of the cells are connected in parallel when running at the lower voltage – this triples the ampere capacity of the battery.

You won’t easily find a chainsaw more nimble than the compact little DeWalt DCCS620P1, it must be one of the lightest and most user-friendly chainsaws ever built. At a very reasonable price, this is the best chainsaw for light-duty residential working conditions and it’s bound to give many years of faithful service, hassle-free.

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DEWALT DCCS670X1 FLEXVOLT

60-volt battery powered chainsaw

Features:

• Low Kick Back 16″ Oregon Bar and Chain for construction and outdoor cutting applications
• Tool-Free chain tensioning and bar tightening knob for proper bar clamping force
• Auto-Oiling for continuous lubrication. Quarter-turn oil cap for quick oil re-fills
• Chain brake for kick back protection
• Up to 70 cuts per charge (on a 6″ x 6″ pressure treated pine wood)

✓ View or download the MANUAL for the DeWalt DCCS670X1.

Overview |  DeWalt DCCS670X1 FlexVolt

As I pointed out in the introduction to this article, the DeWalt FlexVolt battery is a miracle of modern science. It must be the most advanced and versatile battery ever made. This on its own, makes the DeWalt DCCS670X1 FlexVolt worth paying more for. It’s also a bigger and more powerful chainsaw than the DeWalt DCCS620P1, with a 16” Oregon bar and chain.

Going for a longer bar does push the weight up but, for its size, the DeWalt DCCS670X1 is refreshingly light – only 12.2 LBS. So this is about 4 LBS heavier than the DeWalt DCCS620P1 but the larger chainsaw is just about as easy to use. The handle design and chain guard/brake are almost identical to the DeWalt DCCS620P1, as are the plastic bucking teeth. It has a similar self-lubrication system and tool-free chain tensioning. So it’s just about the same from a user point of view – you’re just handling a longer bar with a few extra pounds added to the weight.

The DeWalt DCCS670X1 comes with a 3AH 60V FlexVolt battery. If we compare this battery to the 5AH 20V battery used in the DCCS620P1, it’s best to convert our ampere-hours into watt-hours because the Flexvolt battery powers the DCCS670X1 at 60V (three times that of the 20V model). The 3AH FlexVolt battery (when set for 60V) delivers 180 watt-hours, while the 5AH 20V battery delivers 100 watt-hours. So you have almost double the usable power from the 60V FlexVolt.

Upgrading to the 9AH FlexVolt will triple the working time for the 60V machine. Even using the standard 3AH FlexVolt battery offers great results. The DCCS670X1 with a 3AH battery will easily chew through 6X6 pressure treated wood and will give you about 70 cuts from a single charge. This is a larger chainsaw and the motor requires more power from the battery.

Essentially, the DeWalt DCCS670X1 is a larger and more powerful version of the DCCS620P1 and, therefore, costs a bit more. The fact that it uses a 60V DC electric motor gives it the extra power to run the 16” chain without increasing the Amperage of the motor. This is slightly more efficient but this won’t really be noticeable. The larger chainsaw will still need more battery power because it has a higher watt motor. Both machines can take advantage of the extended time that you get from the FlexVolt batteries which come in 3AH, 6AH, or 9AH options.