Whether you’re looking to buy a chainsaw for a bit of pruning or carrying out a major lumber work, this buyer’s guide will help you choose the right one for your needs.

Some attributes that you should consider before buying a chainsaw are the guide bar length, power type i.e. gas or electric, engine power in Volts or Amps, safety features and your personal fitness level. Chainsaws require physical strength for its use and not all are built for feeble people. Your ability to hold, balance and control the chainsaw requires some physical effort. So if you’re a novice, go with the smallest chainsaw which has a guide bar of 18 inches or less. The bar length determines the size of wood that the chainsaw can cut, and in most cases 16 inches is good enough for homeowners.

When it comes to chainsaws, electrical ones are much quieter and easier to use than the traditional ones that run on gas. Not only is it economical but also eco-friendly for the environment. Power chainsaws are lightweight and a good option for homeowners who only need to do occasional light cutting work. A power chainsaw normally requires special chargeable batteries which come with the product or can be purchased separately. The most common and high quality batteries are lithium-ion. These batteries charge superfast and add to the cost of the product. Hence, when you’re purchasing a chainsaw, think about how much power you actually need to get the job done, so that you don’t end up buying a more powerful but expensive one unnecessarily.

Another thing you should look for are safety features like chain brake that guard against kickback and can reduce the chances of injury. Chainsaws are very sharp and it’s good to have this feature if you’re just starting to work with them. Some chainsaws also take a bit of effort to get started. But there are products in the market that provide a choke/stop control technology to give a smooth start. If you want a chainsaw that’s easy to handle, then look for this feature on the item’s description.

You often have to adjust the tension in the chain and sometimes you can end up tightening it too much. Luckily, there are several chainsaw models out there that provide an auto-tension adjustment feature that does the work for you, and you don’t have to worry about the chain being too tight or too loose. If you’re using a chainsaw frequently, be sure to keep the chain lubricated and clean out the filter regularly so that the chainsaw remains in a good condition.

If you require serious lumber work done, then gas chainsaws provide the best power. These are used in forests and can cut through any kind of wood. They can provide a power of more than 45 cc and are used in industrial work. The only downside is that they are quite noisy and not eco-friendly. So only choose these if you can’t get your work done with an electrical or power chainsaw.