Customer Reviews

Earthwise CS30016 16-Inch 12 amp Electric Chain Saw

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Absolutely the most powerful electric 16 inch saw I have ever used. My McCulloch was great and my Remington was ok, but this item is FANTATISC! Excellent power (4.5 hp) to clear the back 40 and light enough to take up in a tree. Very quiet operation. The customer service was also outstanding from the manufacturer. This item is so new that they have not had a lot of feedback yet. The only thing I found as a slight negative was that nowhere in the user's manual or anywhere else do they tell you how many links to order for a replacement chain. They are correcting that with the new printing of the user's manual. When I do replace the chain, my local Oregon dealer will have the appropriate size. Once done, I will just mark the manual accordingly. The way this thing cuts it might be a while before I need a new chain though! This is a great product at a reasonable price!

This is my fifth electric chainsaw in thirty years so i had some idea what to expect. I also own a Stihl gas chainsaw and a little 18 volt battery model.

The saw was delivered within a reasonable time period and since it was a Warehouse Deal the price was great. Had I paid full price, I would feel somewhat disappointed. As it is, the saw, though described as used, came in new condition except for some extra tape on the previously opened box.

Some thoughts:

The Earthwise is lighter than my recently departed Remington electric and doesn't look or feel as rugged. I like the chain tightener mechanism on the Remington much better.

Though not as loud as my Stihl, this saw puts out some decibels, and for any sustained sawing I'd recommend some earplugs.

Cutting power - The saw cuts well though not nearly as easily as the Stihl. Small branches pose no problem. I also cut some fireplace size logs easily enough also and didn't have bits of wood chips shooting back at me. Just to test it, I cut off a piece of a 14 inch diameter pine stump. I made the cut without too much difficulty but it would have been easier without the safety tip on the end of the bar. The safety tip might make changing bar and chain a little more involved.

The plastic bar cover fits so snugly that most of the time I'll probably just leave it off.

The small oil tank cover removes easily and with its bright green color should be easy to find when waylaid. It's also convenient to be able to check oil level at a glance through the oil level window.

The owner's manual is printed in a ridiculously small font, so small that reading it can be a painful chore. As of this writing Earthwise doesn't have a web page yet, so any information you seek will have to come from the manual or by calling the company's toll free number found on the back of the manual. When I called, a human answered on the first ring and told me that the Earthwise web page is a work in progress.

The directions in the manual for tightening the chain are incorrect. From experience with other chainsaws I could figure out how the tool free tightener works. Just loosen the inner wheel and tighten with the outer wheel.

The handle is adequate, but I would prefer a wrap around handle like the ones on my Stihl and the Remington. Horizontal cutting is much more secure and comfortable with the wrap around handle.

Too many times the saw became unplugged at the saw end. I finally got in the habit of holding the cord and handle at the same time to prevent this.

The Earthwise delivers what one would expect from an electric saw. Despite being called "The Clean Air Choice", I don't think it's any greener than any other electric saw except for the fluorescent green plastic accents.

UPDATE - 10/2010 Used the saw today and the chain came off three times. Very annoying, but I did learn how to put the chain back on.

Since I am a slight single mom- unused to power tools, I thought I would be getting into too much and tried for the "electric handsaw" now I am glad I sent the cheapy could not put together handsaw back and got this- the guys were all saying it would be too much for me-the kickback etc.
Well I am thrilled, it cuts small trees like butter- used eye protection and gloves- it was awesome for only about $2.00 more all pre-assembled and ready to go. A powerful yet light enough for me chain saw!

I hate this chainsaw! I bought it because I have the Earthwise electric mower and love it, so, I thought I would give the chainsaw a chance despite the mixed reviews. I have used this saw for a grand total of about 4 minutes since I purchased it. The chain just would not stay on. I even had to buy a new chain since when one of the times it came off, some of the teeth bent. So 4 minutes of use and 2 chains later, I threw it in the trash and went back to my Poulan.

Also, it looks like a lot of the 1 and 2 star reviews about the chain coming off have been removed.

I purchased this item to trim tree branches around my house, some of which are three inches in diameter. The chain saw cut through them easily. I'm very pleased with this chain saw and recommend it.

The recent super snow storm left broken trees all over my one acre property. I also had most of a medium sized juniper down over the front sidewalk. After two days of cutting and trimming I can say this is a great unit. It made short work of logs 10" - 12" across, and the smaller stuff took seconds to cut into manageable sizes. I even did some work with it on a ladder (very carefully), and I was able to handle it easily. The bigger job was hauling the debris away, not the cutting. Another plus is that the chain tensioner is quick and easy to set. This saves time and keeps you working.

I can reach just about everywhere on the property with a long extension cord or two, so I opted for the electric unit. It's really nice not having to mix gas and oil. Just plug and go. Previous gas units I've used usually involved some sort of mechanical attention every time I used them. Just keep an eye on the cord, so you don't cut through it. I managed to do that with a hedge trimmer once.

The safety tip guard helps keep the chain off the ground when not in use. I also like that it comes with a molded cover for the chain blade when storing or carrying the the unit. One con: Like many chainsaws, gas and electric, the self oiler quickly became clogged with wood chips. Clearing it takes a few minutes. I find it easier to carry some chain lube in a small bottle and dab some on periodically and it works great with no smoking. I had the same problem with my last saw, but this solution ensures good lubrication. Chain lube is cheap, about $10 - $11 a gallon, and your chain will thank you. Unless you're doing professional work with big trees, this unit will do nicely. Thanks also to Amazon for the quick delivery.

This saw has it all over a gas powered saw unless you cut where electric power is unavailable. It cuts just as well, it's a lot lighter, no gas and oil, and no rope to pull to get it started. Also be aware when using a chain saw, a chain saw is the most dangerous tool in the world. Be careful and wise.
P.S. For you deranged morons who wear hockey masks and attack college kids at parties with a chain saw, you can only chase someone as far as the length of the extension cord.

was looking for a good,reliable chainsaw as my old Sears model had crapped out.ran across this model,& after reading all the rave reviews went ahead & purchased it.have not been disappointed.this is one of the best buys i have ever done.was kinda leery about getting an electric over a gas,but let me tell you folks,no more mixing oil & gas,no more yanking on that dadgum rope for 10 minutes,while cussing & wondering why its not starting!
just plug in,push a button,it starts!!!!
had a play house,& a swing set that needed to be taken down,& this baby did it.
4x4's,4x2's,no problem.
just get you 2 or 3 100' cords,& your good to go.plus no more arm ache!!!!!
& you cannot beat the price!!!
buy it,you won't regret it.

We have a large yard with lots of trees. I bought a 12 amp electric leaf blower last year along with the high amp extensions and found that I no longer needed gas leaf blowers. My 11 year old 14" gas chain saw finally became very hard to start this winter so I looked at the reviews for replacement gas chain saws...it turns out that I was lucky to have one that required no attention until it wore out. This low cost electric chain saw works very well with my heavy gage extensions, but you will probably burn it up if you try using the usual light duty extensions and you stall it. Buy the Makita if you have a teenager.

Ordered this from Amazon. Delivery etc. was perfect. Used it for a couple of days and it was fine. Then in cutting a branch, it got stuck. In trying to get it unstuck, the chain jumped off the track. Not a huge deal, but the screw you have to loosen was fused to the bar and would not give using multiple screwdrivers, manual, power, whatever. Ultimately the screw got stripped. So it had to go back.

I liked it enough to get a replacement because I think this was basically a freak issue. As a chain saw it seems great. Of course, if the same thing happens again, I won't be happy.

PS Amazon's return was flawless - received the replacemant the NEXT DAY.