Customer Reviews

Husqvarna 445 18-Inch 45.7cc 2-Stroke Gas Powered Chain Saw (CARB Compliant)

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

 

 

Bought this saw not long ago and have put probably 20 hours on it this season. It was my first "nicer" chain saw and I wanted something that could handle a 20" bar. I think the 45cc engine is underpowered for a 20" bar, as I had trouble getting through some 16" locust logs with the stock 18" bar and chain.

My advice: this saw is great for the occasional user. For felling and bucking up hardwoods, especially larger ones, you'll thank yourself if you save the extra money for a 455, a 353, or other slightly larger Husky. I also didn't like the fact that it doesn't have adjustable oil flow, though it hasn't caused me any problems thusfar. This saw is a great, lightweight beast for softer hardwoods and will eat through softwoods like butter. For larger logs, sustained use, and harder woods I'd recommend spending the extra $100-150 for things like the magnesium crankcase and extra power. I wish I had.

I finally had to buy a chainsaw. Cutting the trees with a hand saw and axe was getting to be to much work. The 445 is a great saw for what I need - cutting down trees to close to my buildings and keeping the road clear of trees and brush. The biggest tree I cut up so far has been a bit over 14 inches in diameter - a poplar. I've cut birch, poplar, evergreen, and cedar with it. I've used it for several days all day without fatigue from vibration. The saw has plenty of power and was easy to start and use although I had to learn to not flood it with the primer. I purchased the sharpening kit by Husqvarna and found it easy to use as well. I'm very happy with it. (although the review says Idaho I use the saw in Michigan)

this is the second best saw I've used............
the best was a 1985 Stihl WB028 amazing saw but was a gas hog.
the 445 has demolished 8 good sized logs for me and only got dull when I hit dirt "very common dulls or dirties chain"
I did have to tighten it once but was super easy unlike my old mcculoch loosen nut tighten screw... retighten nut.
this is not a pro grade saw as I was led to believe but seems plenty functional.
I got mine at a box store for 360 in Ak not too outrageous also my old file works with it makes me happy.
all in all plenty of power for 10-12in good fuel economy does not heat up as much as some and not as loud as many esp my Dad's Stihl.
highly ergonomic and light for the power all saws are different but I recommend this to anyone who can use a saw and does not have $700-$900 to buy one.
on the other hand for $400 you can get another 5cc and bigger bar.

I am not at all impressed with this chainsaw. At first, this chainsaw is pretty nice, when it is all adjusted right. Then I got a nick in the first chain. A tiny flaw really that kept it from riding in the bar. I got a new chain. Going again,... but if you do a bit of cutting with it, you will find yourself fiddling with it more and more and more. The chain pinches under the cover unless it is just right. There is some kind of spring under the cover that never sits correctly over the sprocket/brake. I have spent more time adjusting this thing than I would care to recall in the last 24 hours. The cover sits on it in some way that is not at all intuitive. If you do not get it on there just right.. it will not turn. And when you get the cover on, the bar adjustment is at 90 degrees to the bar and you cannot adjust the bar unless you loosen the cover. It is a real pain and I am using my old craftsman to finish the job. I am not at all impressed. I would like my money back but I have used it for two days now. (And it is no picnic to start it either). I should have got the Stihl. I will not be getting their mower I was looking at.

The saw is powerful, fast and responsive to the throttle and has been easy to start and adjust. The anti-vibe protection looks exactly like the system you see on professional saws and works very well. This is extremely important as white finger is not a joke and it can develop fast.

If you fell mighty oaks all day long, you should invest in bigger saws. If most of what you do with your saw involves working with trees under about 20" this saw is perfectly adequate, even in hardwoods. It runs very sweetly, has plenty of power and you will be glad of its build quality and light weight.

Do not buy a bigger saw than you need. Apart from wasting money and fuel, a bigger saw will be heavier, more tiring to use, and more dangerous, particularly if it has a longer bar which also means more chance of kickback, poorer control and more teeth on the chain to keep sharp.

I bought the saw for logging firewood and occasional felling and limbing. I am trained in the correct use and maintenance of chainsaws as where I work this is a legal requirement for any use of chainsaws in the workplace. I mention this because the negative reviews in this forum appear to be written by people who do not understand how to operate chainsaws or have never been shown how. The complaints about the chain and bar appear to be caused by incorrect maintenance, mostly incorrect sharpening or tensioning of the chain, which can cause all kinds of interesting and dangerous behaviour regardless of which chainsaw you (mis)use.

I sometimes work an arboricultural jobs with a friend who does tree work all day 5-6 days a week, 50 weeks a year. I was pleasantly surprised when I took my little Husqy saw to work and he could find no fault with its design or capabilities. A ground saw this small is not for him because he cannot afford to slow down for those few cuts every day that require a bigger saw or a little patience with a 445. However, he now recommends the 445 to others who ask him what saw to buy for semi-pro use.

Husqvarna make other much more expensive pro saws with a much higher power to weight ratio. However, this one appears to be solidly made with similar technology and materials to what you see on their professional saws, plus a few (somewhat redundant) easy-start features which would normally be reserved for bigger saws. If there are any sacrifices in quality or durability they are not immediately apparent, and the saw is a pleasure to use. I would be surprised if there is another saw in this price range that can compare to it.

After the Halloween snow storm here in Massachusetts we had many trees down in our yard and surrounding area. I needed a chain saw I could rely on. I'm very impressed with this saw. It started easily and required no additional adjustments. Cutting the downed trees was effortless. This saw never got bogged down, it cur the hard wood trees just as easily as the soft wood trees. For me this saw was a huge set up in reliability and performance.

As an Arborist I have used many different chainsaws over the years. I bought this on a major discount at Lowes as a backup saw.

Occasionally a chain will come off usually because of operator error with chain tension. This should rarely if ever happen.

PERFORMANCE NOTES:

This saw could not keep on the chain to save its life. I must have had 20 jumps during the time I had it.

It seems the engine works best with a 16 in. bar. The engine is really not big enough for anything more unless you are cutting softwood.

The oiler seemed to not dispense adequate lubrication. I would often get dull blades cutting clean wood. The blades would have a "burned" appearance. The oiler is not adjustable.

In all fairness, the Anti Vibe feature on the handle did a very respectable job.

After having it for 3 years thankfully the carb broke so I had an excuse to sell it for cheap on Craigslist.

Got this chain saw a couple of years ago, and have used it lightly since. Started fairly easily the first year (used several times). Ran all the gas out of it at the end of the year, so was stored without gas in it. This year, wouldn't start at all in July. Replaced the spark plug, and it finally started. In October, tried to use it again, but wouldn't start at all. Replaced the spark plug again, cleaned out the little bit of gas left in the tank and replaced it with fresh gas, still no luck. No help in the manual, or on the internet (I've already tried everything suggested and it just won't start). My shoulder is sore from pulling the rope. Not a bad chain saw when it ran, hence 2 stars and not 1 (I have owned a number of other chain saws, including a McCulloch 10-10, now over 40 years old, that I'm going to try to get running again, several Homelites, and a couple of Remington electrics), but a chain saw that won't start isn't useful. I now use an electric for anything small and near the house, since there's no starting problem with them, but don't have a half-mile long extension cord, so can't use an electric on the rest of the farm.