I originally bought the Poulan Pro 42 CC 18" Gas Chainsaw but after reading the reviews here I took it back without even taking it out of the case and bought this one instead. I am very glad I did. I only need a chainsaw for around the house to cut fallen trees or the odd job. So the idea of keeping a can of mixed gas and oil didn't appeal to me. Not to mention the saw would sit on the shelf for months at a time between uses and I didn't care for the starting problems or engine repairs of a gas chainsaw. However I was worried that this electric chainsaw would not be powerful enough. I had 2 fallen trees with a bases of about 15 inches that I needed to cut into firewood immediately. This chainsaw performed perfectly. I realize that it was new so the chain was nice and sharp but it still had no problem cutting through everything quickly. I loved being able to start it and stop it at will without the hassle of priming a gas engine or overheating problems or running out of gas or messing with the choke. I stopped whenever I felt like it and came in the house for a drink of water. Went right back out and with just a squeeze of the trigger was back to cutting again. I have a perfectly cut half cord of firewood in just a few hours. Amazon delivered the saw to my doorstep in 7 days with the free shipping. The saw did not come with a case or chain oil so I had to make a quick run to the store for some oil. I was happy to see that the saw used almost a quart of chain oil for the 2 trees. This told me that chain stayed nice and wet. Afterwards I spent about 10 minutes cleaning the saw back up like new and put it back on my shelf for the next time. It only took removing the two lugs and the chain and bar came right off for cleanup. Nice job Poulan. Poulan Pro 400E 18-Inch 4 HP Electric Chain Saw
As long as you can use it within extension cord reach, this is a great tool. the chain oiler is very good - the chain is always nice and wet without spraying oil, which is exactly the way I like it. And, of course with electric, there's no gas mixing and start up problems, and the saw is considerably quieter and lighter than a comparable 2-cycle powered tool. But, keep in mind, this is not a toy -- lighter saws can kickback easier, but on the otherhand they are easier to control as well.
Regarding the extension cord, I was worried that 4HP (4HP = 2984W = 27A @ 110V) would draw a lot of current. But I've had no problem using my regular old orange 14ga 100' outdoor extension cord. It seems to work just fine, and doesn't get warm even after an extended duty cycle. The saw only draws full power under extreme motor loading situations -- like if the chain is binding or dull or something....
This is a great little saw and a real value at the price.
It's powerful enough for the typical yard cleanup jobs you run into, and it's clean and easy to use, since all you have to worry about is keeping the chain oil reservoir full. This is NOT a production-style saw that you can take into the woods and cut fire wood. It's a yard maintenance tool-- and a good one.
This saw more than justifies the "Best Buy" rating Consumer Reports gave it. I'm very glad I bought it, and I'd do it again.
YOU MAY NOTICE THAT ABOUT 90% OF THE REVIEWS FOR THIS SAW ARE GUSHING WITH PRAISE, AND THE REMAINING 10% SAY SOMETHING LIKE "QUIT WORKING AFTER 20 MINUTES." WELL, I THINK I HAVE SOLVED THE MYSTERY...
TURNS OUT, UNLIKE MOST ELECTRIC CHAINSAWS, IT HAS A "CHAIN BRAKE" WHICH IS DESIGNED TO STOP THE SAW QUICKLY IF YOU BUMP IT, AS YOU MIGHT IF YOU LOST CONTROL OF IT. UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OWNER'S MANUALS DON'T SHOW THE CHAIN BRAKE IN THE DIAGRAM, IT REFERS TO IT AS A "HAND GUARD."
ALSO, THE TROUBLESHOOTING SECTION DOESN'T MENTION TO CHECK THE CHAIN BRAKE (I.E., HAND GUARD) POSITION EITHER. TO USE, IT NEEDS TO BE PULLED TOWARDS THE USER.
I WAS PERPLEXED DURING MY FIRST USE WHY AN EXCELLENT SAW JUST DIED. I CALLED AMAZON AND THEY PROMPTLY SENT A REPLACEMENT. WHILE I WAS WAITING FOR IT TO ARRIVE, I TOOK ANOTHER LOOK AT THE "DEFECTIVE" SAW AND REALIZED THE HAND GUARD HAD MOVED FORWARD, ENGAGING THE BRAKE.
THIS IS AN EXCELLENT SAFETY FEATURE FOUND ON ALL GAS SAWS, BUT I WOULD HAZARD A GUESS THAT MOST OF THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS ARE THE RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE OWNER'S MANUAL, NOT A DEFECTIVE UNIT, SO CHECK THIS OUT BEFORE RETURNING YOURS TO AMAZON!
AS FOR THE SAW, I LOVE IT. I'VE USED MANY GAS AND ELECTRIC CHAINSAWS OVER THE YEARS AND THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST ELECTRIC SAW I'VE EVER OWNED. IT IS QUIET, POWERFUL AND AFTER FAIRLY STEADY USE, HAS YET TO REQUIRE CHAIN RE-TENSIONING. I'VE OWNED REMINGTON SAWS THAT WERE PRETTY GOOD EXCEPT FOR THE TENSIONER.
THIS SAW DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB OF LUBRICATING THE CHAIN. JUST BE SURE TO EMPTY IT WHEN YOU'RE DONE SO IT DOESN'T DRIP DURING STORAGE.
UPDATE: AFTER A YEAR OF HEAVY, ALMOST WEEKLY USE CLEARING BRAZILIAN PEPPER TREES, THE CHAINSAW CONTINUES TO WORK FINE.
A big tree limp fell in my backyard. Tree removal companies wanted $350 to remove it. Decided to buy a chain saw and do it my self. I've never used a chain saw before and was intimidated by the gas powered ones. Bought the Poulan based on the positive reviews and it works great. Easily cut through over 14" of wood and not that scary to use. I saved my self a few hundred dollars and have some wood for the winter. Might keep it or sell it on Craigslist.
Made short work of a ficus tree about 15" across.
Easy to use, and great power. Hard to believe that it is an electric. Used other electric saws in the past that could not hold a flame to this one.
I can think of no drawbacks to this product
I love this electric chainsaw. It starts everytime. No more pulling and pulling trying to get it to start. No more issues with carbureator rebulding. And with 4HP, it has plenty of power & speed to match those $200 gas models at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. It's more than just a limb saw. I used it to cut down several good size trees up to 2' in diameter plus cut up the trunk for removal from the property. For many homeowner users, this will be a great choice for a general purpose chain saw. Only negative is no case (just a plastic sleeve for the chain). But still a strong value for the $.'
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