Mini chainsaws are the fastest growing category in garden tools, and the most oversold. The honest position: a small saw is excellent at pruning, branches and tidying, and poor at everything else.
If the wood is under about 20 cm and you want something light enough to hold up without your arms complaining, this is the right category. If you are cutting logs, a 14 inch saw will be far less frustrating.
The best small chainsaws right now
| Chainsaw | Bar length | Battery | Weight | Our score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPRINT 18SCS | 25 cm (10 in) | 18V | 4 kg | 10/10 | Check price |
| Sprint 18SCSK | 25 cm (10 in) | 18V | 5.2 kg | 10/10 | Check price |
| Makita DUC254Z | 25 cm (10 in) | 18V | 2.54 kg | 9.4/10 | Check price |
| UniversalChain 18 1Bat | 20 cm (8 in) | 18V | 3.2 kg | 9/10 | Check price |
| WORX WG322E.9 | 25 cm (10 in) | 20V | 3.1 kg | 8.8/10 | Check price |
| Einhell 4501761 GE-LC 18 Li - Solo Cordless Chain Saw | 23 cm (9 in) | 18V | 3.99 kg | 8.6/10 | Check price |
| Makita DUC254CZ Chainsaw | 25 cm (10 in) | 18V | 2.53 kg | 8.6/10 | Check price |
| 26Cc 10" Petrol Top Handle Topping Chainsaw | 25 cm (10 in) | n/a | 4.72 kg | 8.6/10 | Check price |
| Einhell Power X-Change 18V Cordless Chainsaw | 23 cm (9 in) | 18V | 3.60 kg | 8.6/10 | Check price |
| BLACK+DECKER 18V Cordless 25 cm Chainsaw | 25 cm (10 in) | 18V | 3.1 kg | 8.2/10 | Check price |
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Four inch, six inch or ten inch
The one-handed 4 to 6 inch saws sold as “mini chainsaws” are powered pruning saws: genuinely useful on thin stems, very limited beyond that, and with little margin if the wood pinches.
A 10 inch (25 cm) saw is a proper two-handed chainsaw with a chain brake, just a small one. For most people it is the better buy: it handles branches and small logs, and it is still light.
Safety on a small saw
A small chainsaw kicks back exactly like a big one. The chain speed at the bar nose is what causes it, not the engine size. Hold a two-handed saw with both hands, left thumb wrapped under the front handle, and keep the nose out of contact.
Gloves and eye protection are the minimum on any saw. Trousers too, if you are cutting at leg height.
Battery platforms
Most small saws run on 18V or 20V packs, and the brand that makes sense is usually the one whose batteries you already own. Capacity matters more than the badge: a 2.0Ah pack in a chainsaw is a short session.
How this list is put together
The table above is generated from our review database every time this page loads. It is not a hand-written list that quietly goes out of date: if a model is discontinued or its buy link dies, it drops out automatically, and anything newly added to the relevant section appears without this page being touched.
Specifications come from the manufacturer or the retailer listing rather than our own bench testing, and we say so plainly. Where we hold a score it reflects how the saw compares with others at the same bar length and price, not an absolute verdict.
Prices are deliberately not printed here. They move weekly, and a stale price is worse than none, so the buy links take you to the current one.
Last updated November 2026