DeWalt builds no petrol chainsaws. Everything here runs on the same yellow batteries as the rest of the range, which is the whole argument for buying one: if your van or garage is already full of 18V XR packs, a DeWalt saw is the cheapest capable saw you can add. We hold 7 DeWalt models.
Buy the bare tool if you own the batteries. Buy the kit if you do not, and check what the pack size is: a 2.0Ah battery on a chainsaw is a short afternoon.
DeWalt chainsaws compared
XR or FlexVolt
18V XR is the standard DeWalt cordless platform, shared with hundreds of tools. An 18V saw with a 30 cm bar is a pruning and light-logging tool: good for branches up to about 20 cm, storm clear-up, and cutting pallets and fence posts on site.
54V FlexVolt packs switch voltage depending on the tool, and in a chainsaw they deliver roughly petrol-class performance for short periods. The 45 cm FlexVolt saw will fell small trees and buck hardwood, which an 18V saw will not. It is heavier and thirstier, so a high-capacity pack is the sensible pairing.
The useful part is that FlexVolt batteries run 18V tools too, so a FlexVolt pack is never wasted if the rest of your kit is XR.
What a DeWalt saw is actually for
These are site saws more than forestry saws. They are built for tradespeople who need to cut timber occasionally, for groundworkers clearing scrub, and for homeowners who already own DeWalt tools and want one saw that shares the batteries. For a day of felling or a winter of firewood, a petrol saw or a dedicated forestry battery saw from Stihl or Husqvarna is the better tool.
Within that remit they are good: brushless motors, tool-free chain tensioning, a chain brake, and the same repairability and parts availability as the rest of the DeWalt line, which is more than most garden brands offer.
Chains, bars and oil
DeWalt saws take standard Oregon-pattern bars and chains, so replacements are easy to find at any dealer rather than being locked to the brand. Check three numbers when buying a chain: bar length, pitch and gauge, plus the drive link count printed on the bar.
Like every chainsaw, cordless included, they need bar and chain oil in the reservoir. There is no engine oil and no fuel mixing, but running the chain dry will ruin a bar in one session. Check the level each time you change the battery.
DeWalt chainsaw FAQs
Is a DeWalt chainsaw any good?
For what it is designed to do, yes. The 18V XR saws are capable pruning and site-work tools with brushless motors and proper chain brakes, and the 54V FlexVolt saw genuinely competes with small petrol saws for short bursts. What they are not is a forestry saw: for sustained felling or a winter of firewood, petrol or a dedicated battery forestry saw still wins.
What battery does a DeWalt chainsaw use?
The 30 cm saws run standard 18V XR packs, and the 45 cm saw runs 54V FlexVolt. FlexVolt packs also power 18V tools, so they work in both. For a chainsaw, pack size matters: a 2.0Ah battery gives only a few minutes of real cutting, 5.0Ah is a sensible minimum, and the FlexVolt saw deserves the biggest pack you can afford.
How long does a DeWalt chainsaw battery last?
Counted in trigger time. An 18V saw with a 5.0Ah pack gives roughly 20 to 40 cuts through 10 cm softwood, less in seasoned hardwood or with a dull chain. The FlexVolt saw on a 9.0Ah pack will work through a decent pile of logs. If you are planning a full session, two batteries and a fast charger are the realistic setup.
What oil does a DeWalt chainsaw take?
Ordinary bar and chain oil, the same as any other chainsaw. There is no engine oil and no two-stroke mix. Fill the reservoir, check it when you swap batteries, and never substitute engine oil or a thin spray lubricant: bar oil is tacky by design so it stays on the chain at speed.
What size chain does a DeWalt chainsaw take?
It depends on the model, and the three numbers you need are stamped on the bar: the cutting length, the pitch and the gauge, plus the drive link count. The 30 cm saws and the 45 cm FlexVolt saw use standard Oregon-pattern chains, so any decent dealer can match them. Take the old chain or a photo of the bar markings with you.
Can a DeWalt chainsaw cut down a tree?
The 45 cm FlexVolt saw will fell a tree up to roughly its bar length in trunk diameter. The 30 cm 18V saws are for branches and small trunks rather than felling. In both cases the limit is technique rather than the saw: felling anything near a building, a road or a power line is a job for a trained arborist.
