Battery-powered yard tools have come a long way over the years, and EGO Power+ has been setting the bar that other companies have been trying to keep up with.
When they released their 56V gas equivalent lawnmower, companies like Ryobi worked on making theirs more powerful. Same thing when EGO released their battery-operated snowblower and Snow Joe and Greenworks pushed ahead innovating their product lines.
EGO Power+ are still the leaders in this field though, and their 18″ battery-operated chainsaw proves this by not only standing up to the noisy, smelly gas chainsaws we’re all used to, but by surpassing them in some ways we didn’t expect.
Setting up the EGO Power+ 18″ chainsaw
First thing you need to know about the EGO Power+ 18″ chainsaw is that there are many different packages available for it. If you have other EGO Power+ tools with batteries you can go for the bare tool package. If this is your first EGO tool, you’ll want one that comes with a battery and charger. We highly recommend the 5.0 Ah kit over the cheaper 4.0 Ah one as the power difference is noticeable.
Since we had a charger and batteries already we went with the bare tool package for our test (if you’re getting one that comes with a battery you’ll want to fully charge it before use).
Although it’s battery-powered, all EGO Power+ chainsaws require bar and chain oil in order to run, which you will need to purchase separately as none is included. We went with a generic brand oil and it worked fine.
Checking the chain
The chain is already in place on the chainsaw when you get it, but you’ll want to check the tension of it before and during use. EGO makes this extremely easy to do as it’s just a dial you turn by hand and no special tools are required. You’ll also want to make sure the bar and chain oil is doing its job. Run the saw without cutting anything for a couple of minutes and then check the chain to ensure it’s oiled.
A note about safety
Just because it’s a battery-powered tool doesn’t mean it’s any less dangerous than a gas chainsaw. It can injure or kill you and all safety precautions need to be followed. Wear eye-protection, keep the bar and chain away from other people, and always pay attention to your surroundings when using it.
Using the EGO Power+ 18″ chainsaw
Our big test with the EGO Power+ 18″ chainsaw was at an off-grid property we own up north. We had to take down a lot of dead trees as they were starting to be a concern as we camp under them. Two of us tackled this job. We had an older gas chainsaw as well as the EGO chainsaw with three 5.0 Ah batteries.
Right out of the gate the EGO was outperforming the gas one. This was mainly due to it having a brand new chain as well as an 18″ bar compared to the 16″ on the other. The biggest difference between the two though were the noise (the EGO is louder than expected, but nowhere near the levels of the gas one) and the smell (no matter how well maintained they are gas-powered tools always exhaust fumes).
After falling a few reasonably sized trees we went at a big one with the EGO. It ripped through it faster than either of us expected and cutting it up for the fire pile went much quicker with it, too.
We did have to clean it out after cutting the big one as it got gunked up with small wood chips and sawdust. This was a fairly straightforward process and required no other tools to do.
Battery-powered tools in the woods
The 5.0 Ah battery lasted about an hour of solid use. The more powerful batteries EGO sells will of course give you more time, but they are quite pricey and they also add more weight to the tool (we weren’t struggling with the weight of the 5.0 Ah battery on the chainsaw and holding it for long periods felt fine).
Being off-grid meant we had limited capabilities of recharging the batteries. We used our portable Bluetti battery-generator, but then we had to charge that off solar power. It was a pretty overcast day so it wasn’t an ideal situation. This is where the EGO Power+ chainsaw loses points compared to the gas one, but it’s a unique situation most people won’t find themselves in.
Overall, the EGO Power+ 18″ chainsaw is a beast that is also fun to use. Seeing the awe from people who initially laugh when you pull it out is also kinda sweet. This is the perfect chainsaw to use at home or the cottage (where you’ll have electricity to keep the batteries charged) as it won’t annoy your neighbours like a gas one would.
Pros:
- Very little noise
- No nasty exhaust fumes
- Easy to maintain
Cons:
- Not good in an off-grid situation
- Extra batteries are pricey
- Gets gunked up easily
EGO Power+ 18″ chainsaw specs
- 45CC gas equivalent
- Up to 300 cuts on a 4×4 with the recommended 56V 5.0Ah ARC Lithium battery
- 18-inch bar and chain
- Bright LED Lights illuminate your work area
- 11,000 RPM for clean, efficient cuts
- IPX4-rated weather-resistant construction
- Tool-free chain tensioning system tightens the chain with the twist of a dial
- Brushless motor extends the life of the tool
- 3/8-inch pitch, .050-inch gauge chain, 62 drive links
- 5-year tool warranty
EGO Power+ tools are sold exclusively at Rona locations in Canada. The EGO Power+ 18″ chainsaw retails for $389 for the bare tool and $549 for the kit that comes with a 5.0 Ah battery and charger. Rakuten users can get 1.0% cash back at Rona when ordering online with the Rakuten browser extension installed.
