Chainsaw Dec 2020 Test: Which Brand Wins?
In our Dec 2020 test we compared 7 chainsaw options head to head. Echo came out on top. See the measured results, the runner-up, the budget pick, and a link to the full test video.
Echo
Price shown in test: $339
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Ego
Price shown in test: $229
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The quick take
The short version of why each pick lands where it does, built straight from the measured results.
“in my opinion, the Echo was by far the best chainsaw”
Best in 1 of 12 measurements, including Productivity.
The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Products are listed in the order they finished.
4x4 cut times (3 passes)
- 1Echo9.05 sec
9.3 sec, 9.7 sec
- 2DeWalt9.4 sec
9 sec, 11.1 sec (finished first at 9 seconds, barely ahead of Echo)
- 3Stihl MSA 220C18.4 sec
15.2 sec, 14.7 sec
- 4Oregon19.5 sec
21.5 sec, 16.8 sec
- 5Husqvarna 120i23.8 sec
24.7 sec, 21.7 sec
- 6Ego17.3 sec
12.1 sec, 12.4 sec
- 7Wen20.8 sec
22.3 sec, 21.2 sec
Weighted cut (2.5 lb on bar)
- 1Echo6.8 sec
fastest of all brands tested
- 2DeWalt8.2 sec
- 3Stihl MSA 220C10.3 sec
- 4Oregon9.3 sec
- 5Husqvarna 120i14.3 sec
- 6Ego10.7 sec
- 7Wen14.1 sec
Hardwood (honey locust) cut
- 1Echo14.3 sec
fastest of all brands tested
- 2DeWalt15 sec
- 3Stihl MSA 220C18 sec
- 4Oregon25.1 sec
- 5Husqvarna 120i40.3 sec
slowest of all brands tested
- 6Ego16.5 sec
- 7Wen30.5 sec
Continuous runtime
- 1Echo7 minutes 36 seconds
- 2DeWalt5 minutes 45 seconds
- 3Stihl MSA 220C6 minutes 49 seconds
- 4Oregon8 minutes 14 seconds
longest runtime of all brands tested
- 5Husqvarna 120i6 minutes 21 seconds
- 6Ego2 minutes 46 seconds
shortest runtime of all brands tested
- 7Wen4 minutes 46 seconds
Productivity (passes per charge on hardwood log)
- 1Echoapproximately32 passes
best of all brands
- 2DeWalt23 passes2nd
- 3Stihl MSA 220C22.8 passes
- 4Oregon19.6 passes
- 5Husqvarna 120i9.4 passes
- 6Ego10 passes
- 7Wen9.3 passes
lowest of all brands tested
Recharge time
- 1Echoapproximately70 minutes
- 2DeWalt139 minutes
(tested in the round 1 video)
- 3Stihl MSA 220C66 minutes 45 seconds
- 4Oregon93 minutes
- 5Husqvarna 120i92 minutes
- 6Ego39 minutes
fastest of all brands tested
- 7Wen89 minutes 15 seconds
Noise
- 1Echo99.5 decibels
- 3Stihl MSA 220C100.5 decibels
loudest of all brands tested
- 4Oregon100 decibels
- 5Husqvarna 120i92.5 decibels
- 6Ego92 decibels
quietest of all brands tested
- 7Wen99 decibels
- 2DeWaltnot tested
Weight with battery
- 1Echo14.6 lb
heaviest of all brands tested
- 3Stihl MSA 220C11.6 lb
(stated at first mention); later recap list states 11.4 lb tied with Ego, a discrepancy between the two transcript mentions, flagged rather than resolved
- 4Oregon13.8 lb
(stated at first mention); later recap list states 13.4 lb, a discrepancy between the two transcript mentions, flagged rather than resolved
- 5Husqvarna 120i10.8 lb
lightest of all brands tested
- 6Ego11.4 lb
- 7Wen12 lb
- 2DeWaltnot tested
All measurements (5 more)+
No-load RPM
- 1Echo10,800 RPM
- 3Stihl MSA 220C13,628 RPM
highest of all brands tested
- 4Oregon7,300 RPM
- 5Husqvarna 120i9,552 RPM
- 6Ego6,840 RPM
- 7Wen7,070 RPM
- 2DeWaltnot tested
Usable bar length
- 1Echo13
and 3/4 in of a 16-in bar
- 3Stihl MSA 220C12
and 1/4 in of a 14-in bar (16-in bar also available)
- 4Oregon14
and 7/16 in of a 16-in bar
- 5Husqvarna 120i13
and 1/4 in of a 14-in bar
- 6Ego13
and 7/16 in of a 14-in bar
- 7Wen14
and 3/4 in of a 16-in bar
- 2DeWaltnot tested
Battery
- 1Echo58V
4-amp hour lithium ion
- 3Stihl MSA 220C36V
7.2-amp hour, AP 300S, largest battery available for this saw, made in USA
- 4Oregon40V
6-amp hour lithium ion
- 5Husqvarna 120i40V
4-amp hour lithium ion
- 6Ego56V
2.5-amp hour lithium ion
- 7Wen40V
max, 4-amp hour lithium ion
- 2DeWaltnot tested
Warranty
- 1Echo5-year
consumer, 2-year commercial
- 2DeWaltnot tested
- 3Stihl MSA 220Cnot tested
- 4Oregonnot tested
- 5Husqvarna 120inot tested
- 6Egonot tested
- 7Wennot tested
Chain speed
- 7Wen2,950 ft
per minute
- 1Echonot tested
- 2DeWaltnot tested
- 3Stihl MSA 220Cnot tested
- 4Oregonnot tested
- 5Husqvarna 120inot tested
- 6Egonot tested
How it was tested
- cutting speed through nine 4x4 lumber boards, three timed passes each
- cutting speed through 4x4 lumber with 2.5 lb of weight applied to the front of the saw, no downward force
- cutting speed through an 11-in honey locust hardwood log
- continuous run time cutting through the honey locust log until battery depleted
- productivity calculation: number of passes through the honey locust log possible on a single charge
- battery recharge time
- noise level measured 30 in above the chainsaw handle
- weight with battery installed
- no-load chain/sprocket RPM measured with a laser tachometer
- usable bar length measurement
- bar and chain installation and tensioning ease
- trigger safety switch location and trigger delay
“in my opinion, the Echo was by far the best chainsaw”
