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Which Compact Chainsaw Brand Wins?
2025 test13 productsOutdoor Power Equipment

Which Compact Chainsaw Brand Wins?

In our test we compared 13 compact chainsaw options head to head. Milwaukee M18 FUEL came out on top. See the measured results, the runner-up, the budget pick, and a link to the full test video.

The verdict
Milwaukee M18 FUEL
Winner

Milwaukee M18 FUEL

Price shown in test: $279

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Kobalt
Runner-up

Kobalt

Price shown in test: $149

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Knockoff Milwaukee
Budget pick

Knockoff Milwaukee

Price shown in test: $70 before coupon or $54 after coupon (genuine Milwaukee referenced at $279)

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The quick take

The short version of why each pick lands where it does, built straight from the measured results.

WinnerMilwaukee M18 FUEL$279

“the Milwaukee ran circles around the competition with the best average finish at 1.5”

Best in 1 of 10 measurements, including Average Finish.

Runner-upKobalt$149

Best in 1 of 10 measurements, including Softwood Cut Best (sec).

Budget pickKnockoff Milwaukee$70 before coupon or $54 after coupon (genuine Milwaukee referenced at $279)

Best in 1 of 11 measurements, including Dyno Max (lb).

The measured results

Every number below is read straight from the test. Products are listed in the order they finished.

Weight (lb)

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL
    7.3 lb

    (with red lithium XC 6.0 battery)

  • 2Kobalt
    4.1 lb
  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee
    5.325 lb

    (with 6-A battery)

  • 4MechanicAnts
    just under2lb

    1/2 lb

  • 5Knockoff DeWalt
    3.565 lb
  • 6Knockoff Makita
    3.245 lb
  • 7WORX
    4.57 lb
  • 8WORKPRO
    3.19 lb
  • 9Greenworks
    3.385 lb
  • 10Craftsman
    5.8 lb
  • 11DeWalt
    just over6 lb

    (with 5-A battery)

  • 12Ryobi
    5.255 lb
  • 13Makita
    4.29 lb

    (with 5-A battery)

Sprocket (rpm)

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL
    2,531 RPM
  • 2Kobalt
    3,933 RPM
  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee
    4,219 RPM
  • 4MechanicAnts
    2,915 RPM
  • 5Knockoff DeWalt
    4,424 RPM
  • 6Knockoff Makita
    3,897 RPM
  • 7WORX
    3,148 RPM
  • 8WORKPRO
    3,372 RPM
  • 9Greenworks
    just over5,200 RPM

    highest in the lineup

  • 10Craftsman
    2,088 RPM
  • 11DeWalt
    4,709 RPM2nd

    second place behind Greenworks

  • 12Ryobi
    2,563 RPM
  • 13Makita
    just over4,000 RPM

Time To Full (rpm)

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL
    0.3 seconds
  • 2Kobalt
    1.2 seconds

    (soft start)

  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee
    about0.35 seconds
  • 4MechanicAnts
    about1/10

    of a second, immediate trigger response

  • 5Knockoff DeWalt
    about1/2 a

    second

  • 6Knockoff Makita
    1/2 a

    second

  • 7WORX
    just over1/2 second
  • 8WORKPRO

    very close to 1/2 second

  • 9Greenworks
    1.75 seconds

    slowest to reach full speed in the lineup

  • 10Craftsman
    3/10

    of a second

  • 11DeWalt
    about6/10

    of a second

  • 12Ryobi
    0.2 seconds

    quickest in the lineup

  • 13Makita
    0.3 seconds

Made In

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL

    China

  • 2Kobalt

    China

  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee

    China

  • 4MechanicAnts

    China

  • 5Knockoff DeWalt

    China

  • 6Knockoff Makita

    China

  • 7WORX

    China

  • 8WORKPRO

    China

  • 9Greenworks

    China

  • 10Craftsman

    China

  • 11DeWalt

    China

  • 12Ryobi

    Vietnam, the only saw in the lineup not made in China

  • 13Makita

    China

Dyno Max (lb)

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL
    over94 lb

    could not be stalled

  • 2Kobalt
    18 lb
  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee
    26 lb

    by far the best of the sub-$130 group at that point

  • 4MechanicAnts
    10 lb
  • 5Knockoff DeWalt
    10 lb
  • 6Knockoff Makita
    10 lb

    stalled at this load

  • 7WORX
    9 lb

    ran out of steam early

  • 8WORKPRO
    5 lb

    lowest torque of the lineup at that point

  • 9Greenworks
    17 lb
  • 10Craftsman
    36 lb

    second most torque in the lineup

  • 11DeWalt
    21 lb

    great combination of chain speed and torque

  • 12Ryobi
    31 lb3rd
  • 13Makita
    4 lb

    lowest torque of the entire lineup

Torture Runtime

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL

    very close to 6 and 1/2 minutes (3 amp hour battery), did not overheat

  • 2Kobalt
    7 minutes

    and 10 seconds (4 amp hour battery)

  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee
    5 minutes

    and 44 seconds (3 amp hour battery), did not overheat

  • 4MechanicAnts
    4 minutes

    and 46 seconds, ran out of battery before any damage occurred

  • 5Knockoff DeWalt

    overheated at very close to 4 minutes 10 seconds; after cooldown ran a total of 8 minutes 35 seconds

  • 6Knockoff Makita

    overheated after 4 minutes; after cooldown ran a total of 8 minutes 37 seconds

  • 7WORX
    6 minutes

    and 38 seconds

  • 8WORKPRO
    2 minutes

    and 44 seconds, shortest of the lineup

  • 9Greenworks
    5 minutes

    and 17 seconds

  • 10Craftsman
    just over7

    and 1/2 minutes (4 amp hour battery)

  • 11DeWalt
    6 minutes

    and 54 seconds (5 amp hour battery)

  • 12Ryobi
    just over7

    and 1/2 minutes (4 amp hour battery)

  • 13Makita

    very close to 10 minutes (5 amp hour battery), longest runtime in the lineup

Noise (dB)

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL
    94 decibels
  • 2Kobalt
    97.3 decibels
  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee
    99.5 decibels
  • 4MechanicAnts
    91.7 decibels
  • 5Knockoff DeWalt
    101.2 decibels
  • 6Knockoff Makita
    97.9 decibels
  • 7WORX
    90.3 decibels

    quietest of the lineup

  • 8WORKPRO
    97 decibels
  • 9Greenworks
    103.1 decibels

    loudest of the lineup

  • 10Craftsman
    95.2 decibels
  • 11DeWalt
    97.2 decibels
  • 12Ryobi
    94.7 decibels
  • 13Makita
    98 decibels

Hardwood Cut (sec)

  • 2Kobalt
    3.39 seconds

    first pass, 3.75 seconds second pass

  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee
    5.26 seconds

    (passes: 5.26, 5.93), tied for third with Ryobi

  • 4MechanicAnts
    27.84 seconds

    (single attempt)

  • 5Knockoff DeWalt
    9.91 seconds

    (passes: 9.91, 11)

  • 6Knockoff Makita
    10.01 seconds

    (passes: 10.58, 10.01)

  • 7WORX
    10.68 seconds

    (passes: 16.36, 10.68)

  • 8WORKPRO
    19.72 seconds

    (passes: about 23, 19.72)

  • 9Greenworks
    8.93 seconds

    (passes: 8.93, 9.39)

  • 10Craftsman
    8.62 seconds

    (passes: 8.62, 9.03)

  • 11DeWalt
    7.07 seconds2nd

    (passes: about 10, 7.07), second place behind knockoff Milwaukee at that point

  • 12Ryobi
    5.26 seconds

    (passes: 5.26, 5.31), tied for third with knockoff Milwaukee

  • 13Makita
    12.29 seconds

    (passes: 12.29, 12.65), far slower than the top brands

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL
    not tested
All measurements (14 more)+

Automatic Oiler

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL

    yes, tested working fine

  • 2Kobalt

    yes, tested working fine

  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee

    yes, includes one and tested working well

  • 4MechanicAnts

    no, does not include one

  • 6Knockoff Makita

    no, does not include one

  • 7WORX

    no, does not have one

  • 8WORKPRO

    no, does not have one

  • 10Craftsman

    no, does not have one

  • 11DeWalt

    yes, but initially failed to flow (suspected air pocket); resolved after removing the bar and chain

  • 12Ryobi

    claimed oil-free design

  • 13Makita

    yes, tested working fine

  • 5Knockoff DeWalt
    not tested
  • 9Greenworks
    not tested

Softwood Cut Best (sec)

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL
    1.79 seconds

    (passes: 1.89, 1.79, 1.79)

  • 2Kobalt
    2.1 seconds

    with 4 amp hour battery (passes: 4.38, 2.1, 2.15); with 2 amp hour battery best was 2.72 (passes 2.82, 2.72, 2.92)

  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee
    3.34 seconds

    (passes: 4.17, 3.84, 3.34), moved into the lead among knockoffs

  • 4MechanicAnts
    12.08 seconds

    (passes: 12.08, 14.65, 13.67); handsaw control was 13.83 seconds

  • 5Knockoff DeWalt
    5.72 seconds

    (passes: 5.72, 6.13, 6.86)

  • 6Knockoff Makita
    6.34 seconds

    (passes: 6.34, 6.34, 7.01)

  • 7WORX
    4.9 seconds

    (passes: 6.08, 4.9, 5.67)

  • 8WORKPRO
    10.47 seconds

    (passes: 14.7, 11.3, 10.47), only slightly faster than the $35 MechanicAnts

  • 9Greenworks
    4.58 seconds

    (passes: 6.19, 4.79, 4.58)

  • 11DeWalt
    2.87 seconds3rd

    (passes: 4.74, 3.13, 2.87), third place overall

  • 10Craftsman
    not tested
  • 12Ryobi
    not tested
  • 13Makita
    not tested

Brushless Motor

  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee

    yes

  • 5Knockoff DeWalt

    claimed brushless motor

  • 7WORX

    no

  • 8WORKPRO

    no

  • 9Greenworks

    yes

  • 11DeWalt

    claimed high efficiency brushless motor

  • 12Ryobi

    no, brushed motor

  • 13Makita

    Makita built brushless motor

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL
    not tested
  • 2Kobalt
    not tested
  • 4MechanicAnts
    not tested
  • 6Knockoff Makita
    not tested
  • 10Craftsman
    not tested

Comes With

  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee
    6-in

    and 8-in bar, bar and chain oil, dual-side safety switch for left and right hand use

  • 7WORX
    5-in

    bar; claimed 22 ft per second chain speed

  • 8WORKPRO
    6.3-in

    bar, two extra chains, two batteries; claimed 16.4 ft per second chain speed

  • 11DeWalt
    8-in

    bar; does not come with the screwdriver or wrench needed

  • 13Makita

    bar and chain oil, chain sharpening file; claimed up to 140 cuts in 2-in cedar with a 2-A battery

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL
    not tested
  • 2Kobalt
    not tested
  • 4MechanicAnts
    not tested
  • 5Knockoff DeWalt
    not tested
  • 6Knockoff Makita
    not tested
  • 9Greenworks
    not tested
  • 10Craftsman
    not tested
  • 12Ryobi
    not tested

Cuts Per Amp Hour

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL
    41.5

    (3.5-in log)

  • 2Kobalt
    31.72nd

    (3.5-in log), second place

  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee
    21.83rd

    (3.5-in log), third place

  • 4MechanicAnts
    not tested
  • 5Knockoff DeWalt
    not tested
  • 6Knockoff Makita
    not tested
  • 7WORX
    not tested
  • 8WORKPRO
    not tested
  • 9Greenworks
    not tested
  • 10Craftsman
    not tested
  • 11DeWalt
    not tested
  • 12Ryobi
    not tested
  • 13Makita
    not tested

Average Finish

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL
    1.5

    (best of the lineup)

  • 2Kobalt
    3.52nd

    second place overall

  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee
    3.753rd

    third place overall

  • 4MechanicAnts
    not tested
  • 5Knockoff DeWalt
    not tested
  • 6Knockoff Makita
    not tested
  • 7WORX
    not tested
  • 8WORKPRO
    not tested
  • 9Greenworks
    not tested
  • 10Craftsman
    not tested
  • 11DeWalt
    not tested
  • 12Ryobi
    not tested
  • 13Makita
    not tested

Claimed Power (W)

  • 4MechanicAnts
    550 W

    (claimed)

  • 5Knockoff DeWalt
    450 W

    (claimed)

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL
    not tested
  • 2Kobalt
    not tested
  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee
    not tested
  • 6Knockoff Makita
    not tested
  • 7WORX
    not tested
  • 8WORKPRO
    not tested
  • 9Greenworks
    not tested
  • 10Craftsman
    not tested
  • 11DeWalt
    not tested
  • 12Ryobi
    not tested
  • 13Makita
    not tested

Softwood Cut (sec)

  • 12Ryobi
    3.7 seconds4th

    (passes: 3.7, 3.81), fourth place behind knockoff Milwaukee

  • 13Makita
    5.93 seconds

    (passes: 8.93, 5.93, 5.93), stalled on first pass

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL
    not tested
  • 2Kobalt
    not tested
  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee
    not tested
  • 4MechanicAnts
    not tested
  • 5Knockoff DeWalt
    not tested
  • 6Knockoff Makita
    not tested
  • 7WORX
    not tested
  • 8WORKPRO
    not tested
  • 9Greenworks
    not tested
  • 10Craftsman
    not tested
  • 11DeWalt
    not tested

Hardwood Cut Best (sec)

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL
    2.92 seconds

    (passes: 3.13, 2.92)

  • 2Kobalt
    not tested
  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee
    not tested
  • 4MechanicAnts
    not tested
  • 5Knockoff DeWalt
    not tested
  • 6Knockoff Makita
    not tested
  • 7WORX
    not tested
  • 8WORKPRO
    not tested
  • 9Greenworks
    not tested
  • 10Craftsman
    not tested
  • 11DeWalt
    not tested
  • 12Ryobi
    not tested
  • 13Makita
    not tested

System Voltage

  • 9Greenworks
    24-V

    (other saws in lineup ranged 12-V to 21-V)

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL
    not tested
  • 2Kobalt
    not tested
  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee
    not tested
  • 4MechanicAnts
    not tested
  • 5Knockoff DeWalt
    not tested
  • 6Knockoff Makita
    not tested
  • 7WORX
    not tested
  • 8WORKPRO
    not tested
  • 10Craftsman
    not tested
  • 11DeWalt
    not tested
  • 12Ryobi
    not tested
  • 13Makita
    not tested

Runtime Per Amp Hour

  • 9Greenworks
    2.64 minutes
  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL
    not tested
  • 2Kobalt
    not tested
  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee
    not tested
  • 4MechanicAnts
    not tested
  • 5Knockoff DeWalt
    not tested
  • 6Knockoff Makita
    not tested
  • 7WORX
    not tested
  • 8WORKPRO
    not tested
  • 10Craftsman
    not tested
  • 11DeWalt
    not tested
  • 12Ryobi
    not tested
  • 13Makita
    not tested

Cut Capacity

  • 10Craftsman
    up to4-in
  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL
    not tested
  • 2Kobalt
    not tested
  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee
    not tested
  • 4MechanicAnts
    not tested
  • 5Knockoff DeWalt
    not tested
  • 6Knockoff Makita
    not tested
  • 7WORX
    not tested
  • 8WORKPRO
    not tested
  • 9Greenworks
    not tested
  • 11DeWalt
    not tested
  • 12Ryobi
    not tested
  • 13Makita
    not tested

Softwood Cut 2 A Battery (sec)

  • 10Craftsman
    4.84 seconds

    (passes: 5.2, 4.84, 4.84)

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL
    not tested
  • 2Kobalt
    not tested
  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee
    not tested
  • 4MechanicAnts
    not tested
  • 5Knockoff DeWalt
    not tested
  • 6Knockoff Makita
    not tested
  • 7WORX
    not tested
  • 8WORKPRO
    not tested
  • 9Greenworks
    not tested
  • 11DeWalt
    not tested
  • 12Ryobi
    not tested
  • 13Makita
    not tested

Softwood Cut 4 A Battery (sec)

  • 10Craftsman
    3.75 seconds

    (passes: 3.75, 4.64, 3.81), bigger battery held chain speed better under load

  • 1Milwaukee M18 FUEL
    not tested
  • 2Kobalt
    not tested
  • 3Knockoff Milwaukee
    not tested
  • 4MechanicAnts
    not tested
  • 5Knockoff DeWalt
    not tested
  • 6Knockoff Makita
    not tested
  • 7WORX
    not tested
  • 8WORKPRO
    not tested
  • 9Greenworks
    not tested
  • 11DeWalt
    not tested
  • 12Ryobi
    not tested
  • 13Makita
    not tested

How it was tested

  • cutting speed on softwood (2x8 board), best of three timed passes
  • cutting speed on hardwood (Osage orange log), best of two timed passes
  • chainsaw dyno torque test, maximum load in lb before stalling
  • torture test: repeated back to back cuts until overheating or battery depletion
  • noise level at 2 ft from sound meter, in decibels
  • time to reach full RPM from trigger pull
  • sprocket/chain speed in RPM
  • cutting efficiency: cuts completed per amp hour of battery capacity (3.5-in log)
  • run time per amp hour of battery capacity

“the Milwaukee ran circles around the competition with the best average finish at 1.5”

From the test video verdict.

Brand head-to-head scoreboards featuring this test

DeWalt vs Milwaukee67 testsMilwaukee vs Makita43 testsDeWalt vs Makita46 testsRyobi vs DeWalt37 testsRyobi vs Milwaukee37 testsCraftsman vs DeWalt33 tests

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