5 Best Battery Powered Mini Chainsaws for 2024

What are Mini Chainsaws?

Mini chainsaws are, literally, mini chainsaws. They’re not big enough to cut through heavy timber, mature branches, or logs, but they do make light work of young branches, especially in spring and autumn when you’re clearing and tidying the garden.

If you’re into topiary, they can also provide more precise cuts than large hedge trimmers, opening up whole new worlds of detailed design.

What to Look for When Buying a Mini Chainsaw

Mini chainsaws are surprisingly varied tools, but they all share roughly similar blade sizes, and most are pretty low vibration, so comfortable to use for long periods of pruning.

If you’re looking for the best mini chainsaw though, there are a few simple things to look out for that can separate the best from the rest.

Safety

Most mini chainsaws are fitted with safety guards, which are there to ensure you only cut in one direction and cut downwards. A few are designed to be used more like hatchet blades and can be wriggled around, but ideally, these should still have a rear guard to protect your hands.

Battery Life

Mini chainsaws do less work than full-sized chain saws, so have smaller batteries, which tend to last for longer and charge faster. Check for fast-charging batteries to save time and headaches. Most will charge from flat to full in under an hour and last for 40-60 minutes on continuous use (depending on the depth and hardness of each cut).

Maintenance

Mini chainsaws are universal in the same way as full-sized chainsaws, so do make sure you’re choosing a model with a standard chain, or from a brand that will reliably supply replacement chains.

How to Use a Mini Chainsaw

Mini chainsaws should be used in the same way as manual pruning saws. Start your initial cut upwards for larger branches, and then cut from the top down to meet. This will massively reduce snapping branches and help to make cleaner cuts, which the tree or shrub will recover from much faster, and with less risk of infection.

Some mini chainsaws are dual-handled, but most are designed for single-handed operation, meaning you have one free hand to grip smaller branches. If this is the case, make sure your grip hand is at least 6” from the blade, and the tool hand is gripping firmly, and behind any guards.

Mini Chainsaw Safety Guide

Mini chainsaws might be smaller, but they still have a nasty bite if things go wrong, so take precautions when using them:

• Always wear hand protection.
• Use safety goggles to protect from flying bark and splinters.
• Stand behind the tool at all times, and always cut away from yourself.
• Keep your hands well away from the blade while in operation.
• Regularly check the chain and teeth for signs of wear which can cause jumping.

1. Stihl GTA 26 Cordless Garden Pruner Saw Kit

Stihl’s chainsaw range is probably the best in the world, and their mini chainsaws don’t disappoint. They’ve packed this compact cutting tool with safety features, as well as making it comfortable to handle, and easy to use.

The rapid charging batteries mean you’re never waiting around for too long either, and the kit comes with chain oil supplied to protect your tool from gum and sap on young wood.

2. Milwaukee M12FHS-0 Cordless FUEL Hatchet Pruning Chainsaw

Miklwaukee’s hatchet pruning chainsaw is designed for more confident users, and has none of the safety features that usually come as standard. The downside of the lacking safety features is obvious, but the upside is that you can cut through thicker timber and cut right through the branch in one cut.

The sturdy handles are designed for top-loaded pressure too, giving you much, much more control of your tool.

3. WORX WG324E.9 Cordless Mini Chainsaw

WORX is always a useful brand to get familiar with. They’re not the bells and whistles tools of Stihl or Milwaukee, but they build high-quality kit and offer it on a budget too.

If you’re just after a simple mini chainsaw for pruning around the garden, you can save a fair bit of money with this budget-friendly mini chainsaw.

4. Makita DUC122SF Cordless Chainsaw Combo Kit

Makita’s entry into the mini chainsaw game is pretty lovely. It’s tough, with a beautifully simple chain guard that allows for a little more movement, and deeper cuts, making it one of the most useful mini chainsaws for those slightly tougher jobs.

The two-handed use offers more stability too and its standard chain makes it really simple to maintain.

5. Bosch Cordless NanoBlade Saw

Bosch has a reputation for affordable tools but has never let us down on quality either. It’s worth saying that Bosch tools are rarely as powerful, or functional as their competitors, but for a mini chainsaw, designed entirely for pruning young wood, there are few on the market that are as versatile as this little number from bosch.

Sitting somewhere in the middle of the market on price, and somewhere near the top on ability and design, the Stihl GTA Cordless Garden Pruner Saw is the best mini chainsaw you can buy for domestic use.

Its simple safety features make it accessible and intuitive and will help you to make light work of often arduous pruning tasks around the garden at any time of year. What’s more, with it being a Stihl product, you will always be able to find replacement chains, making maintenance a breeze.

Milwaukee tools are always designed with professionals in mind, but this mini chainsaw is still pretty affordable for serious DIY gardeners. If you’re looking for a chainsaw you can truly call the best, and remain confident that even after maintenance checks, replacement chains, and five years of regular use, this is the chainsaw and the brand for you.

This simple mini chainsaw, the WORX Cordless Pruning Chainsaw, is great for gardeners on a budget. It doesn’t have the power of most of its competitors, but the reality of garden pruning is that you rarely actually need that power.

What you truly need is a chainsaw that's capable of cutting small branches quickly, and this is it.

Mini Chainsaw Frequently Asked Questions

Are mini chainsaws any good?

Mini chainsaws are incredibly good tools for more purposes than you might think. For quick pruning tasks, as well as rough cuts through prepared timber, they are a fast and accessible tool that will save you work around the garden, without the hassle and storage needs of larger chainsaws.

What can a mini chainsaw cut through?

Mini chainsaws can cut through most timber and plant materials up to a certain width. For mature trees, you’ll still need a full-sized chainsaw, but for young trees, first-year growth, and climbing vines, mini chainsaws are more than enough in most cases.

How long does the battery last on a mini chainsaw?

The average battery life of a mini chainsaw is about 30 minutes on continuous use, but more powerful tools from Makita, Stihl, and Milwaukee can run for up to an hour on continuous use when used for simple cuts on soft materials.

Can a small chainsaw cut a big tree?

Mini chainsaws should not be used to cut down large trees. They are designed for branch work, not trunk work, and their blades can bend under heavy pressure. 

Do battery-powered chainsaws need oil?

Battery-powered chainsaws need oil to lubricate the chain but do not require motor oil. Any chainsaw, regardless of its motor type, requires bar or chain oil regularly to prolong its life and just generally make it safe to use.

Are battery chainsaws noisy?

There’s no such thing as a quiet chainsaw, and battery chainsaws are still pretty noisy, but they are significantly quieter than petrol or diesel chainsaws.

Can you use a battery chainsaw in the rain?

For various obvious reasons, you should never use a battery chainsaw in the rain, but it's also worth noting that using a chainsaw in the rain, regardless of its power source, is not safe, and should be avoided unless you are trained and experienced.