Best 18 Inch Electric Chainsaw: What It's Actually For

These three stand out in the product table above for different budgets and needs.

Best overall: the Greenworks 80V 18 in Cordless Electric Chainsaw, around $408, is our first choice from the table.

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Best value: the SEESII 40V Electric Chainsaw Cordless 18-Inch, around $170, is the lowest priced of these three.

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Also great: the Greenworks 60V 16 in Cordless Electric Chainsaw, around $300, is another strong option with a different set of features.

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The general guideline arborists and firewood cutters use is that your bar should be about 2 inches longer than the log or trunk you're cutting. That puts a comfortable, easy cutting range for an 18-inch bar at roughly 16 inches of diameter, with a maximum stretch closer to 34-35 inches if you cut from both sides.

You can push past that range in a pinch, cutting from multiple angles on a larger log, but it takes longer and asks more of both the saw and your technique. If you're regularly cutting logs wider than about 16 inches, size up rather than fighting the bar length every time.

The same corded vs cordless trade offs from smaller saws apply here, but battery runtime matters more at 18 inches, since denser cuts through bigger material drain a battery faster than light pruning does. If you're mostly bucking firewood near the house, a corded setup keeps working without runtime anxiety. If you need to move around the property or work away from an outlet, cordless is worth it, just budget for a spare battery if you're cutting for more than 30 minutes at a stretch.

An 18-inch electric saw covers firewood bucking and small tree felling comfortably, which is more than a 12-inch model is built for but still well short of what a large gas saw handles. If your work is mostly light branches and yard cleanup, an 18-inch saw is more saw than you need, adding weight and cost without a real benefit. Match the size to the actual diameter of what you're cutting most often, not the biggest job you might someday face.

An 18-inch bar and the motor needed to drive it add noticeable weight over a 12-inch saw, which shows up most during overhead cuts or extended sessions. It's still lighter than most gas equivalents, but expect to feel the difference compared to a compact pruning saw, especially by the end of a long cutting session.

What size logs can an 18 inch chainsaw bar cut?

Comfortably up to about 16 inches in diameter, with a maximum stretch closer to 34-35 inches if you cut from both sides of the log.

Is 18 inches enough to fell small trees?

Yes, 18 inches is a common size for felling small to medium trees and bucking firewood, sitting between light pruning saws and heavy duty felling saws.

Should I get corded or cordless for an 18 inch chainsaw?

Corded works well if you're cutting near an outlet and want unlimited runtime. Cordless is better if you need to move around the property, though battery runtime becomes more of a factor at this cutting capacity.

Is an 18 inch electric chainsaw heavier than a 12 inch?

Yes, noticeably. The longer bar and more powerful motor needed to drive it add weight that's most noticeable during overhead cuts or longer sessions.

What's the rule of thumb for chainsaw bar length vs log diameter?

Your bar should be about 2 inches longer than the log you're cutting for comfortable, efficient cuts. Going smaller means more awkward multi angle cuts on larger material.

If you're regularly cutting logs in the 12 to 16-inch diameter range or felling small trees, 18 inches is the practical sweet spot. If your work is still mostly light pruning and branches, you likely don't need the extra bar length, weight, and cost that comes with it.