Cordless Chainsaw Bar Length: 12, 14 or 16 Inch?
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Pick a bar length by the biggest limb or log you expect to cut, not the average one. A 12 inch bar suits light pruning and small limbs, a 14 inch bar is a middle size, and a 16 inch bar gives room for thicker limbs and storm cleanup. As a rule of thumb, choose a bar a little longer than the thickest wood you expect to cut in one pass, so a 16 inch bar is not the right match for a 16 inch log.
The bar is only half the decision. A longer bar asks more of the motor and the battery, so the battery system and the pack in the box matter as much as the number on the bar. This guide compares five cordless chainsaws on the site: a 12 inch, a 14 inch and three 16 inch saws.
What bar length actually changes
The bar is the metal guide the chain runs around. Its length is the inch figure in a chainsaw's name, and it sets the largest wood the saw can reach through. For autumn yard work, most cuts are fallen limbs and small trunks, and a shorter bar is easier to point and carry. For storm cleanup, a longer bar lets you cut thicker pieces without turning the wood or cutting from both sides.
Chains also differ in pitch (the spacing of the links) and gauge (the thickness of the drive links). These have to match the bar and the chain you buy as a replacement, so check them before you order spares. Pitch or gauge figures for the Greenworks, Makita and EGO saws are given in their sections below.
The five saws side by side
| Saw | Bar | Battery system | In the box |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenworks 40V 12" Chainsaw Kit | 12 inch | Greenworks 40V | One 2.0Ah battery and charger |
| Makita 18V LXT Brushless 14" Chainsaw | 14 inch | Makita 18V LXT | Chain, guide bar and bar cover; no battery or charger |
| EGO 56V 16" Chainsaw Kit | 16 inch | EGO 56V ARC Lithium | One 2.5Ah battery and charger |
| Milwaukee M18 FUEL 16" Chainsaw | 16 inch | Milwaukee M18 | 16 inch Oregon bar and a scrench; no battery or charger |
| RYOBI 40V HP Brushless 16" Chainsaw Kit | 16 inch | RYOBI 40V | One 4Ah battery and charger, scabbard and combination wrench |
12 inch: the light-duty size
The Greenworks 40V 12" Chainsaw Kit is the shortest saw here. Greenworks lists it at 6 lbs, with a 3/8 inch pitch, a brushless motor, an automatic oiler with a translucent oil tank and tool-less chain tensioning. Greenworks states up to 50 cuts per charge, the kit's battery is a 2.0Ah pack, and Greenworks gives the tool a 3-year warranty. It sits in the $100–200 price tier.
On paper, this is a saw for trimming limbs and cutting small firewood pieces, where light weight matters more than reach. The battery is a compact pack, so it is better matched to short jobs than to a long afternoon of cutting. It runs only on Greenworks 40V batteries.
14 inch: the middle size, on an 18V battery
The Makita 18V LXT Brushless 14" Chainsaw has a 14 inch bar and a brushless motor that drives the chain at 1,520 feet per minute. Makita specifies a 3/8 inch low-profile pitch and a .043 inch gauge, a rear handle, and a 3-year limited warranty. It is a bare tool: the box has the chain, guide bar and bar cover, and you supply the battery and charger.
The point of this saw is the battery. It runs on Makita 18V LXT batteries, so someone who already owns that system does not need a second battery family for a chainsaw. Someone starting from nothing would need to add a battery and charger, which changes the cost. It is in the $200+ price tier as a bare tool. For help matching a pack to the work, see 2Ah vs 4Ah vs 5Ah: Which Battery Size to Buy.
16 inch: three saws, three battery systems
The EGO 56V 16" Chainsaw Kit has a 16 inch bar and chain. EGO lists a 20 m/s chain speed, a 3/8 inch pitch, a .043 inch gauge, 56 drive links, a brushless motor, tool-free tensioning with independent dials, automatic oiling, and a kickback brake with a brake position indicator. The kit includes a 56V 2.5Ah battery and a standard charger. EGO states up to 130 cuts on a 4x4 with the recommended 2.5Ah battery, a 5-year limited tool warranty and a 3-year limited battery warranty, and notes that bar and chain oil is not in the box. It is in the $200+ price tier.
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL 16" Chainsaw is a bare tool that works with Milwaukee M18 batteries. Milwaukee lists a variable speed trigger, an automatic oiler with a factory-set flow rate that cannot be adjusted, dual-stud bar retention, onboard storage for the scrench and a 3-year warranty. It recommends M18 REDLITHIUM HIGH OUTPUT or FORGE XC8.0 and HD12.0 batteries for best power and runtime. Its published cut chart is useful for seeing how much the pack matters: at 6 inch diameter it shows 120 cuts with an HD12.0 and 80 cuts with an XC8.0, and at 14 inch diameter it shows 20 and 13. That is the same saw, at the same log diameter, losing roughly a third of the count when the battery is smaller.
The RYOBI 40V HP Brushless 16" Chainsaw Kit is sold with one 4Ah battery and a charger. RYOBI lists a brushless motor, a chain brake for kickback protection, and over 60 cuts with the included 4Ah battery. It is generally used for felling, bucking, limbing and storm cleanup, and the kit adds a scabbard and a combination wrench. It runs on RYOBI 40V batteries.
Why cut counts do not compare across brands
Four of these five saws come with a published cut count, but each maker uses a different measure. EGO counts cuts on a 4x4 with a 2.5Ah battery. Milwaukee counts cuts on a stated log diameter with a stated battery. RYOBI counts cuts with its 4Ah battery and Greenworks gives a count per charge for its kit. A figure of 130 beside a figure of 60 does not mean one saw is twice as capable. Use the counts to compare packs within one maker, as the Milwaukee chart does, and not to rank brands against each other.
How to choose
- Already own a battery system: the Makita runs on 18V LXT, the Milwaukee on M18, the RYOBI on 40V and the EGO on its 56V packs. If you already own Makita 18V LXT or Milwaukee M18 batteries, the bare-tool saws let you skip buying a battery and charger.
- Mostly light pruning and small limbs: the 12 inch Greenworks, or the 14 inch Makita if you want an 18V saw.
- Thicker limbs and storm cleanup: a 16 inch bar. The EGO and the RYOBI come with a battery and charger in the box; the Milwaukee does not.
- A bare tool or a kit: see Tool Only vs Kit: What "Bare Tool" Means and Which to Buy before deciding.
If you are also clearing leaves this season, the Best Cordless Leaf Blowers guide covers five blowers, and the outdoor power equipment page lists the rest of the outdoor range.
FAQ
Is a longer bar always better?
No. A longer bar reaches thicker wood but is longer to handle and asks more of the battery. If your cuts are small, a shorter bar is easier to use.
Does a chainsaw need oil?
Chain saws use bar and chain oil. The Greenworks, EGO, Milwaukee and RYOBI saws here have an automatic oiler that feeds it to the chain. EGO notes the oil is not included, so check the box contents of any saw you buy.
Can I use a different battery from the same brand?
Within a system, yes: Milwaukee says its saw works with M18 batteries, and the bigger packs it recommends give more cuts. Across systems, no. A battery from another maker will not fit.
Should I read the manual before cutting?
Yes. Each maker publishes operating and safety instructions for its saw, and they apply to your model specifically.