This chainsaw is lightweight, quiet, and easy to use and as the commercial says, leaves you "no excuse" for not getting a job finished. List price can be around $400 but you can get a better deal from either the Amazon link or by checking any of the Makita/Toolbarn.com links in this review.
The battery (linked below), gives me about an hour of solid cutting time which is about all I can do at one time anyway. Buying a second battery was a good idea and does give you a lot of flexibility in scheduling and organizing bigger jobs. This Makita is excellent for all those small jobs for which you really don't need the noise and smell, or weight, of a full-sized, gas-powered chainsaw.
As you can see by the picture, you will not be able to hack away at really large trees with this model - but that's not it's purpose anyway. For limbs and branches up to about 4" in diameter, this Makita will be at it's finest. Leave the larger trees for larger chainsaws with more powerful motors.
Did I mention that as long as you have the battery charged you are ready to go? By the time my significant other gets his gas-powered chainsaw going, I am usually 15 to 30 minutes into completing my tasks!
It is August as I write this and I am already looking around at all the little jobs Makita and I will be doing this Fall. I bought and installed a wood stove at my home last year and this Makita is perfect for clearing the dead limbs that Summer storms bring down - to be cut and moved directly to my wood stove pile for use in a couple of months.
Recycling at it's best!
Here are a few links to products that might be of interest:
Cordless tools are gaining popularity as battery price decreases and battery availability increases. Take advantage!
Some good ideas for human-powered garden tools can be found here.
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Founded in 1997, ToolBarn.com has a large selection of power tools, air tools and hand tools, as well as fasteners and accessories available at guaranteed lowest prices. Wide selections of the highest quality tools available are sold. Free shipping is offered on orders over $199, and a 30 day return policy on most items. ToolBarn.com has been an Internet Top 500 retailer for the last 4 years as well as appearing on the Inc 5000 Top Retailers list. ToolBarn.com also functions as a warranty repair center for the brands sold, ensuring complete customer satisfaction.