Until you get you actually use the Milwaukee M18 FUEL chainsaw, it’s hard to explain the amount of power they’re pulling from these 18-volt batteries. It’s pretty impressive that Milwaukee is delivering the goods with a 16-inch bar and chain. Much like the new M18 Quik Lok Attachment System. Their claim is that the Milwaukee 2727 chainsaw has the power of a 40cc gas chainsaw. We actually put this to the test, and we even use a 60cc chainsaw for the side by side testing.

Milwaukee M18 FUEL Chainsaw Features

First off, Milwaukee made the right step by including an Oregon 16-inch bar and chain. This means that the user can purchase a replacement at just about any store that sells chainsaw parts. One of the top features that I like was actually the lack of a feature, the fact that this cordless chainsaw does not have any electronic buttons. Just put the battery in, release the chain brake, depress the throttle lock button and pull the trigger.

Included just below the bar oil cap is a large plastic window, so you can easily see the level of bar oil without removing the cap. Keeping the chain and bar tight are double bar-retaining studs and nuts. Many cordless chainsaws have tool-less bar retainers and chain tensioners. While this may seem nice for quick adjustment, it actually does a poor job of keeping the bar from moving. An onboard scrench make it easy and quick to make any chain adjustments.

Final Thoughts

Running the Milwaukee M18 FUEL Chainsaw against a Husqvarna 460 Rancher was a real eye-opener. We were blown away when the M18 chainsaw actually out-performed the 60cc gas-powered saw. Three cuts were made on 14-16″ Florida oak, and all cuts were within a couple of inches from one another on the same section of trunk. The Milwaukee M18 chainsaw had a new chain, and the Rancher 460 had a sharpened chain. This is not exactly a cheap saw, but you are getting ProSumer quality. You can get the tool only (2727-20) for $299 and the kit with the 12.0 Ah battery (2727-21) for $449 from the Home Depot.