Derek Smith has been farming all of his life, and is an professional landscape gardener with over 22 years experience. He owns a 25-acre farm in Aberdeenshire with a focus on self-sufficiency, living off the land, and working with nature.

cm (14”) bar isn’t capable of cutting through large trees, which limits this chainsaw’s versatility The working environment can also have a big impact on your safety. Ensure you have a clear working space, and if you’re chopping logs they should be held in place. When testing these chainsaws, I realised one feature worth looking out for is a chain-tension dial on the side of the machine . This made it a lot easier to adjust chain tension compared to models where it was positioned on the front.

To use a chainsaw safely, you’ll need to be both mentally and physically fit. You should be mobile, alert, physically strong, have good vision, good balance and a strong grip. Operating Your Chainsaw Safely Hyundai is a brand that so many know and love, therefore I was excited to give their 62cc 20” Petrol Chainsaw a try – I had several fallen trees that were waiting to be sliced up, so was hopeful that this machine would be up to the task. Alina Jumabhoy has spent several years learning about, and experimenting with, different organic growing techniques at various gardens and farms around the country. Fuelled by her quest for self-sufficiency, she’s now putting that information to good use on her own rural farm. Machine Mart offer a range of petrol chainsaws, ideal for felling small trees, cutting logs for the fire, or for pruning jobs. We have more heavy duty models suitable for heavy duty domestic and light trade work. We also offer an electric chainsaws, that are lightweight and comfortable yet still able to cope with demanding jobs and a wide range of chainsaw chains and other accessories.

Petrol powered chainsaws are usually the heaviest of the 3 types, but this doesn’t mean they need to be hard to use. A shoulder strap will help to lighten the load while you work, and the right handle can also make a huge difference. Handle Comfort and Ergonomics When it comes to power and durability, petrol chainsaws simply can’t be beaten. However, the right chainsaw depends a lot on the task at hand. Most of the chainsaws that I tested took about ten minutes to assemble, and this one was no exception. You do waste a bit of time unravelling the chain, but, when it comes to removing and replacing the side panel (so that you can fit the bar and chain), Husqvarna made things more convenient by positioning the screw for this at the front, rather than the side, of the unit.The first thing that stands out about the design of this chainsaw is the length of its bar. At 36 cm (14”), it’s significantly smaller than some of the others that I tested, but this could very well be all you need for the tasks that you have lined up for your chainsaw. Husqvarna also incorporated a number of clever design features into this chainsaw, such as the combined choke/stop control that enables you to easily start the machine from either cold or hot. In terms of design features, there are a few that stand out. Firstly, the 30cm Oregon bar and chain . Anyone that’s familiar with chainsaws will know that this is a sign of great quality. Oregon chainsaw parts are very high-performance and are known for lasting the years, so it’s great that this machine is fitted with them. Ryobi products are known for being relatively budget-friendly. They’re not the cheapest among competitors, but they’re also not the most expensive – they usually sit somewhere in the middle, and almost always offer fantastic value for money. Again, in terms of both performance and power, there wasn’t really a significant difference between the P1PE and the Hyundai. The P1PE was able to neatly slice through trunks that were roughly 102 cm (40”) in diameter, yet it handled smaller branches just as well too.

Electric chainsaws will have enough power to prune trees, help remove hedges, and cut small branches. They are also much lighter and tend to be easier to manage. The main downside to a corded chainsaw is that it’s very easy to cut through the cable – which can be extremely dangerous not to mention costly! I found this chainsaw to be extremely easy to use for a couple of reasons. Firstly – its weight. At around 3.5kg , even with the battery in, this chainsaw is exceptionally light, which makes it so convenient to manoeuvre. I was able to climb into huge piles of debris and use the chainsaw in very awkward angles, which allowed me to get the job done so much faster. The length of the bar will determine the size of the log or branch which can be cut in any one movement. Chainsaws with a shorter bar can be used to cut large pieces of wood, but it’ll take more than one pass to get through it. Petrol chainsaw engines vary quite significantly, with this one sitting somewhere in the middle of the scale. Again, this is pretty much ideal for the average user – 50cc gives it all of the power it needs to work for several hours straight without any issues. In terms of design, this chainsaw boasts everything that you’d expect from a high-end chainsaw. It has a 50 cm (20”) bar, making it suitable for professional use too, and its trigger, on/off button, primer bubble, and choke button are all positioned for convenient access. It even comes with its own carry bag – granted, this isn’t a huge deal, but for someone like myself who often carries chainsaws around, having a carry bag is definitely convenient.Once assembled, I could clearly see that this was an Einhell product, simply because there aren’t many other brands that use such a distinctive red colour for their products. The design of this chainsaw is well thought-out – from the Oregon bar and chain, which is a sign of top quality, to the size of the bar, which is 41 cm (16”) long but slightly narrower than the other chainsaws that I reviewed. The only potential flaw that I could see was the old-fashioned metal on/off switch – all of the other chainsaws that I tested had an on/off button instead. This machine is also a great size. Its 30cm bar makes it very versatile, while the body itself is relatively compact. It’s easy to get a firm grip on the handles, and the minimal vibration makes things more comfortable.