Quick verdict
A storm cleanup saw has one job: start after two years in the shed and cut the limbs that came down. Corded electric saws do that because there is no battery to be dead and no fuel to go stale, and they run from a generator when the power is out. The Oregon CS1500 sharpens its own chain; the Craftsman 16-inch is the cheap one to keep; the Makita UC4051A is the one built to last. Keep a 12-gauge outdoor cord with it.
Oregon CS1500 15 Amp Self-Sharpening Electric Chainsaw
A storm saw spends years in the shed and comes out dull, and the Oregon CS1500 fixes that with PowerSharp, a built-in sharpener that sharpens the chain in three to five seconds with a lever. The 15 amp motor drives an 18-inch bar with a chain brake, tool-free tensioning and an automatic oiler, and there is no battery to be dead and no fuel to be stale.
The best electric chainsaws for occasional storm cleanup: Oregon CS1500 self-sharpening 18-inch, Craftsman 16-inch 12 amp and Makita UC4051A 16-inch, compared on readiness after storage, power and safety.
The picks at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Score /100 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon CS1500 15 Amp Self-Sharpening Electric Chainsaw | Best for a Saw That Sits | 9.0 | Check price |
| Craftsman 16-Inch 12 Amp Electric Chainsaw CMECS600 | Best Value Storm Saw | 8.4 | Check price |
| Makita UC4051A 16-Inch Electric Chainsaw | Best Built Corded Saw | 8.8 | Check price |
The picks, reviewed
Oregon CS1500 15 Amp Self-Sharpening Electric Chainsaw
A storm saw spends years in the shed and comes out dull, and the Oregon CS1500 fixes that with PowerSharp, a built-in sharpener that sharpens the chain in three to five seconds with a lever. The 15 amp motor drives an 18-inch bar with a chain brake, tool-free tensioning and an automatic oiler, and there is no battery to be dead and no fuel to be stale.
Reasons to buy
- Self-sharpening in seconds
- 15 amp motor, 18-inch bar
- Chain brake and tool-free tensioning
- No battery or fuel to go stale
Reasons to avoid
- Needs an outlet and a heavy cord
- PowerSharp chains are proprietary
- Heavier than a 16-inch
Craftsman 16-Inch 12 Amp Electric Chainsaw CMECS600
The Craftsman 16-inch 12 amp is a plain, capable corded saw with a low-kickback bar and chain, tool-free tensioning and an automatic oiler with a window, backed by a Craftsman warranty. It cuts the limbs a storm drops and costs little to keep for the one weekend a year it is needed.
Reasons to buy
- Low price
- Tool-free tensioning
- Auto oiler with window
- Low-kickback chain
Reasons to avoid
- 12 amp is modest in hardwood
- Standard chain needs a file or a sharpener
- Plastic case
Makita UC4051A 16-Inch Electric Chainsaw
The Makita UC4051A is the corded saw contractors keep, with tool-less blade and chain adjustment, rubberized grips, a large trigger with soft start and a current limiter that cuts power before the motor burns out when the saw is overloaded in a storm-felled trunk. It is the one to buy if the storm saw might also be a regular saw.
Reasons to buy
- Soft start and current limiter
- Tool-less adjustment
- Rubberized grips
- Makita build
Reasons to avoid
- Costs more
- Corded
- Standard chain
Why a storm saw should be corded
A chainsaw bought for storm cleanup spends most of its life in a shed and is asked to work on the one morning a year when a limb is across the driveway. A gas saw bought for that has stale fuel and a flooded carburetor by then; a battery saw has a pack that drained or aged on the shelf. A corded electric saw has nothing to go stale, starts the instant it is plugged in, runs from the house or from the generator the storm made necessary and costs less than either. The three here are corded saws chosen for readiness, with one that sharpens itself.
This guide is built from the published specifications and manuals of each saw and from recurring owner feedback. We have not run these saws ourselves.
How the three compare
| Saw | Motor | Bar | Sharpening | Protection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon CS1500 | 15 amp | 18 in | Built-in PowerSharp | Chain brake |
| Craftsman CMECS600 | 12 amp | 16 in | File or sharpener | Low-kickback chain |
| Makita UC4051A | Corded | 16 in | File or sharpener | Current limiter, soft start |
Oregon CS1500: sharpens itself
The one thing an occasional saw is guaranteed to be is dull, and the Oregon CS1500 solves it with PowerSharp: pull a lever and a built-in stone sharpens the chain in three to five seconds, no file, no skill. The 15 amp motor drives an 18-inch bar with a chain brake, tool-free tensioning and an automatic oiler. It uses Oregon PowerSharp chains, which are a proprietary type to keep in the box with the saw. For a storm saw it is the most sensible design sold.
Craftsman CMECS600: the cheap one to keep
The Craftsman 16-inch 12 amp is a plain corded saw with a low-kickback bar and chain, tool-free tensioning and an automatic oiler with a window, at a price that makes keeping it for one weekend a year painless. It is modest in hardwood and fine on the limbs a storm drops. A cheap file guide kept with it handles the sharpening.
Makita UC4051A: built to last
If the storm saw might become the regular saw, the Makita UC4051A is the corded saw to buy. A soft-start trigger, rubberized grips and tool-less chain adjustment are the comfort features; the current limiter is the one that matters in a storm, because it cuts power when the bar pinches in a tensioned trunk instead of burning the motor. It is the corded saw contractors keep and it costs accordingly.
Storm cleanup safely
Storm wood is under tension and springs when cut. Cut limbs from the outside in, watch for the trunk to roll or the root ball to swing back upright, and never cut anything touching a power line. Use a 12-gauge outdoor cord and keep it behind you. Wear chaps, boots, glasses and gloves, and stop when tired; most chainsaw injuries happen at the end of the day. Leave large trunks and anything near the house to a tree service.
Which one should you buy
Buy the Oregon CS1500 for a saw that sharpens itself after years in the shed. Buy the Craftsman CMECS600 as the cheap saw to keep for one weekend a year. Buy the Makita UC4051A for a corded saw built to last.
How we research
This guide is built from the published specifications, manuals and warranty terms of each product and from recurring owner feedback. We have not run these products ourselves; where a maker does not publish a figure we say so rather than guess.
What to look for
Readiness
Corded saws have no battery to be flat and no fuel to be stale. They start the day the storm hits, from the house or a generator.
Sharpening
A saw that sits comes out dull. A self-sharpening system or a cheap file guide gets it cutting.
Cord
A 12-gauge outdoor extension cord of 50 to 100 feet is part of the kit. Thin cords starve the motor.
Safety
An occasional user is a rusty user. A chain brake, low-kickback chain and chaps matter more, not less.
Our verdict
A storm cleanup saw has one job: start after two years in the shed and cut the limbs that came down. Corded electric saws do that because there is no battery to be dead and no fuel to go stale, and they run from a generator when the power is out. The Oregon CS1500 sharpens its own chain; the Craftsman 16-inch is the cheap one to keep; the Makita UC4051A is the one built to last. Keep a 12-gauge outdoor cord with it.
FAQs
From a generator, yes; a 15 amp saw needs about 2,000 watts. Battery saws work too if the battery was charged before the storm.
A battery left in the shed for two years is often dead or worn. A corded saw has nothing to go stale and costs less.
A 12-gauge outdoor cord up to 100 feet for a 12 to 15 amp saw. A 16-gauge cord overheats and starves the motor.
A 16 or 18-inch bar cuts limbs and trunks to about 14 or 16 inches in one pass and larger in two. Big trunks are a job for a tree service.
