Quick verdict
Greenworks pairs an 18 inch bar with a brushless motor it rates as a 50cc gas equivalent, adds a mechanical chain brake and automatic oiler, and includes a 4.0Ah battery and charger for less than rivals charge for a bare tool. The battery is modest for an 18 inch bar, but for storm cleanup and firewood around a suburban lot it is the best value in battery saws.
Strengths
- 18 inch bar with a 50cc gas-equivalent power claim
- Battery and charger included
- Brushless motor with twice the torque of Greenworks' brushed saws
- Mechanical chain brake and automatic oiler
- Side-access tensioning and a four-year tool warranty
Weaknesses
- 4.0Ah battery is small for an 18 inch bar in hardwood
- Chain tensioning uses a tool rather than a dial
- Plastic housings feel budget next to EGO or Milwaukee
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
Serious Saw, Sensible Price
Greenworks’ 80V 18 inch chainsaw is the kit that makes battery cutting affordable. It arrives with a 4.0Ah battery and charger, uses a brushless motor the company rates as a 50cc gas equivalent, and includes the safety and convenience features that matter: a mechanical chain brake, an automatic oiler and side-access tensioning. The price undercuts bare-tool saws from the premium brands.
This review is based on Greenworks’ specifications and on owner feedback rather than on our own research.
Cutting Performance
Owners describe the saw as cutting confidently through softwood and most hardwoods, with the brushless motor holding speed in a way the brand’s older brushed saws did not. Greenworks claims twice the torque of those earlier models, and the owner feedback is consistent with that. An 18 inch bar handles the trunks a suburban lot produces and the storm debris that follows a bad night.
Battery and Runtime
The 4.0Ah battery is the compromise that keeps the price low. For limbing and bucking small to medium logs it lasts a useful session; for hardwood rounds on a long bar it drains faster. Because the pack is shared across more than 75 Greenworks 80V tools, owners with a mower or blower can fit a larger battery and change the picture entirely. The charger refills the 4.0Ah pack in a reasonable time.
Safety and Maintenance
The mechanical chain brake works as a gas saw’s does, with a front hand guard. The automatic oiler keeps the chain lubricated without attention, and the side-access tensioner uses the included tool. It is not the tool-free dial of some rivals but it is quick once learned.
Handling
Weight with the 4.0Ah battery is moderate and balance is good. Owners describe the saw as easy to control for limbing and comfortable for bucking. Vibration is low thanks to the brushless motor.
Build Quality
Plastics are thinner than on Milwaukee or EGO saws and the overall finish is budget, but the mechanicals are sound and Greenworks backs the tool with a four-year warranty. Owners report multi-season reliability with normal care.
Common Owner Complaints
Battery runtime in heavy cutting is the most common, followed by oil seepage in storage. The occasional report of a chain brake that is stiff when new also appears.
Alternatives to Consider
The EGO CS2005 kit adds two inches of bar and a 6.0Ah battery for more money. Husqvarna’s Power Axe 350i kit is the dealer-brand option. For the smallest budgets, Greenworks’ own 40V and 60V saws cover light pruning.
Verdict
For most homeowners this is the battery chainsaw to buy. It cuts well, includes everything needed to start, and costs a fraction of the premium kits. Buy a second or larger battery if you cut hardwood regularly and it will serve for years.
Full specifications
Greenworks 80V 18 Inch Cordless Chainsaw with 4.0Ah Battery FAQs
Greenworks does not publish a cut count on this listing. Owners report a respectable session of limbing and bucking small to medium logs, with hardwood rounds draining it faster.
Yes. Any Greenworks 80V pack fits, and the larger mower batteries roughly double the session length.
For most residential work, yes. It handles trunks to about 16 inches in one pass and larger with a two-sided cut.
A bar scabbard is typically included. Check the current listing for exact contents.
