Worx WG384 40V 14 Inch Chainsaw Review: Auto-Tension for Light Duty

A Saw for People Who Do Not Want to Think About Saws

The Worx WG384 is designed around the chores most homeowners actually face: a storm branch across the driveway, a dead ornamental tree, the annual pruning of a hedge row. It runs on two 20V Power Share batteries combined for 40 volts, uses a brushless motor and, most distinctively, tensions and oils its own chain. The 14 inch bar tells you the intended scale.

This review is based on Worx’s specifications and on owner feedback, not on our own field work.

Cutting Performance

Owners describe the WG384 as capable on branches and small trees and adequate on softwood logs up to about a foot across. Hardwood rounds are slow and drain the batteries. For its intended light-duty role it is quick, and the brushless motor is a cut above the brushed motors that budget saws usually carry.

Auto-Tension

This is the feature that sells the saw. A single knob locks the bar and the mechanism keeps tension correct as the chain stretches, so the sagging-chain problem that ruins cheap saws disappears. The one caution from owner feedback is to make sure the chain is seated in the bar groove before tightening, because the mechanism will happily over-tighten a misaligned chain. Automatic oiling completes the hands-off design.

Batteries and Runtime

Two 20V packs run the saw together. Owners with other Worx 20V tools appreciate that the same batteries power their drills, trimmers and blowers, and that spares are cheap. Runtime on a pair of 2.0Ah packs covers a session of pruning and branch clearing; larger packs extend it.

Handling and Safety

The saw is light and easy to control, which is exactly what occasional users need. A quick stop chain brake with a front guard is fitted and must be disengaged before cutting, a detail that confuses some first-time owners.

Common Owner Complaints

Oil seepage from the small tank during storage is the most frequent. Over-tightening from a mis-seated chain is the second. Buyers who tried to cut firewood with it are the third.

Battery and Charging

The saw needs both 20V packs installed; it will not run on one. Kits ship with a dual charger that refills a pair of 2.0Ah batteries in a couple of hours. Owners suggest keeping pairs matched in capacity and age so one does not cut out before the other, and stepping up to 4.0Ah packs if sessions run long. Store the packs indoors through winter; lithium cells left in a cold shed lose capacity. Because the same batteries run Worx drills, trimmers and blowers, most owners already have spares.

Alternatives to Consider

The Greenworks 80V 18 inch kit is the step up for real logs. Husqvarna’s 135 Mark II is the light gas equivalent. For pruning only, a battery pole saw may be more useful.

Verdict

For light duty and especially for existing Worx battery owners, the WG384 is a sensible, low-maintenance saw at a fair price. Its auto-tension and oiling remove the chores that make people avoid their chainsaws. Just do not ask it to be a firewood saw.