Reviewed: Makita X2 LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Chain Saw

Price: $359 for saw only; $647 for saw, charger, and two batteries.

Gas-powered chain saws are the right tool for big jobs such as felling trees or carving up logs larger than 6 or 8 inches in diameter. But a cordless electric model is the way to go for brushing and slashing?cutting up trees and branches under 6 inches in diameter.

Recently I found myself facing four piles of debris fitting this description in my yard, and I got down to business with the Makita X2 LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Chainsaw. Twin 18-volt batteries powered a quiet motor that presented no danger of annoying my neighbors or damaging my hearing. While gas-powered saws can scream louder than 110 decibels, the Makita generates just 89, but still produces cutting power of 1650 fpm, or surface feet per minute. That?s significantly less than many gas-powered saws but sufficient for the job I faced. With both batteries fully charged, I was able to work steadily for 90 minutes, reducing the debris piles to small stacks of logs and branches ready to be bundled.

Likes: Weighing in at just more than10 pounds, including the batteries, the saw was easy to maneuver and arm-fatigue was not a factor. The chain-tensioning device is a user-friendly dial beneath a little hatch on the body of the saw. Anyone who has ever had to tighten the chain on a typical gas-powered chain saw can appreciate the convenience of not having to use a socket wrench and screwdriver combo tool for this task. The Makita?s cuts were clean and the saw was steady in the hands with minimal kickback.

Dislikes: Since the saw is so light and easy to manipulate, I found myself getting a little reckless and fast in my work. I had to slow down and remind myself that all chain saws, including this very efficient cordless electric, can cause serious harm in a split second. Also, while the charger is fast?30 minutes to top off an empty battery?it had just one port, so the effective recharging time for the entire saw is 60 minutes.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/how-to/blog/reviewed-makita-x2-lxt-lithium-ion-cordless-chain-saw-15606711?src=rss

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