Ryobi 18 Volt Lithium Ion Chainsaw
I still own one of the first-generation Ryobi battery-powered chain saws that came out several years ago. It was (and remains to this day) a trooper. At the risk of sounding like an ID10t, I had used it several times before I even realized it required chain oil. That said, I had it about 15-20 feet up in a tree and dropped it to the ground (accidentally). It survived the fall and my ignorance with flying colors. That says a lot about this toughness of this bad boy.
Now, Ryobi has introduced their One+ lithium-ion powered saw and I’m in love all over again. I’ve never been a big fan of gas-powered chain saws, as I could never seem to get the fuel/oil mixture right and the saw never really wanted to start after my initial use. I have a Stihl that remains in its case to this day because I don’t want to hassle with the starter; it’s so much easier to simply pull the Ryobi off the shelf and pull the trigger. Naturally, I wouldn’t use this all day on the logging trail, but for around the yard or job site for quick work, this is definitely a go-to tool.
Ryobi ONE+ 18 Volt Power
The Ryobi battery-powered saw got its first use when I tackled two large limbs that had fallen from a neighbor’s tall oak into my back yard. Of course, on the way down, one of them took out a skylight while the other left two 4-inch holes in my roof, but I digress. The Ryobi, on a fully-charged battery, took on the 6-inch oak limb (about 17-18 feet long) with ease. I was able to cut all but about 5 feet of the limb on a single charge – and that was with the smaller battery that Ryobi supplies. I believe that if I had used the larger battery, I would have gotten through the entire limb.
Ryobi 10″ Chainsaw Bar
It has a 10-inch bar, so the Ryobi isn’t designed to be a tool for downing huge timber, but it certainly is a great tool for eliminating the occasional fallen limb or even a small tree. It was actually my tool of preference for cutting the smaller limbs off a downed tree in my back yard some months ago (the first-generation tool, that is). With the addition of the lithium-ion power plant, this saw is a no-brainer for anyone who hates dealing with fussy gas machines.
Ryobi Chainsaw Review & Opinion
I give the saw a thumbs-up for ease of use (press the safety and pull the trigger), and for doing a tidy job. Granted, it cuts more slowly than its petro-fueled cousins, but that’s to be expected…it’s a lighter-weight tool. For me, the additional wait time was minimal. A little pricey at $120, but worth it, in my humble opinion. If you own other ONE+ tools, adding this to your line-up makes sense. Just don’t forget to add the chain oil.
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