The Best 50cc Chainsaws on the Market – Reviews 2023

best 50cc chainsaw

Photo by Fredrik Selander / CC BY

When shopping shopping for a 50cc chainsaw, you have three basic options ahead of you. You need to decide between electric, gas, or battery powered chainsaws. Electric chainsaws have the downfall of a cable to complicate use. Gas powered chainsaws usually need an oil and fuel mixture to a defined ratio. Battery powered chainsaws have the convenience of freedom of movement through their light weight and lack of cabling, but at times their power pales in comparison to gas and electric chainsaws. We have taken a look at all three types, electric, gas and battery powered below.

Additionally, a 50cc chainsaw is a powerful machine that could cause a lot of harm. The top-end 50cc chainsaws will feature an emergency cut-off, activated by inertia. If you lose control, it cuts out. Although most chainsaws come with a high quality chain by default, you should be on the lookout for a reliable anti-kickback chain, even if just for a backup. Another safety factor to keep in mind is the tensioning of your chain. If your tension is too low you have a safety risk but too tight and you are wasting power.

Here are our recommendations for the 4 best 50cc chainsaws on the market:

Makita DCS5121 50cc Chainsaw, 18-Inch

Makita have supplied us with a 50cc chainsaw that benefits from lightweight, compact design. It weighs only 12.3 pounds and holds outstanding power-to-weight ratio, thanks to its 3.3 HP, 13,800 RPM engine. Starting and stopping this chainsaw is a breeze. The one touch start / stop lever really works well as a result of a spring assisted starter. A two point inertia activated, mechanical chain brake ensures that you are safe from kickback. The advanced vibration dampening set in place by Makita does a good job of reducing fatigue in your arms.

The smooth, rounded surfaces are easy to clean and ensure comfort of operation. The chain compartment is just as straight-forward to keep clean. A lot of attention has gone into the compact design. Features such as the large fuel and oil tank openings, taking on an “S” form, go a long way towards ease of use. The dual spike bar is longer than usual, and does wonders for productivity. Lightweight, reliable and backed by a trusted warrantee, the Makita DCS5121 50cc 18-Inch chainsaw is great for either frequent or infrequent use and is easily one of the best 50cc chainsaws for the money.

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Husqvarna 450 18-Inch 50cc Gas Powered Chainsaw (CARB Compliant)

This is a powerful, high quality gas-powered chainsaw that comes in an excellent middle of the range price. It is driven by a 3.2 horsepower X-Torq engine which has fantastic fuel consumption. Husqvarna’s X-Torq engines have exhaust emissions that are 60% lower in average than competitor’s offering, while the fuel consumption is 30% more efficient. The engine itself is well constructed and extremely durable, having a three-piece crankshaft.

The Husqvarna 450 chainsaw is a perfect match to the casual, infrequent user of a chainsaw. It is very easy to start thanks to the Smart Start functionality, while the Husqvarna LowVib vibration technology ensures that you have comfortable, firm control of your chainsaw. This chainsaw does a great job of keeping its inner workings clean. Featuring a centrifugal air injection cleaning system, the Husqvarna 450 removes larger varieties of dust and debris before they hit the quick-release air filter. This should be on anyone’s list of the best 50cc chainsaw.

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Hitachi CS51EAP 50cc 20-Inch Chainsaw with PureFire Engine

The Hitachi CS51EAP 50.1CC is an outstanding, commercial-grade chainsaw that is powerful enough for even the largest of jobs. Hitachi backs the CS51EAP with a seven year warranty, a testament to the tested performance of this 20-inch chainsaw. Hitachi have given us great fuel consumption, although in colder weather you may want to wait a minute for the PureFire engine to heat up. A decompression valve, primer bulb and auto return choke ensure that your chainsaw starts effortlessly. The chain lubrication is automatic, but is also easily adjustable, as is the side-accessed chain tensioning.

The rear mounted isolated handle is well designed, giving you a comfortable grip whilst the spring-powered anti-shock features work very well. Despite the large size, weight, and power of the engine, the Hitachi CS51EAP places very little strain on your wrists and forearms. This is a powerful chainsaw that always starts on a single pull. The bumper spikes and sprocket nose bar are great added features that help a lot to control your cuts. The CS51EAP is a top class gas-powered chainsaw that is easy to use and even easier to maintain.

Husqvarna 967166101 450 2-Cycle Gas 50cc Chainsaw, 20-Inch

This high-end option from Husqvarna brings 50cc performance to the home user, allowing for extreme ease of use. Maintaining this chainsaw could not take less work, even after hundreds of trees all you will find yourself needing is fuel, bar oil and occasional sharpening. The decompression valve works great ensuring a quick and effortless startup. The 2-cycle 50cc motor is extremely reliable and makes use of X-Torq technology to bring your fuel consumption down, whilst upping your performance.

If you opt to purchase the Husqvarna 450 2-Cycle chainsaw with three, 32-ounce cans of Husqvarna pre-mixed fuel, then you can register online and extend your warranty from two to four years. Being ready to use straight out the box, this chainsaw is great for those that are not technically minded. It runs silently, has extremely low vibration and is durable enough to run for years. For the best 50cc chainsaw, you had needn’t look further than the Husqvarna 450 2-Cycle fully assembled chainsaw. It is not lacking in any regard.

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50cc Chainsaws: Avoid Kickback

One factor that you have to keep in mind when using a chainsaw is kickback. One cause of kickback is when the tip of bar collides with an object. The kickback zone is the section of the nose of your bar located at the tip of the bar, covering a forty-five degree area. If this tip, the kickback zone, touches any part of the object while you are sawing it will either kick the chainsaw up and backwards towards your torso and face or it will pinch in and draw you and it forward. Avoid touching anything with the tip of the nose of your saw, it could pose fatal! All good saws do have safety features but you must nonetheless always be in controls of your chainsaw. Good luck!

  • Founder of Mechanical Caveman, Beau is an unrepentant tool enthusiast and, sporting deadlift-callused hands and an incongruous beer belly, all-around macho guy. When he doesn’t know re tools, he consults with his handyman and car-repairman buds to give you well-reasoned and cutting-edge info.

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