It’s important to have the right tool for the job. As a homeowner or landscape professional, you know that a chainsaw is not always the right tool for the job. There are plenty of different jobs on any one property, and you need to be able to approach each of them with the confidence that you’ve got the required resources to accomplish them.
We’ll be looking at two different chainsaws today that we consider solid picks for work around your yard. Both the Black+Decker LCS1020 as the Greenworks 20312 are well-designed and built to last, and they’re also both electric. That means that you don’t have to worry about the hassles of gas-power – faulty starts, buying fuel, etc. Simply charge the batteries and press the electric start button to start cutting. But there are a few specific differences here, and we’ll explore them in detail to make sure you get the right tool for the job.
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Auto-Oiler
Black+Decker LCS1020 & Greenworks 20312
Over the past number of years, designers and manufacturers have come up with the novel idea of adding automatic lubrication to the motorized blades that make chainsaws do the work they do. Gone are the days when you had to remember to keep a container of vegetable oil out in the field with you to make sure that everything was sufficiently oiled up. Now the machine does it for you!
Both of our competitors today have automatic lubrication mechanisms that will save you a lot of time and hassle as you do work out in the yard. It’s easy to keep them full and functioning, and they’ll make sure that your tool is functioning at top capacity. Additionally, this kind of automatic lubrication will make your device last longer.
Verdict: Obviously, we’ve got a tie on our hands, since both devices provide this feature. But it’s important to mention, nonetheless. After all, it’s not often that your tools take care of themselves. With this automatic lubrication system, you’ll never have to worry about meticulously dropping oil onto a dry blade or watching it rust and deteriorate over time – just trust the auto-oiler.
Blade
Black+Decker LCS1020
One of the biggest differences between these two models is the blade. The Black+Decker model uses a 10-inch blade, which is ideal for light yard work. That means pruning bushes, small trees, and minor nuisances around the yard. It’s not going to be your go-to for cutting down medium to large trees, but it can get a lot of work done on your property.
Greenworks 20312
If you do light, but you also need to cut down trees and do significant pruning jobs, a 16-inch blade is going to be a much better bet. The Greenworks model sports a heavy-duty Oregon bar and chain that will hold up during intense jobs.
Additionally, the electric motor makes the whole system a lot less noisy than gas-powered competitors, all the while delivering 30% more torque.
Verdict: This is one of those categories that’s going to be most easily determined by your circumstances. If you’re someone who goes into the woods and chops down trees, you’re going to want the 16-inch blade so that you can be sure you have the power you need to get the job done. If all you’re doing is pruning bushes and small trees around your property, you might be most satisfied with the 10-inch blade.
Either way, this is a big difference in blade size that is not to be taken lightly. If you think that you ever might need to tackle a larger tree, the 16-inch blade will stand you in better stead. That’s why we’ll give this category to Greenworks.
Battery
Black+Decker LCS1020
A 20V Max battery can pack a nice charge, giving you flexibility as you hop from job to job. Additionally, these batteries will work with any other power tools in the brand’s 20V Max line. This is an important fact to consider, which we’ll also touch on with the Greenworks. If you’re already rocking a couple of power tools that use this type of battery, sticking with the brand will help you to streamline your charging process.
Greenworks 20312
This model features a 40V battery. As you might imagine, 40v vs. 20v is a relatively big difference. More voltage means more power (depending, of course, on amperage and capacity). Depending on which battery you’re using, you’ll be able to deliver up to 150 cuts with this model’s power output. You’ll want to consider the brand here as well since Greenworks offers a similar line of products that use the same batteries.
Verdict: The Greenworks simply offers more power. Regardless of what kind of cuts you’re interested in making, 40V will deliver more punch, and that’s why this model stays in the lead for this category.
As we’ve mentioned, however, it’s important to take a look in your shed and examine what kind of tools you already have. If you’re already committed to one brand’s battery line or the other, it’s going to make your life easier to stick with that one, simply because they’ll use the same batteries.
Black+Decker vs Greenworks: Conclusion
Everyone’s shed is different. We accumulate tools over many years, usually making our decisions based on recommendations from friends, forum posts on the internet, or maybe blog posts like this one. If you’ve committed to a brand, sometimes you just already have the infrastructure in place to continue with it – this means charging batteries, warranties, etc.
But if you already feel like you need to make a change, the clear winner in this competition is the Greenworks 20312 Cordless Chainsaw. This chainsaw will provide you with the versatility to tackle any number of jobs around your yard, and the power it delivers is simply superior to its competitor.
If you’re already a Greenworks customer, this is a no-brainer. If you’re a long-time Black+Decker loyalist, this might not be the right decision for you. But it’s worth taking inventory and determining if you’re getting what you paid for.
Cordless Chainsaw | Recommended
Last update on 2024-04-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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