Makita DUC302Z Cordless Chainsaw

Good saw easy to use and great thing is cordless – Great little chainsaw for camping and around the house. Easy to use and works well. Tradies like myself don't really need a chainsaw but saw it at Total Tools Pooraka and said why not. Previously used the Makita reciprocating saw for same tasks but this tool is worth the money and quicker to use

Perfect for around the home and camping – Have been using a 14” 2stroke chainsaw for a number of years. This is probably overkill as I only use it on a domestic house block and never use its full capabilities. After seeing The Makita 12” cordless chainsaw, felt it was a better fit for most of my chainsaw jobs so the two stroke unit was re-assigned to any heavy duty work beyond the Makita.

Bought the “skin only” as I already had the two Makita 18V 5.0A batteries and charger required to power it from the previous purchase of a Makita cordless blower. While the Makita was reasonably priced, the two batteries cost about the same as the saw itself so will need to be factored into the purchase price too.

Preparation Assembly was an easy job out of the box with the chain and guide bar quickly attached and re-tensioned. Unfortunately, no chain oil was supplied with the unit and was needed to be sourced before use. Luckily I still had a supply from using the previous chainsaw. A chain guard is supplied, however, protecting the bar and chain. Instruction manual supplied was good with clear instructions and diagrams on the assembly process along with the requisite safety directions. After chain assembly, oil added and "clicking" the batteries into place (Needs both batteries...will not start with only one), unit was ready to go.

Performance After tackling a few general purpose jobs around the garden I came away very impressed. So impressed, I have now put my 2 stroke chainsaw up for sale as I don’t believe there is any job I will ever need it for again. The Makita is just that good! I can’t comment on how long the batteries will last as I haven’t flattened them yet but this is not a priority for me. I just love the ability to grab the saw off the shed shelf, give it a quick check for oil (there’s an indicator window on the side to check level) and get to work. While only a smallish saw, I’ve used it on some gnarly branches around 120mm or more diameter and it just flew through them with no indication of loading up or being about to stall. Appears to have plenty of torque and while the batteries are relatively heavy, overall the unit is about the same as a two stroke unit and still feels well balanced in the hand. Also, great for not disturbing the neighbours on early morning jobs as it is more inline with the sound of an electric hedge trimmer than a chain saw. Brilliant!

However, what makes it so good can also be a little problematic (and this is something that many electric/cordless chainsaws would have in common). This concern relates to the starting system. To start the unit, there is a safety button that must be held down whilst pulling the trigger. For safety reasons, I would strongly recommend you also remove the two batteries before engaging in any chain maintenance operations involving fingers. With a 2 stroke saw, if the motor isn’t running, you know your safe. With a cordless unit, just because its sitting there quietly, remember it only takes an accidental touch of those two switches for the chain to spring to life. For those who have never used a chainsaw before, probably not such an issue. For those of us who have been using these for decades, it’s easy to mistake the quietness for a completely safe unit. A little paranoia is a healthy thing.

Overall, I would thoroughly recommend this for all general household and camping chores. It’s pricier (batteries and charger included) than an internal combustion unit yet seems suitably as powerful and exceeds all my expectations and requirements in an easy to “grab and go” saw. Goodby smelly temperamental 2 stroke saws.