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BLACK+DECKER 40V MAX Cordless Chainsaw
40V MAX Chainsaw runs on a 40V Lithium Ion battery, so it suits you if cordless cutting matters most.
12″ bar length
- bar length
- 12″
- battery voltage
- 40 Volts MAX
- battery capacity
- 2.0-Ah
4.4/5 from 3,654 buyers
- Average buyer rating
- 4.4 out of 5
- Ratings behind it
- 3,654
- What that supports
- A large enough sample to read as a real buyer signal
- Where it comes from
- The product listing, read 5 November 2026
1 deciding spec not stated
- chain pitch
- Not stated in the listing – confirm with the seller before ordering
Suits homeowners with small yards
- Homeowners with small yards
- Apartment or townhouse owners with limited storage
- DIY gardeners trimming storm-damaged branches
- People replacing an aging NiCad cordless saw
The 40V MAX Chainsaw in Short
40V MAX Chainsaw cuts 12″ for you if you need a compact cordless saw for light pruning and yard cleanup.
With a 2.0-Ah battery, this saw is built for short jobs rather than long stretches of cutting.
40V MAX Chainsaw pairs that battery size with a 12″ bar, so it suits light pruning, campsite cleanup, and small yard work. The 12-inch bar is the main spec that shapes what size wood it can span.
We screened 95 Chainsaws and this is one of 15 chosen for a full review. Full reviews go to the most-rated products that pass screening, at most 2 per brand. This one has 3,654 buyer ratings, the 5th most of the 95 screened. If you are replacing an older corded saw, the shorter bar and 2.0-Ah pack matter more than chasing a bigger number elsewhere. Confirm the current rules for your location before ordering.
How New Hardware picked: we started from the 200 most-reviewed Chainsaw listings in our retail dataset, removed duplicates, accessories and off-category products, and 95 qualified. This product is one of 15 from that pool chosen for a full review. Our scores blend buyer satisfaction (60%), price position against comparable products (25%) and rating volume (15%). Specifications come from manufacturer listings and ratings from verified Amazon buyer reviews (data checked November 2026).
The Short Answer on the 40V MAX Chainsaw
Best for: you want a cordless chainsaw for light pruning, yard cleanup, and small firewood cuts with a 12″ bar.
Choose the 40V MAX Chainsaw if you want a compact cordless saw at around $294.91.
- Pro: The 12″ bar suits limbing, pruning, and short cuts on smaller logs.
- Pro: Its 40 Volts MAX battery gives you the voltage level this class uses for light cutting work.
- Pro: The 2.0-Ah pack is enough for short sessions, not all-day firewood work.
- Con: The 2.0-Ah capacity limits runtime, so you will need to stop sooner on storm cleanup or weekend bucking.
- Con: A 12″ bar rules out larger limbs and faster bucking that benefit from 16″ or 18″ reach.
Don’t buy this if: you need a saw for larger limbs or firewood work that calls for a 16″ bar or longer.
Price assessment: $294.91 is a premium price for a compact cordless saw with a 12″ bar and 2.0-Ah battery.
New Hardware score: 7.1/10 (data-driven – see “How we picked” above)
If you are planning a trip, see our top picks for camping chainsaws.
Key Specifications
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Bar length | 12″ |
| Battery voltage | 40 Volts MAX |
| Battery capacity | 2.0-Ah |
| Battery type | Lithium Ion |
| Automatic oiling system | Yes |
| Chain | 12″ bar and chain |
| Battery charge retention | up to 5x longer than NiCad |
Bar length separates this 40V MAX Chainsaw most clearly. It measures the usable cutting reach of the bar and the maximum log diameter it can physically span.
Where this sits in the buyer data: Among the 95 products screened for this category, this one’s 4.4 rating places it #28, on 3,654 ratings – above the 353-rating median of that group, so the average rests on more feedback than most of its comparables. On price it undercuts 18 of them.
Before You Buy: Tree Saw Checklist
The first thing to check is the 12″ bar and chain, because the wrong bar-and-chain match means the chain will not fit or will wear fast.
- ☐ Confirm the bar length you need — 12″ — or you will end up with a saw that spans less wood than your job requires.
- ☐ Check that your battery plan fits 40 Volts MAX, because an underpowered battery platform can stall in hardwood or drain the pack before the cut is done.
- ☐ Budget for the battery size — 2.0-Ah — if you expect longer pruning or cleanup sessions, or you will be recharging sooner than the job needs.
- ☐ Measure the work you expect to cut against a 12″ bar, because larger limbs and faster bucking call for more reach than this saw gives you.
- ☐ Confirm you are comfortable with a cordless setup, since this model is tool-and-battery dependent and you will be buying into a 40 Volts MAX system.
Do not buy this saw if you need longer runtime or more bar reach than a 12″ cordless model can provide.
What the Numbers Mean in Use
What the 40V MAX battery means for cutting time
The 40V MAX Chainsaw’s 40 Volts MAX battery gives you enough electrical headroom for light pruning and small-branch cleanup, and the 2.0-Ah pack limits how long you can keep cutting before a recharge. For a few trimmed limbs after a storm, that combination suits short jobs better than a long day of bucking.
That 2.0-Ah capacity is the constraint here. It is enough for yard touch-ups and hedge-sized branches, but it is short of the runtime you need for a weekend of firewood or a longer storm-debris pile. If you want one uninterrupted session, plan around a smaller job or a spare pack.
What a 12-inch cutting reach handles in yard work
The 12-inch bar is sized for branches and small logs, so you can handle the kind of yard work that sits below larger-limb firewood chores. A 12-inch cutting reach is the right scale for pruning, limbing, and quick cleanup around the property.
That shorter bar keeps the saw in the light-duty range. It will not give you the reach you want for bigger trunks, and it is not the size to choose for faster bucking of larger firewood rounds. For a pile of 6-inch rounds, the bar length is usable, but the 2.0-Ah battery still limits how much you finish in one stretch.
Why automatic oiling matters during pruning and cleanup
Automatic oiling means the chain gets lubrication while you cut, so you can keep working through pruning and cleanup without stopping to oil by hand after every pass. On a job like trimming storm-fallen branches along a driveway, that matters because the saw is built for repeated short cuts.
It also supports longer cutting runs than a manual-oil setup would, but it does not change the 12-inch reach or the 2.0-Ah runtime limit. For a homeowner who wants a cordless saw for yard cleanup, the oiling system reduces one interruption while the battery still defines how long the session lasts.
Which Jobs the 40V MAX Chainsaw Handles, Worked Out From Its Specs
The 40V MAX Chainsaw against the jobs buyers ask about, worked out from its listed battery voltage and battery capacity and a typical need for each job.
| Job | What it takes | 40V MAX Chainsaw |
|---|---|---|
| Clear a fallen limb after a storm | at least 40 to 60V | Only at the easier end of that range – 40V |
| Cut larger limbs and buck faster with a longer guide bar | at least 40 to 60V | Only at the easier end of that range – 40V |
| Run a lightweight saw long enough for pruning and campsite cleanup | 2 to 5Ah for 2 hours, 60% usable | About 0.5 to 1 hour – short of the 2 hours the job takes |
| Buck a few small logs for weekend firewood | 4 to 6Ah for 2 hours, 70% usable | Less than one hour – short of the 2 hours the job takes |
| Run a campsite saw for a weekend of tent and firewood chores | 4 to 8Ah for 6 hours, 60% usable | About 0.9 to 2 hours – short of the 6 hours the job takes |
How the 40V MAX Chainsaw Compares to Alternatives
The 40V MAX Chainsaw’s clearest edge is price and size balance: it sits around $294.91, carries a 12-inch bar, and uses a 40 Volts MAX battery with 2.0-Ah capacity. That mix keeps it lighter on reach than the 16-inch and 20-inch rivals, but it also means less log span than those longer bars.
- Against the Greenworks 20322 40V 16-Inch Chainsaw, the bar is 4 inches shorter. That matters for span, not motor speed.
- Against the Greenworks 82V Chainsaw, the battery voltage is far lower at 40 Volts MAX versus 82V. The 82V model is the one for harder cutting jobs that lean on electrical headroom.
- Against the Husqvarna 435 Chainsaw, the price is about $4.09 lower. That is a small gap, so the decision turns more on the 12-inch bar here versus Husqvarna’s 16-inch bar.
- Against the Worx 40V Chainsaw, the battery capacity matches at 2.0-Ah. Neither one wins on runtime from capacity alone, so bar length becomes the separator.
- Against the 62CC Professional Chainsaw, this model is cordless instead of gas. That makes the comparison about battery setup and portability, not raw engine displacement.
- Among the six compared saws, the 4.4 rating from 3,654 buyers places it second-highest. That helps as context, but the bar and battery figures still do the real decision work.
If you want a saw for larger limbs or faster bucking, pick the Husqvarna 435 Chainsaw or the Greenworks 20322 40V 16-Inch Chainsaw instead. Their 16-inch bars give you more reach, and the 12-inch bar here is the tighter fit for smaller pruning and cleanup.
Choosing the wrong bar length costs you time on every cut and can push you into a return or a second purchase.
What the deciding spec costs here: Measured as price per unit of battery voltage, the reviewed product works out to $7.37 against a $5.82 median across the 35 other screened products that state the spec, and 22 of them deliver more of it per dollar. The cheapest screened product that beats its 40 Volts MAX is the POWERWORKS CS60L2510PW at $109.99 with 60V, which is $184.92 less than this one for more of the spec that decides this category.
Homeowners can find more variety by viewing our comparison of cordless chainsaws for homeowners.
Getting the 40V MAX Chainsaw Working, and What to Check After
What you need before the 40V MAX Chainsaw will cut
The 40 Volts MAX battery is the one thing you need before this chainsaw does any useful work.
- Charge the 40 Volts MAX lithium ion battery before the first cut.
- Fit the 12″ bar and chain together, and confirm the chain pitch matches the bar and sprocket.
- Fill the oil reservoir with bar and chain oil for the automatic oiling system.
- Seat the battery until the saw powers up, then make a short test cut in light wood with the 12″ bar.
Warranty and support: what to check for the 40V MAX Chainsaw
Warranty cover differs by seller and country.
- Confirm the return window for the 40V MAX battery, because a 2.0-Ah pack limits runtime on longer jobs.
- Confirm whether a replacement chain is available in 12″ length, because the cutting system depends on that match.
- Confirm whether bar and chain oil is included, because the automatic oiling system needs it to run.
- Confirm whether a battery charger is included, because the saw is not useful without a way to recharge the 40 Volts MAX pack.
On the day it arrives, open the box and verify the 12″ bar, the 40 Volts MAX battery, and the charger before the return window closes.
What Buyers Still Want to Know About This Chainsaw
Is the 40V MAX battery enough for regular homeowner use, or will it feel underpowered?
For regular homeowner use, the 40V MAX Chainsaw has enough voltage for lighter yard work, but the 2.0-Ah pack limits how long it can stay on task. The 12-inch bar suits pruning, small limbs, and cleanup more than long bucking sessions, so the setup favors shorter jobs over all-day cutting.
How long will the 40V MAX Chainsaw run on one charge?
The 40V MAX Chainsaw uses a 2.0-Ah battery, which points to limited runtime rather than long sessions. For pruning and campsite cleanup, that capacity works out to about 0.5 to 1 hour, and the same pack falls short of jobs that need two hours or more.
Can the 12-inch bar handle storm debris and firewood?
No, the 12-inch bar is the limiting factor for bigger cleanup and firewood work. It is sized for lighter cutting, while larger limbs and a few small logs ask for more reach and more runtime than this model states.
What does the automatic oiling system change for you?
The automatic oiling system keeps the chain supplied with oil while you cut. That helps the bar-and-chain setup stay ready for repeated trimming jobs, and it removes one manual step from routine use.
New users can learn the basics in our guide on how chainsaws work.
Is the 40V MAX Chainsaw Right for You?
Who the 40V MAX Chainsaw suits and the jobs it is the wrong choice for, listed below with the reason for each.
Who this tree saw is for, and what it does well
Who the 40V MAX Chainsaw suits
- Homeowners with small yards — the 12″ bar and 40V battery make it suited to light pruning and occasional cutting without a gas saw
- Apartment or townhouse owners with limited storage — the compact 12″ bar is easier to store and handle than a full-size chainsaw
- DIY gardeners trimming storm-damaged branches — the automatic oiling system and cordless 40V setup fit intermittent yard cleanup jobs
- People replacing an aging NiCad cordless saw — the lithium ion battery holds a charge up to 5x longer than NiCad, so it suits occasional-use storage
- Older adults doing light property maintenance — the cordless design and smaller bar length make it more manageable for short cutting tasks
What this Chainsaw handles well
- Pruning small tree limbs — the 12″ bar and chain can handle modest branch cutting
- Cutting firewood from small logs — the 12″ bar suits short, light-duty cuts
- Storm cleanup in a yard — the cordless 40V battery lets you work away from an outlet
- Trimming overgrown shrubs and saplings — the compact bar length is appropriate for smaller woody growth
- Occasional weekend yard maintenance — the lithium ion battery holds a charge up to 5x longer than NiCad
What this Chainsaw is the wrong choice for
- Felling large trees — the 12″ bar is too short for big-diameter trunks
- Heavy-duty land clearing — the 40V MAX battery setup is aimed at light residential work, not all-day cutting
- Extended remote work far from charging access — the 2.0-Ah battery limits runtime for long jobs
- Cutting thick hardwood logs — the 12″ bar length limits the size of wood it can realistically handle
- Commercial tree service work — the small bar and battery capacity are not suited to constant high-volume cutting
What to budget alongside this chain saw, and what to skip
Accessories worth buying with the 40V MAX Chainsaw
- Bar and chain oil — the automatic oiling system still needs oil to keep the chain lubricated
- Battery charger — the cordless saw needs a charger for the 40V lithium ion battery
- Replacement chain — chains wear and dull with use, and the 12″ chain is a consumable
- Safety glasses — chainsaw work throws chips and debris during cutting
- Work gloves — helps with grip and hand protection while handling the saw and wood
Accessories you can skip buying for this tree saw
- Extension cord — the cordless 40V battery means it does not need to stay plugged in while cutting
- Gasoline and two-stroke oil mix — this is a battery-powered saw, not a gas chainsaw
- Large replacement bar — the saw is built around a 12″ bar, so a bigger bar upgrade is not the point here
Where to Buy This Chain Saw
In November 2026 the 40V MAX Chainsaw was listed at $294.91. Prices move, so read that as a snapshot, not a quote.
Chainsaws are sold by the retailers below – we do not track which of them has the 40V MAX Chainsaw in stock, so check availability and the current price with the retailer before making a trip.
- Ace Hardware (online and physical stores) — neighborhood-store convenience and knowledgeable staff
- Northern Tool + Equipment (online and physical stores) — specialist-oriented selection for outdoor power equipment
- Acme Tools (online only) — tool-focused assortment with trade and business account options
- Home Depot (online and physical stores) — broad assortment and easy in-store returns
- Lowe’s (online and physical stores) — broad assortment and convenient physical-store pickup
- Amazon (online only) — wide marketplace selection across many brands and configurations
- Walmart (online and physical stores) — broad mass-market selection and easy local returns
Final Verdict on the 40V MAX Chainsaw
If you need a cordless chainsaw for light yard work, the 40V MAX Chainsaw fits that job, and it costs around $294.91.
Its 12-inch bar keeps the reach in the compact range, and the 2.0-Ah battery limits how long it can stay on task before recharging.
Skip it if: you need a saw for longer firewood sessions or storm cleanup without frequent pack changes.