How much does a chainsaw weigh? Spec weights for 15 saws
In this guide
Chainsaw weight chart (maker specs)
These are the weights each maker lists. They don't all measure the same thing, so check the "What it includes" column before you compare. Our own ready-to-cut weights are in the second table.
| Saw | Power | Listed weight | What it includes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STIHL MSA 190 T (top handle) | Battery | 5.8 lb | No battery | STIHL |
| STIHL MSA 200 | 36 V battery | 6.3 / 6.9 lb | No battery, no bar or chain | STIHL |
| STIHL MS 194 T (top handle) | Gas | 7.3 lb | No fuel | STIHL |
| STIHL MS 170 | Gas | 8.6 lb | Powerhead only | STIHL |
| EGO CS1800 (18 in) | 56 V battery | 9.7 lb | No battery or chain sheath | EGO manual |
| STIHL MSA 80 (14 in) | 36 V battery | 10.1 lb | No battery | STIHL |
| ECHO CS-400 | Gas | 10.1 lb | Dry, no bar or chain | ECHO manual |
| STIHL MS 250 | Gas, 45.4 cc | 10.1 lb | No fuel, no bar or chain | STIHL |
| STIHL MSA 160 C-BQ | Battery | 10.6 lb | With AP 300 battery | STIHL |
| Husqvarna 450 Rancher | Gas, 3.06 cu in | 11.2 lb | No cutting equipment | Husqvarna |
| STIHL MS 172 | Gas | 11.7 lb | With bar and chain, no fuel | STIHL |
| STIHL MS 250, ready bar | Gas, 45.4 cc | 12.1 / 12.3 lb | With bar and chain, no fuel | STIHL |
| ECHO CS-590 Timber Wolf | Gas | 13.2 lb | Dry, no bar or chain | ECHO |
| Husqvarna 455 Rancher | Gas, 55.5 cc | 13.2 lb | No cutting equipment | Husqvarna |
| STIHL MS 462 C-M | Gas, pro | 13.3 lb | No fuel, no bar or chain | STIHL |
| Milwaukee M18 FUEL 16 in (2727-20) | 18 V battery | 13.9 lb | Not stated; tool only | Milwaukee |
| STIHL MS 462 C-M, with bar | Gas, pro | 16.0 to 20.5 lb | With bar and chain (16 to 36 in), no fuel | STIHL |
That's 15 saws (two STIHL rows show the same saw with its bar and chain fitted).
Planned bench weigh-in: each saw ready to cut on one calibrated scale, with stock bar and chain, full fuel and bar oil (gas), or the recommended battery and full oil (battery). Results will be added here when the weigh-in is done.
The two MS 250 rows and the two MS 462 rows in the chart above are the same saws, so each has one ready-to-cut weight here.
How to read the chart
Check what's included
Makers use different bases:
- STIHL gives a "device weight" without bar and chain, and a "system weight" with them. Both leave out fuel.
- Husqvarna lists weight "excl. cutting equipment," which means no bar or chain.
- ECHO lists a "dry weight," with no fuel, oil, bar or chain.
- Battery saws are often listed without the battery. STIHL's MSA 160 C-BQ is an exception: its figure includes the AP 300 battery.
So a battery saw at 6 lb "without battery" isn't really lighter in your hands than a gas saw at 7 lb "without fuel." Add the missing parts before you decide.
Add the bar and chain
Bars add more than most people think. STIHL lists the MS 250 at 10.1 lb bare and 12.1 to 12.3 lb with bar and chain. That's about 2 lb.
On the pro MS 462, the jump is bigger. It's 13.3 lb bare, and 16.0 to 20.5 lb with bar and chain. The spread comes from bar length: STIHL fits bars from 16 to 36 inches. A longer bar also puts the weight farther from your hands, so it feels heavier than the scale says.
For bar sizes, see how to measure a chainsaw bar and the chainsaw chain size guide.
Add fuel, oil or the battery
A full tank of fuel mix and bar oil adds weight on a gas saw. A battery adds weight on a cordless one, and bigger batteries weigh more.
Chainsaw weight by type
| Type | Listed weight in our chart | Typical job |
|---|---|---|
| Top-handle and small battery saws | 5.8 to 7.3 lb | Pruning, work from a lift, light cleanup |
| Homeowner gas and mid battery saws | 8.6 to 11.7 lb | Firewood, storm cleanup, small trees |
| Farm and mid-pro gas saws | 11.2 to 13.2 lb | Bigger trees, regular firewood cutting |
| Pro gas saws | 13.2 to 13.3 lb bare; 16 lb and up with bar | Felling, big wood, all-day use |
For cutting high limbs without a ladder, a pole saw or a hydraulic limb saw may suit you better than a light chainsaw.
How much chainsaw can you handle?
Weight matters most when you hold the saw out or cut for a long time. A few rules help:
- Pick a saw you can hold firmly with both hands for the whole cut. OSHA's logging rule requires a firm two-hand grip on the handles.
- Match the bar to the wood. A shorter bar is lighter and easier to control. Don't buy a long bar "just in case."
- Try it ready to cut. Ask the store to fit the bar and chain before you lift it.
- Rest often. Tired arms lose control. Set the saw down and stretch.
Printable chart
A printable version of this chart is planned.
Method and sources
- We took each weight from the maker's own product page, spec sheet or manual, linked in the sources below.
- We copied each maker's footnote into the "What it includes" column. Where the page didn't say, we wrote "Not stated."
- Weights can change between model years and bar options. Check the current spec before you buy.
- Ready-to-cut weights will come from the planned weigh-in described above. Until then, add a few pounds to the listed weight for the bar, chain and fuel or battery.
Related guides and tools
- Gas saws need the right fuel mix. Use the two-stroke mix calculator.
- Bar oil matters too: can I use 2-stroke oil for bar oil?
- A sharp chain cuts with less push, so a lighter saw goes further: how to sharpen a chainsaw.
- Choosing a battery saw? See power tool battery platforms.
- Same engine care on other 2-stroke tools: how to make a leaf blower more powerful starts with the air filter and plug.
- Trading up to a lighter saw? See where to sell power tools.
- More guides are in the outdoor power hub.
Key takeaways
- Read what the weight includes. STIHL, Husqvarna and ECHO list gas saws without bar, chain and fuel. Battery saws are often listed without the battery.
- Bar and chain add real weight. STIHL lists the MS 250 at 10.1 lb bare and 12.1 to 12.3 lb with bar and chain.
- Longer bars add more. STIHL's pro MS 462 is 13.3 lb bare and 16.0 to 20.5 lb with bar and chain, depending on bar length.
- Homeowner gas saws (MS 170, CS-400, 450 Rancher) list at 8.6 to 11.2 lb. Pro saws (MS 462, CS-590, 455 Rancher) list at 13.2 to 13.3 lb.
- Compare like with like: same basis, similar bar length. Our ready-to-cut table puts every saw on one scale.
Questions people ask
What is the average weight of a chainsaw?
Most saws in our table list between about 6 and 14 pounds without the bar, chain, fuel or battery. Homeowner gas saws cluster around 9 to 11 lb. Ready to cut, add a few pounds for the bar, chain and fuel or battery.
How much does a STIHL chainsaw weigh?
From STIHL's listed weights: the MS 170 is 8.6 lb, the MS 250 10.1 lb and the MS 462 C-M 13.3 lb, all without bar and chain. With bar and chain, STIHL lists the MS 250 at 12.1 to 12.3 lb and the MS 462 at 16.0 to 20.5 lb.
Are battery chainsaws lighter than gas?
The bare tool often is. STIHL lists its MSA 190 T at 5.8 lb without battery and the gas MS 194 T at 7.3 lb without fuel. The battery adds weight back, so compare saws ready to cut.
How much does a bar and chain add?
On STIHL's MS 250, about 2 lb (10.1 lb bare vs 12.1 to 12.3 lb with bar and chain). On the MS 462, 2.7 lb to over 7 lb, depending on the bar length.
What does 'dry weight' mean on a chainsaw?
It's the saw with no fuel and no bar oil. ECHO's dry weights also leave out the bar and chain. Always read the footnote, since makers don't all measure the same way.
How heavy a chainsaw can I handle?
Pick one you can hold firmly with both hands for the whole cut, at waist height, without your arms shaking. For pruning and storm cleanup, a light saw with a short bar is easier to control than a big one.
Sources
- STIHL MS 250: device weight 10.1 lb (without bar and chain, no fuel); system weight 12.3 / 12.1 lb (with bar and chain)
- STIHL MS 462 C-M: device weight 13.3 / 14.0 lb; system weight 16.0 to 20.5 lb with bar and chain, 16 to 36 in bars
- STIHL MS 170: powerhead weight 8.6 lb
- STIHL MS 172: system weight without refuelling 11.7 lb
- STIHL MSA 200: device weight without battery 6.3 / 6.9 lb, without bar and chain
- STIHL MSA 80: 10.1 lb, tool only without battery
- STIHL MSA 160 C-BQ: powerhead weight 10.6 lb with AP 300 battery
- STIHL gas vs battery: MSA 190 T 5.8 lb without battery; MS 194 T 7.3 lb without fuel
- Husqvarna 450 Rancher: weight (excl. cutting equipment) 11.2 lb, 3.06 cu in
- Husqvarna 455 Rancher: weight (excl. cutting equipment) 13.2 lb, 55.5 cc
- ECHO CS-590 Timber Wolf specifications: dry weight 13.2 lb without chain and guide bar
- ECHO CS-400 operator's manual: dry weight 10.1 lb without chain and guide bar
- EGO CS1800 18 in. chain saw operator's manual: net weight 9.7 lb without battery pack and chain sheath
- Milwaukee M18 FUEL 16 in. chainsaw 2727-20 (tool only): weight 13.9 lb
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.266: logging operations, chain saw rules
Change log: Nov 6, 2026: Rewritten from the 2024 archive post. Replaced unsourced weight ranges (e.g. 'professional models 15-25 pounds') with maker-listed weights for 15 saws and what each figure includes; added the scale-test plan.
