As soon as you purchase your chainsaw, it is possible that it doesn’t always come with the best chainsaw chain that would suit your requirements. Oftentimes, you will need one that can easily cut through thick and hardwood, and sometimes you’ll need one that is best for cutting small and thin wood.
Whichever the case, replacing your chain saw chain can be quite a challenge. This is for the reason that choosing the wrong one could lead you to injure yourself or even destroy your chainsaw.
So, to help you find the best chainsaw chain that suits your needs, we’ve laid out your best options in the market today. Along with the list of options are a few things you need to know with regards to chainsaw chains.
**Below, you’ll find our more detailed reviews, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.
Buying The Best Chainsaw Chain That Suits Your Needs
Why Use The Perfect Chainsaw Chain
The chain of the chainsaw is actually the main component of the equipment that cuts wood. It has a set of teeth that moves at high speed that bites through the wood and effectively cuts it with minimal effort.
While going for the conventional or ordinary chain saw chain in the market that can still deliver a good cutting result, it may not be compatible with all cutting needs. You also might want to find the perfect chainsaw chain that suits your needs in order to avoid injuries and not to break or destroy the chain saw.
Additionally, if using the ideal chainsaw chain for your specific model, you’ll be sure to have your unit last for a long time of use.
How To Find The Ideal Chainsaw Chain In The Market
Finding the ideal chainsaw chain that best suits your needs is not as simple as a walk in the park. You’ll have to consider a few features that would guide you in making that final decision for a purchase. These features are as follows:
1. The Tooth Material
One important feature that you should always consider when buying your chainsaw chain is the material used for its tooth. Since the tooth will be the one that is mostly in contact with the wood that’s being cut, the tooth should be made out of sturdy or durable material.
Also, you don’t want to always be sharpening the teeth of your chain every time it gets dull or chipped as it can be quite daunting.
2. The Type Of Tooth
The type of tooth should also be considered when on the lookout for your ideal chainsaw chain. Among those commonly used types of chainsaw tooth include the full-chisel teeth and the semi-chisel teeth with the first cutting faster than the latter.
When trying to cut hard wood, it is recommended to opt for the semi-chisel teeth for the reason that it can cut through hard woods without dulling or chipping.
3. The Depth
The depth refers to how deep the chain teeth can cut through the wood. When you’re trying to cut hard and tough wood, it is better to go for the options that have deeper gauges for deeper and bigger bite for that faster cutting.
However, you need to be cautious seeing that having too much depth can cause the teeth to get stuck within the wood. If this happens, it results in kickback and can also increase the chances for the teeth to be chipped or dulled.
4. The Arrangement Of The Tooth
The arrangement of the tooth in the chain means the ratio of the link drive to the chain teeth. For conventional chains, they are usually equipped with a ‘one is to one’ ratio. More recent chains on the other hand make use of ‘two is to one’ ratio with the drive links as two and tooth as one.
Also, there are semi-skip a chain which can shift from one is to one ratio to two is to one ratio for its drive link and tooth.
5. The Gauge
The gauge is the thickness of the chain’s chain links. These usually have sizes from .05 to .063 inches in standard chains. The ideal chain that you should look for is the one that matches your chainsaw guide bar. If you’re having problems finding out your gauge size, simply check your product manual.
6. The Pitch
The pitch is yet another important factor to consider when buying the right chain for your chainsaw. It is the distance between each of the rivets on the chain. The pitch is computed by dividing the sum of the total distance of 3 rivets by two. For you to have the ideal chain saw chain, you’ll need to make sure that the pitch matches your chain.
Adding to the factors that you need to consider when buying a chain saw chain, you’ll also want to bear in mind the kind of wood which you’ll be cutting. Harder wood requires thicker as well as heavier chain to avoid breaking and being blunt easily.
Top Chain Saw Chains In The Market Today
There are almost a ton of chain saw chains in the market today and it makes it difficult to find the perfect one that suits your needs. So in order for you to have a better idea of your choices and to narrow them down to a shorter list, we’ve came up with the top 5 chain saw chains.
This list of options is taken from a research of the most common as well as most effective brands of chain saw chains in the market today. Also, these options feature the best quality and safety.
1. Oregon S56 Semi Chisel Chain Saw Chain
https://www.amazon.com/Oregon-S56-Craftsman-Homelite-Remington/dp/B00004RA82/
This Oregon 16” Chain is an excellent option for a chain saw chain for the reason that it is a bit smaller than the earlier mentioned chain from Oregon. With its compact size along with its sharpened teeth, it can cut through mid-sized wood accurately and quickly. Having accurate cuts, it is a common preference by professional loggers.
This chain is designed as a semi-chisel chain that fits brands and models of chain saws such as Remington, Poulan, Homelite, Echo as well as Craftsman. This chain is durable with heat-treated as well as hard-chromed cutter material which ensures long chain life.
PROS
- It comes with a unique design which makes smooth and fast cuts with very minimal kickback
- Sharp teeth which maximizes wood bite
- Safe to use and with excellent quality
- Much affordable than other brands and is very easy to install
CONS
- Very specific to a few range of chain saw brands and models
2. Oregon S62 Semi Chisel Chain Saw Chain
https://www.amazon.com/Oregon-S62-18-Inch-Craftsman-Homelite/dp/B00004RA81/
This chain saw chain from Oregon, is actually one of the companies’ hard chromed cutter chains available in the market. It is designed to be durable and sturdy to last a long time of regular use. Also, its sharp cutters are easy to sharpen providing optimum wood bite and faster cutting.
In addition, it has a Chamfer Chisel –cutter along with a bumper drive link that reduces kickback for smoother cutting performance. It also has a 4-way symmetrical tie straps that regulates the connection of chain loops.
PROS
- Excellent performance at an affordable price
- Durable material makes it last longer than other options
- Fast and smooth cutting with very minimal kickback
CONS
- Dulls a bit too easily compared to other chains
- Tendency to produce a curved cut on the wood because of the uneven wearing on its bar
3. Oregon 14 Inches Chain Saw Chain
https://www.amazon.com/Oregon-14-Inch-Craftsman-Homelite-S52/dp/B00004RA88/
This smaller length of Oregon chainsaw chain is an excellent choice for both professionals as well as the occasional users. It is easy to handle with its low-vibration and minimal kickback performance.
With its smaller size, this chain option is a lot easier to maintain and is also much lighter than other chains which also makes it more portable. Also, since it came from the Oregon chain saw chain series customers can be assured it is durable as well as safe to use.
PROS
- Very ideal for home owners and enthusiasts for cutting branches, storm debris and other smaller sized wood
- Fairly-priced for a good quality chain
- Easy to install, adjust and maintain
CONS
- Dulls a bit too quickly when cutting hard wood and requires frequent sharpening
- Have the tendency to kick out wood chips everywhere
4. Husqvarna 531300441 H80-72 Saw Chain
https://www.amazon.com/Husqvarna-531300441-20-Inch-H80-72-050-Inch/dp/B000BOBWBG/
This chain saw chain from Husqvarna is all about power and fast cutting which is ideal for cutting wood with large diameters. With this longer chain, with its sharpened set of teeth with 3/8’’ Pitch as well as .050’’ Gauge, cutting thick trees will be just a breeze.
Also, it is designed for optimum performance with very minimal vibration or kickback. While many professionals use this because of its effectiveness in cutting large-sized wood, it can also be recommended to non-professionals seeing as it is easy to handle.
Among the list of chain saw brands and models that are compatible with this chain include: 455 as well as 460 Rancher, model 55 Rancher along with 261, 262 XP and 359.
PROS
- Very easy to install and adjust provided that it is compatible with the chain saw model/brand
- Sharpened tooth provides maximum wood bite and durable construction makes the chain last longer even from regular use
- Fast and great cutting power with easy to sharpen teeth
CONS
- Not compatible with earlier model of chain saws
5. Husqvarna 531300437 66 Pixel Saw Chain
https://www.amazon.com/Husqvarna-531300437-16-Inch-325-Inch-050-Inch/dp/B000BO4QTQ/
This chain saw chain from Husqvarna, is the smaller version on the chain mentioned above. It is ideal if you’re trying to make accurate cuts or when you’re trying to carve because it is lightweight, with shorter length that is easier to manage.
Compared to other models and brands of chain saw chains, this chain is compatible with a large variety of chain saws in the market today. As well, it is easy to adjust and install and is ideal for both the pro and non-professionals.
PROS
- More durable and stays sharp longer than its predecessors or other chain models under the same brand/series
- Compatible with a wide range of chain saw brands
- Easy maintenance, sharpening and lubrication
CONS
- Poor packaging which comes in card stock boxes
Conclusion
Overall, we think that the ideal chain saw chain should be compatible with the most common brands and models of chain saws today. In addition, it is also an excellent choice to go for one that is durable and long lasting even with regular this.
With this in mind, we recommend the Oregon S56 16” Semi Chisel Chain Saw Chain that fits Craftsman, Echo, Homelite, Poulan, Remington range of chain saw models.
This 16 inch chain from Oregon not only provides optimum cutting performance but also gives comfort to the user since it is light and produces minima kickback. Also, the price is friendly and with durable material construction.
Would you agree that the Oregon S56 16 inches Semi-Chisel Chain Saw Chain is the best option in this list?
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