5 Best Chainsaw Chain 2021 Reviews – Top Picks & Buying Guide

| Last Updated: October 5, 2021

Best Chainsaw Chain ReviewsBeing a woodworker or carpenter takes a lot to be in this profession. From the best chainsaw chain to the routing table, you have to include every single part in your workstation.

When the wood cutting concern arrives, you can hardly avoid the necessities of our top-rated chainsaw chain reviews of 2019, why? Well, people go through a significant problem while they are looking for a good pair of chainsaw chain and chainsaw blade.

So, here we mention below our top list of chainsaw chain to guide you with an excellent wood cutting experience throughout the years. We are going to discuss their advantages, highlighted features, and detailing information.

Comparison of the Best Chainsaw Chains

IMAGEPRODUCT
  • Can fit many chainsaw models including Homelite, Echo, Poulan, and Craftsman
  • Handles tough jobs - perfect for homeowners
  • Automatically oils the chain for long-lasting performance
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  • Low vibration, low kickback chain
  • Great bore cut and cutting performance
  • Ideal for those who use smaller chainsaws, like arborists
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  • The package is factory sealed and comes in the original box
  • The chain is strong and robust - made to last
  • Package has 1 genuine 20" STIHL chain
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  • Package has 1 genuine 18" STIHL chain
  • Comes factory sealed and in the original box
  • High-quality product is durable and strong
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  • Genuine, high-quality OEM replacement part
  • Can be used with Black and Decker NLP1800 and LP1000
  • Comes with 2 cutting chains
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Budget Pick

Oregon S52 AdvanceCut 14-Inch Chainsaw Chain Fits Craftsman

Oregon S52 Advance Cut is in our list for satisfying our professional woodcutter who is also our reviews team editor. After examining more than 30 chainsaw brands and models, he ends up with Oregon.

It is a reliable,durable & precise chain. So, whoever uses it becomes a superior fan in the first operation. The manufacturer wrapped it up with the safety and enormous quality. If anyone only wants to work with advanced technology such as heat-treated, noise-free, minimum kick-back, and sharp performance, he can choose this surely.

Budget Pick

Black & Decker LP1000 chainsaw chain

It’s obvious to have a tight budget, but you don’t want to mess with the features and benefits. It’s not only you; there are many of us who desire for the best quality but at a lower price. Well, Black & Decker LP1000 is just picked by our editorial team for having all the requirements that a professional woodcutter would need.

Its nature of cutting is like a razor. Otherwise, the top feature that attracts its user is perfection. It fits into the chainsaw bar and offers you the most relaxed cutting experience. People who want the best wood cutting chainsaw chain brand are recommended to buy it. It won’t disappoint you in any way. 

5 Best Chainsaw Chain Reviews

Let’s come to the point now!

You are here to buy or replace your old saw chain. You are searching for the best chain saw chain. Why? Without the sharpest chainsaw chain, you can’t operate your wood cutting task like the way you want it.

So, here we are going to discuss the top 5 saw chains to turn your woodcutting life into a sphere of enjoyment.

1. Oregon S52 Advance Cut 14-Inch Chainsaw Chain Fits Craftsman

Oregon S52 Advance Cut 14-Inch Chainsaw Chain Fits CraftsmanThis is not the first time you see Oregon in our top list. Most of the editors who have the proper knowledge of the tools world, their priority would be Oregon, DEWALT, or Stihl. And Oregon S52 makes some sense to be in our first listing.

It’s a heat-treated chainsaw chain which handles the most challenging wood cutting process at ease. The whole construction engineering process is hard-chromed. It delivers faster-cutting performance in terms of vibration and less kick-back.

The less kick-back feature is ultimately user-friendly. Why? It allows you to use the chainsaw on the hardest wood, but there will be no safety hazard. While the woodcutters try to handle hardwood, they often feel out of control for the kick-back hassle. But this is engineered for the user-satisfaction with the lowest kick-back you can ever have.

There is no dull performance with this model of saw that users have ever experienced. So it’s worthy of giving a try now. It is sharp to cut, and you will notice the most precise cutting for the high-speed and sharp cutters.

Though it is very sharp, if the saw encounters with a rock, stone, or metal, the chain won’t perform like before. It might interrupt your cutting for being dull. So, you can determine the damage of the blade and decide to replace this with a new one, or you may want to give a self-sharpening procedure.

There are many out there who once has used Orego S52, never switch to another brand. So, you can try it yourself to give the saw a sharpening treatment.

Highlighted Features

  • Produces minimal kick-back.
  • Build for more stringent cutting operation.
  • Provides the smooth, precise cutting.
  • Features latest and advanced technology.
  • Able to handle hardwood easily.

It’s you whose choice will reflect on your workstation. So, if you want to spend the money on one of the most reliable best saw chains, then you are highly recommended to order this now. It will give you excellent performance beating other chainsaw brands of the market in terms of quality and flexibility.


2. Husqvarna 531300439 18-Inch H30-72 (95VP) Pixel Saw Chain

Husqvarna 531300439 18-Inch H30-72 (95VP) Pixel Saw ChainHusqvarna is always popular among professionals. Why? Husqvarna chainsaw chain can fulfill all the requirements that a professional needs to cover his cutting tasks. So, if you are looking for a professional saw chain but with the maximum positive feedback, then you are going on the right track.

Why is it so popular among the professionals? Well, you get the flexibility and durability that makes your work convenient with this saw chain. This has the pitch size of .325″ and gauge size of .050″ that matches with the maximum chainsaw bar size. So, you won’t have to worry about the portability in that case. While most of the users don’t get the suitable match chainsaw chain with the bar guide, but this one doesn’t seem to create any mess.

What makes a chainsaw chain better? A chainsaw chain is an ultimate way to make your woodcutting tasks flexible in a finite approach. Husqvarna 531300439 is a supreme chainsaw chain for hardwood. If your workstation often tends to deal with the hardwood, you can surely get the expected performance using it.

It’s expensive, but you are paying for the powerful kick-back feature, better quality and sharpest chain performance. Its 50cc works on this in a generous way. So, the hardwoods get cut like butter under a knife. You don’t have to force any pressure while you are cutting the hardwood.

Highlighted Features

  • High-end performance.
  • First choice for the professionals.
  • Minimum kick back.
  • Smoothest performance for lower vibration. 
  • Ideal for the hardest conditions.

The chain is wrapped with an edge to protect the guide bar to touch the ground or rocks. So, while you are cutting out of the workstation and the rocks, ice, snow, or dirt won’t make any difference to your work. Hence the chain and bar guide will stay scratch free and won’t get any scratch.

Whoever is searching for a simple saw chain that will do the work with a simple touch up, they can give it a try. Well, it is worthy of becoming your cutting tasks adviser.


3. STIHL 26RS 81 Rapid Super Chainsaw Chain 20″ Bar

STIHL 26RS 81 Rapid Super Chainsaw Chain 20inch BarAs there are many renowned 20″ chainsaw bar guide which requires a chainsaw with the same criteria. If you need the 20″ Stihl chainsaw chain, you can look at the features and advantages of it.

If we start talking about this chain model, we might get tired, but the description won’t be enough to let you know its effectiveness.

Being a professional handling big wood chips isn’t easy. But you can easily maintain big wood chips with it. Luckily, it doesn’t produce any sawdust. So, you get the cleanest cut.

Sometimes, some woodcutters complain that their saw chain becomes dull after a couple of cuts. Any of us do not welcome this. So we always search for the chainsaw chain, which is durable for multiple usages. STIHL 26RS is going to offer you the most user-friendly work performance. How?

This is the sharpest chainsaw chain that you can ever encounter. It makes you feel like a real version of pro for not sharpening the chain after every use. You can manage to operate this chain without grinding for longer times. Without sharpening it, you can get the feels just like the new one.

Surprisingly, hardwood acts like butter under it and cuts smoothly without any occurrence. The only thing you have to make sure is that you don’t lose your attention from it. This chain cuts like a laser, faster, smoother, and sharper. Suffering attention from it will divert you to the unwanted injury and risks.

Highlighted Features

  • Easy setup and installation.
  • The price is budget friendly than other so-called brands.
  • Blades are the sharpest one.
  • Smoother performance with low vibration.
  • Offers user-satisfaction.

If you are concerned about the skipping issue, you can stay relaxed. It’s a chain which will maximize your cutting skill with its proficiency. It doesn’t slip from your hand, and you can work the way you want following your desired movement.


4. Stihl Chainsaw Chain- 26RS68- 18 Inch. – .063 Gauge

Stihl Chainsaw Chain- 26RS68- 18 InchThis is another Stihl saw chain that is worth being in our listing. Our experts’ team was satisfied with its affordability. People who have 18″ chainsaw bar, they will be assured to have the best of it.

This is an 18″ chainsaw chain that fits with the 18inch chainsaw bar guide. You can get it for an 18″ chainsaw bar. But if you have the 20″ bar guide, then STIHL 26RS 81 is the appropriate one for you.

It comes with the 68-drive links, .325 Pitch, and .063 Gauge. So, you get the easy installation without any mess. Many manufacturers don’t provide the necessary equipment along with the package. But the Stihl 26RS68 is considered to be more innovative and exclusive.

This is faster than the other pricey chain brands. It cuts through the hardwood faster. If you aren’t skilled in woodcutting, then you can’t handle its faster cutting advantage. However, you need to be proficient in using woodcutter with faster movement unless you face accidental injuries suddenly.

It is one of the most efficient professional chainsaw chains among all the other brands. Why? Apart from being the fastest saw chain, it cuts smoothly that gives you a professional touch. Whether you want to cut the big piece of wood or a small part of the branch, it has no better choice.

Sharpening is a process that you must apply to a saw’s chain. But frequent sharpening is not enjoyable. We, woodcutters, hate it. It requires a lot of our time and energy.

But who wants to give so much dedication? Well, none of us! This is a chainsaw chain which has a durability of sharpness and longevity that never disappoints anyone. It requires less sharpening than others. So, you won’t have to experience the sharpening hassle often.

Highlighted Features

  • Offers excellent professional experience.
  • Doesn’t put stress on the sprocket.
  • Operates faster.
  • Lower kick-back performance.
  • Can be sharpened easily using a hand.

From the price to user satisfaction; you will get everything to make your cutting experience positive and enjoyable.


5. Black & Decker LP1000 / NLP1800 Saw (2 Pack)

Black and Decker LP1000 - NLP1800 Saw 2 Pack Replacement 6inch ChainBlack & Decker is the renowned manufacturer brand which is servicing the professionals and craftsmen for many years. So, this model of the chainsaw model is in our last point, but it’s not the least in terms of features.

If you didn’t find chainsaw chain for cutting firewood, then you can pick this one. It is the ideal chainsaw chain to solve your all the cutting problems. It has the sharpest blade of the market. And you can’t ignore the cutting speed and smoothness while you are working with it.

It cuts like a razor under the pressurized condition too. If you often deal with the thick and hardest wood, you can buy this for having the sharpest cutting sensation without any hassle.

It’s a dual pack combination to help those who have to saws. You can operate with both saws with the 2-pack chain of LP1000 / NLP1800. While you have the two saws with 6″ guide bar, this chain pack will be completed like adding cheese on the pizza top.

Highlighted Features

  • Easy to set up.
  • Fits finely on the chainsaw bar.
  • Perfect replacement for your old and dull chain.
  • Cuts through the more significant and thicker material fluently.
  • Features the sharpest cutting experience.

Though it is on our last pick, it is the worthy one. You are getting all the necessary features at a very reasonable price. So, what is making you wait? Just order it and get the most reliable cutting jobs.


What Is A Chainsaw Chain?

A chainsaw or saw chain is specially engaged with a special kind of chain attaching with the bar guide which cuts through the woods, metals, and materials.

This chain looks similar to a leaf chain. It is enabled with the sharp cutting teeth on the outside of the chain loop, which is flexible to be adjusted with the saw’s bar.

What Are Chainsaw Chains Are Used For?

The chainsaw chains are not only familiar to woodcutters. Specifically, saw chains are made for cutting wood. Craftsmen can use it for cutting metals under the particular hardcore situation.

Only professionals can use the saw chain for cutting materials. Else, the carpenters use it to design on the wood and get different types of shapes like the way they want.

To process firewood from the trees, chainsaw chain has no better companion.

How Does Chainsaw Chain Operate?

Chainsaw chain is a chain loop that bounds around the bar guide. So, it cuts the chips to come before it. There are sharp teeth in the chain. These chains should never engage or stop anywhere while cutting wood chips.

Well, a chainsaw is incomplete without two parts. And the chain wrapped around the metal guide bar and engine. So, when you start the engine, the chain keeps running around the gear wheels — the chain’s 30 or more teeth which are sharp but made of hardened steel alloy.

The piston moves in and out of the cylinder in the engine and pushes the rod, which is being connected helps to turns a crankshaft. And the chain started to spin around while the crankshaft turns the gears to connect with the sprockets.

Types Of Chainsaw Chains

It is tough to pick one chainsaw chain without specific knowledge. There are multiple types of chains, but which one is for you? While you know the definition of the types of chains, you won’t face the gloomy confusion to choose the best one for you.

Let’s have a clean and cut look at the chainsaw chain type!

  • Full-Chisel

One of the most effective types of a chainsaw chain is a full-chisel cutter. They are built with sharp-square-concerned teeth. Its teeth are very flexible to cut hardwood. While you want to deal with the limbs and trees, you can’t skip relying on it.

There is a lacking that you may face in this chisel. This chisel is indeed efficient, but it costs in the durability. It often fails to manage the hardwood in rough environments. The user can experience terrible kickback with the full-chisel cutters while cutting dirty woods. Other chains are engaged with safety elements where it fails to offer the same.

So, the choice is yours. Full-chisel is the last option to deal with the hardwood, but you end up being in a risky situation. Often, the users need to switch to a brand-new chain to avoid safety hazards. But, to deal with the hardwood, this chain comes in a handy inconvenient way. And, you have to stay alert for the kickback occurrence.

  • Semi-Chisel

Semi-chisels are designed with rounded teeth corners. This is for those woodcutters who often deal with the softwood. It cuts slower than the full-chisel. Still, woodcutters are in love with these cutters for the versatility of handling all types of softwood.

Though it is slower in the processing, it does excel in the reliability. It is durable than the full-chisel cutters. An additional benefit is it can handle the wood in rough circumstances too. Even the woods are dirty, wet, frozen, or dry; you can use the semi-chisel following the whole-efficiency.

If we talk about the safety hazards, this is reliving for the woodcutters to experience lower kickback comparing to the full-chisel cutters. If you are a beginner in the woodcutting profession, you will love to be more with this chisel type. It doesn’t create any safety issue. So, you can make a balanced cutting experience.

However, you will feel more flexible and reliable while working with semi-chisel cutters rather than full-chisel cutters. It prevents kickback in the hardest situation.

  • Low-Profile

There are many professionals out there who love to work with the low-profile cutters. They are made commercially for having a higher level of safety precautions. Professionals want both speed, durability, lower kickback and vibrationless performance.

This is a particular type of chain engineered with the safety elements between the teeth. This is also the first choice of newbie woodcutters. Lower kickback and less vibration make it worthy of being the first choice of every woodcutter.

But, the tendency of sharpening this chain is a repeatable task. You need to sharpen the blades often. While other types of chainsaw chains don’t require frequent sharpening, this requires a more sharpening. So, durability is questionable!

  • Square Chisel

This is just another form of full-chisel cutters. The square chisel is the hot pick for professional tasks. Professionals love it as it can meet with their expectation. It cuts faster without kickback and vibration issue. As the square chisel cutter cuts fast, they tend to become dull soon. So, you have to sharpen them often.

When Should You Replace A Chainsaw Chain?

You can’t go with the same chainsaw chain for a lifetime. There will be times when you will feel the necessity to change your saw’s chain. But when and why to change is a total confusing mess!

  • After a couple of years of usage, a chain’s teeth become fragile, and some of the teeth fall off. If you notice multiple teeth of the saw’s chain has been broken off, you should go for the replacement. Actually, without the whole loop of the teeth, the chain won’t be promising useful as it performs.
  • While the chainsaw requires often sharpening, you can’t skip getting a new chain for your saw, why? When the teeth require often sharpening, that means the teeth have become weary of getting replaced instantly.
  • The use over time and time makes the teeth smaller in size. Regular usage and sharpening reduce teeth size. So, the smaller teeth comparing to the real size can’t offer the same durability that you need for. So, that’s when you need to search for the grest chainsaw chain to go with you in your next tasks.

Things to Consider Before Buying Chainsaw Chains

As you have seen our chainsaw chains reviews, so you know about the multiple chainsaw chains. Now, you can easily choose the appropriate one following our buying guideline.

Let’s look at some most important factors that will allow you to choose the best saw chains.

  • Chain Size

Your chainsaw bar guide size is the crucial factor that you should consider. You need to go for the chain which can match with the bar of the chainsaw. If you have an 18inch or 20inch bar guide, you need to buy the following size.

Otherwise, you may not get the actual cutting experience if the chain doesn’t fit on the bar. A loose or too tight chain can make you work under pressure.

You can check out on the packaging label or the website about the chain size before you buy a chainsaw chain. A chainsaw chain won’t be able perform without the best size matching. So, before you make a purchase, make sure you are getting the right size.

  • Lower-Kickback

Kickback is an unwanted occurrence. Nobody wants to experience it while working with the woodcutters. Kickback often creates an unwanted mess like unable to cut hardwoods. So, if you want to manage hardwoods with your saw’s chain, then you must have to look into the kickback feature.

Honestly speaking chainsaws are not safe to use. And the most critical factor that makes it dangerous to use apart from the sharpness is the kickback. Moreover, kickback is often created when the chain is stuck on the wood and unable to move.

So, you may need to create a force on the chainsaw chain. Creating force often pushes back the chainsaw, and it leads to unexpected severe issues. Sometimes, the user can lose his hand, finger, or get a significant injury.

Most of the chainsaws have kickback, but some have lower kickback. So, you should go for the one which doesn’t produce a tremendous amount of kickback.

  • Vibration-Free

Vibration is always a hassle to make your work tougher with the chainsaw. Less vibration is a desired feature that makes your cutting tasks effective and stressed-free. Else, vibration makes you give more strength and focus on the chainsaw.

Otherwise, it can cause several injuries. So, you don’t need to make your energy go waste. You should select a chainsaw chain which has the anti-vibration feature. It will make you enjoy your woodcutting task on a new level.

  • Sharpening

It is necessary to sharpen the saw’s chain after a specific time. But it is just not so overwhelming if you have to sharpen your chainsaw chain after every cutting. It’s a sign of a dull teeth blade. Dull blades are not so durable and can make you create force while cutting. So, you won’t be able to get the admiring cutting result.

FAQ For Chainsaw Chain

There are some confusion, myths, and facts about the chainsaw chain. So, you should configure them out.

Question: Does chainsaw operates by engine oil?

Answer: Yes, every chainsaw engine requires oil, but that is the bar oil. The engine’s gas has to be mixed with bar oil. The chainsaw engine doesn’t co-operate with motor or engine oil.

Question: How to measure the pitch size?

Answer: Measure the distance between three uninterrupted rivets and dividing them by two results the pitch size.

Question: What is the best fuel for chainsaws?

Answer: The best fuel for the chainsaws are mixtures of high octane with gasoline.

Question: Which degree should you recommend to sharpen a chainsaw chain?

Answer: If you are going to cut grain then you are recommended to cut 10 degrees sharpened chain while most of the manufacturers consult to sharpen chain at 25-35 degrees.

Final Verdict

Here you have the most durable ultimate top list for the best chainsaw chain. We have tried to cover every single issue that you can face and explain the solutions too.So, give a second thought to choose one of the top-rated chainsaw chains from our review list. If you still feel any confusion, check out our buying guide sections. The buying guide has all the detailed information that will help you to make farewell of your all kinds of dilemma.