Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This is a good chainsaw.I have only used it about 3 hours, so any reliability or wear issues are moot at this point.The best feature -- trivial, but you can see how much bar oil is remaining through the side of the saw.
My first chain saw was an antique McCullouch with a 24 in. bar that weighed about 20 lbs.I learned a lot from it, especially that light weight chainsaws are safer than heavy ones.
My second chain saw was a HomeLite E-Z 16" that was recommended by someone who once rented chain saws.It weighed about 10 lbs and cut fire wood for my stove for 15 years.I literally used this saw up, but it would still crank and cut wood when I got rid of it.
What I learned from these two saws is that the most dangerous thing to do is to try and cut a limb or log above your head.The saw will fall onto your thigh.The lighter the saw, the less likely it is that this will happen in an uncontrolled fashion.
My next saw was a saw that a professional tree cutter took up a 90 foot tree and topped it with the saw supported by his fully extended arm.I won't name the brand because it was a real mess on the ground, leaking bar oil all over the place in spite of repeated attempts to have it repaired.
Now I have this Poulan ES-350.I got it because I am too old to go deeper than an extension cord into the woods, and I am tired of the hazards and frustration associated with cranking the gas models. The electric is light weight, and I have been able to easily saw through 12 in. green maple logs.It isn't as fast at cutting as the above three saws, but it is light enough that one can safely cut at extended arm lengths (if one is careful).
A word about chains.The Poulan comes with a "low kick back" chain.I don't know why they make them, probably some regulatory-liability thing, because no chainsaw is kick-backproof, so Beware!.At any rate, I have read reviews of the replacement chain for this saw saying the the chains don't last.I have been unable to identify a chain that isn't "low kick back" for this saw, so I will use the Poulan replacement chain (after sharpening the original for a year or so).The main reason a chain goes dull is that it hits dirt, sand, rocks or wet wood.You can feel the sharp edge of a cutter blade just as you can feel the sharp edge of a knife. If it feel smooth, instead of "grabbing" your finger, it needs sharpening.
A word about extension cords.The hidden cost of this saw is a 100 ft. 14 gauge extension cord (most of the ones you have at home are probably 16 guage - not big enough).This brings the total cost of the saw to around $125, compared to $250 or even $350 for the gasoline saws I mentioned above.I don't recommend the following, but I have heard that this saw can run with 150 ft of 14 ga. extension cords.I REALLY don't recommend this, but I have heard that the saw can run with a 100 ft. 12 guage cord plugged into the wall, and 150 ft. of 14 guage exetension cords plugged into the 12 guage cord.(The longer the cord, the more likely you are to cut through it.)
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Poulan ES350 16 Inch 3.5 HP Electric Chain SawProduct Description: The Poulan 16-inch, 3.5 HP electric chain saw is perfect for light cutting jobs around the yard, with a cutting capacity of 32 inches diameter. It is powerful enough to fell trees but light enough to prune and trim.The auto-oiling system keeps the 16-inch steel bar and chain fully lubricated. For safety, the inertia-activated chain brake stops the rotation of the chain should kickback occur. The unit comes fully assembled and includes a 1-year warranty.
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