Today we’re going to take a look at Chainsaws, American made chainsaws.
In particular who makes them & which ones are the best,
What are the best gas powered and electric chainsaw built in USA,
and What kind of American made Chainsaw accessories are available and which accessories will you need or want the most.
Are there any American Made Chainsaws?
There are plenty American made Chainsaws. In fact some of the best chainsaws in the world are made in the United States including Husqvarna, Stihl, Echo and more, Husqvarna is also the parent company of McCulloch, and Poulan Pro making them the biggest manufacturer of chainsaws in the world. Other Manufacturers with a US presence include Makita and Dewalt 2 of the top rated power tool manufacturers in the world, Dewalt is making some of the best cordless model chainsaws in the world right here in the USA.
Keep in mind that in the global economy we live in not every model or part in all these chainsaws is going to be made in the USA.
Most of these companies have manufacturing facilities all over the world, so keeping that in mind we’ve done our best to comprise the best representation of american made products possible.
What are the Best American Made Gas Powered Chainsaws?
Stihl Brand, and Husqvarna brand are considered by most to be the best gas powered chainsaws made in the world today, they each produce a large number of models suitable for anyone from the average guy who uses his saw 3 or 4 times a year on small jobs up to professional logger who needs a saw built to function and last in the most demanding environments.
The Husqvarna Rancher 455 is one of the most popular saws made featuring easy start and clean burn technology, and the ability to change to many different bar lengths as well as low vibration compared to most saws. Along with the highest quality you’d expect from an American Made Saw.
One last thing, the best saw is the one that’s best for you, do you want a saw that’s very light and easy to handle? Echo makes some of the lightest and easiest handling gas powered chainsaws on the market today. Also Made in the USA.
If your looking for raw power or a long bar logging saw, Husqvarna and Stihl make the most powerful saws in the world. Some people prefer Stihl because they say they have more low-end torque for cutting tough logs but almost as many people prefer Husqvarna.
As far as all purpose saws the mid line 16-20 inch models these companies make great saws in those categories also, so do Makita, Poulan Pro, McColoch, and Dewalt, and one aspect a very important one in my opinion is feel, how does the saw feel in your hands I would suggest narrowing your choices down to 2 or 3 models and then go out and try to get your hands on them and just see how they feel to you.
If budget is a big issue then the Poulan Pro and McColoch offer a lot of bang for the buck. And being a subsidiary of Husqvarna you know that American quality will be there as well.
What are the Best American Made Electric Chainsaws?
Well it will come as no surprise that all the same players make great electric chainsaws as well, Stihl and Husqvarna, Echo, and Makita all make some very good corded electric chainsaws, a personal preference for me would be the Echo saws in this category.
Echo has been making corded lawn and garden equipment for many years and have been a very trusted brand in that regard. However electric doesn’t just mean corded anymore with bigger powerful lithium batteries available the cordless chainsaw has become a very hot item no fuels to mix, cords to drag around no struggling to start them. And Makita and Dewalt two of the leading and best manufacturers of cordless power tools are showing their muscle in this category and in my personal opinion Dewalt is leading the way in cordless chainsaws.
This is one of the best Dewalt Cordless Electric chainsaws featuring a brushless motor and a whopping 60v of power, which can achieve up to 70 cuts per charge of 6×6 Pine. They also happen to be made in USA.
Where are Stihl Chainsaws Made?
Stihl Is a German based company that manufacturers Stihl chainsaws in Virginia Beach, Virgina USA and also in Quingdao, China.
Stihl is the only company that also produces their own bars and chains for their saws. Ensuring all components meet Stihl quality standards
Where are Echo Chainsaws Made?
Echo is produced by the Yamabiko corporation of Japan they have manufacturing facilities in Japan, China, and in Lake Zurich, Illinois USA where the majority of Echo chainsaws are manufactured and built, in a 588,000 sq ft facility that employs over 2000 people.
Where are Husqvarna Chainsaws Made?
Husqvarna is a Swedish based company with manufacturing plants in Sweden, France, China, Brazil, and 5 plants in the USA.
So it is likely the saw you buy in the US will be built in the US although some of the parts may be manufactured in another country.
Where are Makita Chainsaws Made?
Makita is a Japanese based company that has manufacturing plants in 10 or more countries throughout the world including the USA.
Where are Dewalt Chainsaws Made?
Dewalt is a multi national company that produces products all over the world but they have at least 7 manufacturing facilities in the USA, and it is very likely that if you purchase a dewalt chainsaw, especially a cordless one that it will be made in a US facility.
American Made Chainsaw Accessories
In this section we will take a look at some of the things you might need to make that long day cutting logs in the field easier more productive and safer.
And while we are going to be talking about chainsaw specific accessories lets not forget our common sense accessories like ear and eye protection, and a good pair of gloves.
American Made Chainsaw Chaps
Chainsaw chaps are a great accessory to have they are typically made of Kevlar or some other ballistic materials that are designed to shred and jam your saw if the blade comes in contact with them.
There are several good brands out there all of them meeting OSHA safety standards including Stihl and Husqvarna brand although it is unclear if these are all made in the USA, there were a couple of brands I was able to verify as being USA made. These models were made by Labonville, and Timberjax I will post links to all these brands as this is possibly the most important piece of safety gear you can wear when using a chainsaw. Since leg injuries are the most common and very often the worst injuries you are likely to relieve when operating your saw.
Labonville is an American company based out of New Hampshire producing fine American made safety equipment since 1953.
Labonville chaps are full wrap, reversible chaps with extra large ballistic fibers offering superior safety and saw stopping ability
Timberjax chaps are a quality product made in the Carolinas USA featuring 6 layers of protection and 4 quick snap leg adjustments for superior fit.
Stihl and Husqvarna also offer fine versions of chainsaw chaps you cant go wrong with either of these brands checkout the links below..
American Made Chainsaw Bars
Why would I want to change my chainsaw bar? Well perhaps you need a bar that’s stronger, more rigid, or maybe you need a bar that’s more flexible or you’d prefer one with a replaceable nose sprocket, or perhaps a couple inches longer. or maybe your old bar is just worn out in which case your saws manufacturer should have a matching replacement for it.
Stihl manufacturers all of their own bars and chains in the USA, and since they are one of the top rated brands in the world finding a Stihl bar that fits your saw will always be a good choice.
Also Read: How to Store Chainsaw Without Oil Leaking
American Made Chainsaw Sharpener
So you spent a bunch of money on a nice new chainsaw do you want to save a little? Maybe you should consider buying a chainsaw sharpener so you can buy fewer blades and keep them in tip top cutting condition.
Now this isn’t a necessity your local chainsaw guy will be happy to keep charging you 10 bucks to sharpen your old blade every time it gets dull, but if your up to the task a sharpener might be right for you.
Now which one? Well If you own a Stihl or Husqvarna they both make manual sharpeners for their saws.
Granburg also makes a bar mounted universal sharpener that is made in the USA.
Sharpening your own saw blades will take a little time and practice but you may find the effort well worth it knowing you’ll never be stuck in the field with a dull chainsaw blade ever again.
American Made Chainsaw Boots
Chainsaw boots are another piece of protective gear we rarely think about until its too late.
But they have definite advantages over regular work boots, or steel toed boots alone, in that they are padded with the same type ballistic materials you would find in a pair of chain saw chaps.
This padding is designed to shred and jam up your saw bringing it to a fast stop in addition to the protection of a steel toe that also protects your feet from dropping and rolling logs.
Swede Pro also is confirmed made in America as is Stihl. Swede Pro offers a more economical alternative to the Stihl version while still meeting all OSHA safety standards.
I hope this article has instilled you with the confidence to go out and select a new chainsaw or chainsaw accessory that’s right for you and perhaps even filled you with a sense of pride in knowing that America still builds some of the best products available in the world today.
