A wide tree trunk can make a cheap chainsaw feel powerless within seconds. The bar disappears into the wood, engine speed drops, and the chain begins making dust instead of chips. A long guide bar may look ready for big timber, but it becomes dead weight when the engine cannot pull the chain through a full-width cut.
The ECHO CS-590 Timber Wolf is the best chainsaw for cutting large trees on a budget. Its 59.8cc gas engine, 20-inch or 24-inch bar choices, adjustable oil pump, and $469.99 starting price make it one of the strongest large-tree buys below $500. The Greenworks 80V 20-inch kit is the best battery choice, while the Husqvarna 460 Rancher is the better pick for buyers who want a factory-fitted 24-inch bar.
Best Budget and Step-Up Chainsaws for Large Trees
| Chainsaw | Best For | Power | Bar Choice | Price Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECHO CS-590 Timber Wolf | Best overall budget pick | 59.8cc gas | 18, 20, or 24 inches | From $469.99 |
| Greenworks 80V CS80L416 | Best battery package | 3.4kW brushless motor | 20 inches | $499.99 with battery |
| Husqvarna 460 Rancher | Best factory 24-inch setup | 60.3cc gas, 3.62 hp | 24 inches included | $649.99 |
| ECHO CS-620P | Best low-cost professional saw | 59.8cc gas | Commonly 20, 24, or 27 inches | From $739.99 |
| STIHL MS 391 | Best dealer-backed step-up pick | About 64cc gas, 4.5 hp | 18, 20, or 25 inches | From $839.99 |
Prices were checked on July 23, 2026. Dealer prices, sales, bar packages, and local stock can change.
1. ECHO CS-590 Timber Wolf: Best Budget Chainsaw for Large Trees
The ECHO CS-590 Timber Wolf gives buyers a 59.8cc engine for less money than many smaller farm saws. ECHO lists the model from $469.99, with the final price changing by bar length.
The 20-inch version is the best all-round choice. It feels quicker than the 24-inch setup and places less strain on the engine. It can cut trees wider than 20 inches when a trained operator works from both sides of the trunk.
The 24-inch model adds useful reach around broad trunks, large root flares, and fallen trees. It is a sensible choice when tree diameters often sit between 18 and 26 inches. Dense oak or hickory will slow the saw when the whole 24-inch chain is buried, but a sharp loop and gentle feed pressure help the engine hold speed.
The powerhead weighs 13.2 pounds without the bar and chain. It is not a light limbing saw, yet the weight feels reasonable for a 60cc machine near this price. During bucking, much of the saw rests against the log through the bumper spikes.
An adjustable clutch-driven oil pump lets the owner raise oil flow for a longer bar. The pump only works while the chain moves. This cuts oil waste during idle.
The decompression valve reduces starter resistance. A translucent fuel tank lets the user check fuel without opening the cap. ECHO’s air pre-cleaner throws larger dust particles away before they reach the main filter.
The lower price does bring a few trade-offs. The sprocket cover is plastic rather than magnesium. The saw is also heavier than costly professional machines with similar displacement.
Neither drawback ruins its appeal for firewood, storm cleanup, farms, and private woodland. The CS-590 puts its money into engine size and cutting ability rather than low weight and costly electronics.
Choose the 20-inch CS-590 for mixed hardwood and softwood. Buy the 24-inch version when wider trees appear often. This is the budget saw to beat when one machine must handle firewood, fallen trunks, and occasional large-tree felling.
Check ECHO CS-590 Timber Wolf listings on Amazon
2. Greenworks 80V 20-Inch: Best Battery Chainsaw for Large Trees on a Budget
The Greenworks CS80L416 is the best battery package in this group. The $499.99 package includes a 20-inch saw, 4.0Ah battery, and charger. Many cordless saws look cheaper until the buyer adds a large battery.
Greenworks rates its brushless motor at 3.4kW and compares its output with a 60cc gas engine. The chain runs at up to 82 feet per second. The complete saw weighs 12.3 pounds with its stated setup.
The 20-inch bar works well for fallen hardwood, storm cleanup, large firewood rounds, and trunks near 18 inches across. A trained user can cut wider wood from two sides.
The maker states up to 230 cuts through four-by-four treated lumber with the included battery. That figure does not represent cuts through a 20-inch oak trunk. Wide hardwood draws far more energy from the pack.
For occasional big cuts, the battery package works well. Press the trigger and the chain reaches speed without a choke, pull rope, fuel mixture, or warm-up period. The saw becomes quiet after the trigger is released.
Long felling days are harder. A second 4.0Ah battery costs a large part of the saw’s price. Charging in woodland may require a generator, vehicle inverter, or portable power station.
The Greenworks has steel bumper spikes, a wraparound metal handle, a chain brake, automatic oil delivery, and a clear oil tank. The battery also works with more than 75 machines in the Greenworks 80V family.
Choose this saw for large fallen branches, home firewood, and occasional trunks near the house. Gas remains the better budget answer for remote woodland and repeated cuts through broad trees.
Check Greenworks 80V 20-inch chainsaw kits on Amazon
3. Husqvarna 460 Rancher: Best Budget Saw With a 24-Inch Bar
The Husqvarna 460 Rancher costs more than the CS-590, but it arrives as a well-matched 24-inch package. Its 60.3cc engine produces 3.62 horsepower. Husqvarna lists the current 24-inch model at $649.99.
This saw is made for landowners who regularly cut trees wider than 18 inches. The extra bar length helps the user reach across broad trunks and low stumps without leaning as far over the wood.
A long bar does not remove the need for sharp chain. Twenty-four inches of dull cutters can pull the engine down like a heavy anchor. Keep two or three sharp loops in the saw case and swap them before cutting speed falls badly.
The 460 Rancher uses 3/8-inch pitch and .058-inch gauge cutting gear in its listed 24-inch package. Husqvarna pairs it with an S83G chain. A C85 full-chisel loop can cut clean hardwood faster, while a semi-chisel loop often keeps its edge longer around dusty bark.
An adjustable oil pump lets the owner raise flow for the 24-inch bar. LowVib mounts reduce some of the engine buzz that reaches the handles. The decompression valve makes the starter rope easier to pull against the 60cc engine.
The 460 Rancher sits between a farm saw and a professional forestry saw. It is heavier and slower than a costly 60cc XP model, but it costs much less. Parts and service are easy to find in areas with a Husqvarna dealer.
Choose this model when a 24-inch bar belongs on the saw most of the time. Pick the CS-590 when saving roughly $180 matters more than the Husqvarna controls and dealer network.
Check Husqvarna 460 Rancher listings on Amazon
4. ECHO CS-620P: Best Professional Chainsaw at a Lower Price
The ECHO CS-620P is the step-up choice for buyers who cut large trees often. It uses the same 59.8cc displacement as the CS-590, but its body and cutting parts are made for heavier daily use.
ECHO lists the CS-620P from $739.99. The powerhead weighs 13.7 pounds. Common packages include 20-inch, 24-inch, and 27-inch bars.
The professional body has a magnesium sprocket cover, dual bumper spikes, an adjustable oil pump, and a replaceable rim sprocket. These parts are better suited to repeated bar changes and long work sessions than the lighter pieces on the CS-590.
The clutch and chain setup also feel more at home under steady load. A 24-inch bar is the best broad-use pairing. The 27-inch option adds reach for occasional wider trunks, though the saw will slow when the whole chain enters hard, dry wood.
The CS-620P uses a normal diaphragm carburettor. There is no computer-controlled fuel unit. Owners who service their own two-stroke machines may prefer this simpler arrangement.
The price gap above the CS-590 is hard to justify for a buyer who cuts three weekends each year. It makes more sense for a firewood seller, farm crew, tree company, or woodland owner who puts many tanks of fuel through a saw.
Buy the CS-620P when the CS-590 is not quite heavy-duty enough but a premium 60cc forestry saw costs too much.
Check ECHO CS-620P listings on Amazon
5. STIHL MS 391: Best Dealer-Backed Step-Up Saw
The STIHL MS 391 is not cheap beside the ECHO CS-590. Its $839.99 starting price places it near professional-saw money. It earns a place here for buyers who want a large farm saw and have a strong STIHL dealer nearby.
The engine is about 64cc and produces 4.5 horsepower. The bare machine weighs 13.8 pounds. STIHL sells it with 18-inch, 20-inch, and 25-inch bar choices in the United States.
The 25-inch package gives the operator a clear view past many trunks near two feet across. That can make face-cut placement easier than working with a short bar buried inside the tree.
The MS 391 uses a decompression valve, anti-vibration mounts, a side chain adjuster, and a pre-separation air cleaner. Its compensating carburettor changes fuel flow as the air filter gathers dust.
A 20-inch bar gives the saw its fastest general cutting setup. The 25-inch bar belongs on it when extra reach is worth slower chain response. Large hardwood calls for a sharp chain and patient feed pressure.
The STIHL costs nearly $370 more than the base CS-590. That money may make sense when the local STIHL dealer has skilled mechanics, common parts, and quick service. It makes less sense when the saw will receive light private use.
Choose the MS 391 when dealer care and a 25-inch factory package rank above the lowest purchase price.
Check STIHL MS 391 bars, chains, and accessories on Amazon
How Large Is a Large Tree?
For a homeowner saw, a trunk above 18 inches across begins to feel large. Trees above 24 inches place much more chain inside the wood and ask more from the engine.
| Tree Diameter | Sensible Engine Size | Useful Bar Length |
|---|---|---|
| 16 to 20 inches | 50cc to 60cc | 18 to 20 inches |
| 20 to 28 inches | 60cc to 70cc | 20 to 28 inches |
| 28 to 36 inches | 70cc to 90cc | 28 to 32 inches |
| Above 36 inches | 90cc or larger | 32 inches or longer |
A bar does not need to cross the full trunk in one pass. An experienced cutter can work from both sides. This lets a 20-inch bar cut a trunk wider than 20 inches.
Wood type changes the load. Green pine usually cuts faster than dry oak of the same width. Frozen wood, knots, dirt, and twisted grain make the job harder.
Why 60cc Is the Budget Sweet Spot
A 45cc chainsaw can wear a 20-inch or 24-inch bar, but that does not mean it will pull the chain well through a wide hardwood cut. It is like asking a small tractor to drag a full log trailer uphill.
A 60cc saw has enough engine size for a 20-inch bar and occasional 24-inch work. It remains cheaper and lighter than most 70cc and 90cc professional machines.
This engine class also has good parts access. Oregon, STIHL, Husqvarna, ECHO, Tsumura, and Sugihara sell common 3/8-inch cutting gear for these saws.
Spend money on engine size before buying the longest bar in the shop. A 20-inch bar on a healthy 60cc saw can cut faster than a 24-inch bar on a strained 45cc machine.
Should You Buy a Used Professional Saw?
A used 70cc professional saw can cost less than a new farm model. Older STIHL MS 440, MS 460, Husqvarna 372 XP, and ECHO CS-670 machines may give strong cutting power when they have been cared for.
The risk is hidden wear. A saw can look clean while suffering from low compression, crank-seal leaks, damaged bearings, a worn clutch, or a scored piston.
Remove the muffler and inspect the piston when the seller permits it. Check cold starting, hot starting, idle, oil flow, chain brake action, handle mounts, bar studs, and fuel leaks.
A cheap used saw that needs a cylinder, carburettor, bearings, bar, and chain can cost more than a new CS-590. Buyers without engine repair experience may get a safer deal from a new machine with warranty cover.
Best Chain for Large Trees
Full-chisel chain cuts clean timber faster. Its square cutter corners work well in clean oak, maple, hickory, pine, and fir. Dirt rounds those corners quickly.
Semi-chisel chain has rounded cutter corners. It cuts a little slower but stays useful longer around dirty bark, frozen logs, and storm timber.
A standard cutter sequence works well on 18-inch, 20-inch, and many 24-inch bars. Skip chain removes some cutters from the loop. It gives chips more room to leave a deep cut and places less drag on long bars.
Skip chain can help a 60cc saw pull a 24-inch or 27-inch loop. It also feels rougher in small wood. Every cutter carries more of the work, so each tooth needs an even edge.
Costs Beyond the Chainsaw
Leave room in the budget for three sharp chains, bar oil, two-cycle oil, fresh fuel, filing gear, wedges, and clothing made for chainsaw work.
A spare chain may cost $25 to $45. A replacement bar can cost $60 to $200, depending on length and build. Premium lightweight bars cost more.
A battery saw may need a second large battery. That purchase can add $200 or more. A gas saw needs fuel cans, mixing oil, filters, and spark plugs across its working life.
Do not spend the full budget on the powerhead and then cut in ordinary jeans and trainers. A lower-priced saw with proper clothing is a wiser package than a premium saw used without it.
Large-Tree Cutting Safety
Cutting a large fallen trunk is not the same as felling a large standing tree. A standing tree can contain several tons of wood above the operator.
Dead branches may fall before the trunk moves. Rot can weaken the hinge area. A split stem can open suddenly. Wind and heavy lean can overpower the intended fall direction.
Hire a trained tree worker when the tree stands near a house, road, fence, vehicle, neighbouring property, or electrical line. Professional help is also the right call for dead crowns, hollow trunks, storm cracks, hanging limbs, and trees under heavy tension.
Wear a forestry helmet, face shield, hearing guards, chainsaw trousers or chaps, gloves, and cut-resistant boots. Clear two escape paths before any felling cut. Keep every bystander outside the full fall zone.
Premium Large-Tree Package Over $2,000
A serious woodland package can pass $2,000 without buying a top-priced forestry saw. Start with an ECHO CS-590 and a lighter 40cc or 50cc saw for branches. Add 20-inch and 24-inch bars, three chains for each bar, spare rim sprockets, and a bench chain grinder.
Add a forestry helmet, chainsaw trousers, cut-resistant boots, gloves, wedges, a breaking bar, cant hook, hard saw cases, fuel cans, chain oil, and a large first-aid pack.
A second saw is more than a luxury in remote work. It can free the main saw when a trunk pinches the bar. Never try to cut a trapped bar free with the same powerhead.
See premium large-tree cutting equipment on Amazon
As an Amazon Associate, this site may earn from qualifying purchases.
Which Budget Chainsaw Should You Buy for Large Trees?
The ECHO CS-590 Timber Wolf is the best budget chainsaw for cutting large trees. Its 59.8cc engine gives it enough pull for a 20-inch bar and occasional 24-inch work. The $469.99 starting price leaves money for spare chains, oil, wedges, and protective clothing.
Choose the Greenworks 80V 20-inch kit when most work happens near the house and easy starting matters more than all-day run time. Its $499.99 package already contains the battery and charger.
Buy the Husqvarna 460 Rancher when you want a ready-made 24-inch setup and good Husqvarna dealer care. Move to the ECHO CS-620P when the saw will work often and tougher body parts justify the higher price.
The STIHL MS 391 is the dealer-backed step-up choice. Its 4.5-horsepower engine and 25-inch option suit large farm trees, though its price sits far above the ECHO CS-590.
For most private landowners, the 20-inch ECHO CS-590 gives the smartest mix of cost, engine size, bar choice, and long-term repair access. Keep the chain sharp, feed it enough oil, and let the cutters pull. A budget saw works best when it is not asked to fight a dull chain through a wall of hardwood.