When you’re working around the house with a chainsaw, dealing with a gas-powered unit can be a real struggle. Oregon offers up two excellent corded options, the CS1400 and CS 1500, as alternatives. We will base our recommendation on project needs.
Oregon CS1400
The Oregon CS1400 has a 15 A motor with a 16-inch reduced-kickback guide bar and chain that are both Oregon brands. While it doesn’t offer the power of a gas chainsaw, it does cut very well. It is ideal for light-duty jobs, easily tackling wood that is 5 inches in diameter. It can also handle up to 14-inch diameter logs.
It features auto-oiling, a chain brake, and a chain tensioner.
Because this is a corded chainsaw, you will need to ensure you have the appropriate cord to power it. Cords that are up to 50 feet long need to have an AWG/gauge rating of 14. If you use a cord that’s up to 100 feet long, on the other hand, it should have an AWG/gauge rating of 12. You should never use a cord that is longer than 100 feet long.
The chainsaw comes disassembled so you will have to attach the bar and the chain. Despite the somewhat confusing directions, this should only take you an average of 10 minutes to accomplish.
The CS1400 features an automatic start function and eliminates the need for dealing with bad spark plugs, pull cords, or gas ratios like you would with a gas-powered chainsaw. It weighs just over 15 pounds and is fitted with a front handle that features a hand guard for safety.
It features very low noise operation, keeping things quiet for your neighbors. When your chain becomes dull, you will need a chain sharpener.
Oregon CS1500
The Oregon CS1500 features a unique self-sharpening system. You’ll be back up and running after just 3 seconds following the pulling of a lever. This chain is exclusive to this saw and no other chain can be used. Its speed is 15 meters per second, which is very high for an electric saw.
Like the CS1400, the CS1500 offers quiet operation, self-oiling, and immediate startup. The main difference between the two is that the CS1500 provides an 18-inch guide barwith a 16-inch effective cutting length while the CS1400 provides a 16-inch guide bar with a 14-inch effective cutting length.
The CS1500 is extremely safe with the guide bar reducing kickback. It offers both front and rear handguards to protect your hands from the chain as well as debris. Tensioning is a toolless process.
It comes fully assembled out of the box, making it extremely easy to use. Its design is lightweight, ergonomic, and balanced with an over-mold on the handle for comfort.
The chainsaw is made of hard plastic but has all-metal drive components. To ensure you get the most of your saw, you will need to use the correct power cord. A 50-food cord will need to be 14 gauge and a 100-foot cord will need to be 12 gauge.
While it does not feature a brushless motor, its 15 A motor offers up enough power to keep productivity at a high.
With the automatic oiling system, the oil will be added to the bar automatically at a set rate whenever the chainsaw is operational. However, there is no provision for the rate of flow. The oil reservoir has a decent size of 4.7 ounces but a good bit is pushed out to the bar during operation so you will want to keep a supply with you if you are going to push the saw hard.
Our Recommendation
Clearly, both chainsaws offer a gamut of features that will benefit you when working in the yard. The CS1400 offers you the ability to tackle 14-inch-thick logs, comes with minimal assembly required, and performs very quietly. We recommend this chainsaw for DIYers who have minor tasks to complete that include cutting firewood or light trimming of branches.
On the other hand, the CS1500 offers a self-sharpening system, the ability to cut 16-inch-thick logs, and full assembly straight out of the box. We recommend this chainsaw for those users who have larger DIY projects that involve bigger cuts and require a more powerful tool.
Click here to purchase Oregon CS1400 on Amazon.com
Click here to purchase Oregon CS1500 on Amazon.com