CP1216 Electric Chainsaw, Corded, 12-Amp, 16-Inch

Update: I had a fairly large job clearing out some oleanders that had gotten huge and we had decided to do something else with the area. The consoidated bases of these were seven to ten inches in diameter each. There were twelve of them. The little electric Wen performed admirably. The only problem was with the operator. Trying to cut the stumps too close to the ground a few times, I got the saw into the dirt. One of the more unproductive things you can do with a chainsaw. It not only quickly dulls the teeth but can gum up the end sprocket and build up in the driver. Realizing the error of my technique, I disassembled the saw, cleaned everything up, put on a new chain, and got back after it. The saw sprung back to life and zipped through the next plant with a vengenance and the operator was more cautious about how close to the ground he was cutting. Even after the unintentional abuse, the little saw did its thing very well.Original Post: Having bought a Wen generator a few years ago and being pleased with its reliability, I decided on this chainsaw. It is for the home and property owner who has occasional need and I wanted a tool that would do the job, without the fuss of a gasoline engine or multiple battery swaps, and not be a ton of dollars hanging on my garage wall when not in use. The initial impression after use is that it is all of that. It is definitely quieter and lighter than its gasoline counter part, and I have enought extension cord to reach everywhere I need to.Inital assembly is simple if one reads the instructions. To avoid disappointment that the chain is immediately dulled, and that it takes forever to cut through anything, it helps if the chain is put on the right direction. Like any chainsaw, you can put the chain on backward. If the pointy parts are not going forward, the saw will be trying to brutalized the cut with a flat tooth back.The nut cover holds everything in place. As per instructions, after you assemble the saw and run it and may need to retension the chain, make sure you back off the cover nut before trying to turn the tension screw. If you do not, it will not turn. Your slack should be 1/8". Retighten the cover nut tight to hold the tensioner.You will need to buy your own bar and chain oil. The tool has a nice sized resevoir with an oil level window.There are probably better chains on the market than the one provided with the Wen, but to begin it does the job just fine. I decided to have additional chains in reserve (and at the price on Amazon, sharpening chain teeth is out of the question).This is a tool whose purpose is to be there when you need it, perform the job in good order, and wait for the next project. For the price and initial performance, this is a great value.

Hi. I recommend this 3.5 hp, corded 18" item. It has given me no trouble. I suggest you buy the biggest motor you can safely lift. 12 amp saws are light duty tools, and anything smaller is a toy. I'm old and a wimp and this one's not too heavy for me. Too many trees are my bane.This is my most often used chain saw once a tree in down on the ground. When the price drops back to $80 I will buy me a spare one. It has super simple chain replacement and chain tensioning. Decent quality Oregon chains are available for about $10 each on Amazon. Chain details are bundle part number S62X3, 18 inch 62 drive links 3/8 spacing and 0.050 slot width. The Oregon chains can be hand sharpened in the field.This saw has a big heavy motor drawing 15 amps. Something in the order of holding a washing machine motor up for tree work. It requires a 12 gage wire size extension cord for up to a 50 ft distance. Go 10 gage wire size power cord to extend that distance. It's not as fast at cutting rock-hard Oak as a big 2-stroke gas chain saw, of which I have many, most dear being my dependable Stihl, but the trade off is that the cheaper fuel powered saws are tempermental to the point of halting tree work. Two is one and one is none applies to chain saws in the field and when the work just hast to get done today. And sometimes one saw is used to un-entrap the other.Fuel degrades the fuel system components too. Little gas engines need fresh, high octane gas and I go rich on low ash oil mix. I never know if one of those will fire up. Gas saws' noise from arms' length away can make my head ring and my fingers numb. I can make a lot more cuts with this 15 amp Wen. It cuts all day long.It drinks bar oil and that needs to be topped off regularly. Best get a cartridge of chain bar lube and use it occasionally at the business end. When the chain cut rate slows down, or the cut wanders to the right, or it spits out more dust than shavings, the chain has gone dull. A dull chain just polishes the wood. I can cut from both sides of a log to manage bigger diameters, and also I bought a 24" bar for my 15 amp chain saw.Total investment matches the price of buying a larger Stihl. On top of the chain saw, I have 150 feet of 10 gage power cord, 50 feet of 12 gage cord, and an iron-sleeved, 4-stroke, gas powered generator for the work site.

Cuts good. Easy to use

Just one job so far -- cutting a substantial (8" diameter) fallen limb into manageable chunks, but I'm happy with this tool. It's heavy-duty and seems about as powerful as my old gas-powered Poulan. I have the 15 amp, 18" model. Don't anticipate needing that much length, but wanted the more powerful motor.

This chainsaw punches well above its weight. The 12-amp motor delivers impressive cutting power, spinning the 16-inch chain at up to 44 feet per second, which makes quick work of branches, logs, and yard cleanup. I love that it’s lightweight (around 10 lbs)—easy to maneuver without wearing out your arms.The auto-oiling system keeps the chain lubricated during use, and the tool-free chain tensioning is a huge plus for quick adjustments. It’s also electric, so there’s no gas, no fumes, and way less noise than a traditional chainsaw. Just plug it in and go.For homeowners or casual users, this is a fantastic, low-maintenance option that gets the job done without the hassle of a gas engine.