Top 5 Best Chainsaws for Milling Lumber 2021 [Expert Picks]

In order to make a well informed purchase, read our other reviews, Best farm and ranch chainsaw reviews, Best 60cc chainsaw reviews, Best chainsaw under 300 reviews,

Husqvarna 460 is highly optimized to tackle your milling task. Husqvarna never compromises on quality and safety that you required.

It will never let your trust go down in terms of optimal performance.

Are you looking forward to handle big milling application? Its 20-inch bar works aggressively on big task.

No matter what happens, Husqvarna 20 Inch Rancher Gas chainsaw will always make your milling task easy.

You will never feel uncomfortable while using this chainsaw because of its ergonomic and efficient design.You are free from all worries too about its engine life.

It features an air injection centrifugal air cleaning system that will keep its air filter away from any kinds of debris or larger dust that may reduce engines lifespan. Because of its powerful performance this chainsaw is our top pick 

Also, it has long bar that will give you amazing cutting experience. It is easy to start and you will get a continuous, stressful cutting performance.

It has also other great features that you will easily identify the difference between a serviceable chainsaw and this milling chainsaw.

Husqvarna 455 rancher chainsaw is big and weighty enough to perform well against your milling task.

It is suitable for landowners and full-time users who require a massive, powerful workmate that is able to cut off your backyard trees to tall oaks.

It offers the best features than its ancestor with advanced, smoothing tools and ergonomics. Controlling a chainsaw is barely hard due to its heavy vibration.

Nothing welcomes on fatigue faster than trying to handle a chainsaw that is vibrating badly. Husqvarna 455 Rancher has a vibration controlling system that will make your work safer than ever.

The 455 Rancher is available with operation manual, a defending bar case, a multipurpose tool to eliminate the clutch cover and tensioning the chain.

ECHO is a chainsaw manufacturer who never compromises on quality and value.

ECHO CS-590 gas chainsaw is available with a wide range of features that made him unique from all other chainsaws and includes a transparent fuel tank, reduction of air pressure feature, 2 - piece mesh air filter.

Its 2 – stroke engine runs using fuel, and you can use a mix of gas and oil. You need to use minimum 89 octanes unleaded gas and 2 – stroke oil maintaining 50:1 ratio.

The capacity of the fuel tank is 21.8 oz, and the tank is translucent that make it easy to give a look when fuel is about to finish, and without any delay, you can fill it up. Its 20-inch bar length makes it suitable for milling work.

Do you need a powerful chainsaw to get an ease operation at your woodwork? Shake your hands with Makita XCU04PT chainsaw.

Its powerful brushless motor offers enough power that will permit you to go about your duties with comfortable.

Makita always takes care of their tools to give an exceptional cutting experience to their customer.

In XCU04PT design, they introduced an advanced variable speed trigger system to let you experience with unique cutting performance.

You don’t need any tools in order to adjust the chain that permits you to utilize its full efficiency suitably.

It comes with two 18V LXT Lithium-Ion battery to give your immense support to work for a long time if you are performing an extensive woodwork task.

Wave your hands to all your worries about its maintenance as it is free from emissions.

You don’t need to sweat your forehead thinking about changing engine oil, replacement of the spark plug, cleaning and clearing the air filter. Also, it is unnecessary to drain the fuel for storage.

All you need to do is, pick the chainsaw, give it power using 18V LXT Lithium battery and start using it.

Significantly simple! If you are looking for electric chainsaw for milling, then undoubtedly you can choose this model.

Are you purchasing a chainsaw for the first time? Are you Little bit confused which one to buy because a lot of variations are available in the market?

While selecting the perfect saw for your mill, you need to take care of a few essential factors that I am going to share with you below.

Safety Features

A chainsaw without safety features may lead you to serious injury. Many of us shut our eyes in terms of checking the safety features of a chainsaw, whereas we need to keep an eagle eye.

Inspect your chainsaw intently and ensure all safety features like hand-guard, anti-vibration features, automatic oil lubricator, and to name a few are available in your selected chainsaw.

Bar Length

Engine Power

Your chainsaw’s engine power is another very critical point to consider before purchasing a saw. In most cases, you’re between two power types for a milling saw electric or gas-powered.

If an electric-powered milling chainsaw is your choice, you’d have to select a chainsaw from 12 – 15Amps. Lower placed amp chainsaws won’t function optimally in milling lumber.

Also, if you make a gas-powered chainsaw your pick, its power is measured in cc. For a top-performing milling chainsaw, you’d have to get a choice from 50cc to ensure significant cutting power. 

There’re also some choices that could go well over 50ccs to assure more comfortable slicing through stuff.

Since you’re not purchasing these saws for light to moderate use, getting the highest engine power should be your focus, power-type regardless.

Durability

Milling operations require saws that have to be of optimal performance at all stages. For the perfect milling chainsaw, you’d have to consider your selected machine’s material makeup, engine performance, and more.

All major features that’ll ensure your machine keeps performing for longer need to be present.

Portability/Working Location

Where do you want to use your chainsaw? If you decided to work in woodland, it is preferable to select gas powered chainsaw.

A battery powered chainsaw also will be an option, but the charge may finish before you finish your job.

Moreover, an electric chainsaw will be the right choice if you are living in a suburb.

Price

You can spend more than a hundred dollars to purchase a chainsaw, but all dancing and singing will be useless if you don’t utilize it to its zenith efficiency.

If you are looking to use a chainsaw to use for your home, purchasing less than $200 chainsaw will be an ethical decision.

Warranty

Do you love to buy a chainsaw item using more than $100 that has less lifespan? Undoubtedly your answer will be NO.

Check out the warranty because you are purchasing an item using your valuable money and you are expecting to get its service for a long time. Keep note; an expensive item will provide you long service.

Added Features

Modern chainsaws provides advanced technology than an old chainsaw. Advanced technologies like reducing vibration system, adjustable side-mounted tension, heated handle, a carrying case and no name a few.

Set a reminder in your smartphone about checking these additional features while purchasing.

Selecting the correct chainsaw is significantly essential because you can do mistake easily from the ocean of chainsaw showing in your nearest or online stores.

I believe the above information will help you a lot to purchase the right chainsaw for milling and fulfill your requirements. 

What is Milling?

Milling, when it comes to chainsaws, is the process of removing the rounded parts off a log and reducing the now rectangular log to smaller pieces.

Milled logs provide very useful lengths of wood for construction and other essential purposes. Over the years, milling has been practiced with a lot of crude methods, but technology has changed all that.

Is There Any Difference between Logs Milled in an Industrial Mill Machine and with a Milling Chainsaw?

Nowadays, there’re machines that could actually get a lot of logs milled in a short time. But since these industrial cutting machines are way over your budget, it’s better to get a milling chainsaw.

The small size of these saws doesn’t take anything from their performance, as it could be difficult to tell where a log was milled when you use your chainsaw right.

How Many Operators are required to Use a Milling Chainsaw?

A single-handed chainsaw usually requires only one operator to handle milling operations. On the flip side, the much larger double-sided chainsaw is only operable with two handlers, one on each end of the machine.

What Kind of Milling Chainsaw Do I Need?

This depends on your operation. If you’re milling through logs with much smaller diameters, you could cheaply get the job done with a single-handed chainsaw. But when you’ve got to cut through considerably larger logs, you’d have to get it done with a double-handed chainsaw.

Why You Need a Top Rated Chainsaw for Milling?

You need a top-rated chainsaw for milling to ensure you get the best performance. When in stores for a top-performing saw, it’s inappropriate to choose an inferior product.

Most chainsaw brands with top performance are already very popular, so it shouldn’t be difficult to get a top-rated choice. And to make your selection process a tad comfortable, this review features all the top-class saws you’ll ever need.

Gas or Electric, Which Power Type is best for Milling?

When it comes to milling chainsaws, gas-power has an edge over electric-powered chainsaws. Gas chainsaws come in a design that assures more cutting power than electric chainsaws.

Also, most gas engines from 45ccs can cheaply outrun an electric saw in a wide range of cutting tasks. So to ensure a top-notch cutting experience, go for gas-powered saws. Read more about gas vs electric chainsaw.

Should I Hire a Professional for Milling my Wood?

This totally depends on you. If you’ve got a lot of wood to mill with not enough experience to get it done, it’s better you get a pro to handle the job for you.

But if you’re well versed in cutting through a lot of logs with no hassle, there’s no need to waste that extra cash on hiring a lumbering pro.

How Much Power Do I Need For a Hassle-free Milling Experience

If you’ve got your sights set on an electric-powered milling chainsaw, you’d have to get one within the 12 – 15Amp power range. 

For gas-powered saws, get a chainsaw that has its engine power ranging from 50cc  or above.