Top 5 Best Pocket Chainsaw Reviews in 2021

Updated On — 14th Jan, 2021

A chainsaw doesn’t have to be a large machine that works with a motor. Instead, it can be something small and easy to use that you can bring along anywhere you go.

That’s what the best pocket chainsaw offers. The ability to go anywhere with one of these on your pocket will take your wood-cutting ability to another level.

Especially in survival scenarios or places where using other alternatives is impossible, one of these comes like a perfect tool to cut branches, logs, and the like.

So, do you want to learn more about them and possibly find the ideal tool for your needs? Then you’ll want to read up this article further!

What Is a Pocket Chain Saw Used For

There are many reasons to use a pocket chain, but all of them revolve around its small design and practicality. Here are a few ways to use them:

• Cutting in the Wild

Having the same cutting mechanism that a standard motored chainsaw, they are pretty useful whenever a large model is not available.

From camping trips to survival scenarios, whenever there’s a power outage, or even just in places where bringing a big chainsaw is impossible – then a pocket model will do the work.

• Cutting in Difficult Places

Sometimes, bringing a gas or battery-powered chainsaw to the top of the tree is not an option. That’s where a pocket chainsaw enters into work.

While it will probably take more time to cut a log or branch high in a tree, it will make it a lot safer and feasible.

But you can make it work in any place where a typical chainsaw won’t. Whether it is because of difficulty or space, whenever it is raining, or even if the site is too humid – a pocket chainsaw offers the right versatility to make it happen.

Best Pocket Chainsaw Reviews in 2021

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If you don’t know much about pocket chainsaws, you may end up wasting a lot of time looking for the right option. Luckily, here you have 5 of the best models with their own reviews so you won’t have to waste any of your time!

01. Sportsman Industries Survival Pocket Chainsaw

More than a simple chainsaw, this is a survival kit. It comes with every single piece of equipment you need to be safe in the wild, from a Firestarter to a pouch and a lanyard. However, the real benefit comes from the quality of the chain.

This model delivers 36 inches of chain length, ideal for cutting through wood like a master without any issue. Its length offers sufficient cutting capacity but also provides comfortable using for both small and thick logs.

But what really adds to its effectiveness is the bi-directional set of blades. You will have the chance to cut in any direction without anything to stop you. Going through wood will be a piece of cake with this model.

The chain also boasts a self-cleaning feature which makes it easy to keep clean. And with the quality construction using heat-treated carbon steel, it gets even better. From the performance to the overall durability, this chainsaw will never let you down.

On top of all that, it comes with a heavy-duty set of handles. Made of nylon, these handles make it comfy and easy to cut wood away. And with the metal brackets, you can expect a long-lasting experience.

To use it, you just need to get it out of the high-quality nylon pouch, grab the handles, and measure the wood piece to cut. Then, you’ll be ready to go through anything in the fastest and most effective way. Also, remember you get a rectangular sharpener, so you can keep the chainsaw sharp for long.

Pros:

• Comes with ideal length for versatility & ease of use
• High-quality carbon steel construction
• Bi-directional blade for extra cutting capacity
• Comfy nylon handle with a handy pouch

Cons:

• Straps are not as reliable as expected
• Needs lots of re-sharpening

02. Skyocean Pocket Chainsaw with Paracord Handle

To make a good pocket chain saw review, we need to go over the best options in the market. For us, Skyocean is undoubtedly among the best.

This is a portable model that offers either 24 or 36 inches of length depending on the model you pick. The advantage comes from the 0.4 pounds of weight. Yes, that’s how light this product is and still manages to provide excellent performance and durability.

It can fold down to as little as 6 inches, which adds extra portability to the piece so you can bring it anywhere you want.

The cutting performance leaves nothing to be desired for sure. It comes with a bi-directional design boasting eleven sharp blades. You can smoothly go through the smallest branches or really thick trunks without having to make much of an effort.

And of course, it still manages to be one of the most durable & resistant in the market. It comes with heat-treated steel in the chain which adds extra cutting capacity and tons of durability. You won’t have to worry about the chain ever breaking.

To make it even better, you get a self-cleaning design which reduces the amount of cleaning you have to do. And to add more convenience, you get pretty decent handles with paracord that increase the control and cutting capacity.

The paracord has a unique ability to untie and make the chainsaw longer. You can make the whole product up to 275 inches long, which may add tons of practicality and extra comfort when using.

Lastly, you get a small nylon pouch that you can attach anywhere for extra portability. So, this chainsaw simply has nothing to complain about.

Pros:

• Fantastic dual-length options
• Ideal paracord handles for practicality
• Convenient storage pouch for portability
• Durable & practical carbon steel chain

Cons:

• Pouch is not as resistant as expected
• The chain could have more cutting teeth

03. Wealers Pocket Chainsaw

The Wealers pocket chainsaw is one of those options that offer the versatility on a small design to take your wood-cutting performance to another level.

It all starts with a 25.5-inches design that offers enough length for enough cutting capacity in any of your trips. Whether you want it to cut branches or small trees, this chainsaw won’t disappoint you.

But it is not the length but the excellent bi-directional teeth that do the work. They are supposed to cut up to 3 inches of wood in less than a minute. That adds an exceptional performance that easily matches that of a handsaw.

It is made with high-quality steel and coated with anti-rust materials. This makes the whole chain one of the most durable along with its superb performance. You can expect it to last a lifetime without problems.

As for using, you will have two nylon handles that are easy to wrap around your hand so you can achieve the ideal leverage. The benefit really comes from the extendable feature, so you can reach to more challenging places when using. You can also pick 3 different colors: Black, Army Green, and Orange.

This chainsaw is just fantastic. And even more so when you add the 5-inches long foldable design that you can store anywhere. Along with the 5-inches holster case, you can easily bring this chainsaw anywhere and get all of its benefits. And that immediately makes it one of the best choices you can get.

Pros:

• Decent length at 25.5 inches
• Superb cutting with bi-directional blades
• Practical nylon handles in different colors
• Handy foldable design with extra case

Cons:

• Not easy to sharpen & Handles are not as reliable as expected

04. Homyall Pocket Chainsaw

A survival pocket chainsaw needs to cut effectively, provide excellent portability, and still deliver exceptional durability. And guess what – that’s precisely what you get with the Homyall Pocket Chainsaw.

This model goes through wood three times faster than its competitors by using 30 teeth – something you won’t get with any other model. Yes, you get so many chain teeth that you can cut wood most effectively without wasting any of your time or effort.

The blades are also bi-directional. This increases the overall cutting performance, especially with the heat-treated steel that supports years of use without wearing off.

It is also well-sized at 24 inches, so you can have enough control over it but at the same time achieve excellent results. You can cut medium and large-sized trunks without problems.

The two handles are orange, which adds extra visibility to the chainsaw if you need to use it at night. And on top of that, they come with a sturdy nylon construction that increases its overall durability.

It weighs only 0.5 pounds, which is half of what other similar options do. And with its small size, you also get a holster case that you can bring around with your chainsaw inside. In short, it makes it outstandingly easy to travel with if needed.

Add each feature together, and this is undoubtedly among the highest-quality pocket chainsaws you can get. But above anything, it stands out for its unique performance-oriented design. If you want great results, this is the one to go for.

Pros:

• Fantastic 30-teeth chain build
• Small and light design for high portability
• Durable & sturdy steel construction
• Comfy & reliable orange nylon handles

Cons:

• More teeth demand more sharpening work
• Needs more leverage/strength to work than others

05. Croc SHARPEST! Survival Pocket

You won’t find any chainsaw with teeth as sharp as this one. If you want the best results when sawing down branches and small trees, then this is your best bet.

It comes with 92 teeth. Yes, you read that right. It offers 92 teeth on a single chain that increase the overall cutting capacity. These teeth are magnificently sharp too, which makes it outstandingly easy to cut through the wood like no other does.

The teeth are sharp with a triangular form. This means they will go through wood more effectively and cut like a shark bite. And this gets better with the steel construction, so you can expect the sharp blades to last a lot of time.

Even the handles on this model are unique. It comes with plastic grips that you need to simply grab side by side and pull intermittently to receive your desired performance. These handles attach to a small paracord that eventually connects to the chainsaw, adding extra leverage.

Apart from all that, with its 36-inches in length, you can achieve excellent results without going the extra mile. You won’t have to exert huge amounts of effort to achieve a decent cutting performance. It makes it effortless and straightforward.

But surely, it is still lightweight and reliable. You can store it wherever you want and bring it anywhere without setbacks. Overall, this pocket saw will make your life better.

Pros:

• Unbeatable 92-teeth chain design
• Extra leverage capacity with grip-oriented handles
• Paracord addition increases cutting leverage
• Long-lasting and resilient steel construction

Cons:

• May get stuck when using
• Can be tricky to sharpen

Things to Consider Before Buying

You’ll surely want the best hand chain saw, but you will only pick that saw if you know what to look for. That’s why reading about the following factors will give you a better idea:

• Material

Chainsaws usually come in steel construction. This is the only metal that can handle the constant use and wear against wood and similar materials.

But steel won’t get far alone. You will have to get something that offers a decent enough construction like heat-treated steel, high-carbon steel, iron, or similar.

The whole point is to get a chain with sturdy construction that stands out the constant cutting wear. Otherwise, the chain will wear off fast or sometimes even break. You can prevent that by choosing a strong enough product.

• Durability

Apart from the material, you should make sure it is durable. Yes, the wear has a lot to do with how durable the product is, but there are also many other factors to consider.

For example, hand chainsaws are more likely to be used in challenging conditions with lots of moisture, rain, or similar. So they need to be resistant to corrosion and rust. Otherwise, the chain may eventually break or just weaken over time, which reduces its lifespan.

To prevent that, we recommend materials with coatings and similar properties that prevent moisture-related issues from happening.

High-carbon steel is the most durable in this matter. But stainless steel and coated steel are also very reliable over time. Iron, on the other hand, cuts really well but leaves a lot to be desired in durability.

• Cutting Capacity

After considering the material quality and its durability, it is time to go over the overall cutting performance of the chain.

There aren’t many more ways to know when a chain will work or not than just looking and trying it. Of course, the material has a lot to do with it – especially high-carbon steel, which tends to be durable and resistant.

But materials like iron will do the job just as well, and it is easy to sharpen too.

Heat-treated steel blades also offer decent performance and have long-lasting blades.

But you should really focus on getting a chain that offers the ideal teeth. You will find single-direction teeth and bi-directional teeth. For the best results, go for the latter.

Bi-directional teeth will help you cut wood by pulling either way of the handles. You won’t have to go through wood with a unidirectional movement that can be uncomfortable & time-consuming. And of course, make sure they are easy to sharpen and are thick enough not to break when using.

•  Length

A portable hand saw needs to be small to fit in a pocket. Here’s where overall length enters into the game.

It is normal to find pocket chainsaws that go from 20 up to 40 inches in length. You should focus on getting the length you need depending on the logs or branches you want to cut through.

For example, thick logs of about 4 inches will need at least 24 inches of length from the chainsaw. But thicker branches of about 8 inches will need at least 36 inches if you want a decent result.

The longer the chainsaw, the better it is. But you may also have to consider if the chainsaw offers the chance to extend. These extendable models can go from 20 inches up to 40 inches with the right attachments.

Extendable options offer the chance to adjust to your demands. If you’re cutting a small branch, keep it short. But if you’re cutting a thick log, then you can add a few more inches to the chainsaw for extra length. You will have the perfect leverage when cutting according to your needs.

•  Weight

A portable chainsaw needs to be small, but it also needs to be light. That’s what’s going to make the cutting process and the overall portability perfect as a pocket model.

For that, we recommend that the chainsaw doesn’t go over 2.5 pounds of weight for the largest 4 models that go above 40 inches. Similarly, it needs to be at least 0.3 pounds heavy to be resistant at 20 inches in length.

If you go for too much weight, it may eventually be a little difficult to bring around. And it is too light; you will probably not get much durability from it.

•  Handles

Finally, you’ll have to consider the quality and overall comfort level of the handles.

They play a considerable role when cutting with a hand chainsaw because here’s where you’re going to exert all the power and leverage. Without the right handles, you won’t be able to cut as effectively as you want.

We recommend soft handles made of nylon for the best comfort a higher quality. But you may also consider the shape. If they are too small and your hands barely fit, then you may need to go for something broader.

Overall, just focus on both comfort and durability, and you´ll get the ideal handles for your chainsaw.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Even after reading this buying guide, you may still have some doubts. To help you get rid of them, here are a few common user questions with their respective answers:

Q: How long does it take to cut a small tree with a pocket chainsaw?

A: With the right technique and with little rest, a small tree may come down in less than 20 minutes with a pocket chainsaw. Experienced chainsaw users may bring it down in just 10 minutes.

Q: Should I bring a pocket chainsaw to my camping trips?

A: Yes, always. You don’t know when it is going to be necessary to cut small trunks or branches. Having a pocket chainsaw makes the wood-cutting job easy without taking much space in your backpack.

Q: Does a pocket chainsaw perform better than a hatchet or ax?

A: It depends. For cutting through big and thick trunks, a hatchet or ax will be better. But for the smallest jobs under challenging situations, a pocket saw works better.

Q: How can I choose the length of a chainsaw to go for?

A: It all comes down to your specific needs and situation. In the wild, you may need a decently long but space-saving design, so something of about 25 inches will do the job. But for homeowners who need to cut thick branches and logs, a long 40 inches pocket chainsaw may be better.

Q: Will my pocket chainsaw need re-sharpening?

A: Yes, all saws need some sharpening from time to time. Most pocket models come with their own sharpening tools, so you won’t have to buy one separately.

Final Words 

You are probably all tired after reading our buying guide & reviews. But don’t worry – now is when the fun begins.

You’ll have to pick the best pocket chainsaw for your needs. So you should focus on something that matches your demands and nothing less. As long as you focus on that by taking our recommendations & advice into consideration – then you’ll be set for an exceptional pocket chainsaw choice.