EUR299,25
Makita DUC353Z
Battery chain saw
Rattle-free chainsaw: Makita DUC353Z review
9/6/2024
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
A chainsaw is indispensable for rough sawing work in the garden and chopping up wood. Most of the time, this involves a gasoline engine. I tested a Makita device with a rechargeable battery and hardly had to accept any compromises.
At our scout summer camp, we always brought a chainsaw to cut larger tree trunks into the right shape. When I was eleven years old, the device was misused to give me the fright of my life during a special event. I was woken up in the middle of the night and had to walk down a dark path on my own. A man in a black mask stormed towards me with a rattling chainsaw in his hand. I wanted to turn around and run away, but was held back by one of the older scouts. The chainsaw man waved the thing around wildly, lunged and hit me right in the stomach…
Only then did I realise the actual chain wasn’t attached and only the engine was howling. As a result, I still treat chainsaws with the greatest respect, even after thirty years. No more. I want to face up to this fear.
I spend a week in Ticino to test various products, a kind of «workation». There’s hardly any internet in my cabin, but there’s plenty of solar power. Perfect for testing a saw with an electric motor. To prevent a post-traumatic flashback induced by motorised chains, I opt for the quiet beginner’s version with an electric motor. It doesn’t rattle and doesn’t use two-stroke gasoline. No, it uses electricity, plentiful in Ticino thanks to a solar system at over 1,500 metres.
Dissecting smaller wood
My test lab couldn’t be more idyllic. A stone cottage in the alps of lower Leventina. My samples are mostly fir wood, which should prove ideal. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The first step is to charge the batteries with two chargers (not included) and insert the chain.
Not an easy undertaking for a layman like me. Although the process is illustrated, phrases such as «Turn the lever fully clockwise and then back a quarter turn to get some slack to adjust the chain tension» leave me a little perplexed. After two attempts where I first mounted the bar upside down and then the chain in the wrong direction, everything fits perfectly. I can adjust the tension of the chain with a small wheel and get started.
Source: Simon Balissat
Safety is key!
Two Makita batteries are essential for the saw to work. Only one battery has too little power and won’t be enough. Once both batteries are inserted, the saw can be switched on with the power button and the chain started with a trigger. A safety switch prevents me from accidentally pulling the trigger. To stop me cutting my leg off, I bought protective trousers in size 54. They’re clearly too small for me. I have to leave the top button undone and look like an overweight stripper. Forest ranger meets Magic Mike. Still, safety above all.
Source: Simon Balissat
I use the saw carefully for my first cut. It glides through the soft fir wood with a screech, like a hot knife through butter. Chips fly, the chain rattles. An absolute joy. It copes just as well with logs as with thin slats, which I shorten. I cut an old pallet into small pieces too. The saw only comes to a standstill when I start working on a piece of oak. It takes a few attempts, I have to keep pressing the power button to turn on the saw again. The chainsaw lacks the power for harder wood.
Source: Simon Balissat
After two hours of use, it’s all over. Out of juice. Both me and the Makita. Two charged spare batteries are essential for continuous use. Still, I’ve definitely reconciled with the idea of a chain saw. Despite sore muscles in my hands and forearm, I was finally able to overcome my post-traumatic stress.
In a nutshell
A lot of power over a short time
The Makita DUC353Z battery-powered chainsaw is a workhorse: easy to operate, efficient to use. If you mainly cut soft wood, this mobile saw that doesn’t require gasoline is perfect, ideal for smaller jobs around the house. Full spare batteries are mandatory, one charge lasts for about an hour when working intensively. And as extra batteries aren’t included, this is an additional investment you need to factor in. With a double charger and four batteries, nothing will stand between you and full logging freedom.
Pro
- easy to operate
- large enough to saw small to medium-sized logs
- environmentally friendly if you use renewable electricity
- quieter than petrol-powered alternatives
Contra
- only runs for about one to two hours on a single charge
- no batteries and no charger included in the scope of delivery
Simon Balissat
Teamleader Editorial
Simon.Balissat@digitecgalaxus.chWhen I flew the family nest over 15 years ago, I suddenly had to cook for myself. But it wasn’t long until this necessity became a virtue. Today, rattling those pots and pans is a fundamental part of my life. I’m a true foodie and devour everything from junk food to star-awarded cuisine. Literally. I eat way too fast.