Are you looking for a chainsaw to take down a few trees, but you want a price that doesn’t bust the budget? You may want to have a long look at the Ryobi 20-inch gas chainsaw. This won’t win you any lumberjack competitions in Oregon or Sweden, but it may get you in better graces with that Honey-Do-List author.
Our OPE Reviews shop is located several miles outside of town, and the property includes several acres. Some of the acreage is pasture land, but the rest of it is jungle-like with plenty of oaks, palms, and citrus trees. In short, this foliage area works great for playing Paul Bunyan…sans ax, add chainsaw.
[adsenseyu1]
Ryobi 20-inch Gas Chainsaw Features
What does $187.95 buy you at your local Home Depot? Probably several green tools! In particular, you can get this 2-stroke Ryobi 20-inch chainsaw. Along with the 20-inch bar and chain (3/8″ pitch), you get a 46cc 2-cycle engine, 3-point vibration isolation, automatic oiler, and inertia-activated chain brake. Also included where the bar meets the saw are metal bucking spikes. These spikes are a bit small for a 20-inch saw, but at least they’re not plastic.
Related Reading: Looking for something without the gas? Check out our Battery-Powered Chainsaw Shootout.
Performance
Starting the Ryobi chainsaw was simple and straightforward. Add 50:1 premix fuel, engage the choke, turn the switch on, and pull the rope a few times. Once it fired and warmed up, cranking afterward was just one pull.
What you do get is capacity with this saw. At 20-inches, you can cut through most branches in a single pass. This capacity also puts you in the size for felling trees. While I wouldn’t recommend this saw for doing such on a regular basis, it will get the job done if you only have one or two.
Cutting through 6″-12″ limbs were pretty simple and the Ryobi 20-inch gas chainsaw took care of business. Cutting into larger diameters, or trying to plunge the blade tells a different story. Keep in mind, this is not a Pro saw, hence it’s meant for the consumer/property owner. We really didn’t expect the Ryobi to plunge cut 20-inches deep into wet Florida Live Oak, nor to take down a 30-inch tree. At the same time, we wanted to find the boundaries…and maybe exceed them a bit.
Fit and Finish
Surprisingly, this Ryobi chainsaw was easy to hold and vibration was minimal for a 46cc 2-cycle saw. There is a lot of plastic on the Ryobi, but we didn’t find any weak spots while using it. We were glad to see the bar and chain tension are retained with double nuts. Tool-less adjusters, with this size saw are just a waste, hence they don’t perform well. Using a scrench (screwdriver-wrench) to tighten nuts is a much better option, such as on this Ryobi.
[adsenseyu2]
Final Words
If you’re looking for a gas-powered saw that should take care of your trimming needs, as a property owner, the Ryobi 20-inch gas chainsaw is a good choice. In fact, I’m not sure you’ll find another gas-powered saw with this capacity, at less than $200.
As we mentioned, this is by no means a pro-level or even farm-level chainsaw, but it will meet the needs of many homeowners. Or, you may be a contractor or landscaper that needs to cut a limb every now-and-then but don’t want to spend $500. With a low price of only $187.95 and a 3-year warranty, it’s worth taking a closer look.
For more information on the Ryobi 20-inch Gas Chainsaw or to purchase yours, click here .
Ryobi 20-inch Gas Chainsaw Specifications
-
Ryobi Chainsaw Air Filter 20 in. bar with a 3/8 in. pitch
- 46cc, 2-cycle gasoline engine
- 3-point vibration isolation
- Inertia-activated chain brake
- Safe-T-Tip helps prevent rotational kickback
- Side access chain tensioning
- Automatic bar and chain oiler
- Heavy-duty carrying case
- Warranty: 3-year limited
- Price: $187.95
