REASONS TO BUY
Good cutting power
Has tabs on oil cap for leverage
REASONS TO AVOID
Consumes an absurd amount of oil
No chain brake
Awkward battery compartment location
Ryobi 40V RY40530 Review
A cordless chainsaw that is overpriced for its performance that we wouldn't recommend purchasing
RELATED: Best Battery Chainsaw of 2023
Our Verdict
The Ryobi 40V RY40530 does a good job of cutting, but it doesn't keep up in other aspects. The noise that this saw produces is difficult to endure for the operator as well as anyone who may be in the immediate vicinity. It lacks a chain brake, which we see as a serious design flaw. The biggest issue that we found with the Ryobi is that it dumps oil out at a ludicrous rate.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Ryobi 40V RY40530 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  | |||
| Price | $240 List $158.29 at Amazon | $290 List $328.00 at Amazon | $250 List $229.00 at Amazon | $252 List $198.82 at Amazon | $130 List $129.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Good cutting power, has tabs on oil cap for leverage | Spectacular battery life, two chain speed settings, barely consumes bar and chain oil | Barely consumes oil, good performance, weather-resistant | Quiet, metal bucking spikes, light, quiet | Compact, light, quiet, affordable |
| Cons | Consumes an absurd amount of oil, no chain brake, awkward battery compartment location | Not the strongest cutting power, plastic chain tensioning system, electronic controls slow down sawing | Slow wind-up time, no battery level indicator, no bucking spikes | Slow wind-up time, not the best battery life, unimpressive performance | Mediocre battery life, slow at making cuts |
| Bottom Line | A cordless chainsaw that is overpriced for its performance that we wouldn't recommend purchasing | A good degree of performance and an exceptional battery life at a reasonable price | Not a bad choice for an efficient cordless chainsaw that offers a high level of performance | A mediocre saw that's fine for smaller jobs and people that own the battery and charger from another G-MAX tool | This cordless electric chainsaw is our favorite 20V model for small, quick projects around the yard |
| Rating Categories | Ryobi 40V RY40530 | Husqvarna 120i | Ego Power+ CS1400 | Greenworks G-MAX 40V | Worx WG322 |
| Saw Performance (35%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (30%) | |||||
| Battery (25%) | |||||
| Noise (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Ryobi 40V RY40530 | Husqvarna 120i | Ego Power+ CS1400 | Greenworks G-MAX 40V | Worx WG322 |
| Model Number | RY40503 | 120i | CS1400 | 20312 | WG322 |
| Bar Length | 14 inches | 14 inches | 14 inches | 16 inches | 10 inches |
| Measured Weight | 11 lbs, 8 oz | 10 lbs, 11 oz | 11 lbs, 10 oz | 12 lbs | 6 lbs, 10 oz |
| Measured Battery Weight | 3 lbs, 2 oz | 2 lbs, 12 oz | 2lbs, 14 oz | 2 lbs, 15 oz | 1 lbs, 10 oz |
| Included Battery Size | 4 Ah | 4.2 Ah | 2 Ah | 4 Ah | 2 Ah |
| Nominal Voltage | 40V | 36V | 56V | 40V | 20V |
| Measured Runtime | 24 minutes | 40 minutes | 24 minutes | 27 minutes | 22 minutes |
| Measured Run Time Eco Mode | n/a | 54 mins | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Measured Battery Charge Time | 2.75 hr | 2 hrs | .75 hr | 2 hrs | 3 hr |
| Measured Average Cutting Time | 10.02 seconds | 13.486 seconds | 9.452 seconds | 12.582 seconds | 38.382 seconds |
| Measured Wind Up Time | 2 seconds | .5 seconds | 2.5 seconds | 2.25 seconds | 2 seconds |
| Measured Decibel Reading at 48in | 97.8 dBa | 85.9 dBa | 85.3 dBa | 83.8 dBa | 80.0 dBa |
| Control Type | Thumb safety | Electronic button, side safety and brake | Side safety w/ chain brake | Electronic button, side safety and chain brake | Thumb safety |
| Chain Replacement and Tensioning Type | Included Tool | Tool free | Tool free | Tool free | Tool free |
| Metal Bucking Spikes | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Oil Conservation | 2 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 |
| Bar & Chain Tank Location and Type | Top | Side, flip-up | Side, Screen | Top | Top |
| Measured Body Dimesions | 19.5x9x8 inches | 19x7x7 inches | 16x9x8 inches | 16x8x8 inches | 13x8x7.5 inches |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
In the category of cordless chainsaws, the Ryobi is not the most impressive model.
Performance Comparison
The Ryobi 40V RY40530 is not our favorite saw.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Likes
It might make sense to buy this saw if you already own a Ryobi 40V battery in order to save some money. It did ok in our dimensional woodcutting test where we made several timed cuts through a set amount of wood.
The aspect of our review where the Ryobi did the best was during our dimension woodcutting time trials.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Dislikes
Our main gripe with this saw is that it consumes oil at a rate that we have never seen. The Ryobi is a total pain because you have to stop and check the oil all of the time.
The Ryobi uses a wrench/screwdriver combo which we are a fan of, but the tool for this model is so small that it's difficult to use. The tool is also unusually challenging to remove from the handle.
The "scrench" that is included with the Ryobi is unusually small.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
The RY40530 has a less than average battery life, and it takes hours to charge. This can really hinder getting your project done in a timely manner. This saw has a very slow wind-up time, which further complicates issues regarding timeliness and efficiency.
During our sound meter testing the Ryobi put emitted a painful reading of 97.8 decibels at a distance of 48 inches. Although you should be wearing ear protection while using power tools, this is still a high level of noise for you while you're working.
Value
The Ryobi is very expensive for the performance that it offers. We recommend investing your money into a saw that does a better job.
The Ryobi 40V RY 40530 does an ok job of cutting, but it runs out of oil in a very short amount of time when compared to other models.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Conclusion
This saw offers some decent cutting power, but it falls short in many other aspects. It doesn't have a chain brake, it does not have the best battery life, and its charge time is laughable. Worst of all it dumps bar and chain oil as fast as can be which makes it a very inefficient tool.
—
Ross Patton
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