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Oregon Cordless CS300 Review

There are several saws on the market that outperform this undistinguished tool that cost less
Oregon Cordless CS300
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Price:   $441 List | $449 at Amazon
Pros:  Integrated on-board chain sharpener
Cons:  Lacks performance, mediocre battery life, annoying pitch, no oil level indicator window
Manufacturer:   Oregon
By Ross Patton ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Oct 23, 2019
Our Editors independently research, test, and rate the best products. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Learn more
53
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#9 of 11
  • Saw Performance - 35% 5
  • Ease of Use - 30% 6
  • Battery - 25% 5
  • Noise - 10% 5

Our Verdict

The feature that sets this saw apart from the rest is the onboard chain sharpening system. However, considering that the saw displays poor performance it's a bit of a pointless feature. With a score that leaves the Oregon near the back of the pack, we suggest that you purchase a model that does a better job and costs less.

Compare to Similar Products

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Oregon Cordless CS300
This Product
Oregon Cordless CS300
Awards  Editors' Choice Award Editors' Choice Award Best Buy Award  
Price $441 List
$449 at Amazon		$350 List
$339.82 at Amazon		$400 List
$360.49 at Amazon		$260 List$250 List
$199.99 at Amazon
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Pros Integrated on-board chain sharpenerTop-notch cutting performance, long-lasting battery, easy chain tensioning system, many other tools that use the same batteriesExcellent sawing power, good battery life, relatively inexpensiveSpectacular battery life, two chain speed settings, barely consumes bar and chain oilBarely consumes oil, good performance, weather-resistant
Cons Lacks performance, mediocre battery life, annoying pitch, no oil level indicator windowSo-so wind-up timeHeavy, noisy, one battery size, limited line-up of other toolsNot the strongest cutting power, plastic chain tensioning system, electronic controls slow down sawingSlow wind-up time, no battery level indicator, no bucking spikes
Bottom Line This unremarkable cordless chainsaw does not work as well as others that have a smaller price tagIf you want an easy-to-use cordless electric chainsaw with a long-lasting battery and a long bar this is the oneWe highly recommend this model if you are looking for the best you can get in a cordless chainsawFor a reasonable price, this model performs well although it does not quite contend with the top-ranked modelsWith a high level of performance, this is not a bad choice for an efficient cordless chainsaw
Rating Categories Oregon Cordless... EGO Power+ CS1800 ECHO CCS-58V4AH Husqvarna 120i EGO Power+ CS1400
Saw Performance (35%)
5
9
9
6
7
Ease Of Use (30%)
6
8
8
6
6
Battery (25%)
5
8
7
8
6
Noise (10%)
5
6
6
7
7
Specs Oregon Cordless... EGO Power+ CS1800 ECHO CCS-58V4AH Husqvarna 120i EGO Power+ CS1400
Model Number CS300 CS1800 CCS-58V4AH 120i CS1400
Bar Length 16 inches 18 inches 16 inches 14 inches 14 inches
Measured Weight w/ Battery 13 lbs 4 oz 12 lbs 4 oz 14 lbs 4 oz 10 lbs 11 oz 11 lbs 10 oz
Measured Battery Weight 2 lbs 11 oz 3 lbs 8 oz 4 lbs 2 lbs 12 oz 2lbs 14 oz
Included Battery Size 4 Ah 5 Ah 4 Ah 4.2 Ah 2 Ah
Nominal Voltage 40V 56V 58V 36V 56V
Measured Runtime 25 minutes 60 minutes 34 minutes 40 minutes 24 minutes
Measured Run Time Eco Mode n/a n/a n/a 54 mins n/a
Measured Battery Charge Time 1.8 hr 1.5 hr 1 hr 2 hrs .75 hr
Measured Average Cutting Time 15.865 seconds 5.876 seconds 6.136 seconds 13.486 seconds 9.452 seconds
Measured Wind Up Time 1.25 seconds 1.25 seconds .5 seconds .5 seconds 2.5 seconds
Measured Decibel Reading at 48in 87.3 dBa 88.8 dBa 87.5 dBa 85.9 dBa 85.3 dBa
Control Type Side safety w/ chain brake Side safety w/ chain brake Thumb safety w/ chain brake Electronic button, side safety and brake Side safety w/ chain brake
Chain Replacement and Tensioning Type Tool free Tool Free Included Tool Tool free Tool free
Metal Bucking Spikes Yes Yes No No No
Oil Conservation 6 8 8 8 8
Bar & Chain Tank Location and Type Side Side, Screen Side Side, flip-up Side, Screen
Measured Body Dimesions 14x8x9 inches 16x9x8 inches 16x8x9 inches 19x7x7 inches 16x9x8 inches

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Oregon Cordless CS300 is not an impressive cordless chainsaw. It has an integrated chain sharpener, which we find to be a cool feature, but it doesn't keep up with the others in our test metrics including noise, ease of use, and battery.

The Oregon is a below-average cordless chainsaw.
The Oregon is a below-average cordless chainsaw.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Performance Comparison



Likes


The best thing about the Oregon CS300 is the integrated "PowerSharp" chain sharpening system. In order to sharpen the chain, the only thing that you have to do is lift a lever that holds a sharpening stone against the chain within the saw body and hold the throttle for a few seconds to get a quick bit of sharpening done. Old school chainsaw fanatics may rather sharpen their saws with a file, but for those that are looking to keep a chain sharp with minimal maintenance, this feature could be crucial.

The integrated self-sharpening system on the Oregon model is a...
The integrated self-sharpening system on the Oregon model is a convenient feature if you don't want to learn how to sharpen a chain by hand.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Dislikes


Although the Oregon doesn't register the loudest on the sound meter, the noise that comes from the saw at full throttle is unequivocally annoying. When it comes to cutting performance this saw is near the back of the pack and stops and stalls without much force.

The CS300 takes a while to make cuts and sometimes stalls.
The CS300 takes a while to make cuts and sometimes stalls.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

It has a so-so runtime measured at 25 minutes, but its charge time is where it falls near the back of the pack again. It takes the battery nearly 2 hours to charge, which is not a very solid runtime to charge time ratio. It does an ok job of conserving oil but without an indicator window, you're stuck opening the cap to see how much lube you have left.


The chain tensioning system operates well, but we have our reserves about the reliability. Of all of the cordless chainsaws that we've tested the Oregon is one of the only ones that we've ever seen the bar come loose during operation.

The Oregon CS300 chain tensioning system looks good, but it came...
The Oregon CS300 chain tensioning system looks good, but it came loose during our testing.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Value


This cordless chainsaw does not offer the greatest degree of value. The Oregon is not the cheapest saw that we've tested and it is far from having the highest degree of performance. There are other chainsaws that do a better job but have a lower price tag.

The CS300 is expensive when compared to its performance.
The CS300 is expensive when compared to its performance.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Conclusion


To sum it up, the Oregon CS300 is not a chainsaw that we would recommend that our readers purchase. It doesn't offer much in the way of power or performance, it's not the easiest to use, it's loud, and it has a weak battery.

— Ross Patton