Verdict
Head-to-head · Best Battery Chainsaws

DeWalt DCCS677Z1 Cordless Chainsaw Kit vs Milwaukee M18 Fuel Telescoping 3013

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Milwaukee M18 Fuel Telescoping 3013 comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.0 vs 4.7). The gap is mostly about Professional arborists seeking maximum power — read the strengths below before deciding.

DeWalt DCCS677Z1 Cordless Chainsaw Kit
Ranked #4 in Best Battery Chainsaws
DeWalt DCCS677Z1 Cordless Chainsaw Kit
2 sourcesall derived$300as of Jul 5

The DeWalt DCCS677Z1 puts out serious power for a cordless chainsaw, matching or beating gas saw performance according to reviews. Users praise the convenience, the absence of fumes, and the battery life. Several reviewers reported problems: the thumb safety mechanism causing thumb numbness, frequent chain slippage during use, and a bar attachment that pivots because it is not fastened tightly enough. Homeowners and part-time users who value battery convenience are the fit; professionals who need maximum durability under heavy use are not.

Strengths
  • Impressively powerful with 2.3 times greater torque and 20% higher peak power than a 50.2CC gas saw
  • Excellent cutting performance with a full 20-inch bar for higher cutting capacity
  • Battery-powered convenience with no gas, fumes, or maintenance required
Watch-outs
  • Thumb safety requires significant force to engage, causing user discomfort
  • Chain comes off more frequently during use, especially when dragging through branches
  • Bar attachment uses only one screw, causing it to pivot up and down during use
Milwaukee M18 Fuel Telescoping 3013
Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Battery Chainsaws
Milwaukee M18 Fuel Telescoping 3013
2 sources1 derived$749as of Aug 1

The Milwaukee M18 FUEL Telescoping Pole Saw is the most powerful telescoping pole saw on the market, with 2.35HP peak output and 25m/s chain speed. Reviewers praised the ease of use, instant-on operation, and professional-grade touches like the onboard scrench and a compact storage design that fits in ladder boxes or 6-inch conduit tubes. It skips gas-engine hassles like pull starts and maintenance, though some users noted it needs regular bar oil checks and occasional sprocket cleaning because it runs cooler. Professional arborists and utility linemen who want a powerful, reliable battery-powered alternative to gas are the fit.

Strengths
  • 2.35HP peak power delivering fastest cutting in its class
  • Brushless motor reaches full throttle 25m/s chain speed in under 1 second
  • Telescoping shaft provides 9 feet to 13 feet adjustable length
Watch-outs
  • Requires regular bar oil checks due to lack of gas engine warm-up
  • Sprocket area tends to get clogged with grime and debris faster than gas saws

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

DeWalt DCCS677Z1 Cordless Chainsaw Kit

The DeWalt DCCS677Z1 delivers exceptional torque and peak power, matching or exceeding gas saw performance, but it's less reliable than the Milwaukee M18 Fuel in terms of durability and suffers from a thumb safety mechanism that causes discomfort compared to the EGO CS1613's more ergonomic design. Unlike the EGO CS2005, it lacks the fast cutting speed but offers better battery life and auto-oiling, though it's more prone to chain slippage than the Husqvarna Power Axe 350i.

Milwaukee M18 Fuel Telescoping 3013

The Milwaukee M18 Fuel Telescoping 3013 stands out as the most powerful telescoping pole saw on the market with 2.35HP peak output and 25m/s chain speed, outperforming the EGO CS2005 and DeWalt DCCS677Z1 in raw cutting performance. Unlike the EGO CS1613, it features a telescoping shaft for adjustable length, making it ideal for reaching high branches without a ladder, though it lacks the tool-free chain tensioning system found in the EGO models and requires more maintenance than the Husqvarna Power Axe 350i.

Specs side-by-side

SpecDeWalt DCCS677Z1 Cordless Chainsaw KitMilwaukee M18 Fuel Telescoping 3013
Bar Length20 inches10.0 inches
Battery VoltageDCB615 60V FLEXVOLT
Weight30 lb16 lb
Dimensions42"L x 13.83"W x 11.86"H
Chain Speed25 m/s
Motor2.35HP peak power
Power SourceM18 REDLITHIUM HIGH OUTPUT battery
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