Likes: easy to use and cuts great! Will never go back to a gas powered chainsaw again. Being able to set the saw down and then just pick it up and use it without cranking is a dream.
Dislikes: gotta make sure you keep the chain tight because it will jump the track, but to be fair this happens with every chainsaw I have ever owned.

I bought the EGO 16" Chainsaw (CS1604 version) on Amazon a couple of weeks back. Yesterday (9/29/2023), my 2 sons and I cut down and cut up into logs and into burnable branches 2 holly trees, one being about 35 feet tall and having about a 14" base and one being about 20 feet tall with about a 12" base. This saw worked great on little half inch and 1 inch branches, as well as cutting the core logs between 3" to 12" thickness. I was very surprised by how well it did work. My forearm and wrist also didn't get sore from holding the saw which was nice.

Through out my life I always used mixed gas based chainsaws and like many people gave up on them after much frustration finding it impossible to get them started a second and third time and keeping them running no matter how much care I took (very frustrating).

For residential home use this EGO 16" chainsaw is perfect and it adds to my EGO collection as I already use the EGO blower with 5.0 battery, so now I have 2 batteries I can rotate from the device to the charger and back again which is perfect for keeping work from being interrupted.

The only issue you will have with this EGO chain saw, which is common on all chain saws, is the chain loosens over time on the bar and eventually pops off. When that occurs you must take off the side cover, clean out the gunk, get the chain back on the bar, then get the chain back on the drive wheel, then adjust the tension nob, then replace the side cover. This happened to me about 15 times over the course of about 3 hours of work. Don't worry, you will get good at it over time. I feel EGO has made this process as simple as it can be made so no heart burn there. Once you learn the saw and learn the best way to tension the chain, this all gets easier. Again, this is a common process to every chainsaw but EGO has made it pain free as possible. It also goes through the Oregon bar oil "” plan something like 1/2 to 1 quart used up in the chainsaw per 3 hours of work time. You need to constantly be checking the oil level as it goes away quicker than you think.

The biggest mistake I made when I bought this chainsaw is I didn't order the bar oil and I didn't order extra chains. If I was to do it all over again I would buy the EGO CS1604 version again, and 1 gallon of Oregon bar oil, and 2 extra chains all at the same time.

I'm so glad I bought this "” would highly recommend for DIY home users. Once you remove one or two big trees on your property and get them cut up and limbs burned or chipped, then you've paid for the chainsaw vs. hiring out to a tree removal service, and now you get to keep a great tool for next time.

I've been among the first people I know to have trusted battery-powered yard tools to have enough runtime and power to be worth buying, against the skepticism of others. But I've also been let down over time by a hedge trimmer, and a few *indoor* tools, that used an earlier battery technology. Since lithium batteries became common I've built up a collection of yard tools including a new hedge trimmer, leaf blower, string trimmer, and chainsaw. I chose EGO for the first of them, based on several professional reviews. When I was in the market for the second I *wanted* an EGO so I could share the battery between them, since they can all use the same one. But I did my research with an open mind, willing to have two different brands if that's what it took to have the best tool for each job.

My research again brought me to EGO. Ditto for the third, even with brand-agnostic shopping yet again. By the time I decided to try a battery-powered chainsaw, I was really *hoping* the EGO looked good in reviews -- and it did.

I've used but never owned a gasoline-powered chainsaw, and previously owned a plug-in electric unit from a different maker. On that unit, the chain kept coming off! That frustrated and baffled me because I was being ultra-careful to follow the instructions, to keep checking the tightness, make sure it was getting enough oil... everything. The bar seemed straight to my eye, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out the cause.

But I had to still wonder if I was doing something wrong because it was the first chainsaw I'd ever used extensively. One feature, therefore, that attracted me to the EGO was the tool-free, in-the-field chain tightening system. Genius! Why hadn't this been done before? I took a chance and bought it, and was relieved and delighted that I've never once had that previous chain issue, in something like a dozen hours of use. So I guess it wasn't me; there was something wrong with that unit from another brand.

But NOT dropping the chain is a low bar, no pun intended, so about its other pros:

--It has *plenty* of power. I've used it on three separate occasions to cut two complete trees into logs, with an estimated total of 30 feet from the trunks alone (not counting branches), and maximum diameters of maybe 14 inches. With only light force from me, the saw easily cut through that diameter in maybe 30 seconds -- it's been months, so I can't be sure. It felt quick & easy. For comparison, I had the misfortune of using a friend's plug-in electric chainsaw -- with a much lower chain speed and probably much less power -- and it took at least that long to cut a tree branch that was more like *4* inches in diameter. A remarkable difference, especially given the convenience & portability of a battery unit!

--The tool-free chain tightening has worked very well, though I will say it's become a little harder on the hand over time than it was at first. I'd like to see a grip that's a bit more ergonomic. For me, it's just not quite enough to grab onto, ideally speaking. But just being able to do it at all is a joy.

--The battery, being larger-capacity than the one used by the other three EGO tools I have, lasted more than long enough for the first job, and *almost* long enough for the second (much bigger) job. Given that I was pooping out around the same time the battery was, I was not dissatisfied at all. I could have easily swapped in a fully-charged battery of the lower capacity from one of the other tools to finish the job. Or, because the battery charges quickly, I could have taken a coffee break and then finished the job with the same battery. I could only guess how many minutes of *runtime* I got in those four or five hours of work, so I won't try, but it was plenty for my needs. This kind of inconvenience is, to me, FAR better than dealing with all the downsides of gas. No comparison. But for someone who needs, say, three hours or more of actual *runtime* they'd want a 2nd battery charging while they work -- or to use gasoline. As I see it, the limitation these batteries have is only in runtime, compared to gasoline, it's NOT in power! And even for runtime they've reached a level where I'll never need gasoline tools again for my 0.8 acre yard.

--It's easy to add chain oil. Sharpening is still a question, because I've *never* done that before (given that my previous saw kept dropping the chain and therefore wasn't used enough). I've also never *replaced* a chain, so I can't comment on that.

--As for balance, it's definitely bar-heavy without the battery (which is in back), and feels just right with the battery attached. A good design. I wouldn't call the combo lightweight, but I'd also hesitate to call it heavy because (a) I'm not the most muscular guy around and (b) it's been so long since I've used a gasoline-powered unit that I can't fairly compare them. I really have no complaints about the weight, even after a few hours of intermittent use.

Overall, I'm *very* pleased both in comparison to my previous electric chainsaw and any gasoline chainsaw, for my needs. I no longer fear getting frustrated and irritated when I see another fallen branch or tree in my yard. I'm finally confident my tool can handle the job, and conveniently. In fact, it's been kinda fun to use!

If I had known about this before I would have used it. Inside the container it looks like regular bar oil, but its not. It pours out in a thick blob, something like a thick syrup, so pouring is different from regular bar oil. Not bad once you get use to it. The great thing about this blob is that it isn't dripping out of the chainsaw. At first I thought it wasn't coming out, but after inspecting the chain it was properly lubed so its doing its job. Even better is that there is very little dripping when your storing your chainsaw. Even my leaky Ryobi cleans up its act with this stuff.

This is suppose to be environmentally friendly too. I don't know if that's true but it cleans up really easy with soap and water. Useful for when you inevitably spill some.

always a hassle to go get a gas chainsaw and set up for work. This is much easier then messing around with gas, especially if you only use it a few times a year. I've been using an electric corded chainsaw but range is pretty limited, now EGO did it right with adequate power of a real chainsaw in a portable battery design.

Feeding the chainlube still sux, sideport tends to make a mess. But it does work.