Chain saws.(Buyers Guide)

A chain saw is a smart investment in convenience, provided you're careful. The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that over 28,000 people were injured using chain saws in 1999, the most recent year for which statistics are available. Some of the most serious of those injuries resulted from "kickback," where the saw snaps up and back, and--in extreme cases--contacts the operator. A chain saw's roar can also damage hearing. And gas-powered saws create air pollution.

Manufacturers have addressed many of those hazards. Nearly all saws now have safeguards aimed at minimizing kickback. Better ergonomics and easier maintenance also contribute to safer sawing.

Gas-powered saws are also cleaning up their act. Federal law has sliced allowable emissions for these two-stroke machines by 30 percent since 1997. That limit drops by another 78 percent in 2002.

But even the latest saws are as noisy as ever. Sound levels for the gas-powered saws in this report ranged from 96 to 106 dBA at the operator's ear. The electric saws were slightly less noisy at 90 to 95 dBA. But even that level is still 5 to 10 dBA louder than most walk-behind mowers--and at or above the 90 dBA where we recommend ear protection. It may also annoy the neighbors, even if it doesn't harm their hearing.

THE SPECTRUM OF SAWS

Chain saws range from $30 electric saws with 10-inch-long guide bars to $600 gas saws with 36-inch bars slated for forestry work. This report focuses on 14- to-20-inch-bar consumer models from major brands like Craftsman (a Sears brand), Echo, Homelite, Husqvarna, Poulan, and Stihl; the latest John Deere and McCulloch saws weren't available in time for testing. Prices range from around $40 for the electrics to about $300 for the gas versions.

All of these saws were tested by an independent test lab, under our engineers' direction. As we found, the priciest models tend to offer the best performance and the most features. But several with similar performance and features cost much less.