DeWalt 20V Max XR 12" Chainsaw Kit

Name: DeWalt 20V Max XR 12" Chainsaw Kit
Brand: DeWalt
Price: 279 USD
Availability: LimitedAvailability

30cc class (by bar)

Superseded in the maker's current line-up, though still stocked in places. The maker's replacement is the DeWalt DCCS621P1 (20V MAX 12 in. compact brushless kit).

20V

Voltage

5 Ah pack

12 in

Bar

cuts to about 10 in

9 lb

Weight

with 5.0Ah battery

~$279

approx., kit with 5.0Ah battery and charger

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DeWalt's little 12-incher is the chainsaw for people who own DeWalt drills — a 9 lb (with battery) camp-and-cleanup saw that runs on the same 20V Max packs as the rest of the yellow fleet. ToolGuyd's reviewer famously came in skeptical and left converted: for limbs, small trees, and construction demo cuts it's genuinely handy, with a claimed 90 cuts in 4x4 PT lumber from the included 5.0Ah pack. The recurring complaint in dated Home Depot reviews is the oil system: the cap shipped without a proper O-ring seal for years and the saw weeps bar oil when stored flat — some owners report leaks onto the trigger electronics — so it lives best hung up with the tank near-empty. It's no firewood saw: sustained cutting drains the 5.0Ah pack quickly and the 20V motor bogs in hardwood past ~8". As a grab-it-weekly property saw on a platform you already own, though, it's cheap, quiet, and always ready.

Best for: DeWalt 20V tool owners who need a light saw for limbs, storm branches, and jobsite cuts — not firewood production.

Specifications

Engine class: 30cc class (placed by shipped bar length)
Voltage: 20 V
Kit battery: 5 Ah
Bar length: 12 in
Bar range: 12 in
Single-pass cut: about 10 in (bar minus 2)
Chain: 3/8" low-profile pitch / .043" gauge Oregon, 45 DL
Weight: 9 lb, with 5.0Ah battery
Power type: Battery
Use case: Homeowner
Warranty: 3-year limited
Model: DCCS620P1

Manufacturer figures except the engine class and single-pass cut, which are derived here. What each spec means

Runs on 20V Max fleet
9 lbs with battery
$279 kit price

What owners like

Cheapest way into a name-brand battery saw if you already own 20V Max packs — bare tool often dips under $150
9 lbs with battery and compact enough for one-hand-assisted limbing (with care)
Tool-free tensioning knob makes chain adjustments genuinely painless
Quiet enough for neighborhood use and campground-legal where gas saws draw glares
Low-kickback 12" Oregon bar/chain suits nervous first-time chainsaw owners
3-year warranty with DeWalt's huge service network behind it

Common complaints

Chronic bar-oil leakage — the oil cap seal is the single most repeated gripe in years of retailer reviews
20V motor bogs in hardwood much past 8" — this is a limbing saw, not a bucking saw
Sustained cutting flattens the 5.0Ah pack in 15-20 minutes of trigger time
No chain brake lever — it relies on a low-kickback chain instead, which serious users consider a real omission
Newer DCCS621/DCCS623 models are lighter, leaving the 620 feeling dated at full price

Questions owners ask

What jobs is the DCCS620 right for?

Limbing, storm branches, camp wood, and jobsite cuts — at 9 lbs with battery it's genuinely handy for that work. The honest limit: the 20V motor bogs in hardwood much past 8 inches, so it's a limbing saw, not a bucking saw. If firewood production is the goal, this is the wrong tool no matter how many DeWalt packs you own.

Does it leak bar oil?

This is the saw's best-known flaw — chronic bar-oil leakage, with the oil cap seal being the single most repeated gripe across years of retailer reviews. Owners manage it by storing the saw on a tray, running the reservoir low before storage, and checking that the cap seats cleanly. Expect it going in and it's livable.

How much cutting does a 5.0Ah battery give me?

Roughly 15-20 minutes of actual trigger time under sustained cutting, which translates to a respectable pile of limbs since real-world use is intermittent. For a storm-cleanup afternoon, a second 20V pack from your drill kit keeps you moving — that battery interchange is the main reason to buy this saw.

Does it have a chain brake?

No lever-activated chain brake — it relies on a low-kickback 12-inch Oregon bar and chain instead, which serious users consider a real omission. The low-kickback setup does suit nervous first-time owners, but it's worth understanding the difference: you're trusting chain geometry, not a mechanical brake, so keep two hands on it and respect the bar tip.

Is the DCCS620 outdated now?

It's aging — DeWalt's newer DCCS621 and DCCS623 are lighter, leaving the 620 feeling dated at full price. It remains a good buy when discounted (the bare tool often dips under $150), and the 3-year warranty with DeWalt's huge service network still applies. At full $279 kit price, compare against the newer models first.