The long-running 80V kit that made battery chainsaws credible for cheap — an 18-inch bar, brushless motor Greenworks rates as 42cc-gas-equivalent, and a 2.0Ah battery with a genuinely quick 30-minute recharge. Lowe's buyers rate it 4.6 stars and repeatedly describe dropping and bucking 18-22 inch trees on a charge, and the price is the hook: it lists at $380 but routinely street-prices at $210-250, an absurd amount of saw for the money. The honest caveats from owner reviews: the 2.0Ah pack is good for roughly 110 cuts and fades fast in big hardwood, the chain works loose and derails more than it should (check tension often), it's thirsty on bar oil, and the saw bogs if you lean on it in oversized logs. Note that Greenworks now also sells a newer 2.5kW Gen III 80V 18-inch (CS80L417, ~$430 with 4Ah) with more power for considerably more money — this classic kit remains the value pick.

Best for: Budget-minded homeowners who want the most cutting capacity per dollar for storm cleanup and occasional firewood.

Specifications

Engine class: 50cc class (placed by shipped bar length)
Voltage: 80 V
Kit battery: 2 Ah
Bar length: 18 in
Bar range: 18 in
Single-pass cut: about 16 in (bar minus 2)
Chain: 3/8" pitch / .050" gauge
Weight: 14.2 lb, with 2.0Ah battery (manufacturer spec)
Power type: Battery
Use case: Homeowner
Warranty: 4-year tool & battery
Model: GCS80420 (2000002)

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

18-in bar and 80V kit routinely under $250
30-minute recharge on the 2.0Ah pack
4-year tool and battery warranty

What owners like

Street price of $210-250 for a complete 18-inch 80V kit embarrasses saws costing twice as much
42cc-gas-equivalent brushless motor handles 18-22 inch trees per Lowe's owner reports
2.0Ah battery recharges in about 30 minutes — faster than most competitors' packs
4-year warranty on both tool and battery, double what Stihl gives its battery saws
4.6-star average across Lowe's reviews with consistent praise for quiet, instant-start operation

Common complaints

2.0Ah pack is the runtime bottleneck — about 110 cuts, and big hardwood drains it fast
Recurring owner complaints of chains loosening and derailing without frequent tension checks
Heavy bar-oil consumption; owners report topping off constantly
Bogs when forced in logs near the bar's 18-inch capacity
80V batteries are pricey if bought alone, which weakens the ecosystem argument

Questions owners ask

How much cutting does the 2.0Ah battery really give you?

About 110 cuts in typical wood — enough for a storm-cleanup session or an afternoon of limbing, but big hardwood drains it fast. The saving grace is the 30-minute recharge, which is faster than most competitors' packs, so a charge-while-you-stack rhythm keeps small jobs moving on one battery.

Why does the chain keep coming off?

Chains loosening and derailing without frequent tension checks is the recurring owner complaint on this saw. Check tension before every session and again after the first few cuts — battery saws' instant torque is hard on a slack chain, and the fix is vigilance rather than anything mechanical.

Does it use a lot of bar oil?

Yes — heavy bar-oil consumption comes up repeatedly, with owners reporting they top off constantly. Make checking the oil window part of every battery swap. The upside of a generous oiler is a well-lubricated bar and chain; the downside is buying oil more often than the saw's size suggests.

What size wood can a $250 battery saw honestly handle?

Lowe's owner reports credit it with 18-22 inch trees, backed by a brushless motor Greenworks rates as 42cc-gas-equivalent — legitimate capability at the price. It will bog if you force it in logs near the full 18-inch bar, so let the chain feed at its own rate in big rounds.

How does the 4-year warranty compare?

It covers both tool and battery for 4 years — double what Stihl gives its battery saws — and it's a meaningful part of the value story on a kit that routinely sells for $210-250. The catch is ecosystem economics: standalone 80V batteries are pricey, so the kit price is the deal, not the platform.