Kobalt / Battery
~$199
Kobalt 80V 16" Chainsaw Kit
40cc class (by bar)
- 80V
- pack
- 16 in
- bar
- 15 lb
- as sold
Lowe's shoppers who want an 80V platform saw cheaply and do not mind a slow chain.
Homeowner
The best-balanced thing Kobalt sells: 8.2 lb bare, 11.1 lb with the 4.0Ah pack in, a brushless motor rated at 1.2 hp, and a claimed 140 cuts of 4x4 per charge — all for $179 with battery and charger. Where the 80V saws carry weight that makes them awkward above the shoulder, this one does not, and the narrow .043-gauge chain matches the motor instead of overreaching it. Kobalt fits a pro-style tensioning system that clamps the bar properly rather than the plastic knob arrangement that plagues saws at this price, and the 200 ml oil tank is generous for a 14-inch bar. Its ceiling is exactly where you would expect: limbing, brush and firewood rounds under about ten inches. Past that it is the wrong saw, and the 80V models exist for a reason.
Best for: Lowe's shoppers who want a light, well-balanced cleanup saw and will not be felling anything substantial.
Specifications
Manufacturer figures except the engine class and single-pass cut, which are derived here. What each spec means
- 8.2 lb bare, 11.1 lb kitted
- Claimed 140 cuts per charge
- Pro-style bar clamping
Where it is strong
- 8.2 lb bare makes it one of the lightest 14-inch battery saws sold
- $179 with a 4.0Ah battery and charger is strong value even against bare tools
- Brushless motor and pro-style bar clamping at a price where neither is standard
- 200 ml oil reservoir keeps up with the bar without constant topping
Where it falls short
- 14-inch bar and .043 chain put a hard ceiling around ten-inch wood
- 40V Kobalt is a narrow platform — far fewer tools share the pack than on Ryobi or Greenworks
- No manufacturer website; parts and support run entirely through Lowe's
- Listed hp figures from house brands are not comparable to engine ratings
Written from the spec sheet and the maker's documentation; owner reports for this model were too thin to summarize.
