Kobalt 80V 18" Chainsaw Kit vs Kobalt 80V 16" Chainsaw Kit
Tinted cells mark the better figure on that row alone: more engine, longer bar, lighter, cheaper. A lighter weight is only a win on the same basis.
What owners like and complain about
Kobalt 80V 18" Chainsaw Kit
- Ships a 5.0Ah battery at $299, larger than almost anything at the price
- Claimed 300 cuts of 4x4 per charge is the longest runtime in the big-box battery tier
- Inertia-activated chain brake, not just a hand-guard mechanism
- 5-year tool warranty beats Greenworks, Craftsman and most of the field
- On-board tool storage and an auto oiler come standard
- 16.9 lb with the battery — heaviest 18-inch battery saw here, and punishing overhead
- Kobalt has no manufacturer website, so specs, parts and support all run through Lowe's
- 80V Kobalt packs fit only Kobalt tools, a much smaller range than Ryobi or Greenworks
- Resale and parts availability depend entirely on Lowe's continuing to stock the platform
Kobalt 80V 16" Chainsaw Kit
- Frequently $199 complete with battery and charger against a $299 list
- Metal wrap-around handle rather than the all-plastic shells common at this price
- Electronic chain brake and quick-adjust tensioning
- 110 cuts from only a 2.0Ah pack — the bigger 80V Kobalt batteries extend it a long way
- 12 m/s chain speed is the slowest in the 16-inch battery class by a wide margin
- 15 lb with a small 2.0Ah battery is heavy for a 16-inch saw
- 2.0Ah pack is the minimum viable size; a spare is a near-certain purchase
- No manufacturer site — specs and support exist only on the Lowe's listing
- List price swings by $100 between promotions, so timing matters more than usual