Makita 18V X2 LXT 14" Chainsaw Kit vs Husqvarna 542i XP
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
Makita 18V X2 LXT 14" Chainsaw Kit
- Four 5.0Ah LXT packs and a dual-port rapid charger in the box — most of the price is battery you can use elsewhere
- 8.2 lb bare, among the lightest 14" saws of any power source
- Makita quotes up to 380 cuts in 4x4 cedar across the four included batteries
- Captured bar nuts and a tool-less chain adjuster; the bar hardware does not get lost in the grass
- Brushless, and the X2 layout puts both packs over the handle, which is why it is one of the quieter and smoother saws in the class
- Consumes two 18V packs per charge, so effective runtime per dollar of battery is half what a single-pack saw gives
- $629 is a lot of money against 14" rivals, and only makes sense if you want the four packs
- Narrow-kerf .043" chain and a 14" bar keep it out of serious bucking
- 3-year tool and battery warranty, shorter than EGO's 5-year tool coverage
- Both battery doors must be closed and both packs charged; one weak pack drops the whole saw's output
Husqvarna 542i XP
- Centrifugal clutch protects the drivetrain when the chain binds — unique among rear-handle battery saws
- 2.4 hp and 79 ft/s chain speed put it in 40cc gas territory
- IPX4 weatherproofing means rain and wet snow are rated conditions, not risks
- 6.83 lb bare tool, lighter than any 40cc gas saw with a comparable bar
- 91 dB at the operator's ear versus well over 100 for gas equivalents
- BLi-X platform shares packs with Husqvarna's professional trimmers and blowers
- $710 tool-only; a 40-B330X pack and charger push the working total past $1,200
- 16-inch bar ceiling — it will not replace a 50cc gas saw for felling
- .043 narrow chain costs more and is less widely stocked than .050
- Runtime depends entirely on which pack you buy, and the big ones are expensive