Milwaukee M18 Fuel 16" Chainsaw Kit vs Makita 18V X2 LXT 16" Chainsaw Kit
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Quick take: The Makita 18V X2 LXT 16" Chainsaw Kit is lighter at 11.5 lb.
| Spec | Milwaukee M18 Fuel 16" Chainsaw Kit | Makita 18V X2 LXT 16" Chainsaw Kit |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $499 | $499 |
| Rating | 4.5★ (2,712) | 4.3★ (20) |
| Power Type | Battery | Battery |
| Use Case | Farm & Ranch | Homeowner |
| Engine | — | — |
| Rated Power | — | — |
| Voltage | 18V | 36V |
| Kit Battery | 12 Ah | 5 Ah |
| Bar Length | 16" | 16" |
| Bar Range | 16" | 16" |
| Chain | 3/8" low-profile pitch / .043" gauge Oregon, 56 DL | 3/8" low-profile pitch / .043" gauge, 56 DL |
| Weight | 13.9 lb (with HD12.0 battery) | 11.5 lb (with two 5.0Ah batteries (8.3 lbs bare)) |
| Warranty | 5-year tool / 3-year battery | 3-year tool & battery |
Pros & cons
Milwaukee M18 Fuel 16" Chainsaw Kit
- ✓Genuinely gas-class cutting speed — beat a Husqvarna 460 Rancher in Pro Tool Reviews' head-to-head
- ✓Ships with the HD12.0 (216 Wh) pack, the biggest battery any 18V saw kit includes
- ✓Full throttle in under a second with a well-tuned variable-speed trigger
- ✓Shares batteries with 250+ M18 tools — the kit pack powers your whole jobsite
- ✓Quality 16" Oregon bar and chain plus dual-stud bar retention, not proprietary hardware
- ✓5-year tool warranty, longer than most gas saws in this class
- ✗13.9 lbs with battery — noticeably heavier than gas rivals or EGO's 16" saw
- ✗Aggressive factory oiler setting; owners report oil-slinging and bar-oil puddles in storage
- ✗Needs an HO 8.0Ah+ pack for full power, so bare-tool buyers with compact batteries get a slower saw
- ✗$499 kit price is steep against EGO's $329 CS1613 unless you're already on M18
- ✗The .043" narrow-kerf chain dulls fast in dirty wood and stretches early in its life
Makita 18V X2 LXT 16" Chainsaw Kit
- ✓Uses standard 18V LXT packs — the kit's two 5.0Ah batteries power hundreds of other Makita tools
- ✓Light and nimble: 11.5 lbs with batteries, more than 2 lbs less than Milwaukee's 16" saw
- ✓Noticeably quieter than competitors — owners prune at dawn without neighbor complaints
- ✓Auto power-off and battery gauges prevent the dead-battery surprises common on other saws
- ✓Tool-less chain tensioning and a large, easy-fill oil reservoir
- ✓Kit includes a dual-port rapid charger, so both packs recharge simultaneously
- ✗Only 32cc-equivalent by Makita's own rating — the weakest 16" saw in the big-brand battery field
- ✗Burns through battery pairs fast under real bucking; owners report short work sessions per charge
- ✗Needs two charged packs every time — one flat battery sidelines the whole saw
- ✗3,940 FPM chain speed trails EGO (20 m/s ≈ 3,940) and far behind XGT's 5,020 FPM in cut feel under load
- ✗Makita has shifted OPE focus to 40V XGT, leaving LXT saw accessories in maintenance mode