Can Milwaukee Cut It?

Description

If you make your living - or even just your weekends - cutting wood, clearing fence lines, or dropping storm-damaged trees, you already know the standard: power, reliability, and a tool you can run all day without beating you up. That’s exactly why we headed out to a ranch in Augusta, Montana to put Milwaukee’s 20" battery chainsaw through real work, not showroom talk.

In this episode of The Fix, we didn’t just rev it up and call it good. We handed it to Anthony – our friend who uses a chainsaw every day for work - and asked for the honest truth: Does a battery-powered saw actually hold up when you’re felling and bucking in the field?

Quick Overview: What We Tested

Tool: Milwaukee 20" M18 battery chainsaw
Test Location: Augusta, Montana
Hands-On Evaluator: Anthony (Forestry Service Chainsaw Instructor)
Goal: Verify real-world cutting performance, torque under load, runtime, and comfort factors.

Why This Saw Matters: The ‘Cordless vs Gas’ Question Is Answered in the Dirt

Let’s be straight: most folks who run gas saws aren’t itching to switch. The big concerns are always:

• Will it cut as fast as a gas saw?
• Will it bog down?
• How long will it run?
• Is it reliable when you’re way out there?

Anthony summed up what most of us care about day-to-day: power-to-weight ratio and reliability—because hauling a heavy saw all day adds up fast, and a tool that quits when you’re in the mountains is more than inconvenient.

Key Features Milwaukee Built Into This Dual-Battery 20" Chainsaw

Our Milwaukee rep, Dylan, walked us through the highlights - here are the features that stood out before we even started cutting:

1) ‘70cc Equivalent’ Power + Big Torque
Milwaukee positions this saw as delivering equivalent power to a 70cc chainsaw and states that it offers roughly twice the torque of a gas competitor or high-voltage competitor. It’s designed to maintain power and push through tougher cuts without bogging.

2) Aggressive Bucking Spikes = Control & Leverage
You get two aggressive bucking spikes for control and leverage - helpful when you’re felling or bucking and need the saw to “bite” and hold position.

3) High-Visibility Felling Lines On Both Sides
There are horizontal and perpendicular high-visibility lines on both sides of the saw for better felling alignment.

4) Two Power Modes: Standard & Peak
• Standard power mode: ~4.4 horsepower to maximize battery life/runtime
• Peak power mode: ~5.8 horsepower for tougher applications when you need maximum output

Practical takeaway: Standard when you’re doing steady work and want runtime; Peak when the cut gets gnarly.

Real-World Performance: What Happened When We Dropped Trees

 After dropping and chopping using the saw, the first word Anthony used was ‘surprising.’ He hadn’t run battery saws before and expected less - but the power was the immediate standout.

Did it bog down? Anthony intentionally tried to push it - leaning into cuts to see if it would lose steam. His feedback: no lack of power, and it kept pulling through even when he attempted to force the issue.

Power-to-weight: “Not like holding a brick”
Anthony called out that it felt easy and light, with strong maneuverability, and didn’t feel like he was holding a brick around all day.

Torque: does it feel different?
When asked directly if the “nearly double torque” claim translated into real cutting performance, Anthony’s answer was simple: “100%.” The saw chewed right through and didn’t bog down even under pressure.

Comfort Factor: Vibration (Underrated Until You Feel It)

Anthony talked about the typical gas-saw vibration that transfers into your hands - leading to tingling and numbness up the arms by day’s end. With this battery saw, he was surprised there was none of that normal vibration sensation during the session.

The North 40 perspective: If you’re running a saw frequently, comfort isn’t ‘nice to have’ - it’s how you stay effective and safe.

Battery + Charging: What We Observed in the Field

One of the biggest questions with cordless is longevity. Here’s what we captured during the demo:

• The saw ran for about a solid half hour and was still around 50% battery after making multiple cuts through big trees.
• The kit includes a dual-bay rapid charger plus two FORGE batteries.
• Charging estimates shared in the demo:
  – About 1 hour 15 minutes to fully charge both batteries on the included charger
  – With Milwaukee’s Supercharger, an 8Ah battery can reach ~80% in ~30 minutes and 100% in ~43 minutes; two batteries in ~70 minutes

Bonus practical win: if you’re already running Milwaukee tools, you’re in the same battery ecosystem—so you’re not managing a whole separate power setup.

North 40 Straight Talk: Who This Chainsaw Is For

This Milwaukee battery 20" chainsaw makes the most sense if you:

• Want serious cutting power without gas mixing, pull starts, or engine maintenance
• Need a saw that feels manageable for long days - power-to-weight matters
• Work in places where reliability is non-negotiable (remote ranch ground, mountains, back acreage)
• Already own Milwaukee batteries/tools and want to stay on one platform

FAQ

Q: How powerful is the Milwaukee dual-battery 20" chainsaw?
A: Milwaukee states it provides equivalent power to a 70cc chainsaw and roughly twice the torque compared to a gas or high-voltage competitor.

Q: What are the power modes and why would I use them?
A: Standard (~4.4 hp) is designed to maximize runtime; Peak (~5.8 hp) is for tougher applications when you need maximum output.

Q: Does it bog down in real cuts?
A: In our demo, the pro user intentionally pushed it; his feedback was that it kept pulling through and didn’t bog down.

Q: How is the vibration compared to a gas chainsaw?
A: The pro user noted the usual gas-saw vibration and end-of-day tingling/numbness wasn’t present during his use session.

Q: What comes in the kit/What’s the cost?
A: The kit discussed includes the chainsaw, two FORGE batteries, and a dual-bay rapid charger. It retails for $899 at North 40

Q: How long does it take to charge the batteries?
A: About 1 hour 15 minutes for both batteries on the included charger; faster charging is possible with a Supercharger (demo estimates provided above).

Q: Is this saw suitable for felling trees?
A: Yes—our demo included dropping trees, and the saw includes high-visibility felling lines on both sides to aid alignment.

Takeaways

1) It cuts like a serious saw: the standout feedback was surprise at how hard it pulled—and that it didn’t bog even when pushed.
2) Power-to-weight is a real advantage: maneuverability and less fatigue matter on long ranch days.
3) Comfort counts: vibration was noticeably reduced in hands-on use.
4) Battery logistics are more workable than most folks expect with the included rapid charger and Supercharger options discussed.
5) Two-mode setup is ranch-practical: Standard for runtime, Peak for the rough stuff.

If you’re ready to upgrade your cutting setup - or you’re just tired of gas headaches - this dual-battery 20" option is worth a serious look. It’s built to work, and our field demo backed up what matters most: power, control, comfort, and real productivity.