CRAFTSMAN Electric Chainsaw, 16 Inch, 12 Amp Corded Chain Saw Electric, Ergonomic, Powerful Motor (CMECS600)

Was not expecting much out of this cheap chainsaw, but was pleasantly surprized at how well it functions. Was tired of getting an unintentional workout trying to start my gas saw for small jobs and wanted either a corded or cordless alternative. The battery powered saws seem pretty awesome, but I can't justify the cost for what little I need one for and very infrequently. This saw came super sharp our of the box. Cuts were clean and fast. So easy to use. The chain does continue to spin after you let go of the trigger, there is not chain brake or motor break, but knowing that, just keep the chain away from anything you aren't willing to cut and ensure it has stopped before putting it down. For the price, you can't beat this saw. I'll use it til it dies and buy another one, if need be. We'll see how long it lasts.

This is a decent chain saw. CRAFTSMAN Electric Chainsaw, 16-Inch, 12-Amp (CMECS600) It is not an imitation saw-like thing trying to be a chain saw. There is a review in which a guy mentioned he bumped himself with it while running and did not get cut. He makes this sound like it could be a toy or waste of money. I don't know what he or his saw did, but this chain is very sharp and runs smoothly and true on the bar. The motor is plenty powerful. The saw is nicely balanced and handles like any gas chain saw I've used, except this electric style is quiet, smooth-starting and smooth while running and you don't have to fight gas starting and idle problems. It has the classic chain saw two-hand grips: left hand on top at the balance point with a protective knuckle shield, and right hand on the rear with the switch. (That configuration was a must-have for me.) I cut through branches ~ 4-5 inches in diameter of Lemonade Berry ( a CA tree with medium hard wood) in < 5 seconds per branch. No special effort needed. I'm totally satisfied with the performance of this saw. Some folks have commented that the chain continues to run after you let go of the switch. Yes, the electric motor does not have a brake-when-off circuit (ahem, this would be very easy to do though Craftsman folks!) So the chain will coast down to a stop in a couple of seconds. That said, in my opinion having the chain coasting down for a couple of seconds does not scare me or detract from the utility of this saw. If you are at risk of contacting the chain or bar within a couple seconds of finishing your cut, then I think you need to review your cutting practices, not be relying on a different saw with an instant brake. This saw has an adjustment mechanism for setting the bar position to tension the chain. The big red knob on the side of the saw housing is a clamp knob. There is a smaller knob that drives a pusher screw that pushes the back end of the bar forward to tension the chain. It is easy to adjust, and as long as the clamping action holds up for the long run, it is easy to use and does the job. If there is anything that toes the line of flimsy about this saw, it is this pusher screw mechanism. If I were designing it, I would have payed a bit more attention to materials and pressure points in that setup, but it does seem to work so far. It certainly does make it easy and convenient to re-tension the chain, and that is a good thing. In short, I think this a a decent chain saw capable of cutting branches that are big enough that you would have no practical chance of doing by hand. At $80, it's also a very good price. It was cheaper than hiring someone with a saw to do the job for me. Glad I bought it. Added 6-12-2024: One added note: when you are finished using the saw and going to put it away for storage, be sure to drain the chain oil reservoir. The oil will leak out of the reservoir no matter what position you store it in. Just turn the saw over and pour the remaining oil back into the original container. Not too hard, and way easier than cleaning up a few ounces of sticky chain oil!

Although slightly heavy, the chain saw worked well, is easy to control, and has sufficient power to remove small trees and trunks.

Awesome saw just no chain break. But cuts super well and has been reliable. Cut up several fairly large trees with it already.

Package arrival and unpacking and fixup went very well. It took me about 5 minutes to get the saw ready for use. I went out and started cutting the pile of fruit logs in my back yard, logs from my orange and lemon trees, about 8 to 11 inches diameter. I cut them into about 1-inch pieces. You have to realize what it is to cut a chain saw into this size diameter. It would be like cutting down 15 trees of this diameter. I cut at least 15 of these 1-inch slices and about another dozen slices of 5 or 6-inch diameter logs. It was for use in my BBQ smoker. I wrote another review about replacement chains for this chain saw. I have not used those chains yet, but I was glad that Amazon had these chains and I could ordeer them the next day. My previous saws were Black and Decker 14-inch saws. This is my first Craftsman saw. Shopping on Amazon I only found this saw that still used power cords (instead of battery packs). I already had several replacement chains for my 14-inch saw, but I went ahead and bought a 3-pack replacement chain for this saw, thinking that I will be using it for a few years. My Black and Decker saw is still working fine after 3 or 4 years. My thinking on all this is pretty simple. The gas-powered saws have their own problems with motors, gasoline, and such. They cost a lot more, and they require much more maintenance and upfront fuel cost. It is the same thinking for the grass trimmers. They are pushing gas powered and battery powered trimmers. So, we are obviously in some sort of in between phase of these corporate producers. Further thinking. I have had several trimmers (not particularly chain saws) that were cord powered and that failed after a short period. Replacement was fairly cheap and not a problem. So, if I have to buy a trimmer or chain saw that is gas or battery powered at double or triple the price, what if they have the same failure as the other ones. Obviously, I would be losing double or triple the amount! So, my thinking is to stick with the corded models until they get a better trimmer/chain saw.

Much heavier than expected. Chain continues to run after stopping trigger! Seems dangerous in this regard. Cuts well and performs generally as advertised.

Best electric chainsaw you can buy ! It's very well made , easy to hold an operate, I have a10 yr . Old stihl , but , I like this craftsman so much i want to buy another one ... just incase ? If your looking to buy a electric chainsaw ... this is it ! ...look no further ... absolutely love this saw ! .... dec.14 , 2025 .... I would like to add that Amazon had 30% off on this saw so , I did buy another one and also bought a set of chains for it ! ... that's how much i like this saw . I'm 4'11 and 65 yes. Old and I use this saw to cut wood for my wood stove , my only source of heat for my house . It cuts through oak just fine !

En un solo día, pudimos cortar tres árboles grandes que se necesitaban quitar para una construcción. Corta muy fácilmente árboles gruesos y grandes. Quitamos un árbol de un tronco de 16 pulgadas sin problema y fácilmente.

Great saw, wish it had a chain break though. Lots of power and cuts well.

Exelente herramienta, la ocupe para segmentar un tronco y fue muy sencillo. Las instrucciones de armado claras y sencillas, la recomiendo

A spruce tree died and fell down in my backyard. It was not a big tree. I used this chainsaw to cut it into pieces. Very easy to use.

Adjusting chain after install took some time. Once done very easy to use. Powerful enough to cut a 1 ft diameter elm trunk. No issues. No overheating. Good product for the price.