Echo CS-2511T-12

When you're up in a tree limbing or topping, weight is everything. The CS-2511T-12 is the lightest gas-powered chainsaw in North America at 5.2 lbs — light enough to run one-handed in the canopy without wearing out your arm by mid-afternoon. This is a purpose-built arborist saw, so it's designed for trained folks working aloft, not for felling big timber from the ground.

The 25.0 cc professional-grade two-stroke engine packs real cutting power into a body you can maneuver through tight branch work. The clutch-driven adjustable oiler only feeds bar oil when the chain is actually moving, so you're not wasting oil idling between cuts, and you can dial the flow to match how hard you're working. The G-Force Engine Air Pre-Cleaner spins debris out before it reaches the filter — worth its weight during Pacific Northwest storm cleanup when you're cutting through wet, dirty wood all day.

The dual-post chain brake holds up to repeated hard use, and the fine grid starter cover keeps woodchips and fiber out of the internals. The side-access chain tensioner means you can snug up a stretched chain in the field without digging for tools, and the automatic fast-idle choke gets you started without a fight on cold mornings. Echo's vibration reduction system keeps your hands working comfortably through a long day of limbing.