it’s almost $400 in Australia and i was able to prune 5 huge trees and cut all the foliage down to fit in home bins. As an older woman this is the best tool I’ve ever had for my remote bush property and home. Everything else is too heavier to hold for long. i LOVE this tool!
$279. Picked one up with another cordless chainsaw today prior watching this video because it felt really nice in my hand. Time will tell if it's worth it.
I bought this little guy on impulse. I use it mainly for pruning fruit trees and its pretty helpful with the more overgrown examples that haven't been taken care of. Especially when the suckers are 5-7 years old and are about 4" thickness. The trees can be really hard to get into and manouver safely with even a 16" chainsaw. That being said with this little guy you can also cut them with 1 hand and even go out on a limb... literally to reach the farther out branches and still hold on with your other hand. I used it on and off for about 2 hours last week (most cuts taking only 5 seconds at most to cut through) and it still had battery life. Once you figure out how and when to use it its a great little tool because there's no way you're using loppers to cut 4" branches. I'd buy it again and im considering to buy a second battery just to have the extra useage. If it had a belt hook or something like that it would be even better because it could hang off your belt when not being used. To reduce the bogging down on bigger branches, just make sure you rev it as much as possible, then approach the branch and let the saw do the cutting - dont force it. It cuts it plenty fast. Havent had the chain come off yet either.
Just bought one of these for my wife as an anniversary present. We had a cheap knockoff version a couple of years ago and she loved it, but it didn't live long. It came with the option of a free spare battery or chain. After watching your video I'm glad I went for the free spare battery option. Slightly more expensive here in the UK at £155 including shipping. Looking forward to pruning the apple tree now.
Thanks for the review. I was on the verge of buying one of these after seeing a Stihl review saying that each battery provided 2hrs run time!!! 7 - 9 minutes real world is of almost no use at all. Glad I took the time to watch this - You have just saved me a lot of money! Thanks
@@CopperCreekCuts Link to Stihl demo here -> ua-cam.com/video/StcR9G3PHxw/v-deo.html 2 hour run time claim at about 2:50 - Clearly Jeff Cartwright from Stihl doesn't know his products! And link to Stihls own Battery Working Times document (claims 20 minutes) here -> www.stihl.com/battery-life.aspx Let us all know how you get on :-)
I actually found it very useful in my business. Sometimes I have clients with trimming jobs on heavy slopes where this tool came in great. I could hold on with one hand and trim with other. It's much lighter and smaller than any other chainsaw. I think its great, even for professionals, as long as you use it for what it's intended use is.
I'm not sure if batteries are different but mine will last a good 30 minutes running i have been cutting my olive trees where olive wood is very hard,and it works great biggest downfall is the cost of spare battery €135.00 here in Greece and the guard is a menace if you are cutting as the saw is ment to be used the guard will not last long as the falling branch will hit the guard before you have time to release the trigger switch.i never cut wood (olive) over 35mm in diameter if you do i dont think it will last long..one small point you must keep oiling the chain otherwise it will be ruined,every 3 to 5 minutes it must be oiled.
I deal stihl and have sold dozens of these. Yesterday I finally bought one to help with my 16 crepe myrtles, I'm a very petite lady so this tool replaced a heavy pole saw, that I could only muster the strength to make 2 or 3 cuts with. It was a great decision for my particular needs. I no longer have to "ask for help" in my garden.
So I’ve been eyeing this tool for a little while walked my local Stijl Dealer for one thing and ended up ordering one because they couldn’t keep them In stock. This will be an addition to my other two saws of varying sizes so I won’t be looking for it to do large jobs but as a convenience for smaller jobs. I’m really excited about it and can’t wait to use it
Great and easy tool for a woman for cutting tree limbs to clean up the yard....big chain saws scare me. After ice and snow broke some limbs in my yard, it was easy to carry the cut limbs to my neighbors firepit 😁
Great review, thanks. I agree with everything you say. I've had this little saw since January and I use it every day now. It's really handy for those branches which are not worth cutting with a bigger chain saw, for those situations where you might not feel too happy standing on a ladder with a heavier chain saw in your hand and for those moments when you are just too tired to cut it by hand.
Best review of this little trimmer chainsaw. My decision is now going to be based on better information. Thank you, you did a very good job with this video.
Hold on there....adjust the chain to the right tension and it won't come off. (New chains need to be tightened after a bit of use.) Make sure the guard is installed properly and it won't come off. Look for a video of a tree guy topping and limbing a large tree before you go off half-cocked based on this review. As mentioned earlier, technique with a little finesse helps also.
I've bought this to add to my chainsaw armoury & I think it will work well for the small jobs just as your review says , Thank you very much for the review very helpful , practical & honest .
Bought my Stihl GTA 26 yesterday and could not wait to try it today for around the home projects. I really was surprised at the cutting power on small pruning chores. I got much better than 9 minutes cutting time. I did gets small branches pulled up between the chain and the sprocket cover and had to oil the chain twice. But I accomplished a lot of work in very little time. I would say for my pruning chores it’s a keeper for me.
I just bought this. I have 260 blueberry bushes with lots of cuts. I was able to prune out about 80 of them before battery died. I thought it was much easier than a set of loppers
Thanks! I'm considering the purchase. And you clarified that this is a convenience tool for the odd cut. And sometime convenience is a really solid value!
Thank you for the useful review. From the eye test, this thing looked like a perfect tool to carry in my pack while mountain biking to clear trail. I currently carry a nice Sillky folding saw, or a Stihl 170 rack mounted. That's what I'll continue to do and save throwing this money away for 7 minutes run time.
Thank you! After seeing you with this new Stihl I would not buy it! I was just thinking of purchasing this particular one yesterday. I certainly would not pay that much for it! Thank you, thank you so very much! Sincerely, Sherril Woods Buna, TX
Thank you for answering my main concern which was run time of the battery. I thought it would be a nifty little tool for my 1/2 acre lot with numerous trees and shrubs, but I think that the short battery run time would too frustrating. If they resolve that issue, I'm all in.
The Queen was pressuring me to buy one but I held my ground from here constant badgering. Glad I came upon your video. What stopped her cold in her tracks was the less than 10 minutes of run. She didn’t apologize and that’s OK as far as I’m concerned. It did however stop the badgering immediately. So I’m gonna look for something else. Thank you very much for your video.
...I did see this the other day in a big ... legendary garden centre, in the UK, but yes after initially been blown away by it, u probably right pound for pound, or dollar for dollar, maybe best to get something bigger....but it is cute....great, honest review, thank you 👍
Watched your video today. Bought my GTA 26 last week at Stihl dealer. Agree with everything you’ve said. Enjoy the product but do wish run time was longer or the German manufacturer would come out with larger battery. Paid nearly $180 for mine. It is convenient to have around. Lindsey Lyda , Alabama
I think a cordless reciprocating saw would be a better option for that money. The Ridgid is $140 with battery and charger. Can swap from cutting wood,metal, or plastic unlike that little chainsaw.
@@CopperCreekCuts Hey, try an oscillating multitool. The device got a big push on This Old House, where you could make pre-measured plunge cuts and not damage underlying surfaces or wiring behind walls.
I have one and I've cut probably a cord of wood (small limbs on a cutting table) with it. Loves to cut limbs up to 2" diameter all day. I have two batteries and by the time the first one is charged, the second one is use up. It "is" a professional tool.
Oh, don't tell me that. STIHL is the one who printed it 6 times in the user manual that it is NOT a professional tool. But I appreciate the feedback, thanks!
I have owned this for a couple months and its not bad. Up here in the PNW, black berry bushes grow through everything and this makes it easy to reach through your shrubs to cut those stalks. I also own the hsa 25 and for whatever reason Stihl decided to use a different battery design. The gta 26 and the hsa 25 use a different battery. Interesting note though, the Craftsman nextec 12v batteries work with the hsa 25.
Thanks for this very helpful review. I am looking into a small pruner, whereas a full chainsaw is somewhat bulky and heavy when pruning branches. But the runtime and power is a bit on the low unfortunately. BUT I think Stihl has made a great start and I think and hope there will be better ones soon.
Very informative video. The chain coming off looks very scary. I have to remember to use protective gear, even with such a small critter. I just bought an alternative which looks just like this one, main difference: it has a chain tension knob. The manual mentions the chain getting more loose due to heating during use. Loosening and tightening the chain looks easier with this knob. Getting it delivered this week, very anxious to try it out. At 65 euro, incl mailing from a national chain, not much harm done if it doesn't work out for me. And by the looks of it, my battery operated hedge trimmer uses the same 12v battery in the same shape. So that's worth a try.
I bought one for around my house. I have many scab trees the same battery also runs the weed eater. A new battery is 60. I found tight places where this worked well. But I did have to buy a larger one.
Yes, I'd need a longer run time in order for me to purchase this saw. It really seems to be a great tool to have for timing up bushes around the house, especially for someone who may need a lighter weight sawing tool. I wonder if the others on the market have the same battery life issues? Thanks for the video!
Great review...when i first saw this ...looked up the price ..Ok Got some extra bucks this could be the cool tool. Bar adjustment, chain coming off, short run time , oil for basically a hand tool. If I buy a tool its gotta preform and if it doesn’t..i could really see me slinging it into the yard and grabbing the trusty lopers that have that satisfying chomp and move on to next .....to them !!!
I am someone for whom this is probably ideal. When walking the dog I encounter fallen branches from which the only bits I want for carving are about 2" thick and need to be short enough to carry home. I typically find just 3 or 4 suitable pieces per walk. This tool would sit in my small rucksack. I also need a tool like this in my car, so I can cut similar sized pieces whenever I spot fallen branches at roadside. Easier and quicker for me than carrying a handsaw. My specific need matches this tool, but I shall go look at other battery ones first.
Thanks for your amazing review. This product has yet to arrive in Australia. But there has been publicity about it. As a professional landscape gardener. I thought this would be great to trim down branches bushes such as a hibiscus because it's too thick for a hedger for a clean cut and don't want to use the petrol chainsaw as it's usually an overkill. After watching your review of this product. I have decided to purchase a battery chain saw instead. Your feedback pls. (Hendrika)
Like I say in the review, it is a SUPER convenient tool. If you have the extra cash and can business expense it, and most importantly realize what its limitations are heading into it (especially around battery life) I think you might like it (I say that without knowing anything about you though, so odds are I could be wrong)!
A second battery sounds good, but for about 160 it seems like a descent little chainsaw when your not confident for breaking the regular gas powered out or your cutting above your head and just dont want to care much about safety considerations. Plus it almost seems like you could use this without much training with a ladder. Beats paying someone to deal with odd branches you can handle yourself
@@CopperCreekCuts I picked one up this morning after seeing your and a few others videos, I've got to say for the price I think it's a great tool for the yard, maybe even light brush work out in the woods. I can easily see my own mother using this for her garden and shes not one to get out a chainsaw. The only issue I forsee is I'll need a couple more batteries, which I found out threw my stihl dealer are available individually. Thanks for making this video and I hope others find this thing as handy for the low cost and cleanliness of such a great little tool.
Prerfect for me around the house for small annoying shubbery that I have to carry three tools. The snip, the lopper, and handsaw. As these branches come at you in all sizes. I only need to carry this and no more fussing with three tools on these fast overgrowing trees and shubbery.
I ❤️ the mower and hedge trimmer we have from Stihl, with AP500S batteries. 🔋 I hate deadly gas fumes suffocating me from Craftsman equipment we used to have. 🥵 Never going back... not that I’m the one doing the lawn work. 😂 Nice demo, btw.
Copper Creek Cuts Lawn Care * It’s 300s batteries, sorry for typo, I apparently need glasses. 🤓 And it’s a “weed wacker”, not hedge trimmer, lol. On the GTA 26, I’d probably buy it since I don’t have the muscles to do “all that” manual work (for certain yard jobs)... just a female perspective, for those of us into DIY. 😊
I use a dewalt 20v saw zal with a diablo pruning blade, cut through some thick stumps and small trees with it no problem. Plus I can use different blades for different tasks.
Thank you for this review.I recently heard about this saw, and like others, was excited. But seeing this video, and doing other reading, I 'll stick with my small gas Stihl. I clear alot of invasive autumn olive on my farm......
Thank you for this honest video. I am woman (Ha) looking for a lightweight trimmer... like up to 4-6" branches, max. mostly smaller. Knowing Stihl is a great tool name I really appreciate your video and input. You are correct, and thank you, for the run time, no extra battery, etc. I would not find this little product a happy investment. I am sort of tempted, but.. not enough. Will still be looking. So, I have subscribed to you site and am looking forward to more of your videos.
I was told to by one by a respected colleague..Based upon your video-- I amnot going to spend the money for myself or for a client that might like it--yet the limited run time and the cuts bogging down I will use a hand/operated tree saw. Thgank you for your video btw
I could see using this for cutting thru v's while going thru a pile of branches with my chipper. Sometimes a lopper won't fit and it's a pain to use a hand saw at that point. I could also use this to cut thru the vines growing up the trees. I have seen several videos where they use this on branches 3 or more inches thick. That's what a chainsaw is for!
I was at my dealer yesterday and saw this thing for the first time. Thought it was the coolest thing I've seen in a while, until I watched this. Probably just run my pruner.
I was very tempted to buy one of these until I heard the run time was only 10 minutes. If a second battery was added for a reasonable price I would buy one.
As you mentioned, its not a commercial tool. I believe a lot of people will expect it to perform that way but it is a small battery and motor. Cool little tool for some home cleaning and stuff. Or cutting up the firewood after a chainsaw makes work of the larger stuff. I'm not sure it is worth the 160 bucks though.
Brad, this is one of those tools that you want to have and use, but the reality is that it's in a way useless because a pruner will work faster. Clean it up and take it back 😂👍
Haha, maybe. The only thing I disagree with is a pruner would be quicker. While the battery lasts I think this could beat manual tools! Granted after minute 9 you have to switch to other tools anyways! :D
You guys know I gotz Mad Love for both of you right?? Gotta side wit Johnny on dis one... Longevity wise I def. think the Stihl will outlast my Ryobi Pole saw for build quality. But, my 18V battery Pole saw gets me over 25 mins. of run time with only the 3 amp. battery & it only cost me $85 during Ryobi days. It's a very cool little saw to look at but over priced & under performing in my opinion. Hoping all is well guys, Dirty Jersey out!!
I saw one of these in the hire shop today and it got me asking myself if I can justify buying it for my business knowing it would rarely be used. Seeing your video made my mind up that it is not. I will stick to my Makita cordless rip saw that has much better battery life, plus the blades are likely much more redaily available than a tiny chainsaw blade. Cheers for the great information on this cool tool.
Very informative ! And your view is correct regarding the use of this product . It Was purchased for me . I love it .... but could use another battery! Just saying 😀
Looks like a trial run of a great product. I'm sure others, to include Stihl, will make one with a more powerful battery. Perhaps a (20V Lithium)? Of course with a better battery comes a bigger price tag. And $120.+ dollars for a piece of plastic and a mini chain seems a little high. Just my 2 cents.
Thanks. I think I will go and buy a handsaw seeing the price ($299 in New Zealand) compared with $50 NZ. I will use my chainsaw and long handled secateurs for larger jobs.
I have a friend who works as a gardener for an Airbnb. His bosses bought one of these and he was telling me how much they loved to get out there and use this. But there was always the odd comment about battery life. Let's just say they never worked up a sweat. I enjoy turning my yard waste, which is mostly from trees, into mulch. I cut the trees (Pittosporum undulatum) and haul them to the chipper/shredder where the smallest branches and leaves are processed and the larger parts are kept aside to dry and be used for heating my house in the winter. I was using a battery powered saw to cut those 1/2 - 1 inch branches, but it was slow. So I watched a lot of these reviews on UA-cam and while the GTA 26 was tempting, I went with the smallest battery powered chainsaw Stihl makes, the MSA 120 CB. Small, lighter than a full size saw, easy to pick up and use then put down, and longer battery life. I still use the gas chainsaw for the large cuts, but the 120 is great for the small ones. And the battery lasts a long time.
I really appreciate your video on this. I have multiple sclerosis and I get fatigued easily, and I have a problem shoulder. We just had several trees cut down and I need to find something I can use to limb them. It seems like this would be the perfect tool for me in some ways (light weight, no pull string) but I think it may not be the tool for me if I have, say 5 maples and 4 firs to limb... and I also have to do a little with the cedars... Besides the short run time, I think I would need to sharpen the chain after every tree! I will keep looking. Thank you again!
I only have one arm, and this tool is perfect for a person with limited ability working with a full size chainsaw. I would only like to have a better/bigger motor for a bit more speed in cuts.
Your excellent and factual video answers my questions about this saw. I agree with all your balanced and fair comments. I am a Sthil aficionado and have many Sthil chainsaws. For my use I'd prefer a longer battery life plus the saw stalls too easily. So we need either more power or a better matched chain. It's weird that you need an arborist licence to use an arborist chainsaw but yet none is required for this saw. I can see loads of accidents happening with a design like this because your free hand can be placed beside the chain blade. Perhaps the power has been limited to help mitigate against major harm to those who reach near the blade - say loosing a finger as opposed to loosing several. Lets get real here - people in the main who purchase this unit would not be experienced in the many ways a standard chainsaw can be dangerous, but at least with a real chainsaw both hands are are required to hold the saw and are never placed near an active cutting chain. A protective glove should be supplied as standard with these type of saws. Having said all that I swear by Sthil quality and would not purchase any other brand.
As just a homeowner, I could see this being a useful tool, but, even for that non-commercial use, the short battery working time is a no-go. I can see getting on a roll getting something done and then the battery dies. If I'm going to spend that much on a tool, it better WORK for 15 minutes at load. I purchase WORX tools. LOVE them! The first thing I bought of theirs was the JawSaw (mine is not cordless) and that thing has helped me out SO much with downed branches (and even a tree) that it's paid for itself. It only cuts branches up to 4", but, that's all I can really handle anyway! It's not meant for cutting big trees, but more as a pruner/cleanup tool.
@@CopperCreekCuts Oh, it is absolutely FANTASTIC! I'm a little scared of chain saws, but since this has that guard around the cutting area, I feel much safer using it. I can be a bit of a klutz and could see my dropping a chain saw and severing an artery or cutting off a foot or something! LOL So, this thing allows me the luxury of cutting up large branches (and small) without fear of major damage to me! :-) It's probably not the speediest thing in the world, but it's perfect for my purposes.
Good honest review. I like this product mainly because I like and I own other Stihl products. But spending $160 for a tool that would only give me 8 minutes runtime is a non-starter for me. I’d like to get at least 30 minutes of work for that amount of money.
Yeah, I knew that guard was going to be a hindrance. Couple that with manual oiling and the need for a battery backpack, I'll stick with my MS 170. Edit: Thanks for the updated review!
I have a question have you used a bypass lopper? frankly seems like something like that would be more useful. with this i just dont think the battery is there yet and a bit to many annoyances during yard work that wouldnt make it suitable for me.
What I meant was I have a Husqvarna 128ldx . It accepts all attachments. I have a 28inch power hedge trimmer attachment. All my old attachments fit and work from 15 years ago. Stihl split shaft only accepts Stihl attachments. And that's why I use Husqvarna !
Thank you for the information. I agree with your assessment that the runtime to cost ratio does not warrant purchase. I did not expect it to cost this much. You can get a full sized battery powered chainsaw for this price. I'll stick with my recip saw for anything between the hand tools and chainsaw. Thanks again. P.s. tell Stihl it does look handy, they just need to make it a more practical purchase.
The chain slipping off I could see as a on going problem. And just use decent used car oil of any types I know several old guys who have only ever used that and it’s works absolutely fine.
Totally agree with all your points. It maybe great use for a quick cut however either battery life needs to improve to justify the purchase for most people.
Seems like a hatchet would do better.... I have 5 acres heavily wooded with alot of underbrush a hatchet or ax is too much fo rme to be swinging. I seen this and was excited so i am still buying one. You brought up some really good points and commerical it is not. Luckily I am not using it commerically.
Was really considering one of these. The more utube reviews I see on it,the more I am reconsidering. Maybe I will still do my triming with my Echo 310 with 14 inch bar. If Stihl would put a self oiler on it and improve the run time or include a couple extra batteries i would buy one.
Thanks for an honest review. My elderly mother-in-law is looking for something for occasional yard pruning...maybe just a cordless reciprocating saw will be the most practical.
I want to thank you for demonstrating this little saw My wife does a lot of yard work and she has a few stil tools and this is something she would be interested in but I feel they should have a bigger voltage battery or come with a multi pack of batteries with the purchase of the saw
Full size stihl pro battery chainsaws aren’t much more expensive....buy one of those. I run my crew of 10 staff on the AP system, blowers, trimmers, saws, blowers, hedge trimmers, they work as well as the gas equivalents, with zero engine service costs, no breakdowns, no fumes, they are very quiet, and a tiny running cost for charging the batteries perhaps £1 a day for the entire team.
It would be great for older people or someone that doesn't have the ability to do a lot at one time. I think they should have a plug in option for an extension cord but also have the ability to use the battery...i don't know just my opinion.
Howdy, I need a small chain saw to trim a few trees in my garden. Was thinking of the GTA26, thanks for your review. I probably need more than 10 mins run time, so what sort of chainsaw would you suggest please?
Hey ....thanks for your honesty, it's not a good machine, and for the price, it ain't worth it either, there are better ones out there, for much less and better over all ...............
I like the product because it fits my needs here at home. I dont need the big commercial chainsaw so this would be perfect. But the only way I would buy it is if came with a plug in option. Nine minutes is simply too little of a run time. Maybe they can incorporate a bigger battery too but a plug in option would work best. Nice review. Thanks.
Awesome review! Would have appreciated a charging time as well, of the as2 battery on the al1 charger. But other than that, loved the review, very informative.
Really good to get your view. The run time is far to short. I thought it may be good to prune roses, but feel the run time, versus the cost, doesn't add up. Thanks 🙋♀️
it’s almost $400 in Australia and i was able to prune 5 huge trees and cut all the foliage down to fit in home bins. As an older woman this is the best tool I’ve ever had for my remote bush property and home. Everything else is too heavier to hold for long. i LOVE this tool!
$279. Picked one up with another cordless chainsaw today prior watching this video because it felt really nice in my hand. Time will tell if it's worth it.
Got 1 the other day for $199
It is about 200 mark
@@MrTurkDilight where did you get for that price? dealer is $279 but if you are a business you might get a ~$30 discount
I just paid 170$ is the us
I really like how you are about your safety Brad. You always wear the proper PPE for the job. Respect.
Thank you for noticing, I appreciate it!
You are a Democrat. Not because you use PPE. But because you mentioned it. 🤣
I bought this little guy on impulse. I use it mainly for pruning fruit trees and its pretty helpful with the more overgrown examples that haven't been taken care of. Especially when the suckers are 5-7 years old and are about 4" thickness. The trees can be really hard to get into and manouver safely with even a 16" chainsaw. That being said with this little guy you can also cut them with 1 hand and even go out on a limb... literally to reach the farther out branches and still hold on with your other hand. I used it on and off for about 2 hours last week (most cuts taking only 5 seconds at most to cut through) and it still had battery life. Once you figure out how and when to use it its a great little tool because there's no way you're using loppers to cut 4" branches. I'd buy it again and im considering to buy a second battery just to have the extra useage. If it had a belt hook or something like that it would be even better because it could hang off your belt when not being used. To reduce the bogging down on bigger branches, just make sure you rev it as much as possible, then approach the branch and let the saw do the cutting - dont force it. It cuts it plenty fast. Havent had the chain come off yet either.
Thanks for the feedback!
Also, some of this is technique: make sure you keep the saw straight in the kerf and this will 'cut down' on binding.
I just saw that Stihl now makes a belt holster for it.
I am loving the 26 I bought. I use it to get some of the smaller branches out of the way while trimming trees to get my bigger saws in easier.
Just bought one of these for my wife as an anniversary present. We had a cheap knockoff version a couple of years ago and she loved it, but it didn't live long. It came with the option of a free spare battery or chain. After watching your video I'm glad I went for the free spare battery option. Slightly more expensive here in the UK at £155 including shipping. Looking forward to pruning the apple tree now.
Thanks for the review. I was on the verge of buying one of these after seeing a Stihl review saying that each battery provided 2hrs run time!!! 7 - 9 minutes real world is of almost no use at all. Glad I took the time to watch this - You have just saved me a lot of money! Thanks
Holy moly, do you have a link to that review? I am very curious to see it (and comment on it!)
@@CopperCreekCuts
Link to Stihl demo here -> ua-cam.com/video/StcR9G3PHxw/v-deo.html
2 hour run time claim at about 2:50 - Clearly Jeff Cartwright from Stihl doesn't know his products!
And link to Stihls own Battery Working Times document (claims 20 minutes) here -> www.stihl.com/battery-life.aspx
Let us all know how you get on :-)
Must be 2 hours with trigger pulled and not cutting anything. Smh
I actually found it very useful in my business. Sometimes I have clients with trimming jobs on heavy slopes where this tool came in great. I could hold on with one hand and trim with other. It's much lighter and smaller than any other chainsaw. I think its great, even for professionals, as long as you use it for what it's intended use is.
I'm not sure if batteries are different but mine will last a good 30 minutes running i have been cutting my olive trees where olive wood is very hard,and it works great biggest downfall is the cost of spare battery €135.00 here in Greece and the guard is a menace if you are cutting as the saw is ment to be used the guard will not last long as the falling branch will hit the guard before you have time to release the trigger switch.i never cut wood (olive) over 35mm in diameter if you do i dont think it will last long..one small point you must keep oiling the chain otherwise it will be ruined,every 3 to 5 minutes it must be oiled.
My first day in using the Hand Chain saw was a great experience. It has worked well for my needs
Very glad to hear it, I personally love this tool!
I deal stihl and have sold dozens of these. Yesterday I finally bought one to help with my 16 crepe myrtles, I'm a very petite lady so this tool replaced a heavy pole saw, that I could only muster the strength to make 2 or 3 cuts with. It was a great decision for my particular needs. I no longer have to "ask for help" in my garden.
So I’ve been eyeing this tool for a little while walked my local Stijl
Dealer for one thing and ended up ordering one because they couldn’t keep them
In stock. This will be an addition to my other two saws of varying sizes so I won’t be looking for it to do large jobs but as a convenience for smaller jobs. I’m really excited about it and can’t wait to use it
I hope you like it!
Great and easy tool for a woman for cutting tree limbs to clean up the yard....big chain saws scare me. After ice and snow broke some limbs in my yard, it was easy to carry the cut limbs to my neighbors firepit 😁
I was this close to buying 1 !!! I’m so glad I you tubed it first! Thank you 🙏
Great review, thanks. I agree with everything you say. I've had this little saw since January and I use it every day now. It's really handy for those branches which are not worth cutting with a bigger chain saw, for those situations where you might not feel too happy standing on a ladder with a heavier chain saw in your hand and for those moments when you are just too tired to cut it by hand.
Best review of this little trimmer chainsaw. My decision is now going to be based on better information. Thank you, you did a very good job with this video.
Glad it was helpful! I appreciate the feedback as well!
Hold on there....adjust the chain to the right tension and it won't come off. (New chains need to be tightened after a bit of use.) Make sure the guard is installed properly and it won't come off. Look for a video of a tree guy topping and limbing a large tree before you go off half-cocked based on this review. As mentioned earlier, technique with a little finesse helps also.
I've bought this to add to my chainsaw armoury & I think it will work well for the small jobs just as your review says , Thank you very much for the review very helpful , practical & honest .
Hope you enjoy it! I love the tool despite the run times.
Bought my Stihl GTA 26 yesterday and could not wait to try it today for around the home projects.
I really was surprised at the cutting power on small pruning chores. I got much better than 9 minutes cutting time. I did gets small branches pulled up between the chain and the sprocket cover and had to oil the chain twice. But I accomplished a lot of work in very little time. I would say for my pruning chores it’s a keeper for me.
I am glad to hear it! Be sure you time the actual cutting time, it can be deceiving when you just estimate while working.
I just bought this. I have 260 blueberry bushes with lots of cuts. I was able to prune out about 80 of them before battery died. I thought it was much easier than a set of loppers
Glad to hear it is working well for you! I love mine!
Where can I buy this hand saw
Bought one. Love it!! Never had the problems this guy was having. Nice job still.
Stihl
How long does your battery last?
Copper Creek Cuts Lawn Care about 20 min
Cute soccer mom garden toy.
Thanks! I'm considering the purchase. And you clarified that this is a convenience tool for the odd cut. And sometime convenience is a really solid value!
Thank you for the useful review. From the eye test, this thing looked like a perfect tool to carry in my pack while mountain biking to clear trail. I currently carry a nice Sillky folding saw, or a Stihl 170 rack mounted. That's what I'll continue to do and save throwing this money away for 7 minutes run time.
Very glad it helped, thank you for the feedback!
Perfect. You just saved me £160 and plenty of valuable time. I'm really glad I saw this video
Thank you!
After seeing you with this new Stihl I would not buy it!
I was just thinking of purchasing this particular one yesterday.
I certainly would not pay that much for it! Thank you, thank you so very much!
Sincerely,
Sherril Woods
Buna, TX
Thank you for answering my main concern which was run time of the battery. I thought it would be a nifty little tool for my 1/2 acre lot with numerous trees and shrubs, but I think that the short battery run time would too frustrating. If they resolve that issue, I'm all in.
Cant you buy a spare battery?
Super helpful video on the GTA 26 - Really appreciate the demonstration and your thoughts.
Many thanks......all the way from London !
As a tree surgeon, I wonder if that protective hood could be useful in larger machines too.
The Queen was pressuring me to buy one but I held my ground from here constant badgering. Glad I came upon your video. What stopped her cold in her tracks was the less than 10 minutes of run. She didn’t apologize and that’s OK as far as I’m concerned. It did however stop the badgering immediately. So I’m gonna look for something else. Thank you very much for your video.
...I did see this the other day in a big ... legendary garden centre, in the UK, but yes after initially been blown away by it, u probably right pound for pound, or dollar for dollar, maybe best to get something bigger....but it is cute....great, honest review, thank you 👍
Watched your video today. Bought my GTA 26 last week at Stihl dealer. Agree with everything you’ve said. Enjoy the product but do wish run time was longer or the German manufacturer would come out with larger battery. Paid nearly $180 for mine. It is convenient to have around. Lindsey Lyda , Alabama
I think a cordless reciprocating saw would be a better option for that money. The Ridgid is $140 with battery and charger. Can swap from cutting wood,metal, or plastic unlike that little chainsaw.
That could be! Good observation.
@@CopperCreekCuts Hey, try an oscillating multitool. The device got a big push on This Old House, where you could make pre-measured plunge cuts and not damage underlying surfaces or wiring behind walls.
I carry a cordless recip saw with me when I do pruning. Plus with a good pruning blade I'll plung into the dirt and cut roots if needed.
I have one and I've cut probably a cord of wood (small limbs on a cutting table) with it. Loves to cut limbs up to 2" diameter all day. I have two batteries and by the time the first one is charged, the second one is use up. It "is" a professional tool.
Oh, don't tell me that. STIHL is the one who printed it 6 times in the user manual that it is NOT a professional tool. But I appreciate the feedback, thanks!
I have owned this for a couple months and its not bad. Up here in the PNW, black berry bushes grow through everything and this makes it easy to reach through your shrubs to cut those stalks. I also own the hsa 25 and for whatever reason Stihl decided to use a different battery design. The gta 26 and the hsa 25 use a different battery. Interesting note though, the Craftsman nextec 12v batteries work with the hsa 25.
Very strange they didn't make those two batteries sync up. Missed opportunity.
Seven minutes and kept binding up. That changed my mind!
XD thanks for watching and commenting!
Thanks for this very helpful review. I am looking into a small pruner, whereas a full chainsaw is somewhat bulky and heavy when pruning branches. But the runtime and power is a bit on the low unfortunately. BUT I think Stihl has made a great start and I think and hope there will be better ones soon.
Very informative video. The chain coming off looks very scary. I have to remember to use protective gear, even with such a small critter.
I just bought an alternative which looks just like this one, main difference: it has a chain tension knob.
The manual mentions the chain getting more loose due to heating during use. Loosening and tightening the chain looks easier with this knob.
Getting it delivered this week, very anxious to try it out. At 65 euro, incl mailing from a national chain, not much harm done if it doesn't work out for me.
And by the looks of it, my battery operated hedge trimmer uses the same 12v battery in the same shape. So that's worth a try.
I could see that being nice to have in the tool box for when you have a limb down on one of your lawns while mowing
Yes, that is one of those niches I think would fit well!
I bought one for around my house. I have many scab trees the same battery also runs the weed eater. A new battery is 60. I found tight places where this worked well. But I did have to buy a larger one.
Yes, I'd need a longer run time in order for me to purchase this saw. It really seems to be a great tool to have for timing up bushes around the house, especially for someone who may need a lighter weight sawing tool. I wonder if the others on the market have the same battery life issues? Thanks for the video!
Great review...when i first saw this ...looked up the price ..Ok Got some extra bucks this could be the cool tool. Bar adjustment, chain coming off, short run time , oil for basically a hand tool. If I buy a tool its gotta preform and if it doesn’t..i could really see me slinging it into the yard and grabbing the trusty lopers that have that satisfying chomp and move on to next .....to them !!!
Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate you watching!
I am someone for whom this is probably ideal. When walking the dog I encounter fallen branches from which the only bits I want for carving are about 2" thick and need to be short enough to carry home. I typically find just 3 or 4 suitable pieces per walk. This tool would sit in my small rucksack. I also need a tool like this in my car, so I can cut similar sized pieces whenever I spot fallen branches at roadside. Easier and quicker for me than carrying a handsaw. My specific need matches this tool, but I shall go look at other battery ones first.
Very nice! Sounds like a good fit!
Thanks for your amazing review. This product has yet to arrive in Australia. But there has been publicity about it. As a professional landscape gardener. I thought this would be great to trim down branches bushes such as a hibiscus because it's too thick for a hedger for a clean cut and don't want to use the petrol chainsaw as it's usually an overkill. After watching your review of this product. I have decided to purchase a battery chain saw instead. Your feedback pls. (Hendrika)
Like I say in the review, it is a SUPER convenient tool. If you have the extra cash and can business expense it, and most importantly realize what its limitations are heading into it (especially around battery life) I think you might like it (I say that without knowing anything about you though, so odds are I could be wrong)!
Excellent little tool for pruning. I simply have enjoyed working with it in my garden. But do buy an extra battery from the very beginning.
Great tip!
How much was the extra battery?
A second battery sounds good, but for about 160 it seems like a descent little chainsaw when your not confident for breaking the regular gas powered out or your cutting above your head and just dont want to care much about safety considerations. Plus it almost seems like you could use this without much training with a ladder. Beats paying someone to deal with odd branches you can handle yourself
Well the user manual says don't use it on a ladder or cut overhead, but yeah, you absolutely could (and I have).
@@CopperCreekCuts I picked one up this morning after seeing your and a few others videos, I've got to say for the price I think it's a great tool for the yard, maybe even light brush work out in the woods. I can easily see my own mother using this for her garden and shes not one to get out a chainsaw. The only issue I forsee is I'll need a couple more batteries, which I found out threw my stihl dealer are available individually. Thanks for making this video and I hope others find this thing as handy for the low cost and cleanliness of such a great little tool.
Yes this video was very helpful, was considering this tool but after hearing the Short Run Time.....decided against it. Thanks for your Honest Video
Glad it was helpful!
Would probably be excellent for a small homeowner that doesn't already have a small chainsaw for basic clean up.
Agreed, perfect for that!
Wait.. do you mean a homeowner that's physically small? Or the owner of a small home?
😁✌
Prerfect for me around the house for small annoying shubbery that I have to carry three tools. The snip, the lopper, and handsaw. As these branches come at you in all sizes. I only need to carry this and no more fussing with three tools on these fast overgrowing trees and shubbery.
I ❤️ the mower and hedge trimmer we have from Stihl, with AP500S batteries. 🔋 I hate deadly gas fumes suffocating me from Craftsman equipment we used to have. 🥵 Never going back... not that I’m the one doing the lawn work. 😂 Nice demo, btw.
Excellent feedback, thanks for the helpful comment!
Copper Creek Cuts Lawn Care * It’s 300s batteries, sorry for typo, I apparently need glasses. 🤓 And it’s a “weed wacker”, not hedge trimmer, lol. On the GTA 26, I’d probably buy it since I don’t have the muscles to do “all that” manual work (for certain yard jobs)... just a female perspective, for those of us into DIY. 😊
I use a dewalt 20v saw zal with a diablo pruning blade, cut through some thick stumps and small trees with it no problem. Plus I can use different blades for different tasks.
Good feedback, thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this review.I recently heard about this saw, and like others, was excited. But seeing this video, and doing other reading, I 'll stick with my small gas Stihl. I clear alot of invasive autumn olive on my farm......
Glad I could help, I appreciate the feedback and you watching!
You are hilarious. Thank you for your honest and practical review.
Great for going camping and trimming tree branches for small fire starter wood. Great informative video, thanks!!
Thank you for this honest video. I am woman (Ha) looking for a lightweight trimmer... like up to 4-6" branches, max. mostly smaller. Knowing Stihl is a great tool name I really appreciate your video and input. You are correct, and thank you, for the run time, no extra battery, etc. I would not find this little product a happy investment. I am sort of tempted, but.. not enough. Will still be looking. So, I have subscribed to you site and am looking forward to more of your videos.
I was told to by one by a respected colleague..Based upon your video-- I amnot going to spend the money for myself or for a client that might like it--yet the limited run time and the cuts bogging down I will use a hand/operated tree saw.
Thgank you for your video btw
You are very welcome! I appreciate your feedback as well!
I could see using this for cutting thru v's while going thru a pile of branches with my chipper. Sometimes a lopper won't fit and it's a pain to use a hand saw at that point. I could also use this to cut thru the vines growing up the trees. I have seen several videos where they use this on branches 3 or more inches thick. That's what a chainsaw is for!
Good feedback, thanks! I would say the vines might get sucked up like the little branches I was trimming though.
Thank you I was about order one! Dodged that bullet!
I am very glad this helped, thank you!
I was at my dealer yesterday and saw this thing for the first time. Thought it was the coolest thing I've seen in a while, until I watched this. Probably just run my pruner.
It is a fun little tool to have, once you get past the purchase price!
Great video - very helpful in making a decision. I decided to look for something a little more hefty.
Glad it was helpful!
I was very tempted to buy one of these until I heard the run time was only 10 minutes. If a second battery was added for a reasonable price I would buy one.
My Black and Decker lopper could have grabbed and cut 5-6 of those smaller branches at once. Your demo showed the shortcomings of this unit. Thanks.
I appreciate the feedback!
Nice video Brad, that was a nice review, thank you. 👍🇺🇸
Thank you!
I was going to buy it, but less than 10 minutes of run time changed my mind, thank you for the video
Glad I could help!
As you mentioned, its not a commercial tool. I believe a lot of people will expect it to perform that way but it is a small battery and motor. Cool little tool for some home cleaning and stuff. Or cutting up the firewood after a chainsaw makes work of the larger stuff. I'm not sure it is worth the 160 bucks though.
Very good feedback, thank you!
Brad, this is one of those tools that you want to have and use, but the reality is that it's in a way useless because a pruner will work faster. Clean it up and take it back 😂👍
Haha, maybe. The only thing I disagree with is a pruner would be quicker. While the battery lasts I think this could beat manual tools! Granted after minute 9 you have to switch to other tools anyways! :D
You guys know I gotz Mad Love for both of you right?? Gotta side wit Johnny on dis one... Longevity wise I def. think the Stihl will outlast my Ryobi Pole saw for build quality. But, my 18V battery Pole saw gets me over 25 mins. of run time with only the 3 amp. battery & it only cost me $85 during Ryobi days. It's a very cool little saw to look at but over priced & under performing in my opinion. Hoping all is well guys, Dirty Jersey out!!
The Blades has spoken. JK. Agreed, Thanks Cooper Creek for a truly honestly review.
Great video Brad 👍 , thanks for the review
You are very welcome, thanks for watching!
I saw one of these in the hire shop today and it got me asking myself if I can justify buying it for my business knowing it would rarely be used. Seeing your video made my mind up that it is not. I will stick to my Makita cordless rip saw that has much better battery life, plus the blades are likely much more redaily available than a tiny chainsaw blade. Cheers for the great information on this cool tool.
Very informative ! And your view is correct regarding the use of this product . It Was purchased for me . I love it .... but could use another battery! Just saying 😀
It's a great little helper for people with arthritis and a garden ( like me).
Looks like a trial run of a great product. I'm sure others, to include Stihl, will make one with a more powerful battery. Perhaps a (20V Lithium)? Of course with a better battery comes a bigger price tag. And $120.+ dollars for a piece of plastic and a mini chain seems a little high. Just my 2 cents.
Thanks for the feedback!
Thanks. I think I will go and buy a handsaw seeing the price ($299 in New Zealand) compared with $50 NZ. I will use my chainsaw and long handled secateurs for larger jobs.
Fair enough! :D
I have a friend who works as a gardener for an Airbnb. His bosses bought one of these and he was telling me how much they loved to get out there and use this. But there was always the odd comment about battery life. Let's just say they never worked up a sweat. I enjoy turning my yard waste, which is mostly from trees, into mulch. I cut the trees (Pittosporum undulatum) and haul them to the chipper/shredder where the smallest branches and leaves are processed and the larger parts are kept aside to dry and be used for heating my house in the winter. I was using a battery powered saw to cut those 1/2 - 1 inch branches, but it was slow. So I watched a lot of these reviews on UA-cam and while the GTA 26 was tempting, I went with the smallest battery powered chainsaw Stihl makes, the MSA 120 CB. Small, lighter than a full size saw, easy to pick up and use then put down, and longer battery life. I still use the gas chainsaw for the large cuts, but the 120 is great for the small ones. And the battery lasts a long time.
I really appreciate your video on this. I have multiple sclerosis and I get fatigued easily, and I have a problem shoulder. We just had several trees cut down and I need to find something I can use to limb them. It seems like this would be the perfect tool for me in some ways (light weight, no pull string) but I think it may not be the tool for me if I have, say 5 maples and 4 firs to limb... and I also have to do a little with the cedars... Besides the short run time, I think I would need to sharpen the chain after every tree! I will keep looking. Thank you again!
I only have one arm, and this tool is perfect for a person with limited ability working with a full size chainsaw. I would only like to have a better/bigger motor for a bit more speed in cuts.
I never thought about that, but you are right, that seems like a good application!
Your excellent and factual video answers my questions about this saw. I agree with all your balanced and fair comments. I am a Sthil aficionado and have many Sthil chainsaws. For my use I'd prefer a longer battery life plus the saw stalls too easily. So we need either more power or a better matched chain. It's weird that you need an arborist licence to use an arborist chainsaw but yet none is required for this saw. I can see loads of accidents happening with a design like this because your free hand can be placed beside the chain blade. Perhaps the power has been limited to help mitigate against major harm to those who reach near the blade - say loosing a finger as opposed to loosing several. Lets get real here - people in the main who purchase this unit would not be experienced in the many ways a standard chainsaw can be dangerous, but at least with a real chainsaw both hands are are required to hold the saw and are never placed near an active cutting chain. A protective glove should be supplied as standard with these type of saws. Having said all that I swear by Sthil quality and would not purchase any other brand.
As just a homeowner, I could see this being a useful tool, but, even for that non-commercial use, the short battery working time is a no-go. I can see getting on a roll getting something done and then the battery dies. If I'm going to spend that much on a tool, it better WORK for 15 minutes at load. I purchase WORX tools. LOVE them! The first thing I bought of theirs was the JawSaw (mine is not cordless) and that thing has helped me out SO much with downed branches (and even a tree) that it's paid for itself. It only cuts branches up to 4", but, that's all I can really handle anyway! It's not meant for cutting big trees, but more as a pruner/cleanup tool.
That jawsaw is a neat looking tool!
@@CopperCreekCuts Oh, it is absolutely FANTASTIC! I'm a little scared of chain saws, but since this has that guard around the cutting area, I feel much safer using it. I can be a bit of a klutz and could see my dropping a chain saw and severing an artery or cutting off a foot or something! LOL So, this thing allows me the luxury of cutting up large branches (and small) without fear of major damage to me! :-) It's probably not the speediest thing in the world, but it's perfect for my purposes.
Thanks for the review. Very helpful in helping me make a decision on this.
Good honest review. I like this product mainly because I like and I own other Stihl products. But spending $160 for a tool that would only give me 8 minutes runtime is a non-starter for me. I’d like to get at least 30 minutes of work for that amount of money.
It lasts MUCH longer than that. Each limb takes maybe 5 seconds. Thats a lot of branches. The time is deceiving.
Yeah, I knew that guard was going to be a hindrance. Couple that with manual oiling and the need for a battery backpack, I'll stick with my MS 170.
Edit: Thanks for the updated review!
You are more than welcome!
I have a question have you used a bypass lopper? frankly seems like something like that would be more useful. with this i just dont think the battery is there yet and a bit to many annoyances during yard work that wouldnt make it suitable for me.
I have. It wouldn't have been quicker in my opinion.
What I meant was I have a Husqvarna 128ldx . It accepts all attachments. I have a 28inch power hedge trimmer attachment. All my old attachments fit and work from 15 years ago. Stihl split shaft only accepts Stihl attachments. And that's why I use Husqvarna !
Thank you for the information. I agree with your assessment that the runtime to cost ratio does not warrant purchase. I did not expect it to cost this much. You can get a full sized battery powered chainsaw for this price. I'll stick with my recip saw for anything between the hand tools and chainsaw. Thanks again. P.s. tell Stihl it does look handy, they just need to make it a more practical purchase.
Well said!
I was so excited until I saw the limited run time :(
Yeah, it is a bummer.
Yeah me too, had planned on purchasing one. may as well get a corded chain saw
I wish I would have seen the video BEFORE I made the purchase. The run time is not good. I got maybe 15 minutes of light work out of it.
@@kimberlyh4945 I am so sorry, I hope you can return it :\
The chain slipping off I could see as a on going problem. And just use decent used car oil of any types I know several old guys who have only ever used that and it’s works absolutely fine.
Good tip! Hasn't slipped off again for me yet.
Totally agree with all your points. It maybe great use for a quick cut however either battery life needs to improve to justify the purchase for most people.
Thanks for the feedback!
Seems like a hatchet would do better.... I have 5 acres heavily wooded with alot of underbrush a hatchet or ax is too much fo rme to be swinging. I seen this and was excited so i am still buying one. You brought up some really good points and commerical it is not. Luckily I am not using it commerically.
Hatchet would take a lot more time and energy is my guess! :)
Nice video and overview. Def a neat tool, but also def a situational and preference type of tool. Keep it up and best wishes for 2020👍👊💪.
Thank you for watching and commentin!
I love it! But after a year of using it it no longer cuts cleanly. I sharpened it but it still tears some.
Good review. Was keen on buying for light work around the garden but the short battery time has put me off, sorry STIHL.
Was really considering one of these. The more utube reviews I see on it,the more I am reconsidering. Maybe I will still do my triming with my Echo 310 with 14 inch bar.
If Stihl would put a self oiler on it and improve the run time or include a couple extra batteries i would buy one.
Thanks for an honest review. My elderly mother-in-law is looking for something for occasional yard pruning...maybe just a cordless reciprocating saw will be the most practical.
I want to thank you for demonstrating this little saw My wife does a lot of yard work and she has a few stil tools and this is something she would be interested in but I feel they should have a bigger voltage battery or come with a multi pack of batteries with the purchase of the saw
Full size stihl pro battery chainsaws aren’t much more expensive....buy one of those. I run my crew of 10 staff on the AP system, blowers, trimmers, saws, blowers, hedge trimmers, they work as well as the gas equivalents, with zero engine service costs, no breakdowns, no fumes, they are very quiet, and a tiny running cost for charging the batteries perhaps £1 a day for the entire team.
Thanks for the feedback!
Thank you very much for the review very helpful.
It would be great for older people or someone that doesn't have the ability to do a lot at one time. I think they should have a plug in option for an extension cord but also have the ability to use the battery...i don't know just my opinion.
Neat idea! Thanks for watching!
Yea man love the videos.
Excellent video! Needs a 2nd battery for sure, though, hopefully without price increase.
Howdy, I need a small chain saw to trim a few trees in my garden. Was thinking of the GTA26, thanks for your review. I probably need more than 10 mins run time, so what sort of chainsaw would you suggest please?
I don't have enough experience with chainsaws to recommend any, I apologize!
Hey ....thanks for your honesty, it's not a good machine, and for the price, it ain't worth it either, there are better ones out there, for much less and better over all ...............
Nothing can beat the noise or smell of a stihl 4mix or 2 cycle power tool
I like the product because it fits my needs here at home. I dont need the big commercial chainsaw so this would be perfect. But the only way I would buy it is if came with a plug in option. Nine minutes is simply too little of a run time. Maybe they can incorporate a bigger battery too but a plug in option would work best. Nice review. Thanks.
Good feedback, thank you!
Awesome review! Would have appreciated a charging time as well, of the as2 battery on the al1 charger. But other than that, loved the review, very informative.
Really good to get your view.
The run time is far to short.
I thought it may be good to prune roses, but feel the run time, versus the cost, doesn't add up.
Thanks 🙋♀️