Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

How to use an electric chainsaw before the first cut

Updated: 22 October 2026

You have a corded or cordless 16 inch saw still in the box, or on the bench with the chain looking wrong. The failures in the amazon.co.uk reviews for this set are mundane: a dry chain, a chain on backwards, a brake left on while you seat the bar, tension lost after the first warm cuts, and oil never added because the listing said automatic. This page is the first-hour sequence for the electric saws in the [16 inch chainsaw comparison](/hub/forestry-tools/16-inch-chainsaw). It is not a felling lesson and not a price ranking. Peter F. read those listings in October 2026. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You have a corded or cordless 16 inch saw still in the box, or on the bench with the chain looking wrong.

Our top picks

Yelyee Yelyee 16 inch

Best overall

Yelyee Yelyee 16 inch
9.6/10about £52.99
View offer
Oregon Oregon CS1400

Rank 2

Oregon Oregon CS1400
9.0/10about £114.42
View offer
Hyundai Hyundai HYC2400E

Best value

Hyundai Hyundai HYC2400E
8.8/10about £88.98
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Oil the chain before it turns
  2. 2.Direction, brake off to fit, brake on to test
  3. 3.Tension again once the chain is warm
  4. 4.Two hands, the nose, and the jobs you do not start

Oil the chain before it turns

Automatic oiling means the pump runs when the tank has oil. It does not mean oil arrived in the carton. On most of these listings you buy bar-and-chain oil before the first cut. Oregon reviewers say the sight glass is hard to read, so look, then run the saw with the nose clear of wood and watch for oil on the chain. A dry chain risks heat and a throw. Once oil is flinging off the bar, shut down and fit the chain.

Direction, brake off to fit, brake on to test

Fit the chain so the cutters face forward, as the manual shows. Hyundai reviews include a tangled chain and a brake shipped on. Yelyee reviews include a bar fitted upside down. A lock-off only stops an accidental start. A chain brake is for kickback. If GEARPASS reviews match your saw, and the brake cannot work as fitted, do not cut. Set the tension with the brake off, then apply the brake and confirm the chain cannot run with the motor off.
Yelyee Yelyee 16 inch

Testsieger

Yelyee Yelyee 16 inch
9.6/10about £52.99
View offer

Tension again once the chain is warm

New chains stretch. After the first minute on wood, stop, disconnect the cable or remove the battery, and retension. DOVAMAN, Hyundai, and Oregon reviews all mention slack in a session. A loose chain can throw. An overtight chain loads the bar. Soil dulls the teeth and feels like a weak saw. Stove rounds, once the saw is safe to run, are the 16 inch chainsaw for firewood page.

Two hands, the nose, and the jobs you do not start

Use two hands and cut with the lower part of the bar. The nose is how kickback starts. Wear eye and hearing protection. HSE’s workplace action values are 80, 85 and 87 dB(A), and none of these products prints a dB figure. Do not cut from a ladder, and do not fell a standing tree toward a building, a road, a cable, or a person. Stop if the brake is disputed, if you are paid to cut, or if the log is unsupported.

Common questions

Does an electric chainsaw still need oil?
Yes. Automatic oiling only works when the tank is filled with bar-and-chain oil, and you supply that oil on most of these listings. The pump does not mean a full bottle arrived in the carton. Oregon reviewers say the sight window is hard to read, so look at the chain for a fling of oil before you touch wood.
Which way does the chain go on?
Cutters point forward in the direction of rotation shown in the manual. If the chain will not move on a new Hyundai, check whether the brake is still on and whether the chain arrived tangled. On a Yelyee, also check that the bar is not fitted upside down before you tighten anything.
Why will the chain not move when the saw is new?
Often the chain brake is engaged, the chain is too loose, or the motor lock is active. Less often the bar is upside down, as reported on Yelyee. Hyundai reviews include brakes shipped engaged. Release the brake for setup, set the tension, then apply the brake again and confirm the chain cannot run with the motor off.
How often should I retension a new chain?
After the first few minutes of cutting, then whenever the sag increases. Reviewers in this set retension more than once in a single session. Stop and disconnect the cable or remove the battery before you adjust. A loose chain can climb the bar. An overtight chain loads the bar and the motor.
What is the difference between a lock-off and a chain brake?
A lock-off prevents starting. A chain brake is meant to stop the chain during kickback. Several budget listings state a lock-off and a hand guard without a brake time. Oregon states an integrated brake. If UK reviews on your model say the brake is fitted so it cannot work, do not cut.
What do I wear for a garden cross-cut?
As a minimum, eye and hearing protection. Reviewers often add gloves, boots, and chainsaw trousers for repeated firewood. None of these listings prints a noise figure in dB(A). HSE’s workplace action values at 80, 85 and 87 dB(A) are an employer frame, not a product spec, and they are still a reason to cover your ears at the log pile.
When do I stop and get someone trained?
When the tree is still standing toward a hazard, when you are on a ladder, when you are paid to cut, or when the brake cannot be trusted. This sequence is for a saw on the ground or a supported log, with two hands on the handles. Felling toward a building, a road, a cable, or a person is trained tree work, not a longer bar.
What if reviews say the brake is on backwards?
Do not cut. Return or replace the saw under consumer law and pick a model with a stated brake that the UK reviews do not dispute. GEARPASS reviews in this set say the brake is fitted the wrong way round. The question list for brake, oil, and evidence is on the 16 inch chainsaw buying guide.

Related pages

Best 16 inch electric chainsaw

Corded or cordless chainsaw

16 inch chainsaw

16 inch chainsaw buying guide for a UK garden pile

16 inch chainsaw for firewood, cross-cutting stove logs

Sources

Public UK sources from the digest first, then the amazon.co.uk listings for the eight ASINs on this page. Last updated October 2026. No laboratory cut was run.

  1. HSE INDG317 Chainsaws at work (retrieved October 2026)
  2. HSE tree work (retrieved October 2026)
  3. HSE noise regulations (retrieved October 2026)
  4. HSE hand-arm vibration (retrieved October 2026)
  5. PUWER 1998 (retrieved October 2026)
  6. Consumer Rights Act 2015 (retrieved October 2026)
  7. GOV.UK UKCA and CE marking (retrieved October 2026)
  8. amazon.co.uk listings for the eight ASINs (retrieved October 2026)