The best Bosch chainsaws, compared.
Top pick: Bosch PKE18V-30-28 bare – Top pick for thicker cuts on green 18 V: 30 cm bar, 27.5 cm stated cut, 9 m/s, score 96, at about £172.86 with 14 ratings. Best value: Bosch EasyChain 18V-15-7 bare – Best value at about £104.94 if you already own a green 18 V pack: 4.7 from 883 ratings, 1.28 kg, stated cut 13 cm. Updated October 2026.
A Bosch chainsaw on amazon.co.uk is not one tool. Green 18 V saws do not share batteries with the green 36 V, or with the blue, which uses. About 13 cm branches suit the and the 18. Quality is the correct platform, a bar matched to the job, a chain you tension cold, and oil where that model needs it. How to order those checks is in the [Bosch chainsaw buying guide](/hub/forestry-tools/bosch-chainsaw/sub/bosch-chainsaw-buying-guide). A Bosch chainsaw is a cordless garden saw, and it is not one model. The three platforms are separated in [Bosch chainsaw: 18 V or 36 V](/hub/forestry-tools/bosch-chainsaw/sub/bosch-chainsaw-18v-vs-36v). A longer bar is not the same number as the cutting diameter. The bare listing does not state a chain speed. EasyChain and 18 want at least a 2.5 pack. Bosch GB pages showed higher figures than these amazon prices. If you own no matching pack, the bare price is not the cost of the first cut.
A Bosch chainsaw on amazon.co.uk is not one tool. Green 18 V saws do not share batteries with the green 36 V, or with the blue, which uses. About 13 cm branches suit the and the 18.
28 products checked · 61 hrs invested · +17,300 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you cutting?
The bare PKE18V-30-28 lists at £172.86 with 4.8 from 14 ratings, the top score in this table but built on a tiny review sample. Nine written reviews are not headed United Kingdom, so treat themes as listing signals, not British consensus. The saw stays on green 18 V with a 30 cm bar, 9 m/s chain speed, brushless motor, OptiCut, and concentric SDS tension, while item weight is 3.9 kg and the title’s 39 kg line conflicts with that figure. Reviewers describe pulling through roughly 20 cm pieces and oak around 15 cm, with 4 Ah packs lasting more than half an hour in one report. Oil delivery felt sparse to one user, and the listing does not describe a chain brake though the PKE manual discusses kickback protection. It is the top pick here for thicker cuts while staying on green 18 V, provided you budget a strong pack and accept the bare-tool price plus only fourteen written ratings on the UK star line.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Green 18 V owners who outgrew the UniversalChain but do not want a 36 V platform, cutting mid-size garden wood with a 4 Ah-class pack.
Less suitable: Light pruning with a 15 cm bar, first-time buyers without batteries, or anyone who needs a large UK review file before trusting the stars.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the PKE include a battery?
No. The title says without battery. The box lists the saw, chain cover, tensioner parts, lubricating oil, and a scabbard.
Which weight figure should you use?
The item-weight line is 3.9 kg. The title also says 39 kg, which does not match that line.
What speed and motor does the listing state?
Chain speed is 9 m/s. Bullets say a brushless motor, OptiCut, and concentric SDS tensioning on the 18 V alliance.
The bare EasyChain 18V-15-7 lists at £104.94 with 4.7 from 883 ratings, the strongest star line among the high-volume green saws here. Forty UK reviews praise a 1.28 kg body that sits between secateurs and a full-size saw, with brushless drive and a listed chain speed of 6.95 m/s on the 18 V system. Many owners cut around 80–100 mm cleanly, though some report thicker limbs above Bosch’s stated 13 cm diameter. SDS toolless tension gets mixed notes as fiddly, and the chain can gum up or slip if you rush. The box ships 50 ml of oil and a scabbard, but no battery or charger, and the listing does not name a chain brake. Bosch’s model page says no automatic oiling, which sits awkwardly next to the small oil bottle in the kit listings. For existing green 18 V owners who want the lightest pruner in the set, it is the best value pick on score and review depth, not because stars alone pick every job.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Green 18 V owners who want the lightest Bosch pruner for reachable branches inside the stated 13 cm cut.
Less suitable: Log bucking, buyers without any 18 V pack, or anyone who needs automatic bar oil and a tip protector on the same saw.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the EasyChain bare tool include a battery?
No. The title says it excludes the battery and charger. You need an 18 V POWER FOR ALL pack.
What chain speed is listed?
The item highlight states a chain speed of 6.95 m/s. Blade length on this listing is 13 cm.
Is it brushless?
Yes. The listing says brushless, and the weight line is 1.28 kg.
The Professional GKE 18V-20 bare tool lists at £204.98 with 4.6 from 155 ratings, on Bosch Professional 18 V and AMPShare, not green POWER FOR ALL. Item weight is 1.83 kg, chain length 20 cm, and the title claims cutting up to 18 cm with up to 350 cuts per charge, plus a gyrosensor chain brake in the bullets. Automatic oiling and variable speed are listed, but no battery ships in the box. Written reviews are predominantly outside the UK, so praise for compact strength and automatic oil is not a British verdict. One review criticised scabbard fit and packaging that looked used. Green garden packs do not fit this mount even though both say 18 V. Choose it when you already run blue Professional batteries and want a listed chain brake on a pruner; skip it if your shed only holds green packs or you wanted a £143 garden kit.
Pros
Cons
Best for: AMPShare or Bosch Professional 18 V owners who want a light pruner with a listed gyro chain brake.
Less suitable: Green 18 V garden owners, log bucking, or buyers who need a battery included at mid-kit pricing.
Specifications
Common questions
Will a green Bosch garden battery fit the GKE?
The listing says Bosch Professional 18 V and AMPShare. It does not say POWER FOR ALL garden batteries fit.
Is a chain brake listed?
Yes. A bullet says a smart gyrosensor activates the chain brake if potential kickback is detected. Automatic oiling is also listed.
What cut does the title claim?
The title says cutting of up to 18 cm, up to 350 cuts per charge, a 20 cm scabbard, and no battery. Item weight is 1.83 kg.
The EasyChain kit at £143.99 adds a 2.5 Ah battery and AL 1830 CV charger to the same brushless 6.95 m/s saw, with 4.6 from 72 ratings, a much thinner written sample than the bare listing. Twenty-six reviews call it compact and comfortable, with the 2.5 Ah pack enough for garden pruning and quicker to charge than older 1.5 Ah packs in owner language. SDS-style tension earns praise as easier than other saws, and cuts on green fir, leylandii, and branches around 75 mm appear often, with some users reporting 10–20 cm pieces above the short bar spec. The carton is not a Bosch storage case, and you still owe the saw oil and chain checks. A three-year system warranty line sits on the listing, but defect reports are few in the reviews. Choose this over the bare EasyChain when you need the first working day, not when you already stock 18 V packs.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Buyers with no green 18 V battery who want the light EasyChain for regular garden pruning sessions.
Less suitable: Log cutting, overhead-only pruning, or households that already own several 18 V packs and should buy bare.
Specifications
Common questions
What is in the box?
The listing includes the saw, a 2.5 Ah battery, charger AL 1830 CV, a 50 ml oil bottle, a scabbard, a quick start guide, and a chain tension aid.
How fast is the chain?
The highlight states 6.95 m/s on the 18 V system. The motor is listed as brushless.
What warranty line is on the listing?
The listing includes a 3-year system warranty line. Item weight is 1.28 kg.
The bare UniversalChain 18 lists at £98.74 on amazon.co.uk with 4.5 from 2,144 ratings, the largest review count in this set. Across fifty UK reviews, owners describe a light saw for garden branches, often around 100–125 mm when you keep inside that size, with less noise and vibration than petrol in their words. The listing puts the body at 3.6 kg, gives SDS tensioning, a stabilising tip protector with gripping teeth, and 80 ml of oil in the box, but no battery or charger. Reviewers say the hand guard is not a chain brake and the saw stops when you release the trigger. Chain speed feels slow next to petrol, the short bar and tip protector block larger timber, and tension is easy to get wrong if instructions feel thin. Chain slip and slack show up when the tensioner catches wood or the chain is over-tightened. For green POWER FOR ALL 18 V packs you already own, it is a sensible entry pruner if you accept the size limit.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A household that already owns green 18 V packs and wants quiet pruning inside roughly 13.5 cm stated cut.
Less suitable: Firewood, large trunks, or buyers who need a battery and charger in the same parcel.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this UniversalChain 18 come with a battery?
No. The amazon.co.uk title says it excludes the battery and charger. The box lists the saw, bar, chain, cover, and 80 ml of oil.
What safety feature does the listing name?
The bullets describe a stabilising tip protector with gripping teeth for undercuts, plus SDS tensioning. They do not name a chain brake.
How heavy is the listed saw?
The item-weight line is 3.6 kg. Dimensions are listed as 23.5 × 20 × 51 cm.
The bare AdvancedChain 36V-35-40 lists at £208.94 with 4.5 from 97 ratings, on the green 36 V system rather than 18 V POWER FOR ALL. The title claims 14 m/s chain speed, brushless motor, and OptiCut, with 3.56 kg item weight and a 50 ml starter oil bottle, but no battery or charger. UK reviewers describe clearly stronger cuts than the small green saws, including hardwood and around eight-inch diameter in their words, and they share 36 V packs with Bosch mowers. Runtime under load is the recurring limit: one UK reviewer reported about fifteen to twenty minutes total across two 4 Ah and one 6 Ah packs, and retailer comments mention a 2.0 Ah pack overheating on heavy cuts. Buyers also miss the bare-tool wording and cannot cut on delivery day. QuickStop appears on Bosch’s model page, not in every amazon bullet. Match this saw to existing 36 V packs and plan a 4 Ah-class battery for serious hardwood.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Owners of green 36 V batteries who cut thicker garden wood up to the stated 31 cm diameter, with a larger pack ready.
Less suitable: Light pruning only, anyone with only 18 V garden packs, or buyers who expected a battery in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
Will an 18 V Bosch battery run this saw?
The title specifies a 36 V system and says the battery is not included. The listing does not say an 18 V pack fits.
What chain speed is advertised?
The title states 14 m/s. Bullets also say brushless motor and OptiCut speed control.
Is oil included?
Yes, a 50 ml starter bottle, plus a scabbard, chain and bar, and a tensioning aid. A charger is not listed.
The UniversalChain 18 kit at £143.00 includes a 2.5 Ah PBA pack, an AL 1830 CV charger, a 200 mm bar, and 80 ml of oil, with 4.4 from 771 ratings on the listing. Reviewers treat it as a light pruning saw for branches around four inches or 100 mm, quick enough for garden waste when you do not force the cut. Item weight on this kit line is 2.6 kg, which is the kit figure rather than the 3.6 kg bare listing. The stop hook for cuts from below earns praise once you learn undercuts, and the included pack matches other POWER FOR ALL tools. Maintenance grumbles include a guide bar that is awkward to lift off the mounting screw and a chain that still needs regular tension checks. Stamina stays modest if you expect petrol runtime from the 2.5 Ah pack. If you own no green 18 V battery, this is the working first-cut price rather than the bare £98 figure.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A first-time buyer who needs a green 18 V pack and wants tip-hook pruning without shopping batteries separately.
Less suitable: Thicker firewood rounds, overhead-only work, or owners who already have several 18 V packs and only need the bare tool.
Specifications
Common questions
Is a battery included?
Yes. The listing includes a PBA 18V 2.5Ah pack and an AL 1830 CV charger, plus 80 ml of chainsaw oil.
How long is the bar?
The item highlight and the chain-length line both say 200 mm.
What is the listed weight?
Item weight is 2.6 kg, which is the kit listing's figure, not the bare-tool listing's 3.6 kg.
The UniversalChainPole 18 kit at £143.98 includes a 2.5 Ah pack and charger on green 18 V, with 4.2 from 586 ratings, the weakest star line among the kept kits. Item weight is 3.19 kg and listed length 102.4 cm, and the sales rank sits in Power Pole Saws rather than handheld chain saws. Reviewers reach branches a hand saw cannot, including large apple trees in one account, and sharp enough cuts on four- to five-inch limbs appear in the reviews. Overhead use dominates complaints: heavy and poorly balanced, short reach versus hope, a tilting head that adds little with the chainsaw head, high oil use, and a head that clogs. One buyer reported a shoulder-strap clip breaking on first use with repair bouncing between Bosch and Amazon. It is a pole pruner, not a ground saw with the pole removed. Budget short sessions, not all-day canopy work.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Ground-based gardeners who need occasional high branches and accept short overhead sessions with PPE.
Less suitable: Firewood, all-day pruning, buyers wanting a light hand saw, or anyone planning to stand on a ladder with a different model.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a handheld chainsaw?
No. The item type is a cordless telescopic chainsaw, and the sales rank is in Power Pole Saws. Listed length is 102.4 cm.
Does the kit include a battery?
Yes. The listing includes a 2.5 Ah lithium-ion battery and a charger on the 18 V system.
What weight is listed?
Item weight is 3.19 kg. Reviewers often describe it as heavy once it is overhead.
Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk listings captured for this comparison on 19 October 2026. There is no laboratory cut. Bar length, stated cut and chain speed come from the Bosch GB model pages and the PKE manual where the listing cell is blank. The top pick and best value are the two awards already stored on the listings. The weights below follow that buying order.
Job and stated cut
25%EasyChain is 13 cm on a 15 cm bar. UniversalChain 18 is 13.5 cm on a 20 cm bar. The pole saw is 14.5 cm. The GKE title says up to 18 cm. The PKE manual says 27.5 cm on a 30 cm bar. AdvancedChain is 31 cm on a 35 cm bar. A longer bar is not the cutting diameter.
Battery platform
25%Green 18 V POWER FOR ALL, green 36 V POWER FOR ALL, and blue Professional 18 V with AMPShare do not share packs. An 18 V label on the GKE does not mean a garden pack fits.
Battery in the box
20%EasyChain and UniversalChain 18 want at least 2.5 Ah. PKE and GKE recommendations go to 4.0 Ah. A bare shelf price is not the cost of the first cut if you own no matching pack. Heavy cutting on a 2.0 Ah 36 V pack is a common runtime complaint.
Chain brake and guards
15%AdvancedChain has QuickStop on the model page. The PKE manual describes a front-hand kickback brake. The GKE listing names a gyrosensor brake. Screwfix lists the UniversalChain 18 and the EasyChain without a chain brake. The UniversalChain 18 uses a tip protector. Do not remove it.
Oil and tension
15%Automatic-oiling models still need oil in the tank. The EasyChain page says no automatic oiling, while the listings include a small oil bottle. Tension a cold chain. Follow that model’s manual.
Choose the wood and the battery family before the shelf price. These eight amazon.co.uk listings mix green 18 V pruners, a 36 V log saw, a blue Professional pruner and a pole saw. The score is not a laboratory cut. Corded UniversalChain 35 and 40 models are outside this set.
A Bosch chainsaw in this comparison is a cordless garden saw, and it is not one model. Eight amazon.co.uk listings are on the page. The green 18 V POWER FOR ALL group is the bare UniversalChain 18 at £98.74, the UniversalChain 18 kit with a 2.5 Ah pack at £143.00, the bare EasyChain 18V-15-7 at £104.94, the EasyChain kit at £143.99, the bare PKE18V-30-28 at £172.86, and the UniversalChainPole 18 kit at £143.98. The bare AdvancedChain 36V-35-40 at £208.94 is green 36 V POWER FOR ALL.
Green 18 V POWER FOR ALL, green 36 V POWER FOR ALL and blue Professional AMPShare do not share packs. An 18 V label on the GKE does not mean your garden pack fits, and an 18 V pack does not run the AdvancedChain.
The bare UniversalChain 18 at £98.74, the bare EasyChain at £104.94, the PKE, the GKE and the AdvancedChain ship without a battery or charger. If you own no matching pack, a kit near £143 is the price of the first cut for a short pruner.
The EasyChain stated cut is 13 cm. The UniversalChain 18 stated cut is 13.5 cm. Thicker garden wood belongs on the PKE, stated 27.5 cm, or the AdvancedChain, stated 31 cm, with a large enough pack. Tension a cold chain and do not run the bar dry.
Start with the wood, not the star rating. Bosch states 13 cm for the EasyChain on a 15 cm bar, 13.5 cm for the UniversalChain 18 on a 20 cm bar, and 14.5 cm for the pole saw. The GKE title says up to 18 cm on a 20 cm chain. The PKE manual says 27.5 cm on a 30 cm bar, at 9 m/s and 3.9 kg without a battery. The AdvancedChain model page says 31 cm on a 35 cm bar, at 14 m/s. A longer bar is not the cutting diameter.
Three battery systems sit in this set. Green 18 V POWER FOR ALL covers the EasyChain, UniversalChain 18, PKE and pole saw. Green 36 V POWER FOR ALL is the AdvancedChain only. Blue Professional 18 V with AMPShare is the GKE only. EasyChain and UniversalChain 18 want at least 2.5 Ah. PKE and GKE recommendations go to 4.0 Ah. Kits at £143.00, £143.99 and £143.98 include a 2.5 Ah pack and a charger. The five bare tools do not. Automatic oil still needs a filled tank.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You already own green 18 V POWER FOR ALL packs and you prune reachable branches inside the stated 13 cm cut. The bare EasyChain at £104.94 is best value: 4.7 from 883 ratings, 1.28 kg, brushless, and no battery in the box. It is the wrong saw for logs.
You do not own a green 18 V pack. A bare price near £99 is not the cost of the first cut. The UniversalChain 18 kit at £143.00 includes a 2.5 Ah pack, a charger, a 20 cm bar and 80 ml of oil, at 4.4 from 771 ratings. It is still a short-bar pruner.
You already own green 18 V packs and the short pruners are too small. The bare PKE18V-30-28 at £172.86 is the top pick: 30 cm bar, stated cut 27.5 cm, 9 m/s, and only 14 ratings. Budget a 4 Ah-class pack. Use the AdvancedChain only if the pack you own is 36 V.
The top pick is the bare Bosch PKE18V-30-28 at about £172.86. It stays on green 18 V, with a 30 cm bar, a stated cut of 27.5 cm and 9 m/s, and the comparison score is 96, on only 14 amazon.co.uk ratings. Best value is the bare EasyChain 18V-15-7 at about £104.94, at 4.7 from 883 ratings, if you already own a green 18 V pack and stay inside the stated 13 cm cut. Households with no battery should budget a kit near £143 rather than a bare shelf price. A 36 V pack does not run the 18 V saws, and a green garden pack does not run the GKE.
Bosch PKE18V-30-28 bare
Top pick for thicker cuts on green 18 V: 30 cm bar, 27.5 cm stated cut, 9 m/s, score 96, at about £172.86 with 14 ratings.
Bosch EasyChain 18V-15-7 bare
Best value at about £104.94 if you already own a green 18 V pack: 4.7 from 883 ratings, 1.28 kg, stated cut 13 cm.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Manufacturer pages and UK public sources first. Listing prices, stars and review counts are amazon.co.uk figures captured on 19 October 2026. This is not a laboratory test.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Charlie White (Charlie DIYte) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures already stored for this set. This is not a laboratory test.
