The best chainsaw oils, compared.
Top pick: DD teck chainsaw chain and bar oil, 100 ml nozzle Best value: Carlube XPM011 Anti-Fling Chainsaw Oil – About £3.69 per litre with an anti-fling claim and ISO 220 on the listing, from 142 reviews. Updated October 2026.
Bar and chain oil is the high-viscosity lubricant meant to stay on a fast chain, cool the bar, and limit wear. It is not two-stroke oil, and HSE leaflet says you should not use discarded engine oil in the oil tank. Check that the automatic oiler is feeding the bar before you cut, and again while you work. A 50 or 100 ml top-up costs far more per litre. Near water or in a garden, start with the [biodegradable and mineral chainsaw oil](/hub/forestry-tools/chainsaw-oil/sub/chainsaw-oil-biodegradable-vs-mineral) page, then match the can to the tank and the saw handbook. UK buyers on amazon.co.uk choose between mineral oil, semi-synthetic oil, and plant-based biodegradable oil. Biodegradable grades matter when you work near water, in a garden, or where a spill could reach soil. Mineral oil is a normal choice for dry woodland if you control spills. A bio claim is not permission to pour oil into a stream, a drain, or onto open ground.
Bar and chain oil is the high-viscosity lubricant meant to stay on a fast chain, cool the bar, and limit wear. It is not two-stroke oil, and HSE leaflet says you should not use discarded engine oil in the oil tank.
38 products checked · 56 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where will you use the oil?
DD teck’s 100 ml nozzle bottle (ASIN B0F943N2N4) costs £6.49, or £64.90 per litre for 0.1 litres. Amazon.co.uk shows 4.9 stars from 46 reviews, and the score is 85 because that base is small. The listing says mineral, also claims biodegradable or bio, claims anti-fling or a tackifier, mentions electric or battery saws, and gives viscosity only as High. Listed weight is 110 g. Amazon reviews are short and generally positive, with viscosity praise and a spout comment, and few other faults repeat. A 4.9 from 46 reviews is a thin record beside Oregon’s 13,667, so treat the nozzle as a convenient 100 ml fill for a mini saw you already know.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 100 ml nozzle bottle for a mini-saw filler and you accept a small review count.
Less suitable: You want an ISO or 10W grade, a low price per litre, or a deep review history.
Specifications
Common questions
What volume is on the listing?
The listing volume is 0.1 L, which is 100 ml.
Does the listing mention biodegradability?
The listing claims biodegradable or bio, and it also classes the oil as mineral.
What compatibility does the listing claim?
Electric or battery saws are mentioned.
Oregon’s 1 litre biodegradable chainsaw chain oil is the top pick in this comparison. The amazon.co.uk listing (ASIN B002X3IDBK) shows 4.8 stars from 13,667 reviews, and the score built from those stars and that review volume is 97. The price is £11.13, or £11.13 per litre. The listing claims a biodegradable oil, an anti-fling or tackifier additive, and use on petrol and electric saws, with a flash point of 250°C in the technical details. Amazon reviews say it does the job, including on electric and mini saws, and they praise viscosity, while the pouring spout is the complaint that repeats. Rotatech’s 5 litre bio can ties this score at 97 from 953 reviews, and the top-pick badge stays with Oregon because the review base is far larger. The item-weight field reads 250 g, which does not describe a litre of oil, so use the 1 litre volume on the title and ignore that weight.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want one 1 litre biodegradable oil for petrol and electric saws, and you prefer the listing with the most UK reviews.
Less suitable: You need a stated ISO or 10W grade, or you will use several litres a season and want a 5 litre can.
Specifications
Common questions
What volume is on the listing?
The listing volume is 1 L.
Does the listing mention biodegradability?
The listing claims biodegradable or bio oil.
What compatibility does the listing claim?
Petrol and electric use are stated.
Rotatech’s 5 litre universal bar oil costs £21.99, which is £4.40 per litre, the lowest biodegradable rate in this set. Amazon.co.uk shows 4.8 stars from 953 reviews and the same score, 97, as the Oregon 1 litre. The listing claims biodegradable oil, an anti-fling or tackifier additive, viscosity of 10W-30, and electric or battery use. The listed weight is 4.1 kg, in line with a 5 litre can, and the garden rank is 2 in Chain Saw Bar & Chain Oil. Amazon reviews mention value, electric or mini saw use, and viscosity, plus a spout that is awkward on a large can and a price some buyers still call high for the tin. You only win on £4.40 per litre if you will use most of the 5 litres.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a biodegradable 5 litre can at about £4.40 per litre for mixed or battery saws.
Less suitable: You only need 50–100 ml for a mini saw, or you want the single listing with more than 10,000 reviews.
Specifications
Common questions
What volume is on the listing?
The listing volume is 5 L.
Does the listing mention biodegradability?
The listing claims biodegradable or bio oil.
What compatibility does the listing claim?
Electric or battery use is mentioned.
Stihl ForestPlus in the 5 litre can costs £29.85 on amazon.co.uk, which is £5.97 per litre. The listing shows 4.8 stars from 798 reviews and a score of 96. Viscosity is given as 10W-40. The oil-type and biodegradable fields are empty, so buy it as a bulk bar oil and read the can if you need a bio grade for the site. Amazon reviews mention value, the bar-and-chain job, viscosity, and fast delivery, with few repeated faults and that thin note duplicated in the sample. The flash-point field says 15°C and the item weight says 1 kg, both of which clash with 5 litres of chain oil, so treat those two figures as bad listing data. A 5 litre can earns its keep when you cut through a season; it is a lot of oil for a couple of afternoons.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You cut firewood through the season on a petrol saw and want about £6 per litre in a 5 litre can.
Less suitable: You need a biodegradable claim on the listing, or you only cut a few hours a year.
Specifications
Common questions
What volume is on the listing?
The listing volume is 5 L.
Liqui Moly Bio Saw Chain Oil, SKU 1280, is a 1 litre biodegradable listing at £12.49, so £12.49 per litre. Amazon.co.uk shows 4.7 stars from 2,369 reviews. The technical details give viscosity as 10W-30 and a flash point of 318°C. Amazon reviews call out value, a bar-and-chain job done, praise for how the oil feels, and fast delivery, which describes the parcel rather than the fluid. The same reviews record a pouring spout that could be better and buyers who still call the price high. Compatibility is blank on the comparison fields, so check the can against your saw handbook before you treat 10W-30 as a universal pass.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 1 litre bio bar oil with a stated 10W-30 grade and a large amazon.co.uk review count.
Less suitable: You need a named anti-fling claim, a 5 litre can, or the cheapest litre in the set.
Specifications
Common questions
What volume is on the listing?
The listing volume is 1 L.
Does the listing mention biodegradability?
The listing claims biodegradable or bio oil.
The Stihl BioPlus 1 litre bottle on amazon.co.uk (ASIN B001J55WY4, listing title 7815163001) costs £17.89, which is £17.89 per litre. It carries 4.7 stars from 1,203 reviews. The listing classes it as biodegradable or bio, and Stihl’s UK BioPlus page describes a plant-based oil with an OECD 301 B reference, which is the manufacturer’s statement. The comparison fields do not give an anti-fling line or an ISO grade for this ASIN. Amazon reviews say the oil does the bar-and-chain job and that buyers like how it feels, with the pouring spout as the repeated complaint and few other faults repeating. At this price you are paying for the Stihl bio name in a 1 litre bottle, while Oregon’s 1 litre bio listing is £11.13 and Liqui Moly’s is £12.49.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You run a Stihl saw and want a 1 litre biodegradable bar oil with the Stihl name on the bottle.
Less suitable: You want the lowest price per litre, a stated ISO grade, or a 5 litre can for a season of firewood.
Specifications
Common questions
What volume is on the listing?
The listing volume is 1 L.
Does the listing mention biodegradability?
The listing claims biodegradable or bio oil.
Stihl Synthplus, part 0781 516 2000, is a 1 litre semi-synthetic bar and chain oil at £11.99, or £11.99 per litre. Amazon.co.uk shows 4.7 stars from 1,045 reviews. The listing gives viscosity as 10W-40 and does not claim biodegradability, so this is a different can from BioPlus. The listed item weight is 930 g, which fits a full litre. Amazon reviews say it does the job and praise viscosity, with fast delivery mentioned, a spout that could be better, and a price some buyers call high next to larger cans. Compatibility is blank in the comparison fields, so follow the saw handbook if it names a Stihl grade.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 1 litre Stihl semi-synthetic bar oil with 10W-40 on the listing.
Less suitable: The job needs a biodegradable oil, or you are buying solely on the lowest price per litre.
Specifications
Common questions
What volume is on the listing?
The listing volume is 1 L.
Carlube XPM011 is the best value bottle here on price per litre. You pay £3.69 for 1 litre, so £3.69 per litre, against bio 1 litre bottles at £11 to £18. Amazon.co.uk shows 4.7 stars from 142 reviews, and the score is 87 because that review count is modest beside Oregon or Liqui Moly. The listing claims anti-fling and the viscosity line reads ISO 220, which is a concrete grade. The oil-type field is empty, so this page does not call the oil biodegradable. Amazon reviews mention value, bar-and-chain use, electric or mini saws, a spout that could be better, and cap or packaging leaks. The best-sellers line places the ASIN in automotive hydraulic oils, so confirm the bottle in your hand is the chainsaw oil named in the title.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 1 litre anti-fling oil at the lowest price per litre and you can accept an empty biodegradable field.
Less suitable: Your site asks for a biodegradable oil, or you want thousands of reviews before you buy.
Specifications
Common questions
What volume is on the listing?
The listing volume is 1 L.
DD teck’s 50 ml nozzle bottle (ASIN B0F947L4F2) costs £5.29 for 0.05 litres, which is £105.80 per litre, the highest rate in this comparison. Amazon.co.uk shows 4.7 stars from 21 reviews, and the score is 79 on that small base. The listing classes the oil as mineral, also claims biodegradable or bio, claims anti-fling, says universal or all makes, and lists viscosity as 15W-40. Listed weight is 60 g. Amazon reviews say it does the bar-and-chain job and praise viscosity, with fast delivery and a spout comment, and few faults repeat. Twenty-one reviews and a three-figure price per litre make this an emergency nozzle, not the bottle you buy for regular cutting.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need a 50 ml nozzle with 15W-40 on the listing for a single top-up.
Less suitable: You cut often, you compare price per litre, or you want more than a few dozen reviews.
Specifications
Common questions
What volume is on the listing?
The listing volume is 0.05 L, which is 50 ml.
Does the listing mention biodegradability?
The listing claims biodegradable or bio, and it also classes the oil as mineral.
What compatibility does the listing claim?
The listing says universal or all makes.
DD teck’s 50 ml bottle (ASIN B0CBSL9GWN) costs £4.49 for 0.05 litres, which is £89.80 per litre. The listing classes the oil as mineral and also claims biodegradable or bio, so the two lines disagree and this page does not treat the bottle as an OECD-tested bio oil. It claims anti-fling or a tackifier and mentions electric or battery saws. Amazon.co.uk shows 4.6 stars from 750 reviews, the same count and the same rank (4 in Chain Saw Bar & Chain Oil) as the 100 ml DD teck ASIN B0CBSM8MJ2, so keep those figures as one listing signal. Amazon reviews mention the job on electric or mini saws, viscosity, a spout that could be better, and buyers who call the price high. Listed weight is 60 g, which matches a 50 ml fill. Use this size when the mini-saw tank is empty on the day, and use a 1 litre bottle when you cut more than occasionally.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Your cordless saw is empty today and you want a 50 ml bottle you can carry.
Less suitable: You cut regularly and care about price per litre, or you need a named biodegradation test on the bottle.
Specifications
Common questions
What volume is on the listing?
The listing volume is 0.05 L, which is 50 ml.
Does the listing mention biodegradability?
The listing claims biodegradable or bio, and it also classes the oil as mineral.
What compatibility does the listing claim?
Electric or battery saws are mentioned.
The 100 ml DD teck bottle (ASIN B0CBSM8MJ2) costs £6.29 for 0.1 litres, or £62.90 per litre. That rate is lower than the 50 ml DD teck bottle at £89.80 per litre and still far above Carlube at £3.69 per litre or Rotatech at £4.40 per litre. The listing again says mineral and also claims biodegradable or bio, claims anti-fling or a tackifier, and mentions electric or battery saws, with country of origin given as the United Kingdom. The star line is 4.6 from 750 reviews, identical to the 50 ml ASIN, so do not add the two totals. Item weight is blank. Amazon reviews repeat the mini-saw use, viscosity praise, spout comments, and price comments, which makes this a glovebox top-up rather than a season’s supply.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 100 ml top-up, twice the 50 ml bottle, for an electric or battery saw.
Less suitable: You are stocking oil for a winter of logs, or you need the listing to state one oil type.
Specifications
Common questions
What volume is on the listing?
The listing volume is 0.1 L, which is 100 ml.
Does the listing mention biodegradability?
The listing claims biodegradable or bio, and it also classes the oil as mineral.
What compatibility does the listing claim?
Electric or battery saws are mentioned.
We compared 11 chainsaw oils on amazon.co.uk from a wider set of 38 listings. Scores use the star rating and the review count on each listing. They are not a laboratory test. Weights follow the buying order in the research digest: the right oil, tack and viscosity, biodegradability, price per litre, and handbook fit.
Correct product type
25%Bar and chain oil only. HSE INDG317 warns against discarded engine oil, and two-stroke mix belongs in the fuel system, not the oil tank.
Adhesion and viscosity
25%Oil has to resist fling at chain speed. Listings cite anti-fling additives, ISO 220, or a 10W or 15W grade.
Biodegradability and setting
20%Near water, in gardens, or on sensitive sites, prefer a plant-based oil with a stated test reference such as OECD 301 B. Mineral oil suits dry woodland if spills are controlled.
Volume and price per litre
20%A 50–100 ml bottle suits an emergency top-up and costs far more per litre than a 1 litre or 5 litre can. Divide the shelf price by the litres.
Handbook fit and pump flow
10%Stihl cans match Stihl expectations. Universal oils suit mixed saws if viscosity stays in a typical bar-oil range and the pump keeps up in cold weather.
Choose chainsaw oil by the job of the fluid, not by the brand on the saw alone. The oil tank needs a tacky bar oil. On a petrol saw the fuel tank is a separate system and takes the fuel mix the handbook names. Work near water or in a garden pushes you toward a biodegradable listing. A season of firewood pushes you toward a 5 litre can and a sane price per litre. A mini-saw that is empty today is the only good reason to pay around £60 or more per litre for a 50 ml bottle.
Chainsaw bar and chain oil is a high-viscosity lubricant formulated to stick to a fast-moving chain, cool the bar, and reduce wear. It is not the same product as two-stroke engine oil mixed into petrol. UK buyers on amazon.co.uk choose between mineral oil, semi-synthetic oil, and plant-based biodegradable oil. Biodegradable grades matter when you work near water, in a garden, or where a spill could reach soil. Mineral oil is a normal choice for dry woodland if you control spills.
Two-stroke oil belongs in the fuel mix. Discarded engine oil is a poor chain lubricant and a skin-contact risk under HSE INDG317. The oil tank takes bar and chain oil.
A 50–100 ml pack is an emergency top-up. In this set those bottles work out at about £63 to £106 per litre, against about £3.69 to £6 per litre in 1 litre and 5 litre cans.
Smoke, a blue bar, or a short chain life means the oil is not reaching the rail. Biodegradable oil reduces how long a spill persists. It does not make it acceptable to pour oil into soil, a drain, or a stream.
Chain oil has to stay on the bar at chain speed. If it flings off, the bar runs dry, heats up, and the chain wears out. Listings in this set signal tack in different ways. Oregon, Carlube, Rotatech, and the DD teck bottles claim an anti-fling additive or a tackifier. Carlube also lists viscosity as ISO 220. Liqui Moly Bio and Rotatech list 10W-30. Stihl ForestPlus and Stihl Synthplus list 10W-40. The 50 ml DD teck nozzle lists 15W-40. The 100 ml nozzle lists viscosity only as High.
Price per litre is the fair comparison, not the number on the shelf. Carlube is £3.69 for 1 litre. Stihl ForestPlus is £29.85 for 5 litres, which is £5.97 per litre, and the listing does not claim biodegradability. Rotatech is £21.99 for 5 litres, which is £4.40 per litre, with a biodegradable claim and an electric or battery mention. Oregon is £11.13 for 1 litre of bio oil. Liqui Moly Bio is £12.49. Stihl Synthplus is £11.99 and is semi-synthetic, with no bio claim on the listing.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
Small tanks and infrequent cuts make a mini bottle tempting. You still get further with a 1 litre biodegradable oil you can decant, and Oregon states petrol and electric use. Keep a 50 ml bottle only for the day the tank is already empty.
A season of logs uses more than a 1 litre bottle. Stihl ForestPlus is a 5 litre can at about £5.97 per litre, with 10W-40 on the listing and no biodegradable claim. Check oil flow in cold weather before you rely on it all winter.
Near water or where a spill could reach soil, you want a biodegradable listing and a can you will actually finish. Rotatech’s 5 litre oil claims bio and anti-fling at about £4.40 per litre. Bio oil still has to be taken to a recycling centre. It is not a licence to spill.
Bar oil in this set runs from about £3.69 a litre to more than £100 a litre once you buy a 50 ml bottle. For most petrol and electric saws, the top pick is Oregon’s 1 litre biodegradable oil: 4.8 stars from 13,667 amazon.co.uk reviews, with petrol and electric use stated on the listing. If you want the lowest price per litre and can accept no biodegradable claim, the best value is Carlube XPM011 at about £3.69. A season of cutting is cheaper in a 5 litre can. Choose Rotatech if you want a bio listing, or Stihl ForestPlus if you want the Stihl name without a bio claim.
Carlube XPM011 Anti-Fling Chainsaw Oil
About £3.69 per litre with an anti-fling claim and ISO 220 on the listing, from 142 reviews.
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.
Sources from the research digest, last checked on 22 October 2026.
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 to amazon.co.uk (tag pcuk26-21). If you buy through them, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Picks follow listing prices, star ratings, review counts, and public UK sources. They are not a lab test.
