Makita 5012B Commercial Grade 12-Inch Electric Chain Saw Review

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Makita 5012B Commercial Grade 12-Inch Electric Chain Saw

8.5

Performance

8.7/10

Price

8.5/10

Ease of Use

8.4/10

Pros

  • Great cutting speed
  • Remarkable extra accessories
  • Comes with hand protector

Cons

  • Takes time to get used to

Makita 5012B Commercial Grade 12-Inch Electric Chain Saw: Remarkably Powerful

I love getting out an cutting down trees, preparing firewood and anything that involves tearing up some lumber with power tools. For as long as I can remember, I’ve used gas powered chainsaws. I’ve owned quite a few of them over the years – some good and some bad. I resisted getting an electric saw, until just recently.

I was on the lookout for a good medium sized chainsaw to replace an old Stihl gas powered saw that I had used for years. I don’t know what got into me, but I started looking into powerful electric chain saws. Maybe it’s because I get tired of mixing oil and gas all the time.

Or maybe it’s because the older I’m getting the less I like tugging on cords to get my saw started. Well, whatever it was, I started to seriously check into electric saws and ended up getting the Makita 5012B Commercial Grade 12-Inch Electric Chain Saw.

Read more review here

I didn’t know what to expect the first time I plugged this chain saw in and headed out into the yard to cut some logs, but I was very impressed with the end result. The Makita 5012B Commercial Grade 12-Inch Electric Chain Saw is pretty darned powerful. I didn’t struggle cutting a single log, and even ended up cutting back some nearby brush.

Maybe it’s because this chain saw is so lightweight, that I kept on going, but when that day was over, I spent over 4 hours just cutting whatever I could. That’s all it took for me. I’m hooked now and can’t find enough projects to use my Makita 5012B Electric Chain Saw on.

Having a saw that fires right up without any playing with the choke or tugging on a cord makes this saw a real pleasure to use. Having more power than I ever would have expected from an electric chain saw was a very unexpected bonus too.Makita Electric Chain Saw Review

Product Specs

  • 11.5 Amp electric chain saw
  • 5500 feet-per-minute chain speed for high-speed cutting
  • Durable polycarbonate housing protects the tool from damage
  • Built-in overload protector;
  • A special sprocket inside the end of the chain  keeps the saw running smoothly
  • 12-inch guide bar
  • Weighs 9-1/2 pounds
  • 1-year warranty

See full specs here

Pros

  • Remarkable cutting speed. The speed of the chain on the Makita 5012B Commercial Grade 12-Inch Electric Chain Saw is remarkable. This chain goes twice as fast as any other electric chain saw, and you can see the results in how good it cuts.
  • Great extra attachments and tools. This saw comes packed with some great extras. When I got mine, I found the saw, 11-3/4-inch chain, 11-3/4-inch guide bar, chain cover, socket wrench, Phillips screwdriver, file, and cord hook, all included. It’s nice when a company throws in the little extras.
  • There’s a nice hand protector on the front of the saw that keeps your hands and arms from getting pelted by flying wood chips.

Cons

  • Very fast saw speed. While it might be an advantage for some, the speed of the saw may almost too fast for some. The wood chips and dust fly fast and furious when this saw is going full speed. Of course, the cutting is great, but the flying chips can be distracting when they are flying off so fast.
  • Takes time to get used to. This isn’t a con, but it takes getting used to an electric saw, if you’ve used gas powered saws for years. It only took me an hour to get used to it, but it was kind of strange to not have to pull a rip cord or mess with the choke. This isn’t a drawback, just an interesting fact of getting used to a new kind of tool.

I was expecting this saw to be okay, but I never expected it to be so darn powerful and such a fast cutter. It really is amazing to see how this thing easily rips through lumber. Not having to deal with oil/gas mix and breathe in fumes is a nice added bonus. I officially go on record now and state that electric chain saws can keep up with gasoline powered saws, or at least the Makita 5012B chain saw can.

Click here to learn more about this electric chain saw

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