Hyundai Petrol Chainsaw Review

Most of the chainsaws that I tested came with a chain that was packaged up in its own plastic packet. Opening this up was easy, but unravelling the chain can add a good 5-10 minutes to the assembly time. So, I was delighted to see that the chain that Hyundai included with this chainsaw didn’t need any unravelling at all. 

Instead, once I removed the side panel (the chainsaw comes with the plug key that you’ll need to do this), I could quickly attach the gripper bar, the chain bar, and the chain with ease. I then secured the side panel back onto the body and then turned the screw at the side of the body to adjust the chain. This did feel a little tighter than the other chainsaws I tested, but it was still easy enough to do.

In total, assembling the chainsaw took less than ten minutes. The process was made easier thanks to the full tool kit that Hyundai supplies with the machine. Since it came with its own measuring cup for fuel and oil too, filling the machine was simple and only took a few minutes.

All of the Hyundai products that I have tested in the past have sported the brand’s signature blue and black colour palette, and this chainsaw was no exception. This makes it instantly recognisable as a Hyundai, which, in my opinion, is a good thing. After all, this is a high-end brand that’s known for quality, so you may as well be able to show your new chainsaw off! 

Just like most of the best petrol chainsaws that I reviewed, this one is equipped with a well-placed on/off button, a large trigger, a choke button, and a primer button. It also comes with a decompression button that supposedly makes it easy to start the chainsaw from cold. This was the only chainsaw I reviewed that had this feature.

Its 20” bar is the perfect length for both home and professional use, and the chain that comes with this chainsaw feels strong and durable. It also has an easy-to-use protective cover that slides over the bar, as well as its own holdall-style carry bag. While this obviously doesn’t affect how good the chainsaw actually is, it’s still a nice added touch, especially if, like me, you frequently travel around with your chainsaw.

First things first – getting the chainsaw started. In theory, this should’ve been easy due to the decompression button. In fact, the decompression feature is probably what makes the recoil start cable feel quite springy each time you pull it. However, unfortunately, it took a while to get this chainsaw going – I ended up having to pull the cord several times before it finally kicked into action. This chainsaw isn’t particularly light either, meaning that by the time I managed to get it running, my arms were already aching.

Nevertheless, I managed to forget about all of that once I actually started to use the chainsaw – it performs brilliantly. In fact, I would say that, out of all of the chainsaws that I tested, this one performed the best. 

It handles large trees with ease – just hold the chainsaw in place and it’ll do all of the hard work for you. I ended up using this chainsaw to cut some of the largest trees that I had. Many of these were around 40” in diameter, but thanks to the 20” bar, the chainsaw handled these without any issues whatsoever. 

The adjustable auto chain lubrication feature also helped to improve performance. It automatically varies oil flow based on what you’re doing. You do also have the option to manually adjust this, but I didn’t need to.

You can clearly feel this chainsaw’s power as soon as you turn it on. Take a look at its engine and it’s easy to see how this machine was able to spend a three hour stretch continuously cutting wood without overheating in the slightest. 62cc 2-stroke petrol with EURO 5 engine technology – in other words, about as powerful as you’ll get for a chainsaw of this calibre, with lower emissions and fuel consumption to boot. It’s difficult to judge fuel consumption since I regularly topped the chainsaw up while I was using it, but I didn’t seem to be topping it up quite as often as I did the others.

Compared to the other chainsaws that I tested, this one was definitely at the top of the list when it came to power.

As I mentioned, you don’t need to use any force at all when cutting with this Hyundai chainsaw. Just hold it in place and keep it steady (which is easy since it barely vibrates), and you’ll slice through thick wood with ease. It has a very rapid cutting speed, which helps to get the job done faster than slower chainsaws.

I also mentioned earlier that this chainsaw felt quite heavy after I had spent a while struggling to start it. At 7kg, it does weigh a little more than the other chainsaws that I tested. If you prefer your power tools to be on the lighter side, then you may be better off with something else (try the Einhell or the Husqvarna that I reviewed). That said, while this chainsaw may be heavier, it does have a long bar and a strong chain – anything lighter would end up compromising on one of those. 

Hyundai has included some fantastic safety features with this chainsaw. Let’s start with one that I’ve already mentioned – the fact that this chainsaw barely vibrates. This is thanks to its anti-vibration technology, which is extremely important to someone like myself who uses a chainsaw for long periods. 

One concern that many have when using a chainsaw is the chain breaking or derailing. I’ve personally heard a number of horror stories related to this! So, I was happy to see that Hyundai has included two specific safety features designed to keep the user safe in the event of this happening; a double pivot safety brake that immediately stops the chain if an unexpected kickback occurs, and a chain catcher that catches and shortens the chain as it breaks/derails downwards, saving it from hitting you. There are also several safety stickers pasted around the machine. 

In my opinion, this chainsaw offers very good value for money. The only ones that could compare would be the ParkerBrand and the P1PE chainsaws that I also reviewed, which come in at a slightly lower price. However, with the Hyundai, you’re also paying for the brand. Sometimes this doesn’t mean much, but in this case, it means reputedly good customer service and a two-year warranty that actually counts for something since both servicing and spare parts are available in the UK.

It’s also worth mentioning that when it comes to design, features, power, and performance, this Hyundai chainsaw is very similar to the P1PE chainsaw that I also tested, although that one, again, comes in at a lower price. The only difference was that the Hyundai has a decompression button, which doesn’t really warrant the extra cost. 

You do receive a spare chain and spark plug, a maintenance tool bag, a mixing bottle, and a storage bag with the Hyundai, but the same applies to the other two chainsaws too. 

With all of that said, for what you’re paying, you’re receiving a great machine in return. The price difference between the three is minimal, and, if it were me, I wouldn’t mind paying that little bit more for a Hyundai, a brand that I trust. 

This Hyundai chainsaw was able to tackle everything that I threw at it, from dense 40”-diameter conifer trunks to smaller and lighter branches. I had no issues with it at all, other than starting it, but having used it a few times since, this becomes easier once you get used to the machine and develop the right technique. This isn’t a tool that I would recommend to anyone looking for something small and lightweight – simply put, it’s chunky and pretty heavy, but its long bar, strong chain, and powerful engine make it capable of excelling at heavy-duty tasks.