Chainsaw Rental Near Me: Should I Buy or Rent a Chainsaw?

For some of you reading this, it would be better for you to buy your own chainsaw. However, for others, it’s going to be better to just rent one.

This opens up a whole range of questions, like: Where should you rent a chainsaw? What kind of chainsaw should I be renting? Isn’t it going to be cheaper overall to just buy one?

In this article, PowerOfTool.com will go into all of the nooks and crannies of chainsaw renting. We’ll discuss how to do it with the utmost efficiency, and what to do if you decide to buy instead.

Should I buy or rent a chainsaw?

For some of you, renting a chainsaw can be the ideal option. First, you do not need to worry too much about repairs and maintenance of the chainsaw: you can simply use it for what you need to use it for, and then send it back when you’re finished.

And if you’re only going to use it for one job, then renting is definitely going to be cheaper than buying. There would be no point in spending $500 for something that you’re only going to be using once.

However, renting is not going to be for everyone. If you’re going to use this chainsaw more than about 5 to 10 times, it’s going to be cheaper to simply buy it.

And as for damage, it’s probably going to be better to damage your own chainsaw than to damage someone else’s. This is because the damage fees you generally have to pay for things that are rented are usually sky-high. And remember, you never know how sensible and well trained the previous renter was. You could be paying for their carelessness.

The alternative to renting is, of course, buying. Putting aside cost (which is likely going to be cheaper over a period of time), the main benefit of buying a chainsaw rather than renting one is that you are going to be able to take the time to understand the ins and outs of how your chainsaw works, and work out how to use it to its maximum efficiency.

You will also be in a better position if the chainsaw ever encounters any issues, as you will not be held liable by any second party.

However, that’s not to say that buying a chainsaw does not come with its consequences. If you only need to use it once, buying is likely going to be too expensive for most people.

You will also have to think about the maintenance of the chainsaw. This includes giving it fuel (recharging the battery of an electric one; figuring out the fuel mixture for a gas-powered saw), sharpening the teeth, and cleaning the chain when it gets too dirty to use. This can occupy a lot of time, and often a fair amount of money. You will also have the extra challenge of finding a permanent place to keep it.

So the question as to whether you should rent or buy a chainsaw depends on your personal circumstances.

If you only need to use it for one particular task, then it’s going to be best to rent it, as this will minimise the cost.

However, if you plan on using it on a regular basis, then, for a whole variety of reasons, the best thing you could do is to buy a chainsaw. This chainsaw will be yours to get to know and to use whenever you need to.

Where to rent a chainsaw

If you’re the kind of person who should be renting a chainsaw, then you’re probably going to be wondering how you do it.

There are many different places where you could potentially rent a chainsaw, and we’ll cover the most popular four in the upcoming paragraphs. But please note, that you’re going to have to use Google Maps to find specific places near you.

The next few paragraphs will be talking about the generic types of places that you could rent a chainsaw from. Which one is best mostly subjective.

First of all, you could go to a local rental service. These are places that rent out a wide variety of working equipment, including chainsaws, forklifts, and gardening tools.

They are usually used by businesses as their equipment is fully insured and has to meet professional standards. For this reason, the rental can a bit more expensive. However, for some people, it’s worth paying a little bit extra for this ensured safety.

For those who live in small towns and villages, though, finding a local rental service might not be too easy.

An alternative to a local rental service would be an online one. The way this work is similar to how the local ones work, the main difference being that you order your items online. A downside to this is that you might have to pay a bit more for the shipping, and this includes getting it delivered to you AND sending it back to the renter.

On the plus side, you can do it in the comfort of your own home. And most of the time, these websites have to meet high safety regulations, so you can be assured that your items are safe and insured.

Your third option is, without doubt, less professional: ask to borrow a chainsaw from a friend. I know it might sound like a rather trivial suggestion, but if you have a friend who is willing to let you borrow their chainsaw, then it would make sense to think twice before spending any money on hiring one.

However, you need to be careful as there are no safety regulations or insurance laws with this option.

And finally, you could ask at your local hardware store. While it’s not guaranteed that they will be willing to let you borrow one of their chainsaws, it is guaranteed that it won’t do you any harm to ask. 

One benefit of a local hardware store is that they are able to give you expert advice on the best chainsaws for your job, and generally can work with you at a reasonably low price.

How much does it cost to rent a chainsaw?

The next question relates to the money. You want to know how much it’s going to cost to rent a chainsaw.

Unfortunately, there’s no straightforward answer to this question as it’s going to depend on what type of chainsaw you want to get, how long you plan on renting, and from whom you want to rent it, and what prices, in general, are like where you live. 

The cost of renting is arguably the most important question that you need to be asking yourself because, some of the time, if you want to rent a saw for a lengthy period of time, or often, it will actually be cheaper to just buy it.

Let’s take a very good saw as an example: the Husqvarna. They’re a well-established brand who are known for high-quality equipment. The saw is going to cost you an average of about $115 per day. This might seem like a lot, but it’s going to be cheaper than $500 for the chainsaw itself. However, this is just an average, and you might be able to find somewhere that will rent you a saw for a much lower price.

If you don’t need a really good chainsaw, and you’re just looking for any chainsaw, then the prices can be a bit lower. You’re probably looking at somewhere between $20-$100 a day.

Some rental companies will increase their prices on the weekends and during the summer. And many of them will charge an extortionate amount if you fail to return the products on time. As a general rule, the cheaper the chainsaw, the higher the hidden costs.

What might these hidden costs be?

As mentioned in the previous paragraph, you could easily be charged extra for failing to return the chainsaw on time.

You might also have to pay even extra for things that the chainsaw needs to run, such as fuel, batteries, lubricant, and occasionally even the chain itself. Before you give anyone any money, make sure you’re 100% sure what you’ll be getting for your money.

If you’re ordering online, you’ll likely have to pay to get the chainsaw delivered to you, as well as the cost of sending it back to them.

With the high cost of hiring, it can be tempting to just ask your friend if you can borrow his (or hers). For some, this is likely to be the best option, but it does come with its disadvantages. Unlike with rental companies, there are no laws to regulate borrowing between friends. This means the chainsaw you’re using could be faulty to the point that it’s dangerous to use.

And as it won’t be insured, you’ll have to pay a lot more if you end up breaking it.

How big a chainsaw do I need?

When you get yourself a chainsaw, regardless of whether you’re buying it or renting it, you’ll need to make sure that it’s the right size for you.

If a chainsaw is too big, this can make it difficult to control, as well as being a safety hazard. With this lack of control, it’s harder to get a cleaner cut, meaning that splinters and uneven cuts are more common. And if you do not have complete control over the chainsaw, then the risk of injury increases significantly. And chainsaw injuries can be deadly.

On the other hand, you don’t want a chainsaw that’s too small. Ideally, a chainsaw should be able to cut through the entire trunk of a tree, or at the very least, be able to cut halfway through, so that you can continue the cut on the other side.

If the chainsaw is too small to do either, then it will be of no use to you. You can’t cut down a tree with it; you can only cut into a tree with it.

It will also take significantly longer for you to turn the timber into wooden planks.

The size of the chainsaw that you should be after will depend on what kind of job you want to do. If you only need it for a bit of trimming and pruning, then somewhere below a 15″ bar should do the job just fine.

If you want to cut down some small trees, then 15-20″ is going to be able to do the job.

If it’s medium-sized trees that you want to cut, then 20-25″ is what you want. And for larger trees, go for something larger than 25″. Essentially, the bigger the tree, the bigger the chainsaw required.

When you only have a bit of trimming or pruning to do, or perhaps the trees you need cutting don’t even come up to your waist, then a smaller chainsaw will be much better than a larger one.

Particularly if you’re going to be working at height. If you’re going to be lifting up this chainsaw then you’ll want it to be as light as possible, to avoid the chances of you dropping it and breaking the chainsaw or, even worse, causing an injury to yourself.

However, these smaller chainsaws won’t be much use at all if you want to cut down a medium-sized to a large tree. They won’t be able to cut around the circumference.

In order to do this sort of job, you’ll need a strong, hefty, and powerful saw that will be able to cut through even the hardest of wood with minimal effort.

A chainsaw is supposed to make cutting trees easier, so you’ll be needing one that actually does that.

Alternative to renting a chainsaw

The alternative to renting a chainsaw is, of course, buying one. If you choose to do this, then getting the right one is even more important. If you get one that’s not so good, you can’t just get a better one next time (if you want to spend less than $300).

Here are three chainsaws that you could consider getting.

Husqvarna 455, 20 in. 55.5cc 2-Cycle Gas Chainsaw

The first chainsaw on our list is from Husqvarna: The 455 Rancher Gas Chainsaw. It comes with a 20-inch bar and runs on gasoline. It weighs 12.8 lbs and its dimensions are 20 × 9.5 × 41 inches. This chainsaw is ideal for people who have heavy trees that need to be cut down. It also comes with a 2 cycle engine that has a chain brake system, which increases the safety of the device.

For ensured lubrication of the chain, this saw comes with an automatic oiler. It also has a side-mounted chain tensioning system, so that you can tighten or loosen the chain whenever you need to with ease. And it has a brilliant quick-release air filter so that you can clean it within minutes; a dirty chainsaw will not work as effectively as a clean one.

Remington RM4620 Outlaw 46cc 2-Cycle 20-inch Gas Powered Chainsaw

The next chainsaw on your list serves a similar purpose. It’s the Remington RM4620 Outlaw. It has a 46cc engine, and as with our previous entry, it has a 20-inch bar. It weighs 16.6 pounds and measures in at 36 × 12 × 12 inches.

Its powerful engine works on a 2 cycle system to ensure the power lasts as long as possible, but also as safely as possible. It’s ideal for big jobs.

To make use easier, it comes with a 5-point anti-vibration system. It also has a side-access chain tensioner, and a cushion wrapped handle. All of these features ensure that this chainsaw is as safe and efficient as it possibly can be.

Starting it is easier than ever thanks to the quick-start technology. To get it started, all you have to do is pull the lever.

Lubrication is no effort at all with the automatic oiler.

Echo Chain Saw, Gas, 18 in. Bar, 40.2CC

And finally, we have the Echo. And no, this isn’t the Amazon Echo, although it is an Echo that is available to buy via Amazon. This particular chainsaw has an 18-inch bar and a 40.2 cc gas-powered engine. It weighs 10.1 pounds. Its dimensions are 8 × 8 x 8 inches.

To make the engine run as well as it does, it has an engine displacement system, and an automatic chain oiler to make sure it always cuts smoothly without causing any damage to the saw. Its anti-vibration handle means that you’ll be able to do all the jobs you need to without having to worry about uncomfortable vibrations.

The fuel tank can hold up to 13.9 oz. Overall, this would be a great chainsaw for cutting down medium-sized or large trees and turning the fallen trees into timber.

Conclusion

What option is going to be best for you?

If you rent a chainsaw, it will be cheaper (at first) and you won’t have to worry too much about maintenance.

However, if you’re going to use this chainsaw regularly, then it might be better overall to actually purchase one.

If you choose to rent one, you’ll need to think about where you’re renting from. Would it be better to rent it from a company or just borrow one from a friend?
And if you choose to buy one, you’ll need to think about storage and maintenance.

Whatever you choose to do, just make sure to take the time to make the right decision.