Are Craftsman chainsaws any good for real yard work?
Worth it, with one small habit to learn
Why a cheap-looking chainsaw makes you doubt it before you even plug it in
A branch comes down in a storm and you're standing over it with an orange cord snaking across the lawn, wondering if the saw in your hands is a real tool or a toy wearing a chainsaw's clothes. That's the real question behind are craftsman chainsaws any good: not whether it spins a chain, but whether it can get through the wood in front of you without stalling, smoking, or embarrassing you next to the neighbor's gas saw. The housing looks like every other big-box saw. What's underneath is the part that actually decides this.
How the Craftsman CMECS600 actually cuts
The 12-amp motor is the headline, and it earns the space it takes on the spec sheet: pulling that much current gives you roughly 3.5 horsepower the instant you squeeze the trigger, no pull cord, no choke, no gas-oil ratio to mix wrong. Plug in, trigger down, the chain moves at full speed immediately, which is the whole appeal of corded electric over gas: you trade range for instant, consistent power, and that trade favors you right up until the cord runs out. Watch the tensioning system, because that's where materials meet reality. Tool-free adjustment means a knob on the housing instead of a wrench and a bar nut, which is genuinely useful mid-cut when the chain's gone slack. But a chain stretches as it heats up during use, and a spring-loaded tool-free system has fewer parts standing between that heat and the tension drifting, compared to a nut-and-washer setup. The low-kickback bar and chain earn their keep here too: they're built to reduce the chance of the tip catching and snapping the saw back toward you, which matters more on a saw this light, at just over six pounds, because there's less mass fighting that reaction. The auto-oiling window is the quiet convenience: you glance down at a small window instead of guessing, so you're not running a dry chain through a log because you forgot to check.
So this isn't a gas-saw replacement, it's a different tool built for a different job: a plug-in saw that trades reach and raw torque for instant starts and low upkeep, made for the branches and deadwood around a yard rather than the cordwood pile out back. If your cutting stays within reach of an outlet, that trade works for you. If it doesn't, it works against you.
Who this Craftsman chainsaw is for, and who should skip it
Worth it if
- You're cutting branches, deadwood, or wood already on the ground
- You work within reach of an extension cord
- You want instant starts without gas, oil mixing, or pull cords
- You'd rather check an oil window than guess
Skip it if
- You're felling trees or bucking firewood by the cord
- You need to work far from a power outlet
- You want a tensioning system you never have to touch
If you fell trees or cut firewood by the cord, this isn't your saw.
Is the Craftsman CMECS600 worth it
If you're clearing storm branches, trimming deadwood, or cutting up something already down within cord's reach, this is a quiet yes. If you're felling trees, cutting firewood by the cord, or working somewhere a cord can't follow, save your money for a gas saw or a long-range battery model.
That storm-branch problem gets solved in the time it takes to find an outlet: no gas can, no starter cord, just power and a clean cut through anything branch-sized. A lot of owners report exactly that experience, quick to set up and strong enough for small to medium trees, with the one recurring note being that the tool-free chain tension needs rechecking now and then as you work. That's a five-second habit, not a dealbreaker, and it's the kind of thing you learn once and then just do.
Amazon shoppers rate it 4.4 out of 5 across 2,548 ratings. That is their number, not ours.
Before you go
Which chainsaw is better, Craftsman or Husqvarna?
They're built for different jobs, not a straight better-or-worse comparison: Husqvarna's lineup leans toward gas-powered saws for felling and firewood, while this Craftsman is a corded electric built for yard-scale branch and deadwood work near an outlet.
Who builds Craftsman chainsaws?
Craftsman is owned by Stanley Black & Decker, which designs the brand's outdoor power equipment and has it manufactured by contracted outdoor power equipment makers rather than building tools in-house.
What is the best chainsaw brand for the money?
There isn't one brand that wins for every job: gas brands like Husqvarna and Stihl hold their value for heavy cutting, while corded electrics like this Craftsman hold their value for light, close-to-the-house work where low maintenance matters more than raw power.
What are people saying about the Craftsman S205 20 inch chainsaw?
That's a different, gas-powered model in the Craftsman lineup built for bigger cutting jobs than this 16 inch corded electric, so its power and maintenance needs aren't the same as what's covered here.
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By the numbers
earn an unconditional yes at full priceOut of 145 home & garden products we have reviewed. This one is a yes with a condition attached.
other reviews field the same questionWhat is the best chainsaw brand for the money?
comes up across our home & garden coverage, not just here — one of the things worth settling before you choose.
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Full spec sheet
| Model Number | CMECS600 |
|---|---|
| Brand Name | CRAFTSMAN |
| Included Components | (1) CMECS600 16-in. Chainsaw (1) 16-in. Bar and Chain |
| Item Type Name | 16" Electric Chainsaw |
| Manufacturer Part Number | CMECS600AM |
| Power Source | Corded Electric |
| Horsepower | 3.5 hp |
| Chain Speed | 44 |
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