Tree work tool review
EGO CS2005 20-Inch Chainsaw Review
Buy the EGO CS2005 if you cut firewood, clear storm debris or fell small trees and you would rather not maintain a gas engine, because a brushless 56V motor with a 20 inch bar covers most of what a mid-size gas saw does and starts every time. Skip it if the tree you are thinking about is near a house, a fence or a power line, because that is an arborist’s job and the saw is the least difficult part of it.
EGO Power+ CS2005 20 Inch 56V Cordless Chainsaw with 6.0Ah Battery
about $489
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| Spec | EGO Power+ CS2005 20 Inch 56V Cordless Chainsaw with 6.0Ah Battery |
|---|---|
| Bar length | 20 inches |
| Chain | Full chisel, 3/8 inch pitch, 0.050 inch gauge, 69 drive links |
| Motor | Brushless, EGO rates it as 55cc gas equivalent |
| Chain speed | Up to 25 metres per second |
| Runtime | Up to 135 cuts on a 6x6 with the included 6.0Ah battery |
| Battery system | Compatible with all EGO 56V ARC Lithium batteries |
| Features | Digital display, speed select modes, safety brake indicator, LED work light |
| Weather rating | IPX4 |
Specs come from EGO's published product bullets returned by the Creators API. Price is approximate.
What battery power changes, and what it does not
The practical difference is not power, it is friction. There is no fuel to mix, no carburettor to gum up over a winter, no pull cord, and no exhaust, which means you can use it in a garage doorway without filling the space with fumes. EGO rates the motor as equivalent to a 55cc gas saw, and for limbing and bucking that comparison holds up. What battery does not change is the physics of a chain: it cuts the same way, kicks back the same way, and demands the same protective equipment as a gas saw.
Runtime, and how to think about it
EGO publishes up to 135 cuts on a 6x6 with the included 6.0Ah battery, which is a useful benchmark for bucking firewood and a poor one for a day of storm cleanup. Cutting hardwood, or working a saw hard through green wood, drains a battery much faster than a benchmark figure suggests. If you already own EGO tools the shared 56V batteries make a second pack the obvious accessory, and a second pack is what turns this from an hour of work into an afternoon.
When to stop and call an arborist
A tree near a house, over a fence, leaning, dead, hollow, or anywhere near a power line is not a chainsaw problem, it is a rigging and physics problem, and the people who do it professionally carry insurance for exactly the reason you should be thinking about. Get quotes before you decide: the tree removal cost calculator gives you a realistic range, and it is often less than people fear. Overhanging limbs are also the reason gutters fill and roofs fail early, which is what our gutter guards vs gutter cleaning cost comparison is really about, and the gutter installation cost calculator prices the other half of that job.
Firewood, and the maintenance you cannot skip
A chainsaw is only as good as its chain. A dull chain produces sawdust instead of chips, forces you to push, and dramatically raises the chance of a kickback. Learn to sharpen or keep spare chains, check the bar oil level constantly, and keep chain tension correct: a loose chain can derail. None of this is optional maintenance on a battery saw just because there is no engine to service. If the wood is heading into a stove or fireplace, the fireplace installation cost calculator covers the other end of that project, and chimney condition matters more than firewood does: see the chimney repair cost calculator.
The honest weakness: a 20 inch bar on a battery saw is optimistic
EGO supplies a 20 inch bar, and the saw will run it, but a battery saw cutting at full bar depth in hardwood works hard and drains a pack quickly. Owners consistently report that the saw is happiest in wood well under the bar length, and that the 16 or 18 inch models are the better everyday tools for most people. The other honest limitation is cold weather: lithium packs lose capacity in freezing conditions, which is exactly when storm cleanup happens. Keep the spare pack indoors until you need it.
What owners consistently report
Published owner reviews consistently describe cutting performance that surprises people coming from gas, and consistently flag runtime as the constraint rather than power. The most repeated practical advice is to buy a second battery, and the second most repeated is that chain sharpness matters more on a battery saw than people expect because a dull chain drains the pack rather than just slowing the cut. Complaints about weight and about bar oil consumption are common and are true of the category rather than this model.
Who it suits
- Firewood cutting and bucking downed timber
- Storm cleanup where fuel may be hard to get
- Homeowners who use a saw a few times a year and hate small engine maintenance
- People already invested in the EGO 56V battery platform
Who should skip it
- Felling near buildings, fences or power lines, which is professional work
- All-day production cutting, where a gas saw and fuel cans still win
- Anyone unwilling to buy chaps, a helmet and eye and hearing protection
- Very cold conditions with only one battery
Safety, stated plainly
Chainsaw injuries are severe and usually to the left leg, which is why chainsaw chaps are not optional equipment. Wear chaps, a helmet with a face screen, eye and hearing protection, and gloves, and never cut alone or above shoulder height. Kickback happens when the upper tip of the bar contacts wood, so know where your bar tip is at all times and keep the chain brake functional. Never cut a tree under tension, a spring pole or a leaning trunk without understanding where the stored energy will go. Trees near structures or power lines are a job for a qualified arborist or the utility, never a homeowner, and a dead or hollow tree can fail in a direction no cut predicts.
Alternatives worth comparing
about $249
Half the price and the size most homeowners actually use, since a 16 inch bar covers limbing and firewood comfortably and puts less drain on the battery.
View on Amazonabout $399
The compromise size, with enough bar for most storm work without the runtime penalty a 20 inch bar imposes on a battery saw.
View on AmazonHow we researched this
We did not test the EGO Power+ CS2005 20 Inch 56V Cordless Chainsaw with 6.0Ah Battery in person, and nothing here is written as though we did. This review is drawn from the manufacturer's published specifications, the product's own documentation, and the consensus of published owner reviews, which is summarised as exactly that rather than presented as our own use. Specifications are sourced as noted under the table above, and prices are approximate and move. Cost figures elsewhere on this site are 2026 estimates, not quotes. This is researched information, not professional advice: anything touching electrical, gas, structural, roofing or hazardous material work should go to a licensed professional and through your local permitting process. For the cost side of this decision, see Gutter guards vs Regular cleaning.
Frequently asked questions
Is a battery chainsaw powerful enough for firewood?
For bucking and limbing, yes. EGO rates the CS2005 as equivalent to a 55cc gas saw and publishes up to 135 cuts on a 6x6 with the included battery. The limit is runtime rather than power, so a second battery is the accessory that turns it from an hour of work into an afternoon.
What size chainsaw bar do I need?
A bar roughly two inches longer than the largest diameter you regularly cut. For most homeowners that is 16 to 18 inches, and a 20 inch bar on a battery saw drains the pack faster than it earns its extra reach. Bigger is not better unless you actually cut wood that big.
When should I hire an arborist instead?
Whenever the tree is near a house, fence, vehicle or power line, whenever it is leaning, dead or hollow, and whenever any part of the work would put you off the ground. Those jobs are rigging problems rather than cutting problems, and professionals carry insurance for the outcome you are hoping to avoid. Get a quote first, because removal often costs less than people expect.
Do I really need chainsaw chaps?
Yes. Chainsaw injuries are typically to the left leg and are typically severe, and chaps are designed to stall the chain before it reaches you. Chaps, a helmet with a face screen, eye and hearing protection and gloves are the minimum for any chainsaw work, battery powered or not.
How often should I sharpen the chain?
Whenever the saw produces fine sawdust rather than chips, or whenever you have to push it into the cut. A dull chain is slower, harder on the battery, and considerably more likely to kick back. Keeping spare sharpened chains is easier than field sharpening for most occasional users.