Looking for the best petrol chainsaws under £200? This guide breaks down the top budget chainsaws with expertise, honesty and practical advice, helping you choose a powerful yet affordable wood cutter without any drama.
Best Petrol Chainsaws under £200 - Rationale for choosing Petrol on a Budget
As for petrol-powered chainsaws, if you can find yourself a good deal on one without breaking the £200 mark, then they’re a bit like budget airline flights. Sure, they’ll get you from A to B, but don’t expect any special treatment on the journey. Having said that, with a bit of careful consideration, it’s absolutely possible to get your hands on a good, meaty chainsaw without breaking the bank.
It’s available at an affordable price, making it an optimal option for homeowners. Whether it’s tidying up your ‘garden jungle’ or hauling winter logs, or perhaps getting round to that ‘downed’ tree that’s been taunting you ever since the ‘last storm’, a budget petrol saw might be exactly what you need.
What to Expect for Less Than £200
You aren't buying a forestry saw designed for professionals with a working life potentially extending to sixteen hours a day. But what you get instead is surprisingly competent at what it does and bites hard enough for most home uses. Engines will be smaller, and so will be build quality. While it may not have a life spanning multiple decades, it will still serve out several years if you treat it with some basic TLC.
These budget models frequently have additional accessories such as spare chains and carry cases or tool kits. Some of these accessories are very useful, while some are mere gimmicks. But still, the fact here stays the same. A proper petrol cutter can be had for less than £200.
Who This Guide Is For
It's a user guide for everyday people, tinkerers, wood gatherers, and storm cleanup enthusiasts. It doesn't matter if you want professional-grade tools because, let's be honest, you're in the wrong store. But if you want power, value, and the privilege to call ‘timber’ without your pockets suffering, then you're reading it right.
Top 5 Petrol Chainsaws Under £200
#1, Stihl MS 162 14 Inch Petrol Chainsaw
The Stihl MS 162 - Where a high-end brand puts its foot, or at least its toe, into a more budget-conscious market and doesn’t put a foot wrong. Typically retailing at anything from £180-£200, it is something of an anomaly among chain saws within this price range and manages to be one of the very few that manages to be, well, grown-up. Not flashy, nor ending up on some sort of hyped pedestal, but a very nicely mannered and obedient hard worker.
Equipped with a 2-MIX engine from Stihl, the MS 162 will provide you with more horsepower than you will ever need for chopping firewood, trimming, and downing young trees that have overstayed their welcome. It will not be a tool that turns you into a lumberjack influencer, but it will help you tame your garden without a word.
Perhaps one of its greatest benefits includes its user-friendly feature. You get single lever control, fuel and oil translucent Residue Resistant tanks so you don’t end up running it bone dry, and an anti-vibration system that works better than your hands buzzing like an inexpensive electric toothbrush. Its narrow-kerf chain also makes it slice better than an entry-level saw.
It’s perfect for anyone who wants reliability without any drama. It’s not the most inexpensive option available on this list, but it’s probably going to be the least eventful. You want something reliable, something with a good brand reputation, something that will work without throwing a fit the MS 162 will be your best option.
#2, Hyundai HYC6220 62cc 20 Inch Petrol Chainsaw
So if the Stihl above is the sensible and clean-cut neighbour, then the Hyundai HYC6220 is more like the big lad next door who bursts into town with a box of tools and a rolled-up sleeve and says, “Right, let’s get stuck in.” And with a hefty 62 cc engine and an 20-inch bar, it’s no joke for under £200. It almost seems as though it’s made a wrong turn on its way into its price bracket.
Handy for larger cuts. Having a 20 inch bar, you can tackle logs, trunks, and them there mystery trees your predecessor stuck in the ground for some reason. So, it can allegedly tackle a tree with a 40 inch diameter. That's some serious wood-choppage capacity in something that costs less than a weekend at a hotel.
It's not all feathers and ice, mind – it tips the scales at 7kg, so it's no ballet dancer among chain saws. On larger projects, it does, however, provide stability and reassurance, and it's reassuring that it boasts anti-kickback functionality and an heavy-duty chain brake. And it's reassuring that it boasts an automatic chain lubrication system, so it cuts with a smooth chain and not a mournful and choking one.
It seems like Hyundai goes all out even with accessories because it includes things like two chains, a carry bag, a chain file, and a mixing bottle. Whether you will find use for all these accessories or not, it’s a nice touch.
It’s the saw for people who want as much power as possible for as little money as possible. It’s not exactly what you would call optimal for precision prune-and-chomp operations. But if there’s something that can literally let out a roar on larger wood, it would be the Hyundai HYC6220.
#3, BU-KO 65cc 16 Inch Petrol Chainsaw
But if you want a chainsaw that’s loaded with accessories beyond anything a mere weekend hack like yourself would ever need, then your man is the BU-KO 65cc. Not only does it include two bar options and four chains, but it also throws in a carry case and safety equipment. It’s also stuffed with so much additional junk, it’s as if it came with the bonus package by accident. And it all weighs a whopping 65 cc and tips the scales at 8.2 kg - yet it will still devour wood like it’s nobody’s business.
The engine is 2-stroke and air-cooled with ample power for firewood and regular pruning. It’s not refined, and subtlety doesn’t exactly make for prime selling points. “Ease of start-up, relatively easy-to-use operation, and remarkable stability in the operator’s hands due to anti-vibration mounts” are what BU-KO primarily rests its case on. All of which adds up to something better suited to dusty boots and rolled-up sleeves.
“One thing that does stand out, though, is value for money. To get two barbed bar sets and a complete safety set for under £200 is some feat, even if the build isn't anything more than budget-grade. Whether you’re a homeowner with some larger cutting projects on your hands or someone who demands maximum bang for your buck, the BU-KO will suit your needs. Just don’t expect it to be light.”
#4, Husqvarna 120 II 14 Inch Petrol Chainsaw
The Husqvarna 120 Mark II represents the clean and well-behaved Scandinavian child of gasoline chain saws. It normally retails slightly above £200, but it breaks below that price threshold on special offers, and it was below price at the time of writing. Should you desire a brand with a rich pedigree without breaking the bank, then it would be worth considering.
The 120 II features a light- to medium-duty engine and weighs about 3.3 kg. It’s perfect for miking, firewood, and cutting down a small tree or two. It’s not here to rival the 60 cc “monsters” but does its job with no snags. The engine size is 38.2 cc and features X-Torq, which is engine talk for it being more eco-friendly and fuel-efficient. It also reduces noise and stress on your ear drums compared to some cheaper, louder engines.
It’s easier to start, because it features a choke and stop control combining, so there will be fewer instances of flooded engines and subsequent engine tantrums. The air injection feature goes a long way in ensuring that it stays cleaner for a longer period. That would be a great thing if you don’t enjoy your maintenance days. Some safety features here include low kickback, an inertia chain brake, and Husqvarna’s LowVib. Its role is to make your hands as still as possible, as if they’re holding an angry wasp nest.
It is a saw for homeowner use, who are looking for reliability, functionality, and an honest brand without having to sell a kidney. It may not be the most powerful among these tools, nor perhaps the biggest and heaviest, or the least expensive either, but as a smooth-running saw, it packs an extra punch.
#5, Scheppach PCS46 18 Inch Petrol Chainsaw
A petrol chainsaw could be likened to an action film character. And if they were, then the Scheppach PCS46 would be that character who bursts on screen towards the end with all musculature and shows everyone how things should be done, as a result of which everyone before him screwed up. All because it boasts an impressive 46cc 2 stroke engine and 2.45 horsepower.
The 18 inch ProCut bar offers a large cutting length of 43 cm, ideal for making clean cuts on large logs without your having to be persuaded. Their chain moves at 22 m/s, which, translated into regular human terms, makes chain operation extremely smooth. Despite its heavy-duty performance, Scheppach has made an earnest attempt at making it as comfortable as possible with an ergonomically designed all-around handle and a vibration control system that will make your arms not feel as if they have been mixing paints.
Protection is also given a prominent role, with an anti-kickback chain brake that brings the chain to an immediate standstill. You also have a chain guard and metal claw brake, helping your various components remain stable and logical as you are working with wood. But with added features such as automatic chain lubrication and an easy start recoil system and fuel window, you have yourself an impressive petrol chainsaw at a price below £200.
Conclusion
But what about you and your budget of £200 and an ever-expanding list of forest worths of things to do around your property, so which chain saw should you choose? Fortunately, there really isn’t a bad choice available.
However, if you are after raw value, a light touch, and an easy-to-use unit, then the Stihl & Husqvarna models take some beating as a reliable and hassle-free option that will get the job done. But if you want a bit more oomph and punch for your money to tackle tougher cuts on more stubborn wood, then perhaps something like the Hyundai and Bu-ko might be more suited. That said, it’s hard to overlook the Scheppach as a bit of an all-rounder that packs an awful lot of punch, not to mention all sorts of safety features, within its price range.
Final Word
As a general observation, it depends on what exactly you will be using it for. Light yard work, cleanups, and so on are ideal for the lower-powered ones. Logs and storm cleanups would be better served with an upgrade to the more heavy-duty ones.
Whichsoever option you pick, all five chainsaws were retailing for under £200 at the time of writing, and all five offer a strong combination of power, functionality, and value for money. Your trees, wood piles, and overly thick hedges have been put on notice.
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