Craftsman CMCCS620M1 Chainsaw Review

The kit holds the CMCCS620 12-inch compact chainsaw, the CMCB204 4.0 Ah V20 lithium-ion battery, the V20 charger and a bar cover. Bar oil is not included, so buy a bottle before the first cut. The manual calls for a vegetable-based bar oil when you prune living trees, and accepts a non-detergent SAE30 as a temporary substitute.

There is no case and no onboard tool storage; the bar cover is the only protection for transport. The battery and charger belong to the V20 platform, so they also run Craftsman V20 outdoor equipment and power tools. The saw carries an integrated VERSATRACK hook, and the rack system itself is sold separately.

The chain and bar

The narrow-kerf .043-inch chain cuts fast in softwood. Replacement parts are easy to order by number: chain CMZCSC12, bar CMZCSB12.

The 10-inch ceiling

Ten inches is the diameter the saw is rated for, and it is the number to remember when you size up a fallen branch. A trunk wider than that is not this saw's job.

The brushed motor

A brushed motor costs less and runs less efficiently than a brushless one, which shows up as heat, stall and shorter runtime under load. That is why the saw is happiest in small material.

The weight figure

The 9.9 lb figure is the assembled saw with its battery, so plan on about 10 lb with the battery fitted. Boxed and shipping weights quoted elsewhere run higher because they include the carton and accessories.

Chain speed

Craftsman does not publish a chain speed, and no-load chain speed is a poor predictor of cutting performance anyway. Judge the saw on cut times and runtime instead.

The saw's real job is limbing, pruning, bucking branches and cutting small logs. It is at its best in softwood and in material up to a few inches, and it slows noticeably in hardwood as the diameter climbs toward its 10-inch ceiling.

It is very slow cutting through 10-inch oak, which fits a small brushed motor and a narrow-kerf chain.

Runtime means minutes of continuous full-throttle cutting, not hours. That is normal for a 4.0 Ah pack on a saw this size, and the honest fix is a second battery.

The kit's appeal is that it bundles the battery and charger that make the saw usable, on a platform that then serves the rest of the V20 range.

The 4.0 Ah pack is small for a saw, and that is the single biggest constraint on how the tool feels in use. The included charger takes about 2 hours to refill it, long enough that a second pack is the practical upgrade for anyone with more than a few limbs to clear.

The manual asks you to charge within the recommended temperature range, to keep the pack out of the tool between uses, and to avoid storing it where summer heat builds up, such as a metal shed. Store it part-charged rather than flat.

The saw will stall and cut out under heavy load. That is overload protection, not a fault: release the trigger, let it recover, and let the saw cut at its own pace rather than forcing it.

This is a rear-handle saw with a wrap-around handle, not a top-handle design. At about 10 lb with the battery it is light enough to carry one-handed between cuts, and heavy enough that overhead work tires you quickly, which the manual's chest-height limit already rules out.

Tensioning the chain

Loosen the bar-adjust locking knob, turn the tensioning knob until the chain pulls about 1/8 inch off the bar under light finger pressure and snaps back, with no sag underneath, then lock it.

The oiler

Oiling is automatic and the flow is not adjustable. Watch the translucent window and refill before it drops below a quarter, and empty the tank before storage.

Build and durability

The bubble level and bottom spike are genuinely useful when you buck on uneven ground.

Buyer feedback on Amazon is split on durability. Most buyers praise performance, power and ease of use, and the large majority of ratings are four or five stars, but a minority report failures of internal components, the hand guard or brake, and cracks around the oil chamber. Treat that as the known risk of a value-priced cordless saw, covered by the 3-year limited warranty, rather than a reason to avoid it outright.

Check chain tension before every use, flip the bar and clean its rails now and then, and keep the oiler topped up. Before the saw goes away, empty the oil tank, pull the battery and wipe the bar and chain.

The narrow-kerf .043 chain dulls faster than a standard chain, so expect to sharpen or replace it more often; a spare chain is a sensible add-on.

Check the chain brake before every use, hold the saw with two hands and your thumbs wrapped, and keep your body to the left of the chain line. Never cut above chest height, never from a ladder, and never one-handed.

Kickback comes in three forms: rotational, when the nose of the bar meets wood and the saw swings up; pushback, when the chain grabs and shoves the saw back at you; and pull-in, when it drags you toward the wood. The chain brake and the rear handle's layout are what limit the damage in each case.

Wear Z87+ eye protection, hearing protection, gloves, boots and chainsaw chaps rated for the saw. Pull the battery before any adjustment or chain work. Felling, and storm-damaged or leaning trees, are arborist work.