Greenworks 40V 16-Inch 20312 Chainsaw Review

The 16-inch Oregon bar and chain paired with the brushless motor cut limbs, deadfall, storm debris and small trees without the saw feeling out of its depth. Buyers on Amazon most often praise its performance, and the summary of their reviews describes it cutting through wood with ease and showing power comparable to larger saws.

Starting and running without fuel

Push-button start replaces the pull cord, and there is no fuel to mix and no choke to set. Ease of use is one of the strongest positive themes in buyer feedback, with the button start singled out. The saw runs on battery power with less noise and lower vibration than a gas saw, which matters in a neighborhood and over a long session.

Hardware that earns its place

Metal bucking spikes grip the log while you cut, the automatic oiler feeds the bar without a manual pump, and the safety chain brake stops the chain from the front hand guard. Current units tension the chain with a tool-free knob, so a sagging chain is a quick fix in the field rather than a workshop job.

A battery you can share

The 4.0 Ah pack belongs to the Greenworks G-MAX 40V system, which covers 14 different lawn tools. If you already own G-MAX tools, the saw adds a cutting tool to batteries and a charger you have already paid for.

Weight that stays reasonable for a 16-inch saw

Buyers on Amazon describe the saw as feeling like a gas saw while being fairly light, and weight is a mostly positive theme in their feedback. At 10.4 lb it stays manageable for ground-level work with two hands.

At 10.4 lb the 20312 is a two-handed, ground-level saw. Holding it at arm's length for long overhead sessions tires you quickly, and that is not the work it is built for.

Battery life divides buyers

Battery life is the one mixed theme in buyer feedback on Amazon, with some praising it and others reporting poor performance. The cause is the wood: runtime depends on what you cut, and hard, large-diameter logs drain the 4.0 Ah pack fast. The included charger needs about two hours to refill that pack, so a second battery is the practical answer for longer sessions, and a spare pack is a significant share of what the kit costs.

Oil seeps in storage

The automatic oiler seeps, and the manual's answer is to empty the tank and run the saw briefly before putting it away. Treat that as routine maintenance rather than a defect, and store the saw on a board or tray.

The chain needs attention early

A new chain stretches during its first hours of use and can jump the bar if tension is not checked. The .043-inch gauge low-profile chain is chosen to keep motor load and runtime in balance, and it dulls faster than a wider chain, so sharpening comes around more often.

Not a felling or firewood saw

It will cut larger trunks, but slowly and at heavy battery cost. All-day cutting and a cord of firewood are outside what this saw is built for, and with a 3-year warranty it is a homeowner tool rather than a professional one.

The chain you order and the weight you carry are among the figures that change what you notice in use.

What comes in the box

The kit holds the saw, bar and chain, scabbard, 4.0 Ah battery, charger, manual, and soft carry bag. Bar and chain oil is not included.

Check your battery system first

The saw runs on the Greenworks G-MAX 40V system. G-MAX packs and the newer 40V packs are not cross-compatible, so check which system your other Greenworks tools use before you buy.

Charge the battery fully before the first use, because it arrives uncharged. Fill the oil tank before the first cut and check the level often; the automatic oiler handles the rest.

Tension the chain before you start

Check chain tension before the first cut. A new chain stretches, and a loose one jumps off the bar. If that happens, re-tension it with the tool-free knob and check that the bar-retainer knob is snug.

Check the brake every session

With the saw clear of wood and the motor running at low speed, push the hand guard forward and confirm the chain stops. Do this before every session, not just the first.

The saw is at its best in limbs, deadfall, storm debris, small trees and light felling. It will take on larger trunks, but slowly and at a heavy cost in battery.

What the runtime really means

The 4.0 Ah pack gives a useful session of intermittent cutting. Continuous cutting in hard, large-diameter wood drains it fast, and that is the explanation behind the divided battery-life feedback from buyers on Amazon.

The narrow-kerf chain trade-off

The .043-inch gauge chain puts less load on the motor and helps runtime, but it dulls sooner than a wider chain. Keep a file on hand and sharpen often.

When the saw stops on its own

After a period of idling the saw powers off by itself. If it stops while you are repositioning, that is the saw, not a fault: release the trigger and restart. Under heavy load the battery circuit breaker can also cut the saw out; release the trigger and restart.

Replacement parts are easy to order once you have the numbers: a 16-inch bar, and a chain with 3/8-inch low-profile pitch, .043-inch gauge and 56 drive links.

Sharpening keeps the motor cool

Sharpen the narrow-kerf chain with the correct file size for the chain.

Oil and storage

Use bar and chain oil, check the level every few cuts, and empty the tank before storage to limit seepage. Store the saw on a board or tray so any residue lands somewhere harmless.

Tension and cleaning

Check tension using the tool-free knob on current units. Clear chips and oil from the bar groove and the oiler hole, and wipe debris from the battery pack with a cloth as the manual instructs.

Most of the calls this saw generates have a simple answer, and knowing them saves a trip to a service center.

• The saw beeps and will not start: the chain brake is engaged. Release the hand guard.
• The saw stops under load: the battery circuit breaker or over-temperature protection has tripped. Release the trigger and restart, or let the pack cool.
• The saw stops while idle: the auto power-off has kicked in. Restart it.
• The chain keeps coming off: tension is too loose, especially on a new chain. Re-tension it and check the bar-retainer knob.
• Oil under the saw in storage: normal seepage from the automatic oiler. Empty the tank and run the saw briefly before storing it.
• The battery will not charge or the saw will not run: do not charge a cracked, damaged or overheated pack, recharge only at room temperature, use only the matching Greenworks charger, and store the pack dry at room temperature away from children, pets, garden chemicals, de-icing salts and heat sources.

Know how the saw can bite

Check the chain brake before every session. Understand kickback from the bar's upper tip, pushback when the chain stalls in the cut, and pull-in when the chain grabs and drags the saw forward.