The name Oregon is synonymous with high-quality chainsaw bars and chains. While many of the top chainsaw manufacturers boast about their Oregon chains, we seldom see complete chainsaws bearing the familiar red and white Oregon logo.
The Oregon CS1500, 15A corded electric chainsaw is unique, not only as one of the few Oregon chainsaws available but also the wonderful self-sharpening mechanism. It makes your life so much easier. Even though this is a very affordable 18” chainsaw, it is a good-quality machine.
Sharpening a chainsaw is a skill that takes some practice to perfect. For the average homeowner, sharpening your chainsaw is probably an unwanted, and possibly overly complicated job. A dull chainsaw is not fun to use. You have to work a lot harder. Cutting firewood and garden maintenance becomes an arduous, time-consuming endeavor when your chainsaw is not properly sharpened.
In addition to the unwanted frustration, a dull chainsaw is downright dangerous. You’ll find yourself pushing and pulling, performing all sorts of unnatural movements in an attempt to get the chainsaw to do its job. This can easily cause the chainsaw to snag, increasing the chance of kickback, placing you at risk of a nasty injury.
Even though I’m not particularly fond of corded electric chainsaws, the extension cord can be a bit of a hassle, I completely understand why the Oregon CS1500 is one of the most popular homeowner 18” chainsaws. It’s blissfully easy to use, the overall quality is exceptional, and it’s not all expensive. It’s easy to look past the inconvenience of an electric cord when the advantages are so numerous.
If you’re thinking of buying a 15A 18-inch chainsaw for garden maintenance and cutting firewood, this Oregon CS1500 review is a must-read.
Oregon CS1500 18” Chainsaw Review
Features:
- 15A 120V electric motor for low-maintenance and hassle-free starting.
- Ergonomic design with low vibration.
- Self-sharpening in 3 to 5 seconds.
- Automatic chain lubrication.
- Low noise.
- Quality 18” Oregon bar.
- Tool-free chain tensioning.
- Chain brake.
- UL safety certification.
- Weight: 12.6 pounds.
- Power: 2,400 HP.
- No load chain speed: 48 FPS.
- 2-year warranty.
Review:
For a powerful 18-inch chainsaw costing around $100, I’m astounded by the incredible quality of the Oregon CS1500. The machine feels really solid, and the top-grade Oregon bar and chain speaks for itself. Oregon is the number choice for professional-grade chainsaw brands.
A 120V corded chainsaw has an obvious drawback. You’re limited to working within the range that your extension cord will allow. For cutting firewood, this isn’t a big deal. You can work close enough to a power outlet. If you’re cutting branches or felling trees in a large yard, the restrictions of using an extension cord can be problematic.
For most homeowners, the Oregon 15A electric chainsaw should be fine. The biggest advantage that a 120V chainsaw has over gas or cordless models is the price. It makes buying a quality chainsaw much more affordable. Electric machinery is also advantageous when it comes to maintenance and operating costs. Not to mention convenience.
The 18” bar is a very practical size, allowing you to cut up 16” in diameter with ease. It has an extension cord hook, ensuring that the cord won’t disconnect while you’re working. I like that the chain stops immediately when you release the trigger.
Safety is tops, meeting all UL standards. The low kickback bar means that you don’t have to be a pro to work safely. It has tough metal bucking teeth and an electric chain brake. The low weight of 12.6 pounds and beautifully balanced design make the Oregon CS1500 delightfully easy to use, improving your working experience and safety.
For the non-professional, the Oregon 18” electric chainsaw is ideal. It’s designed for absolute ease of use. The chain is automatically lubricated and you don’t need tools to tension the chain. The self-sharpening chain is unique to Oregon chainsaws and is this model’s greatest advantage over any other chainsaw brand.
How Does Oregon Self-Sharpening Work?
I’m always awe-struck by the simple genius of truly great inventions. When I look at the pure common sense of the Oregon self-sharpening chain mechanism; one question comes to mind: Why isn’t everyone doing this?
When your chain becomes dull, it’s remarkably simple to remedy the situation. You pull on the red lever and run the chainsaw for 3 to 5 seconds. You’ll see dramatic mini fireworks display as spark dance along the chain. This tells you that it is being sharpened as you watch in amazement.
Basically, the chain is rotated against a small grinding disc that is curved to match the angle of contact between the chain and the sharpener. This means that the chain is sharpened at the perfect angle without any effort on your part.
This short video shows how the Oregon CS1500 self-sharpening system works.
While the Oregon self-sharpening system is genuinely awesome, it is not a complete solution. Occasionally, the teeth will need to be filed down manually. For light-duty home use, this may only be required every few years.
Conclusion
When I love a product, as I do with the Oregon CS1500, I always search for something that is not cool or less than perfect, to provide a more balanced point of view. Personally, I can’t find anything to complain about, apart from the fact that a corded electric chainsaw wouldn’t be my first choice. Not a complaint really, more of a preference.
My next step was to read the seemingly endless list of customer reviews to find those few who had a less pleasant experience using the Oregon 15A 18” chainsaw. I found the usual out-of-box failures that occasionally happen with any brand. Fortunately, Oregon customer support is great and people who had the unfortunate experience of product failure under warranty were pleased with the prompt and efficient service they received.
There were some other complaints, some even calling the Oregon chainsaw cheap plastic junk, Chinese junk, and a whole lot of other insults that are all too common in negative customer reviews.
We need to be aware that this is by no means a heavy-duty chainsaw. It’s designed for the type of work the average guy does around the yard. For this, it’s an awesome machine at a wonderful price. If you want a chainsaw that is going to work hard all day, every day, you need to spend a lot more on a heavy-duty machine, like Husqvarna or one of the other high-end power equipment brands.
In the end, the customer reviews on Amazon are mostly in agreement. This is a really great homeowner chainsaw – 4.5 stars from a whopping 7,261 global ratings kind of says it all.
Electric Chainsaws on Amazon
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