REASONS TO BUY
Incredibly fast cutting performance
Great display
Easy to use
Good value
REASONS TO AVOID
Heavy
Chain tensioning is more involved
EGO Power+ CS2005 Review
This is the best electric chainsaw we have ever tested and cuts even faster than than the gas saws in our lineup
Credit: Chris McNamara
RELATED: Best Chainsaws of 2024
Our Verdict
Electric chainsaws used to be nice for smaller projects, but you still need a gas chainsaw for the absolute highest cutting performance. With the introduction of the CS 2005, all changes. This saw had a faster cutting time than any of the gas saws in our tests. It is also incredibly easy to use and has a great LCD display that tells you the battery level and indicates if you have the high beams on or not with the built-in light. Other than it's weight, it is pretty heavy, this is a nearly perfect chainsaw. If you can only have one, it would be this one. See how its cutting performance compared to the best chainsaws.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
EGO Power+ CS2005 | |||||
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| Awards |  |  | | | |
| Price | $600 List $569.00 at Amazon | $399 List $399.00 at Amazon | $420 List $449.00 at Amazon | $279 List Check Price at Amazon | $115 List $103.85 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | In our tests, this electric chainsaw achieved a cutting speeds faster than any other model, even the gas models | One of the best values in a chainsaw, especially since there are so many other great EGO products that use the same battery | A high-performance two-cycle model that can handle huge jobs | With a slick tensioning system and fast cutting performance, this corded model is a great option | An easy-to-use corded electric model that will hardly dent your bank account |
| Rating Categories | EGO Power+ CS2005 | Ego Power+ CS1800 | Echo CS 590 | Makita UC4051A | Oregon CS1500 |
| Saw Performance (35%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (30%) | |||||
| Power Performance (25%) | |||||
| Noise (5%) | |||||
| Weight (5%) | |||||
| Specs | EGO Power+ CS2005 | Ego Power+ CS1800 | Echo CS 590 | Makita UC4051A | Oregon CS1500 |
| Bar Length | 20 inches | 18 inches | 20 inches | 16 inches | 18 inches |
| Measured Average Cutting Time | 3.45 seconds | 5.9 seconds | 4.9 seconds | 5.7 seconds | 7.8 seconds |
| Recharge/Refuel Time | 75 minutes | 90 minutes | 1 minute | n/a | n/a |
| Measured Weight | 19 lbs, 1 oz | 14 lbs, 11 oz | 18 lbs | 12 lbs, 6 oz | 10 lbs, 10 oz |
| Measured Battery Weight | 6lbs, 5 oz | 4 lbs, 13 oz | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Measured Wind Up Time | .1 seconds | 1.25 seconds | .1 seconds | .5 seconds | .5 seconds |
| Measured Runtime | 35 minutes | 60 minutes | 29 minutes | n/a | n/a |
| Amps | 6 amp | 5 amp | n/a | 15 amp | 15 Amp |
| Motor Size | 56V | 56V | 59.8cc 2-Cycle | 15 Amp | 15 Amp |
| Measured Run Time Eco Mode | 47 mins | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Measured Decibel Reading at 48in | 99.1 dBa | 88.8 dBa | 92.3 dBa | 94.1 dBa | 86.6 dBa |
| Measured Body Dimesions | 18 x 8 x 7 inches | 16 x 9 x 8 inches | 16.5 x 8 x 9.5 inches | 19 x 6 x 6 inches | 17.5 x 12 x 6 inches |
| Chain Replacement and Tensioning Type | Included Tool | Tool Free | Included Tool | Tool free | Tool free |
| Metal Bucking Spikes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Oil Conservation Score | 10 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 |
| Power Source | Battery | Battery | Gasoline | Corded electric | Corded electric |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
This saw blew us away. Below we explain why.
Performance Comparison
Credit: Chris McNamara
Saw Performance
And there is a new speed champion! Cutting through our 4 x 4' in just 3.45 seconds, the CS2005 is currently the speed king. This 1.5 seconds faster than the next fastest saw (a gas saw) and twice as fast as the next fastest electric saw. Our testers repeatedly said it felt like we were cutting through butter.
The 20" EGO is one of the fastest-cutting chainsaws we've ever tested.
Credit: Ross Patton
After our controlled 4 x 4 test, we went into the backyard to cut down downed trees for firewood. There, we confirmed the incredible cutting speed of the CS2005. Compared to the other top electric saw in our lineup, the CS2005 got the job done in about half the time. We then switched to eco mode and were still very impressed with the speed.
The Ego Power+ CS2005 cut through 10inch trees like butter.
Credit: Chris McNamara
Ease of Use
The CS2005 is incredibly easy to use. We love the LCD Display that tells you how much battery is left, if you are in Eco, medium, or boost, and if the headlight is on bright or normal. We like that you can just use the saw right away and don't have to continuously remember to turn on the power button, which you do on some other brands.
The screen gives a clear battery indicator and tells if you are in eco, medium, or turbo. It also tells you if you have the high beams on.
Credit: Chris McNamara
The oil reservoir cap on the CS2005 has a slick design (no pun intended).
Credit: Chris McNamara
The light on The Ego Power+ CS2005 allows you go see what is happening in the dark.
Credit: Chris McNamara
The only thing to maybe nitpick here is the chain tensioning system. The CS2005 uses two bolts and a scrench that is stored under the saw (a scrench is both a screwdriver and a wrench). Well, this is very standard on bigger chainsaws; we got used to the tool list and tensioning system that is on most other electric chainsaws and every other Ego chainsaw we have ever tested. The CS2005 does allow you to get more precise with the tensioning, but it also takes more time, and you now have to keep track of an extra tool. We found it takes a little over a minute to remove and replace the bar versus about 15 seconds with Ego saws that use toolless tensioning. Two videos below highlight this difference.
Replacing the bar on the Ego Power+ CS2005 takes about a minute instead of 15-20 seconds for the toolless models.
Credit: Chris McNamara
Taking the bar on and off the Ego Power+ CS1800 takes only seconds, thanks to the easy-to-use toolless tensioning system.
Credit: Chris McNamara
We also noted that there is a lot of range in the Eco setting. If you just feather the trigger, then the chain goes pretty slow and if you want full power and Eco mode, you really have to clamp down on the trigger. There are pros and cons to this. You have more range of speeds in Eco mode. But it is also a little harder to maintain the exact chainspeed.
Power Performance
While the cutting performance score is pretty middle of the road, it is worth noting a few things. While the runtime isn't super impressive; in that runtime, you get a lot more cut than with many of the competitors. You need to look at both our runtime numbers and our subjective field experience to really get a feel for the performance. In the field, we were able to cut up some pretty big trees very fast and still had a lot of battery. Would we have had more battery left over with some of the other models? Maybe, but it would've also taken a lot more time to get the same job done. We are still in the process of creating a test that captures this. In the meantime, know that overall, we were very impressed with how much we could get cut with just one battery.
The 75-minute recharge time was pretty good, but not all that impressive. However, note that this is a bigger battery than most electric saws. In addition, Ego provides the option for a 700-watt charger that advertises it will charge the battery in less than half the time.
Runtime test on the The Ego Power+ CS2005.
Credit: Chris McNamara
Noise
Of the electric saws, this is not one of the most quiet ones. Our decimal meter tests put it towards the top of the range. However, our subjective assessments found it to be pretty average, as the quality and pitch of the sound are not that bad. And of course, if you compare the noise to the gas saws, which make noise when idling, this is a much quieter cutting experience than any gas saws with similar performance. That is to say, for a saw with such incredible performance, it is a much quieter cutting experience than any comparable gas saw.
Decibel readings on the Ego Power+ CS2005. In boost mode, it is not exactly one of the most quiet battery chainsaws
Credit: Chris McNamara
Weight
The one big con to this saw is the weight. It's now the heaviest saw in our tests and is slightly heavier than another 20-inch gas-powered saw. The first time you pick it up, you really feel this weight compared to picking up the 18-inch electric saws, which are about 4 pounds or 25% lighter.
At just over 19 pounds, the CS2005 is not light.
Credit: Chris McNamara
Part of this weight is due to the six-amp power battery, which is over 6 pounds. So you can make this lighter by putting on a smaller battery, but of course, you then cut down on your cut time and saw performance. Overall, this isn't a giant deal as we still think this size is amazing. However, if you mostly have lighter-duty projects, you may want to stick to a lighter saw that is easier to maneuver.
The 6.0 amp hour Ego battery, at 6.3 pounds, is about a third of the saws weight.
Credit: Chris McNamara
Should You Buy the Ego CS2005
If you are not cutting many trees bigger than 10 inches, you probably want a smaller saw that is lighter weight and easier to handle. If you are cutting trees all day long and don't have a number of extra batteries, you might be better off with a gas saw. But for anyone who wants exceptional fast cutting time combined with incredible ease of use and low maintenance, this saw is hard to beat.
What Other Chainsaw Should You Consider?
If we could only have one saw, this would be it. However, for smaller projects, we still often reach for the Husqvarna Power Axe 350i or the Ego Power+ CS1800 which are both about 4 pounds lighter. The 350i is our favorite lighter saw and we love that it has an eco mode. However the CS1800 is the much better value of all three. If you are cutting all day and don't want to carry around a bunch of batteries or wait to recharge them, our top-rated gas saw, the Echo CS 590, is still our go-to.
—
Ross Patton and Chris McNamara
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