Here is a 5 star review on the Homelite-ZR10588
2.5 Star avg from a few users on the ZR10548
Repair/Tuneup
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I own several Homelite chainsaws and I recommend them. I got one new and one refurbed like these. No regrets. Now, they’re not quite beefy enough if you chainsaw for a living, but most of us don’t. So let the pros pay 2x as much for a Husqy or Poulan. Yes, they’ll get a sturdier saw but they need it; you likely don’t. And I’ve found Homelite to be quite reliable. They’re easy to maintain and they keep on chuggin’. I only have two so I have a backup; the older one won’t die!
Oh, and unless you’re VERY tight on money, get the 18". It’s always nice to have more bar; trees keep growing larger y’know.
Oh, a 14". How cute!
Groovy.
9.8 lbs for the powerhead? For all the plastic in these modern chainsaws, they aren’t that much lighter than my ol’ blue Homelite XL-12. I’d like to see if these saws will still be cutting in 40-50 years.
These might have originally been killed by 10% ethanol gasoline. If you can find ethanol free gas anywhere, it’s a very good idea to use that in your small gas engine machines (chainsaws, mowers, string trimmers, pressure washers etc). Even at 10% the ethanol melts pieces of the fuel system if they weren’t made to withstand it.
I think most people would find the 18 inch version more useful than the 14 inch.
I don’t know what they mean by “tool-less chain tension”. From the photos both saws appear to have the typical two bolts with screw adjuster for the bar. That does require the use of a tool (which is pictured in the photos) to tension the chain.
I’ve gone through Homelites, Poulans, Husquevarnas before ending up with a $700 Stihl. For $79, if it runs for one season I would be happy. Don’t expect your grandfather’s chain saw. But I cut a lot of wood every year.
For a very occasional user this would be great. Just make sure you empty the fuel tank and run the saw until it’s completely out of gas before you store it. Use a fuel stabilizer in your two cycle mix (eg Stabil) and even with that don’t keep gas for more than one year.
A common mistake is to put the chain on backwards. It won’t cut at all if you do that. When installed correctly, the sharp edge of the cutting teeth will face forward (toward the tip of the bar) along the top edge of the bar. The chain travels away from the operator on the top side and toward the operator on the bottom side.
Chainsaws can cause severe injury or death. So can trees if you don’t know what you are doing. Fallen trees under tension can be very dangerous. Get some instruction on the safe use of a chainsaw before pulling the starter on one of these.
These are crap, I used it twice (had to take down a clump birch right next to our house) and now it won’t start. I got one of these because I lost the tension screw on my old Homelite that had served me flawlessly for over 20 years. I figured if I got a newer one it would be lighter and have less vibration (it was and it did) which my now old body would appreciate. It worked for about six hours of use and now won’t start. If anyone has a bag, I can put this crap in it for them.
Poulan? Seriously? How many lumberjacks do you see waltzing around the forest with a Poulan? About as many as you would see with a Homelite. Save your money for a Stihl.
I bought a Homelite 18" 17 years ago and it’s still hanging in my garage. I put a lot of very hard miles on it and ran it with a lot of part ethanol gas, which is not too good for these small bore engines…AND IT STILL RUNS!
By the way, I paid $95 for it 17 years ago and it’s a refurb. It’s hard to kill these machines.
Well, it’s time to buy a backup. So I’m in for another 18".
I bought a Stihl 18" gas chain saw and don’t regret it. You can buy cheap and get what you paid for, a cheap saw.
Have a 20" Stihl 032 I bought new, decades ago.
Have cut wood for me and to sell. Still runs like a top…
I also own a Stihl 20" and it is a very good saw…but the price is no “steal.” For the price I paid for my Stihl, I could buy just about 8 of these saws. So you’re right, you get what you pay for. A Timex @ $20 is a MORE ACCURATE timepiece than a Rolex at $2,000.
This. The cheap carburetors and other components they put in these get gummed up FAST with ethanol laden gas. I have a cheap 16" Homelite from HD I have to clean out and fight with every time I want to use it, very difficult to start and keep running. If you do get one - I recommend emptying it after every time like you’re winterizing it, and only use fresh gas. Will be much worth it in the end and last longer. True with most engines, but the smaller they are the more important it is.
True story. A wealthy friend has a Rolex costing about $15,000 his wife gave him and takes it to a jewelry store every year for cleaning, etc. He told them last year it was losing 5 minutes a week and asked that it be fixed. A few weeks later he notices it is still losing time and when he complains the store owner says “If you need to keep accurate time buy a Seiko. A Rolex is really just jewelry”
Seriously? You are selling a chain saw and it is not available for shipmemt to Alaska?
Bought one of these the last time and would give a mostly positive review but I fear that if I say anything on the con side the Woot mod will more than likely delete the post.
nope! inaccurate.
feel free to point out the cons of an item, especially if you have firsthand experience with that shortcoming.