Craftsman 42cc 18&#34 Gas Chain Saw Reviews


www.sears.com


2.52 of 5
(by 122 reviewers)
Rating Summary | 41% of reviewers recommend (50 out of 122)

Pros
  • price (74)
  • nice carying case (52)
  • easy start (51)
  • easier than hand saw (25)
  • chain adjustment (23)
  • great saw for the money. (18)
Cons
  • frustrating (56)
  • terrible chain tightening system (46)
  • chain jumps off bar very easily (46)
  • poor quality (37)
  • not worth the money (28)
  • chain loosens all the time (26)
  • hard to start (19)
  • none so far (18)
  • saw (12)
  • not the quality of years ago (5)
Most Helpful Favorable Review

The chain saw has done its job. It works great and is very easy to start and is light weight. We added the 3 year warrenty provided by Sears so in case something happens Sears will fix it or replace it without any questions asked. We have been cutting back palm trees and other vines with it, and have...

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Posted on May 03, 2011
Most Helpful Critical Review

Craftsman 18 in Chain Saw

I bought this chain saw for my father-in-law as his first chainsaw. ill start with the good qualities: it runs great, easy to start, all directions are very clear, comes with black saw case (extremely nice for the occasional user), had very good vibration reduction. things that need to be improved... read full review »
Posted on Feb 18, 2011

Craftsman 42cc 18&#34 Gas Chain Saw Reviews

Displaying reviews 1 - 13 of 122 in total
bought it new last summer, cut one small branch of a tree so its basically brand new. If you like to pull your brains out to start it then this is the saw for you, however check with your doctor first to see if your heart is well enough to handle this activity. The other thing is when It does start it only runs for about 20 seconds and then your back to yanking away. Other than that its a great saw.
Posted on Jan 17, 2011

Medium duty, not too bad...

The chainsaw was a very good price, so i gave it a shot. I know that it should have the power(42cc) and with a 18" bar, it should be a good saw. After using it for an hour or so, the chain jumped 3-4 times, and the tightening system was just too strange for me... as it seemed to not work well. When it was cutting though, it was a dream, alot of power for a small machine. My advice is if you need to do small jobs, or a backup, this is a good choice. If you are constantly working with a saw, spend the extra on a bigger unit

Posted on Mar 22, 2011

I've been using an electric chainsaw just for minor clean ups after storms.  I got this Craftsman gas model to replace the electric one.  The gas model is much more powerful and has a longer bar to cut larger branches.  I had some trouble getting the Craftsman saw started.  Once it starts, it works well.

Posted on Oct 11, 2010

It Great

Posted on Apr 11, 2011
When shopping around for a saw, I wanted to purchase a Stihl but because of the price, I settled for this saw. Took it home and it bogged down and stalled multiple times during the first cut into a tree. Managed to hack 4 trees to the ground before it just finally gave out. This time the trigger mechanism popped loose. Irritated, I threw it in the box and return it and immediately spent the extra $150 and purchased a Stihl to finish the job. Also, the tool-less chain adjustment is Mickey Mouse. Little spinner wheel is hard to turn, especially when oil covered. Maybe I received a dud... Not... read full review »
Posted on Jan 14, 2011

Craftsman 42 CC Gas Chain saw.

The saw worked well the first time I used it. I have not been able to get it to start in either attempt since then. I plan on calling the 800 number for help within the next week.

Posted on Apr 05, 2011

Extremely poor design

The designer/engineer of this chainsaw believed that they were developing a chain tension system that would allow the user to quickly and easily adjust the tension of the chain. In practice the single speed nut that holds the bar in place is not sufficient to hold the bar in place. I have not been able to operate the chainsaw for more that 1 continuious minute without having to stop cutting and readjust the chain tension. The bar also appears to be out of alignment, once tightened, with the rotation of the chain. Do not buy! No matter what price deal Sear's offers.
Posted on Apr 17, 2011

This chainsaw made my Father's Day weekend a snap. Got the job done in no time!! I was very impressed with the powerful engine. After getting the chain tightening mechanism to operate properly, (loosened every now and then) I was able to buzz right on through cutting the tree into pieces (chain remained tight after getting to know my saw). Easy to clean after unscrewing one piece, and easy to keep everything maintained and lubricated as it sits in the protective case until my next use (hopefully soon)!! 2 year full warranty as well!! 

Posted on Jun 20, 2010

I already posted a 4 star review saying this model chainsaw was good bang for buck for a cheap chain saw.  It is late Sept, and Nov. will be 1 year.  I have used the saw about 4 or 5 times, and recently cut up about 1/2 cord of oak firewood.  The saw started after sitting about 4 or 5 months in about 5 pulls.  The chain tension was still good and worked fine on this 1/2 cord.  I had sharped the chain after my previous use, so cutting was great.  I can't account for the others who have had bad experiences with this model saw, but there are many here who have rated it 5 or 4 stars and are extremely...

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Posted on Sep 24, 2010

Good bang for the buck

I only utilize this saw for the occasional tree trimming around our yard, I don't heat with fire wood so someone who really utilizes a chan saw a lot may want to consider a heavier duty model.

The saw starts easily and runs great, I like the tool less chain adjustment.  I have cut down three large (dead) pine trees, trimmed my Bradford trees, and did some other pruning and so far have not needed to sharpen the blade.  Granted these are not hardwoods like oak or hedge.

 

 

Posted on Nov 01, 2010

As of now, the chain keeps slipping.  My husband is going to keep trying to fiddle with it, but I kind of wish we'd gone up another level in quality. 

Posted on Nov 16, 2010

Happy with chainsaw.

Easy to start and use right out of the box.

Do your self a favor though and this goes for any chainsaw, Get a chain file kit (Bar guide, file and depth gauge). You should be able to got UP to 15 filings before you need the chain sharpened. I'm sure most expiereinced chainsaw owners already know that. This is my first chainsaw. I've borrowed others that were already sharpened.

Posted on Mar 24, 2011

Im really not coming here just to bash but this saw is outright dangerous. I was tightening the chain every 2 minutes and it would still pop off- And Im not a novice with a chain saw!! I even returned the first one and got another Craftsman (thinking it was just a defective saw), but the same thing happened to the newer Craftsman. I hope they really fix this issue.

I upgraded to the Husqvarna saw and have had no problems!

Posted on Apr 05, 2011

Reviews of Craftsman 42cc 18&#34 Gas Chain Saw