Poulan ES350 16-Inch 3.5 HP Electric Chain Saw
by Poulan
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List Price: Category: Lawn & Patio See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Poulan ES350 16-Inch 3.5 HP Electric Chain Saw
Customer Review: Good Saw
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a good chainsaw. I have only used it about 3 hours, so any reliability or wear issues are moot at this point. The best feature -- trivial, but you can see how much bar oil is remaining through the side of the saw.
My first chain saw was an antique McCullouch with a 24 in. bar that weighed about 20 lbs. I learned a lot from it, especially that light weight chainsaws are safer than heavy ones.
My second chain saw was a HomeLite E-Z 16" that was recommended by someone who once rented chain saws. It weighed about 10 lbs and cut fire wood for my stove for 15 years. I literally used this saw up, but it would still crank and cut wood when I got rid of it.
What I learned from these two saws is that the most dangerous thing to do is to try and cut a limb or log above your head. The saw will fall onto your thigh. The lighter the saw, the less likely it is that this will happen in an uncontrolled fashion.
My next saw was a saw that a professional tree cutter took up a 90 foot tree and topped it with the saw supported by his fully extended arm. I won't name the brand because it was a real mess on the ground, leaking bar oil all over the place in spite of repeated attempts to have it repaired.
Now I have this Poulan ES-350. I got it because I am too old to go deeper than an extension cord into the woods, and I am tired of the hazards and frustration associated with cranking the gas models. The electric is light weight, and I have been able to easily saw through 12 in. green maple logs. It isn't as fast at cutting as the above three saws, but it is light enough that one can safely cut at extended arm lengths (if one is careful).
A word about chains. The Poulan comes with a "low kick back" chain. I don't know why they make them, probably some regulatory-liability thing, because no chainsaw is kick-back proof, so Beware!. At any rate, I have read reviews of the replacement chain for this saw saying the the chains don't last. I have been unable to identify a chain that isn't "low kick back" for this saw, so I will use the Poulan replacement chain (after sharpening the original for a year or so). The main reason a chain goes dull is that it hits dirt, sand, rocks or wet wood. You can feel the sharp edge of a cutter blade just as you can feel the sharp edge of a knife. If it feel smooth, instead of "grabbing" your finger, it needs sharpening.
A word about extension cords. The hidden cost of this saw is a 100 ft. 14 gauge extension cord (most of the ones you have at home are probably 16 guage - not big enough). This brings the total cost of the saw to around $125, compared to $250 or even $350 for the gasoline saws I mentioned above. I don't recommend the following, but I have heard that this saw can run with 150 ft of 14 ga. extension cords. I REALLY don't recommend this, but I have heard that the saw can run with a 100 ft. 12 guage cord plugged into the wall, and 150 ft. of 14 guage exetension cords plugged into the 12 guage cord. (The longer the cord, the more likely you are to cut through it.)
Customer Review: Excellent product
Summary: 4 Stars
I expected an electric chainsaw to be wimpy. Not so!
I'm not a lumberjack, but have rented or borrowed a chainsaw often enough to justify buying my own. All the cutting I've ever done has never been far from an outlet either, so I thought I'd trust the other reviews and give an electric saw a try.
The saw was ready to go right out of the box. I filled the bar oil reservoir, plugged it in, and started to cut. After a while I noticed the bar was not oiling, and reread the owners' manual. I was doing everything right, but no oil was getting to the bar and chain. After 1.5 hours of cutting, I called a local Poulan dealer who said to bring it in for repair. Rather than drive 20 miles to the repairman, I contacted Amazon, who gave instructions for returning the item. The next day I carried the saw to the post office, and that very afternoon received a replacement saw!
Amazing service from Amazon!!!!
The replacement saw works perfectly.
Electric Pros: electric saw is as strong as any gas saw, never runs out of gas, doesn't require a special gas can to blend oil and gas, doesn't wear me out pulling the rope, doesn't require special starting instructions - hot v. cold, gas saw weighs 50% more than electric, electric saw costs about half as much as a gas saw, quieter than gas engine, and silent when idle. Spark plugs don't foul, and never needs tune up.
Electric Cons: needs an outlet, so it doesn't work out in the forest. Watch out for the cord.
If I hadn't needed to send the first one back, it would get five stars.
Customer Review: Impressive Performance
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased this saw for a 'yard' tool on my acreage, to break tree trunks and limbs down to firewood length. Delivery was prompt, the price was right, and my first impressions of the Poulan 3 1/2 hp are very favorable. The bar and chain are the same size and type as my old Homelite saw, and the weight is similar. I'm using a 25' #14ga. extension cord at present, with no sign of excessive heat in the cord. This is my first a.c. electric saw, and I'm very impressed with the torque, cutting ability, and overall utility of this unit. I'd buy it again, and although I nearly purchased the larger four hp. version, I am very satisfied with this saw. After forty plus years of chain saw usage, I've never owned and seldom needed a bar length of greater than 16". The 'light' saws have always performed and lasted well for me, and this Poulan fits my needs.
Tips: The electric motor develops full torque and horsepower the moment the switch is triggered, unlike gas-powered saw which 'ramp-up' via a centrifugal clutch, so be prepared to cut when you hit the switch, i.e. have a secure grip; I've not had problems with the cord, but I'd guess that many will trip on, cut through, or otherwise abuse the power source. Be aware of your footing at all times; The saw is much quieter than my old 'gas-guzzler', but still loud enough that hearing protection seems a wise idea; The unit doesn't seem to use much bar oil, but the chain and bar remain reasonably cool after repeated cuts through green hickory, so I'm satisfied that the automatic oiler is working well.
Customer Review: 3.5 Peak Horsepower is not 3.5 Horsepower
Summary: 5 Stars
This Poulan ES350 is an excellent electric chain saw and it has plenty of horsepower, but it not 3.5 horsepower. I did some research and learned where this 3.5 HP rating came from and it's not 3.5 HP. It is, as printed on the saw, 3.5 Peak HP. That rating is obtained by putting the motor on a test bench and monitoring the current while a brake is applied to the motor. As the current increases due to the brake force the current is recorded. When the motor finally stalls the current is shown to be approximately 32 Amps.
Electrically....1 HP = 746 Watts
And, Watts = Volts x Amps
Most electric motors are also derated as a result of efficiency and other factors.
Do the math:
115 Volt x 32 Amp x .72 (eff factor) / 746 watts = 3.5 Peak HP
I. E., it's a sales gimmick that doesn't tell you much except that each bench test toasts a motor.
I'm running 225 feet of extension cord. That's 200 feet of 12AWG and 25 feet of 14AWG. I also installed a fuse box in series with the cords. I started with a 5 Amp slo-blo fuse. It held for approximately a minute then opened. Then I installed a 7 Amp slo-blo fuse and have been cutting since then. I'm cutting out stumps so believe me this little Poulan ES350 is standing up to my test bench.
With my 225 feet of cord I'll guess that I'm getting:
110 Volt x 6 Amp x .72 (eff) / 746 Watts = 0.6 HP
Even that 0.6 sounds like a lot for these little dinky motors. But who am I to argue with the numbers?
Customer Review: Great Saw!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Being born and raised in Florida I've been through a dozen or so Hurricanes. Since there is always power failures who in their right mind would own an electric chain saw? Well me for one LOL. Three things are a must if using electric tools.
1. A heavy duty extension cord
2. A gas generator
3. A Heavy duty 12 volt power converter.
I use the power converter via the charge system on the F 150 pick up. This is used in remote locations when the chain saw is needed. The generator is used when main power is down in the house. The generator is only used during storm conditions, which is wired into the house wiring.
As for the saw its a great unit. I've been through electric chain saws in the last twenty years. Most.... for the most part have served well.
The main thing to remember with any saw is the sharpness of the blade. I for one always resharpen the blade and clean the unit after each use. Drain the oil after each use, wipe off any sap with wd-40, and sharpen the blade. You'll get a decade or so out of an electric saw that is used on a regular basis.
The Poulan Electric 16" 3.5hp Chainsaw is a well made unit and I'm totally satisfied with its performance! Don't forget eye protection with this and any other power tool.