CR looks for a number of safety features when assessing chainsaws. CR also looks for a chain break, which is designed to engage and stop the blade from spinning if you get a kickback while you’re cutting. The EGO CS-1804 for $350 is the best of the battery-powered models and is very easy to use. For smaller jobs, consider a CR Best Buy, the Ryobi 40550 for $250. For lighter-duty jobs, the Stihl MS-180 C-BE for $250 is a CR Best Buy.