TOMYVIC Cordless Mini Chainsaw (21V) review

Short verdict: I came away impressed with how much power this little TOMYVIC has. I held my camera in one hand and cut a dead tree with the other. It handled 2-inch branches easily and worked its way through a trunk around 4 inches thick. It isn’t magic. It stalled a couple of times in bigger limbs, it needed a rest after long use on a warm day, and there’s no battery gauge, so a dead battery looks like a broken saw. For pruning and brush cleanup, it’s a cheap tool worth keeping in the garage. As of October 26, 2026, the Amazon listing my video links to shows $36.97, in stock.

How I tested it

My video is from May 2024. I unboxed the kit and then used it to take down a dead tree in my yard. I’ve since replaced that tree with three new ones. I started with a battery I hadn’t charged first, cut branches one-handed while filming with my other hand, then took on the trunk. When the first battery died, I switched to the second one, which I’d had on the charger. At the end I torture-tested it by cutting into roots in the dirt, which it isn’t designed for.

When I made the video, it was about $30 on Amazon with a 50% off coupon. The video doesn’t say whether I bought it or TOMYVIC sent it. The description link is an Amazon affiliate link.

What I didn’t do: I didn’t time a battery, count cuts or measure the branches. My sizes are my estimates. I also didn’t test it on hardwood logs or for firewood. The specs below come from the Amazon listing, not from me.

Quick specs (sourced)

What’s in the box

I got more than I expected. There are two 21V batteries and a pair of gloves, which are a little cheesy. There’s a second chain, which is the most useful extra, because you don’t have to run to the hardware store when the first one dulls. There’s also a long Phillips screwdriver and a tool to adjust the chain tension, safety glasses, a small bottle for chain lubricant, and the saw with one chain already on it.

The saw has a flap guard over the top of the bar. It helps protect your hand and arm from kickback and flying debris. The battery clicks in and you’re ready to go.

One hand, one branch at a time

I didn’t charge the battery before I started. I went straight to the dead tree. With the camera in one hand and the saw in the other, I cut off a branch about 2 inches across, and it was easy. Smaller branches were even easier.

That’s the whole appeal. Trimming a tree, pruning or clearing brush is fast with one hand, and nothing about it felt like work. No cord, no pull start, no 18-pound saw at arm’s length.

Where it bogged down

On bigger branches, it stalled on me a couple of times. It behaves like any electric chainsaw. If you bury it too deep and bog it down, it stops, and you have to pull it out and start the cut again. Let the chain do the work, and don’t lean on it.

The warm-day overheat

After an extended stretch of use, it stopped and I had to reset it. It was a warm day, and the saw felt warm. I took the battery out, gave it a moment, put the battery back and it ran again. I think the motor got hot. The listing now mentions overheat protection, which would explain it.

So if you’re planning a long session, expect it to need breaks. This is a mini saw, and that’s part of the deal.

The trunk and the dead battery

The tree was small, and I’d guess the trunk was around 4 inches across. On the same battery I’d started with, I got most of the tree down. Besides the branches I’d cleared to stand under it, I hadn’t cut up any limbs yet.

Then it stopped mid-cut. That was the first battery dying. There’s no battery indicator that I could find, so at first I couldn’t tell whether it was dead or overheated again. I pulled the battery to try a reset, then grabbed the second battery off the charger. It started right up and I finished the cut easily.

That’s the strongest argument for the two-battery kit. One battery got most of a small tree down, and the second was there to finish. A battery light would be a real improvement.

I cut roots in the dirt

I wouldn’t do this with an expensive chainsaw. Because this one cost about $30 and I had a spare chain, I cut down into the dirt to clear some roots around the stump. It got through them easily. Dirt dulls chains fast, so I wouldn’t make it a habit. The saw survived, and when this chain is done I have another.

To be clear, that’s me torture-testing it, not the intended use.

Safety

A small saw is still a chainsaw. One-handed use is the selling point, but keep your free hand well away from the bar. Wear the glasses that come in the box, and wear real gloves rather than the thin ones it comes with.

How it compares

These aren’t mini saws. They’re what you step up to if a 6-inch bar isn’t enough. Neither was tested against the TOMYVIC.

If you’re pruning, cutting brush or trimming branches, the TOMYVIC covers it for a fraction of the price. If you’re felling anything bigger than a small dead tree or cutting firewood, get a full-size battery saw.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Easy one-handed cuts on 2-inch branches
• Got through a trunk of around 4 inches
• Two batteries, plus a spare chain in the box
• Light, cordless, no pull start
• $36.97 as of Oct 26, 2026

Cons

• Stalls if you bog it down in bigger limbs
• Needed a rest after extended use on a warm day
• No battery indicator, so a dead battery looks like a fault
• The included gloves are flimsy
• 6-inch bar limits you to small work

Who should buy it, and who should skip it

Buy it if you prune, trim branches, clear brush or cut small dead trees, and you want something light that you can use with one hand. It’s also a good garage tool for people who’d never own a big chainsaw.

Skip it if you cut firewood, fell trees or work in limbs much past 4 inches. Get a full-size battery saw instead. Also skip it if you’ll be cutting for long stretches without breaks.

FAQ

How thick can it cut? It handled 2-inch branches easily and a trunk I’d estimate at about 4 inches. The listing claims branches up to about 4 inches. It stalled a couple of times on bigger limbs.

How long does a battery last? I didn’t time it. One battery got most of a small tree down before it died. The listing claims up to 30 minutes on small branches.

Is there a battery gauge? Not that I could find. When the battery died, it looked like the saw had quit.

Does it overheat? It needed a reset after extended use on a warm day. The listing says it has overheat protection.

Can I use it one-handed? I did. That’s the point of it. Keep your other hand away from the bar.

Has it been recalled? I found no CPSC recall for TOMYVIC as of October 26, 2026.

Why this review stops here

My video is one dead tree on one warm afternoon. I didn’t time batteries, count cuts or measure wood, and I haven’t tracked chain wear or long-term durability.

Sources

• My video: Mini Battery Electric Chain Saw with POWER! TOMYVIC 21v MAX, May 2024
• TOMYVIC 6-inch mini cordless chainsaw (TY-601) on Amazon, accessed Oct 26, 2026
• Toro 60V 16-in chainsaw, bare tool (51850T), accessed Oct 26, 2026
• EGO CS1611 16-in chainsaw at Power+ Parts, accessed Oct 26, 2026
• CPSC recalls search, accessed Oct 26, 2026