Turning its attention to arborists, the Kress 60V Top-Handle Chainsaw is the newest addition to the brand’s commercial chainsaw lineup. I decided to take a closer look at what the KC320.9 has to offer professional arborists and landscapers, and what I found was impressive.
Key Figures
- 45cc gas equivalent
- 2.4kW commercial-grade brushless motor
- 79 fps/24.1mps chain speed
- 0.325-inch, 0.043-gauge chain
- 12 – 16-inch bar length
- ~ 10 pounds with battery and cutting equipment
- IPX4 ingress rating
What They Said
“The Kress Commercial Top-Handle Chainsaw has the power and precision required by professional arborists. The new top-handle chainsaw allows arborists the convenience of clean battery power with less vibration than gas.”
– Chad Bishop, Senior Product Manager at Kress Commercial
Kress 60V Top-Handle Chainsaw Performance
Starting with performance, Kress uses a 2.4kW commercial-grade brushless motor and is releasing a new 60V/240Wh CyberPack Nano battery to reduce the working weight of the saw. More on that in a moment.
What really sets this saw apart is the power. Operating with 45cc gas engine equivalent performance, you can expect noticeably stronger cutting than the typical 25cc – 35cc gas models professionals use, plus it’s more power than we’re seeing from other battery-powered options.
What really sets this saw apart is the power. Operating with 45cc gas engine equivalent performance, you can expect noticeably stronger cutting than the typical 25cc – 35cc gas models professionals use, plus it’s more power than we’re seeing from other battery-powered options.
Kenny Koehler, PTR Editor-in-Chief
Thanks to that performance level, the KC320.9 is rated to use bars from 12 to 16 inches, matching the current leaders in battery-powered chainsaws in the top-handle class.
The saw uses a 0.325-inch/0.043-gauge chain that is capable of speeds up to 79 feet per second (24.1 meters per second). That thinner chain offers smoother cutting, less kickback, and helps extend the battery life. According to Kress’ tests, the Nano battery can make as many as 225 cuts in 4×4 hardwood.
Kress 60V Top-Handle Chainsaw Design Notes
Satisfied with that the performance will please Pro users, I turned my attention to the design.
The weight of the bare chainsaw is 5.5 pounds, and the Nano battery adds another 3.6 pounds. By the time you add the bar, chain, and oil, your working weight is in the 10-pound range.
For comparison, Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel 2826 top-handle is 11.1 pounds fully loaded. DeWalt’s 60V Max DCCS674 is also 11.1 pounds with a 3.0/9.0Ah FlexVolt battery. So, while it’s not as light as Echo’s DCS-2500T or some of the best gas models in the class, the KC320.9 certainly isn’t out of line, especially when you consider that its performance level is higher than all of the saws I just mentioned.
Looking around the rest of the saw, it appears ready for commercial use. From its stainless steel bucking spikes and inertia-activated chain brake to the tooled bar tensioning nut, adjustable oil pump, and mesh air intake cover, it has the features Pro need to get the job done.
Kress CyberPack Nano Battery (New!)
Kress’ new CyberPack Nano battery is launching as well, offering the 60V Commercial users a lighter battery that still has solid runtime.
Packing 4.0Ah/240Wh of capacity, this pack weighs 3.6 pounds. That’s a full 3 pounds lighter than Kress’ standard 240Wh battery. You don’t get the same 8-minute charge time but dropping that much weight is a significant advantage for smaller tools like the top-handle chainsaw.
On the other hand, the Nano battery is also much less expensive. At $369.99, it’s $180 less than its fast-charging counterpart.
Additional Highlights
- App-based monitoring via Bluetooth
- IPX5 ingress rating
Kress 60V Top-Handle Chainsaw Price
Paired with a 14-inch bar, the KC320.9 is $499.99. If you don’t already have one of the new CyberPack Nano batteries, those as $369.99 each, bring the package up to $869.98.
Don’t forget a charger if you’re not already on Kress’ Commercial 60V system.
