Power Output (HP)

Specification
Updated 2026-08-24 · Read this page as Markdown

The same maximum power figure expressed in horsepower (hp) instead of kilowatts. One kilowatt equals approximately 1.34 hp.

Horsepower is the unit most North American manufacturers quote, while European brands publish kilowatts, so the two rows exist purely to let you compare across catalogues without doing the arithmetic. When a spec sheet gives only one of them, the other is a straight conversion and carries no extra information. Be careful with older marketing material that mixes metric horsepower (CV, PS) with mechanical horsepower — the two differ by about 1.4 %, which is small, but it is one more reason to compare saws in kW where you can.

This spec across the catalog

Recorded on 65 models in this database, from 1.1 hp to 5.8 hp, averaging 2.96 hp.

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Related terms

Decompression valve A small button-operated valve that vents part of the cylinder pressure during starting, making the engine much easier to pull over. It closes automatically as soon as the engine fires. Easy-start system A starter mechanism that uses a spring between the recoil rope and the crankshaft to store the energy of a slow pull and release it in one burst, turning the engine over for you. Manufacturers market it under names such as SmartStart, EasyStart or Soft Start. Engine Displacement The swept volume of the chainsaw's cylinder, measured in cubic centimetres (cc). It is the single figure most often used to place a petrol saw in its size class, because displacement broadly tracks both power and weight. Idle Speed The engine speed, in revolutions per minute (rpm), at which the saw runs with the throttle released. It must be set low enough that the clutch stays disengaged and the chain does not move. Maximum Speed The highest engine speed the saw is designed to reach, in revolutions per minute (rpm), usually quoted with the bar and chain fitted. It is the reference point for carburettor tuning and for the chain speed figure. Power Output The maximum power the engine or motor delivers, stated in kilowatts (kW). It determines how well the saw holds chain speed when the cutters are loaded in the cut, rather than how fast it spins free.

See also

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