I feel confident knowing I've got this powerful, gas-powered chainsaw in my tool shed, even for occasional pruning emergencies

I don't own any land aside from my quarter-acre, single-family lot, so having a chainsaw around was always more of a nice-to-have than a necessity.

However, with every home I've owned, there have always been situations where having a chainsaw could be quite useful. Whether it's removing a smaller tree or a large bush that's become a problem, or even cutting up firewood for our Breeo wood-burning pizza oven, having a chainsaw among my essential pruning tools can certainly make life easier.

This was especially true after we suffered two massive back-to-back storms within about six weeks of each other, that knocked down massive trees and caused unprecedented damage to homes all over the neighborhood. After using the Echo CS-590 chainsaw, available on Amazon, for several weeks, I can say it's certainly worth having around.

Specifications

Set-up

Setting up the Echo CS-590 chainsaw is not too difficult. The chain slides onto the bar with minimal effort. If you’ve never installed a chain on a chainsaw bar before, it might take a few tries, but it’s just like attaching a bike chain.

The only difference is the sharp teeth of the saw chain, so it’s a good idea to wear a pair of gloves when installing the chain to keep your fingers safe.

The bar then attaches to the body at the attached bolts, and you secure it with the included nuts and wrench. Once attached, the same tool can be used to adjust the chain tension.

Once all that’s done, you simply add some chain oil, engine oil, and fuel, and you’re ready to go.

How does it cut

I was quite impressed by the cutting power of the Echo CS-590 chainsaw. I’ll be the first to say I wasn’t clearing forests or anything, but for cutting firewood at my house and the occasional tree trimming, it worked very well.

I never had any jump cuts, kick back, or any other problems cutting through anything.

I used it on pine and oak mostly, and it cut through everything just fine. Most logs I cut were about 10-12 inches in diameter and were recently cut, and the Echo CS-590 chainsaw handled them like a champ.

Ease of use

Chainsaws are not inherently complicated products to use, and the Echo CS-590 chainsaw is no more complicated to operate than most other consumer-grade chainsaws.

First and foremost, always make sure you have proper safety gear on before attempting to use any chainsaw. The recommended PPE includes gloves, a hard hat, eye and ear protection, closed-toed shoes (work boots preferably), and a good pair of pants. Chaps are also a good idea if you’ll be doing a fair amount of cutting.

For a cold engine start, once you fill the fuel and chain oil, lock the chain break lever forward. Flip the stop switch to RUN, and press the decompression button. Then, pull the choke out and holding the chainsaw steady with your foot in the handle, pull the starter handle a few times until you hear it start.

Then, push the choke in, press the decompression button one more time, and pull the handle to fully start the engine. Once it’s running, squeeze the trigger a few quick times and unlock the chain break.

For a warm start, all you should have to do is switch it to RUN, press the decompression button, then pull the starter. If the engine doesn’t start after five or six tries, then use the cold start procedures.

Once running, it’s quite simple to operate. At 13 pounds, it’s also not too heavy to use for a bit, but it certainly will get heavy if you have a lot of cutting to do. As I mentioned, I never had any problems cutting through several good-sized logs with this thing.

I do feel it’s important to note one thing. When I got the chainsaw back out to use again after my first testing session, I noticed that one of the nuts securing the bar to the engine had come off. I had not touched or done anything to it since the first use, so the only thing I can think of is that it fell off while I was using it.

I have no problem believing I may not have secured the nut tightly enough when setting up the chainsaw, but I still contacted Echo about the issue.

To its credit, the company immediately offered to replace it at no charge. As most other chainsaws use the same type of setup to connect the bar to the engine, I have no reason to believe this is an issue or defect in this chainsaw; it’s just something to be aware of.

H&G Verdict

Overall, I’m quite happy with the Echo CS-590 chainsaw. It has plenty of power for my needs, and it’s easy to use. It’s also priced quite competitively. Starting at $439, it lands right alongside the STIHL MS 251 Wood Boss and just below the Husqvarna 450 Rancher, which are the most comparable models.

I especially feel much better having it around after suffering through big storms in the past year that felled several trees in our neighborhood. Knowing I’ve got this powerful, compact, gas-powered chainsaw in my tool shed in case the worst should happen again is reassuring.