What Chainsaw Bar Oil to Use – My Top 5 Recommendations

A chainsaw is among the most marvelous of power tools, as it allows workers to tackle trees and logs in a fraction of the time as what was possible when working with hand axes and hatchets.

Nonetheless, owning a chainsaw requires proper care and maintenance, and to prevent wear and tear, warping, rust, and corrosion, you will need to make sure your oil bay is consistently filled. But what oil should be used for this purpose?

The best chainsaw bar oil to use is Husqvarna Premium Chainsaw Bar and Chain Oil. This oil provides optimal tackiness, the quality that allows the oil to adhere to the bar and sprocket teeth, meaning that the bar will stay cool and lubricated during use without having excess liquid fly off.

While the Husqvarna Premium is generally considered the favorite among most chainsaw owners, there is no shortage of great products on the market.

Before selecting an oil, the owner needs to know what kind of materials he or she will be cutting, as well as the applicable weather and work conditions.

The Best Chainsaw Bar Oils

Like oiling the motor, consistently checking and maintaining adequate bar oil is part of a comprehensive chainsaw maintenance plan. Good chainsaw bar oil should protect the bar from overheating, provide a smooth surface over which the chain can roll, and help fight the buildup of dirt and debris on the bar’s surface.

The general rule is that the bar oil should be checked between every other fill-up for gas-powered chainsaws and between every other charge cycle for battery-powered models. However, depending on the temperature and difficulty of your project, the bar oil tank may need to be checked more frequently to prevent degradation.

However, while the motor and bar both need to be oiled, motor oil should not be used to grease the bar, as it does not have the necessary tackiness to support the high friction the bar will face. With that in mind, several effective oils can help protect many types of chainsaw bars in a wide array of conditions.

Husqvarna Premium Chainsaw Bar and Chain Oil

It is always a great idea to check the user’s manual of your chainsaw before purchasing oil to make sure that your bar will be compatible. However, the Husqvarna Premium is mostly considered to be compatible with all kinds of chainsaws, gas, electric, and battery-powered alike.

It is especially useful for heavy-duty jobs, as it is highly tacky, meaning that it will adhere to the bar and not be thrown off the bar as the chainsaw is in use. It is rated to perform well in high temperatures, which gives it an edge over lesser oils that may break down in hot weather.

The only downside to the Husqvarna Premium is that if you have a smaller chainsaw and/or do not use your chainsaw all that frequently, you may be able to get away with using a cheaper option. However, the Husqvarna Premium, despite its quality, is not overly expensive.

You can buy this bar oil on Amazon.

Advantages of Husqvarna Premium	Disadvantages of Husqvarna Premium
Elite tackiness to ensure that the oil adheres to the bar during use Performs well in all weather conditions Is not extraordinarily expensive, despite its quality Can be bought in bulk for those who do a lot of sawing	Slightly more expensive than bargain bar oils May not be necessary if you do not saw often

Oregon Chainsaw Bar and Chain Oil

If you do not want to spend a little extra money for or do not need the Husqvarna Premium, then Oregon Chainsaw Bar and Chain Oil makes for an economical alternative.

This product is extremely competitively priced and provides tackiness that rivals that of the Husqvarna Premium. It is also fabricated with additives that reduce the buildup of dirt, debris, rust, and tree gum, meaning that this oil may reduce the amount of time needed to clean your blade.

Despite its tackiness, the Oregon Chainsaw Bar and Chain Oil is noticeably thinner than the Husqvarna Premium, meaning that while it should perform comparably in warm weather, it may lose its flowing abilities when the temperatures drop sharply. Thinner oils usually require more frequent fill-ups, so you may have to refill your bar oil tank more often if Oregon is your choice for bar oil.

You can buy it on Amazon.

Advantages of Oregon Oil	Disadvantages of Oregon Oil
Very affordable Highly-rated for tackiness at its price point Extra additives to limit unwanted buildup on your bar	Thinner, meaning that its performance may falter in cold weather  Your bar may have to be oiled more often  Probably not the best choice for heavy-duty use

Makita Bar and Chain Oil for Chainsaws

This is another premier option for chainsaw bar oil. Like the options ahead of it on the list, it is rated very highly in terms of tackiness, meaning that you will not lose much oil in the middle of a project as it adheres to the bar.

It differs mainly in that it is much thicker than the Husqvarna Premium and the Oregon. While it is generally not an issue, the extreme thickness sometimes gets in the way of performance, and a thinning agent may need to be applied before adding it to the bar oil tank to get the chain to roll smoothly without overheating.

You can buy Makita Bar and Chain Oil on Amazon.

Advantages of Makita Oil	Disadvantages of Makita Oil
High tackiness prevents oil from flying off the bar during use Performs well in all weather conditions	More expensive than similarly performing products Can be extremely thick and sticky, which can lead to problems with the application and overheating

Poulan Pro Bar and Chainsaw Oil

In terms of pure value, there is arguably no better bang for your buck than the Poulan Pro Bar and Chainsaw Oil. It uses elite additives to increase tackiness, ensuring that the oil stays on the bar when in use. It also has solid dirt and debris fighting properties, potentially lowering the cleaning efforts required.

Like some other value brands, the Poulan Pro does not perform as well in cold weather as some other highly-rated options. Its high tackiness can sometimes lead to stickiness, making it challenging to work with in some conditions.

You can buy it on Amazon.

Advantages of Poulan Pro	Disadvantages of Poulan Pro
Low cost for the quality Comparable to other leading brands in terms of tackiness Better than other value choices for heavy-duty projects	Can get sticky, leading to performance issues Not the best choice for extensive cold weather use

Maxpower Bar and Chain Oil

If you are looking for an elite option for summertime performance, then Maxpower Bar and Chain Oil could be a great choice. When looking at bar oils on the market, it is among the thinnest while still maintaining solid tackiness, meaning that your chainsaw will be able to flow freely in hot weather without the risk of overheating that is caused by thicker oils.

The downside to this oil is that extremely thin products tend to be consumed in higher quantities. In fact, some users report that they have to refill the bar oil bay on an hourly basis when using this product for heavy-duty jobs.

Like the other oils on my list, the Maxpower Bar and Chain Oil can also be purchased on Amazon.

Advantages of Maxpower Bar and Chain Oil	Disadvantages of Maxpower Bar and Chain Oil
Extremely thin oil that is ideal for summer use Maintains solid tackiness despite thin, free-flowing nature Includes some anti-wear agents that can extend bar life Compatible with all types of chainsaws	Can be consumed in high quantities during heavy use Extreme thinness is questioned by some users, who are used to a thicker oil

Conclusion

In conclusion, my top pick for chainsaw bar oil is the Husqvarna Premium. It’s not only compatible with most chainsaws, but it easily adheres to bar surfaces, making it ideal for frequent chainsaw users in all types of weather conditions. 

However, depending on your project and how often you use your power tool, one of the other top chainsaw bar oil options we mentioned above may be your best bet.