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Head to head

Milwaukee 2727-20 vs DEWALT DCCS672X1 (2027)

Two battery flagships compared: Milwaukee's 16 inch M18 FUEL 2727-20 against DEWALT's 18 inch 60V FLEXVOLT DCCS672X1, for 2027 buyers cutting firewood.

TGBy TrueGear Research TeamIndependent editorial teamLast updated How we researchResearch-based assessment · Chainsaws
Specs verified against manufacturer docs
No paid placements
Independently funded by readers
Updated 2026-11-01
Milwaukee 2727-20 vs DEWALT DCCS672X1 (2027) featured graphic

What owners report

Most praised
  • Firewood cutters report it replacing a small gas saw for routine bucking, with none of the starting ritual
  • The onboard scrench storage gets singled out by owners tired of hunting for the tool mid-job
  • It holds speed through a cut instead of bogging, which owners notice most on the second and third logs
Common complaints
  • The saw feels nose-heavy with the big pack fitted, and wrists notice it on overhead limbing
  • Small M18 packs drain fast enough that owners end up buying the HD12.0 anyway
  • The price of admission for non-M18 households, tool plus large battery, surprises first-time buyers

What owners report

Most praised
  • Owners cutting firewood say it is the first battery saw that stopped them reaching for the gas saw
  • The dual retention studs hold the bar steady under hard bucking, owners report
  • Kit buyers value the sheath and tensioning tool being in the box rather than separate purchases
Common complaints
  • The amp-hour labelling across 20V and 60V confuses buyers comparing batteries
  • Tooled tensioning slows chain adjustments compared with the tool-free dials on smaller DEWALT saws
  • The saw's weight with the FLEXVOLT pack fitted tires arms on long limbing sessions

Our recommendation

Choose the platform first; both saws deserve flagship status. The DEWALT DCCS672X1 posts the bigger power figure, 2.85 peak horsepower, and the longer 18 inch bar, with a maker claim of cutting a 17 inch white oak log in as fast as 24 seconds. The Milwaukee 2727-20 answers with a higher cuts-per-charge claim, 150 on the HD12.0 pack against the DEWALT's 65, and a lighter, better-balanced 16 inch body. If your worst rounds define the purchase, take the DEWALT. If session length and handling matter more, take the Milwaukee. If you own neither platform, the tiebreaker is the rest of the catalog you will buy into.

Bar length and the wood it covers

The DEWALT's 18 inch bar covers rounds the Milwaukee's 16 inch bar must cut from both sides, and that two-inch gap decides large firewood rounds outright. The Milwaukee's shorter bar is lighter, handier in brush and easier to control on limbing work. For rounds under 14 inches the difference never appears; above that, it is the whole comparison.

Power claims and what they measure

DEWALT rates peak horsepower at 2.85 with the DCB609 battery, while Milwaukee rates a 40cc gas equivalent. These are different yardsticks, not directly comparable numbers, and both are maker claims. The DEWALT's white oak speed claim and the Milwaukee's 150-cut claim are the more useful figures, and they point in opposite directions: the DEWALT cuts bigger wood faster, the Milwaukee cuts longer per charge.

Batteries and kit form

The Milwaukee is a bare tool, and its rated output assumes the HD12.0 pack bought separately. The DEWALT is a kit with the DCB609 battery, DCB115 charger, bar sheath and tensioning tool in the box. For a buyer starting from zero on either platform, the DEWALT box is the more complete purchase; for an existing M18 owner with big packs, the Milwaukee's bare price is the better value.

Handling and daily use

The Milwaukee is the lighter, better-balanced saw in hand, with onboard scrench storage and a variable trigger that reaches full throttle in under a second. The DEWALT is heavier with the FLEXVOLT pack fitted and uses tooled chain tensioning, which slows adjustments. Over a long limbing day the Milwaukee's handling wins; over a short, hard bucking session the DEWALT's power wins.

Choose Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2727-20 16 in. Chainsaw (Tool Only) if…

  • You already own M18 batteries, ideally the HD12.0 pack
  • Session length and cuts per charge matter more than maximum bar length
  • Lighter handling and balance matter for limbing as well as bucking
  • You prefer tool-free working ends and onboard tool storage

Choose DEWALT DEWALT 60V MAX FLEXVOLT 18 in. Brushless Chainsaw Kit (DCCS672X1) if…

  • You already own DEWALT 20V MAX or FLEXVOLT batteries
  • Large rounds and 18 inch cutting capacity define your work
  • Maximum battery cutting power is the specification you are buying
  • A complete kit with battery, charger, sheath and tool appeals to you

Questions, answered

Which one cuts firewood better?

For large rounds, the DEWALT: its 18 inch bar and peak power rating cover wood the Milwaukee must work around. For longer sessions of moderate rounds, the Milwaukee's 150-cut claim on the HD12.0 pack gives it the stamina edge.

Which is better for a mixed-use property?

The Milwaukee, on handling and session length, since property work mixes limbing, cleanup and bucking. Owners whose work is dominated by big firewood rounds lean DEWALT for the bar and power.

Do these saws need special batteries?

They run on standard packs from their platforms, but rated output assumes the large packs: the HD12.0 for Milwaukee, the DCB609 for DEWALT. Budget for at least one big pack with either saw.

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