This is my Stihl GTA 26, a battery-powered mini chainsaw with a 4" blade.

While it can be used for spot pruning, I've found it extremely useful for trimming the dozens branches off of a fallen Cedar before bucking it into rounds with a proper chainsaw.

The tool is reasonably ergonomic, but I have two issues with the design. One is that the hinged blade guard (shown in the product photo below) is flimsy and the connection point is weak; during use, the chain cuts into the guard and stresses it. You'll notice that in my photos above, the chain guard is absent—it broke off after repeated stress.

My second gripe is the battery life indicator. In order to see how much charge you have left, you have to press this membrane-switch-style button, which then illuminates the LEDs. This tiny button is difficult to precisely register on and press, even bare-handed; with gloves on, it's nearly impossible. On top of that it's inconveniently located on the side.

When I bought the Stihl a few years ago, there was only one competitor on the market, Milwaukee's M12 Hatchet. I didn't care for the ergonomics of it (the battery is on the handle butt, shifting weight that way) and chose the Stihl.

Today I was surprised to learn that Fanttik—a Chinese manufacturer of designey tools—has launched a competing product. Their W10 mimics the ergonomic shape of Stihl's offering, while greatly improving (in my opinion) on the battery indicator.

At $150 it's 30 bucks cheaper than Stihl's current pricing. That said, while it's also better-looking than the GTA 26, I don't much care about the way an outdoor tool looks. I also think the black color is a mistake--what are we doing, pruning branches at the Karl Lagerfeld estate? I often set the GTA 26 down on the forest floor as I toggle between it and the real chainsaw. Stihl's bright orange and white colorway is easy to spot.

Lastly, Stihl has a reputation measured in decades, whereas I never even heard of Fanttik until a couple of years ago. For now I'll stick with brands I know. But I wouldn't be surprised to see Fanttik gaining traction in this space. If they're still around in 10 years and my Stihl ever fully breaks, I'd consider them then.