lmao... I liked your story and so much of it resonates with me... Apologies for the long read but here's my background...
I grew up in central Ohio on a farm and our heating was mainly done with wood as well. Spent the fall months felling, sawing, splitting... every weekend. Dad even sold/ delivered cords and half cords to the wealthy people in town. Brings back some vivid memories... all of us loaded up into that old Ford, slipping and sliding through the suburbs on the snowy icy streets.
Anyway... I probably started cutting around 10-12 yrs old. I know that dad's main saw was a Poulan and it was a damn good one from what I remember. But when I grew up, I didn't have the money for any of the really good ones like Stihl, Husqvarna, etc so I bought what I thought was the next best thing and within my budget... a McCulloch. I don't know what model it was but I think it was an 18" or maybe 20".
I used it quite a bit the first season I had it but into the next season it started giving me headaches... so I'd make adjustments, tear it down, rebuild the carb, etc but it was always a hassle. So after a few years I decided to do the same as you... go against my family's heritage and buy an electric chainsaw lol. Only difference is that mine is corded and also has an optional telescoping pole that has come in very handy many times. And it's a Remington... not even a good brand.
Well that was well over a decade ago. And to this day it remains one of my most favorite outdoor tools. I've taken down trees and limbs that were well over 10" diameter. I've taken out stumps and even cut up lumber with this thing including a small gazebo in our back yard that needed to come down.
Every year or so I put a fresh Oregon chain on it and every once in a while I'll take it apart to inspect things and clean it out as well as clean out the chain groove on the bar, tensioner, and oiling mechanism. It's easy to work on and it's pretty small so it's easy to store.
Mine doesn't have a case either but it's not a big deal. I just make sure to store it on top of an old rubber mat so that it doesn't leak any oil onto my garage shelves. And it does leak but just a little and not all the time... and that's after many years that it never did leak. I'm sure that the one you got is designed better in that regard anyway. But yeah... besides the occasional seasonal maintenance, all I ever do is try to make sure that the chain stays lubricated. Literally a "point-n-shoot" tool.
Lastly- I think that's a real plus that you don't have to worry about any cords either. That aspect is sometimes a bit of a hassle and definitely keeps me on my toes but I'd definitely say that an electric or battery powered chainsaw is a great investment. And I don't see that you'll ever miss the gas. These batt/ elec saws are so much less hassle and I honestly doubt that you'll ever run into anything that it can't handle as long as you keep those batteries charged up and have a sharp chain.
