Chainsaws

Buying a new one this week but what’s some of the better ones. I’m leaning towards Stihl, echo or husqavarna but not opposed to something else. Mostly around the house stuff but want something that’s going to last for several years. If ryobi or craftsman is worth saving $200 I’d be ok but let’s be honest craftsman is not what it was. Reviews are pretty positive on both of those but I’ve always thought orange was the better options.

It is hard to beat an Echo cs-400 for a firewood saw. Ihave two that have been great.

Stihl

I'm partial to Stihl.

My next one is Milwaukee. I already have the batteries.

I have gas Stihl and Echo. No more gas for me.

electric, or gas?

Ours are mostly Stihl, except for the Echo pole saw (which is now running great). The 029 Farm Boss with the 20” bar isn’t getting used too much lately, since I’m so pleased with the Stihl MS250 with the 18” bar. The wife likes her Stihl battery powered chainsaw with the 12” bar.

Bottom line, having used all 4 extensively, I like the MS250 the best. I’m sure a similar Echo would do just as well. And, if your chainsawing isn’t a constant and heavy job, the lighter and less expensive Stihl MS180C with the 16” bar was great. I’d still have it if I hadn’t squished it with the tractor.

And, if the chainsawing is light work, the battery powered saw works pretty well. It just can’t cut like the gas saws.

To me gas is the only way to go for lawn equipment. Tried the electric stuff and it didn’t even last 2 years. Never again.

Stihl (gas). Buy once, cry once. There won't be any buyer's remorse.

Gas? Stihl

I have an electric Milwaukee, most of my cordless stuff was already Milwaukee.

What is the smallest battery a person could get by with? The big one are high $

I have a pole saw but only one battery

Where do you get a real saw? When I was a kid my dad had some big a$$ saws, 24" bar kind of saws, where do you even find that anymore?

Chevy or Ford?

Dewalt battery for us, already had the Dewalt battery stuff. Our other at the house is a 45 year old Craftsman electric.

With an electric cord?

I don’t know the answer to that question sir. Since I already had headed down the Milwaukee road, that was not a problem for me.

Bought my place about 12 years ago and needed a chainsaw to clear trails. Purchased a Stihl MS362, and it has cut down thousands of trees (place burnt after I purchased). Running it Ethanol free, nothing has ever been rebuilt and it still starts on the 3rd pull every time.

Wow

Ms362 is a good saw!

Stihl
I have a proulan only because a friend gifted it to me and it keeps working

Echo. I have worn out 3 Stihls. Then I bought a new one about 4 years ago. It had the snap caps on the gas and oil fill areas.

The oil cap wouldn’t t stay on. I called Stihl and sent it to the repair center. The guy there called and told me that I must have over filled it and ruined it. No warranty. I mentioned it to the guy at a small engine repair center. He told me that Stihl had been having that problem for years after they got away from the screw on filler caps.

I’ve gone to Echo and like them. I will not do business with a company that knows they have a problem that they don’t change and won’t back on the warranty.

I have 2 chainsaws here and other gas powered from them, always runs.

Stihl with 16 " bar

Like Dave, my new Stihl has the new gas and bar oil caps. It took me a while to figure those darn things out, but I finally did, and they work fine. I might even prefer them to the old style screw on caps, now that I can actually make them work.

I could probably be just as happy with Echo chainsaws. But there is one thing about Echo that I don’t like. Their gas lines don’t hold up as well as the better engineered Stihl gas lines. I guess that isn’t a big thing, particularly now that I can fix them. Now that I have my Echo pole saw running great, it’s an excellent chainsaw. Full disclosure is that the reason it wasn’t running great is ME, not Echo.

Yes

a neighbor gave me a Poulan chainsaw , said if i got it running, i could have it. Well 1 carburetor rebuild kit, fuel line and some 40:1 mix later i had a chainsaw, 14" bar. Only has the Poulan problem of the gas cap swelling but i keep some irwin plyers handy for that.
Poulan is owned by Husqvarna now.
Stihl seems to be the best on the market now, with Husq and Echo very close runner ups.

And you are how old?

Find a dealer that's not a big box store.

Stick with one of those.

17.. closing in on 18.

Sthil have had mine for 20+ years just rebuilt last fall starts 2 pull.

Echo, had it 10 years until some scum bad stole it

Replaced w a Stihl, what a turd it’s been

Stihl is great. But have a Husqvarna I bought about 12 years ago at Tractor Supply and has cut an enormous amount and still starts on a dime and runs like a champ. Love that thing. Worst chainsaw I ever owned was a Poulan.

And gas for sure......electric is not even an option for me.

After dealing with Poulan’s and Huskvarna’s for years in the past, I bought my first Stihl saw 10 yrs ago and haven’t looked back since. I now own 3 Stihl chainsaws, a Stihl Pole Saw, along with trimmer/blower/edger. Mine get used pretty heavily year round and I’ve been very happy with them. Haven’t had to replace much on any of them and no issues with the quick snap lids, start right up. Especially with heavy use, just have to keep them maintained properly. If I just needed one for occasional small use, I’d go with a battery pack. I’m still cutting down/cutting up/splitting Live Oaks that are 2-3’ in diameter, so a battery pack unit ain’t gonna cut it lol. Plus all the mesquite for firewood. I did burn up one weed eater, but that thing got used a LOT.

I’ve never owned an Echo but I hear good things about them.

Will never pull another gas chainsaw in my life unless I have no other choice.

not every one is cut out to keep a small engine running. For those there is battree

Stihl all the way. I have the MS 250 and it is a hoss. I just bought a MS 291 and it is also a beast. I wouldn’t own anything else.

After three Stihl saws grew legs and ran away I bought a Husqvarna rancher, have had it about ten years without any problems, and nobody has stolen it !
Keep your blades sharp, use non-ethanol fuel and always use a quality bar and chain oil and never motor oil.

For those of you don’t know, Husqvarna bought Poulan and made the Poulan Pro line into the box store Husqvarna. If you don’t know what you have Husqvarna is made in Sweden, Poulan is made in Canada or USA.

The Husqvarna XP series is their good saws and as a good as anything anyone makes. They’re expensive too, so bot recommended for everyone.

I bought this saw 6 years ago. It starts very easily. I only use the Stihl premixed gas.

That’s a great pic

When we had the ranch we had three or four different sizes of Stihls. Ran like champs. If you go gas just remember no ethanol gas and Seafoam.

Only deal with electric/battery is that if you have an issue like a tree falling in a storm and taking out lines you can't use extension cords or recharge batteries.

Any of them misused, neglected and left with fuel in them for long periods of time and used by people who do not understand them will suffer and be poor performers.

Me and Paul Harvey roll With Huskey.

Now Bill, I thought you were an electric guy...

It was an honest question, and does make a difference on brand and size...

The rest are pretenders.....

Went with a stihl. Figure for what I do it should hold up as long as it doesn’t feel underpowered I should be happy.

Love my poulan.

I have an Echo for small stuff and works great. If you need a big saw and workhorse go with Stihl all day ( and night) long.

Had one for. Years. Sad to see it go.

husky 562xp here, wouldnt own anything else around here. If I was up north is have a jonsered for a limber

If cost is not an issue here, i would go with a Stihl Professional series.

Here in logger land the pros all use orange and there doesn't seem to be a real preference. Boils down to how much you'll use it and can you afford a professional series. Go professional if you can, which the box stores rarely have.

I use a Husqvarna 357XP and have for the last 16 years. Takes 7-8 hard pulls and it starts every time. 20" bar. It's heavy but fixin to go cut a 24" white oak that just fell a couple of months ago. It had been leaning since Hurricane Rita. I know it'll eat that thing up.

Sharpening a chain is a skill in itself.

We keep 044 or 046 on the work trucks but they hardly get used. I had an 44 till someone had to have it. Replaced with a 311 which is the smallest Pro Series. Stihl.

Our Husky 372XPW sports a 24" bar .
We run 3 Husqvarnas, 550, 362XP and 372 XPW. Pro model is the way to go with whatever brand you choose.
Loggers up here favor Husqvarna but Stihls get plenty if use too.