Best and worst chainsaw?

[Lefty7]

After playing with some other brands, I went with Stihl and have never gone back. I have two, both w/20" bar. The older one was sometimes hard to start when cold, but always did. Later model, similar in engine size, has the compression relief valve for easier starting and always starts on first or second pull. I always use the chisel cutters and no corn highest octane premium gas, and add a dollop of Star-tron to each 5 gal. can. Never a problem. I cut about 14 tons of logs every year. Also got the pro model arborist saw for orchard use, can be used one hand, really handy.

 

[Skeans1]

Depends on what we are cutting at the time but most of the time anymore it’s a Stihl 500i with a 36. That said if the situation requires a longer bar the 395’s and 3120’s do come out normally the longest bar is a 60 but every once in a blue the 72 does come out for a bad spot.

 

[charlessenf]

Echo 18"

It was on sale at Home Depot ten years ago? It came with a Five Year Warranty. The primer bubble went and Home Depot swapped out a new saw. I put a new carb on that saw thinking to sell it off and bought a duplicate echo. The duplicate echo doesn't run as well as the re-carbed 10-12 year old echo.

I bought a 24" Husky a few years back, but can't start it - just don't have the arm strength anymore. But, when I does start (did), it was a beast on 24" caliper logs I needed to cut to fit our fireplace.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

The Forest Service tests chainsaws every few years. They purchase around a thousand saws a year for fire fighters, and trails crews. For the last twenty they have bought Stihl. Some of the guys are holding out with their Husqies, but they are getting rarer. One of the technicians who worked for me before I retired, found a closet full of old Husqies, and McCullough saws at a Guard Station which closed in the Seventies. I surplused them, and he bought the lot for $20. He canabalized the worst ones, and found rebuild kits for the carbs. He got almost all of them working and was selling them on Craigs list.

Cal-Fire is transitioning to all electric saws. Too many issues with fuel spills, (they have to log and report all spills regardless of size), and fuel geysering. They are finding that the electric saws are holding up well, and it is easier to carry spare batteries than mess around with fuel. And the batteries and maintenance costs than buying the factory canned premix.

 

[mx842]

I just sit here and read this entire thread and there has been a lot of good and bad info passed. I've owned probably 20 to 30 chainsaws in my lifetime, and I found out a long time ago that with chainsaws like most any tool you want to work with it pays to buy the pro series tool rather than the box store stuff. Even if I don't use a tool but once or twice a year, I go that route because most of the time those tools will be around for your lifetime. That is unless run over them with a crawler loader or excavator or something to that effect.
I had blue saws, red saws, black and yellow saws and green ones and had many lost hours fooling around with those things. That is until I bought my first Stihl. The first one's I bought was the 028 and a 051 and never looked back. I sold the 051 a few years later for almost as much as I paid for it and bought me 2, 044's. I ran over one of those with my loader one day, so I was back to just 2 saws. That was way back in the early 70's. I had both of those saws until a couple years ago when my building burned to the ground. Neither one of those saws ever had to go into a shop for repairs, both were original with no mods and were running the same spark plug as the one that it came with. They never ate anything but pump gas, Stihl 2 cycle oil and Stihl chain lube.
After they were broken in good the 028 would start on the third pull and the 044 would start on the 4th pull. They were both like that until they died in the fire. You couldn't pile the wood those two saws cut on a 5-ac field.
I replaced those saws with a ms 400 and a ms 261. both were a little finicky until they got broke in good and both run and preform great. They both start easily and cut like blue blazes, what else could I ask for. The question now is are they going to last as long as my other ones did, I don't know but I'm pretty sure they will still be here long after I'm gone.
These type threads all end up the same way, 30-40 pages saying the same thing. Everybody has their own opinions; hell, I know I do and if you like this one or that one why worry about it just use it and be happy. To the OP anything you read here are just opinions. Most any of the newer saws out there now should suit you fine. The only advice I could offer is if you think you need a 35cc saw buy a 60cc saw and you should never be sorry. I would never buy one of the box store saws even if it was $300 or more in price. Money is just money but most of the time mo money is peace of mind.
I won't even comment on those electric gizmos because if it doesn't make smoke and put a ring in your ears, I don't want it, no greeny weenie stuff for me. That's just my opinion of course

 

[walnutman]

I've been running two German made Dolmars.
The big 7900 and a smaller 109. Both saws are strong and reliable

 

[kozal01]

I just sit here and read this entire thread and there has been a lot of good and bad info passed. I've owned probably 20 to 30 chainsaws in my lifetime, and I found out a long time ago that with chainsaws like most any tool you want to work with it pays to buy the pro series tool rather than the box store stuff. Even if I don't use a tool but once or twice a year, I go that route because most of the time those tools will be around for your lifetime. That is unless run over them with a crawler loader or excavator or something to that effect.
I had blue saws, red saws, black and yellow saws and green ones and had many lost hours fooling around with those things. That is until I bought my first Stihl. The first one's I bought was the 028 and a 051 and never looked back. I sold the 051 a few years later for almost as much as I paid for it and bought me 2, 044's. I ran over one of those with my loader one day, so I was back to just 2 saws. That was way back in the early 70's. I had both of those saws until a couple years ago when my building burned to the ground. Neither one of those saws ever had to go into a shop for repairs, both were original with no mods and were running the same spark plug as the one that it came with. They never ate anything but pump gas, Stihl 2 cycle oil and Stihl chain lube.
After they were broken in good the 028 would start on the third pull and the 044 would start on the 4th pull. They were both like that until they died in the fire. You couldn't pile the wood those two saws cut on a 5-ac field.
I replaced those saws with a ms 400 and a ms 261. both were a little finicky until they got broke in good and both run and preform great. They both start easily and cut like blue blazes, what else could I ask for. The question now is are they going to last as long as my other ones did, I don't know but I'm pretty sure they will still be here long after I'm gone.
These type threads all end up the same way, 30-40 pages saying the same thing. Everybody has their own opinions; hell, I know I do and if you like this one or that one why worry about it just use it and be happy. To the OP anything you read here are just opinions. Most any of the newer saws out there now should suit you fine. The only advice I could offer is if you think you need a 35cc saw buy a 60cc saw and you should never be sorry. I would never buy one of the box store saws even if it was $300 or more in price. Money is just money but most of the time mo money is peace of mind.
I won't even comment on those electric gizmos because if it doesn't make smoke and put a ring in your ears, I don't want it, no greeny weenie stuff for me. That's just my opinion of course

I agree about the pro series saws, and equipment in general. I only buy commercial or pro grade stuff anymore and its paid off. My MS261 pro saw and my little Echo top handle 2511 are just great machines that both punch way above their weight in power and are built much better than the non pro versions. For power to weight a pro saw is hard to beat.

 

[AdqtDav]

I’ve owned a Husky, Dolmar and a Stihl. Dolmar and Husky are smaller home owner grade and couldn’t take the heavy use. The small Dolmar was given to me and it’s pretty light duty. I was always fixing the Husky: bars, chains, clutch, sprocket, fuel lines, etc. Bought a Stihl MS362 with the 24” bar and swapped to an 18” bar and the Pro chain. The balance and weight with the 24” is not great. There is a danger of a leg strike with the heavier nose - I always wear Kevlar chaps.

The Stihl is pretty close to ideal for New England with the smaller trees (on average) - nice balance, lots of power, and it rips through hard wood. It’s a little tougher to start but an absolute joy to use. I usually have a set of sharp chains ready to swap when they start getting dull.

 

[Black Dog 2]

I will start cutting firewood in the coming months which made me wonder, "what's my best and worst chainsaw?" I'm not extremely picky on brands but my experience with Echo is mixed and is limited to one model with Stihl. Aside from a basic homeowner, inexpensive poulan I've had 3 chainsaws.

My first "farm/commercial" grade purchase was the echo cs590 "timberwolf." Bought it bout 9 years ago (?). My favorite saw. 20" bar and cuts everything I've thrown at it. I've cut firewood: we heat our home with a Lopi wood stove. I've trimmed trees and cleared well over 1,000 cedar off of 70 acres. This saw is my favorite. It's a bit heavy for trimming and clearing cedars.

I wanted a lighter saw so, I stuck with Echo and bought the 4510 with an 18" bar. This saw never ran right. Finicky bout idling. I struggled with it for a few months. My dealer (who is great) tweaked it. Ran a bit better. I even started buying the echo premix fuel. I've always used premix but upgraded to echo's red "something." Somehow, that saw burned up and I threw it away after less than a year. The dealer said water somehow got in the fuel. I'm not sure how that could have happened. Regardless, I never liked the saw so I didn't press it.

I then picked up the Stihl ms250 with an 18" bar. This is a great saw. Lighter than the echo. And, starts a bit easier. But, it doesn't cut as efficient. I use both saws and appreciate them. The cs590 remains my favorite. It just cuts so dang fast and sometimes the weight works for me. Even when I'm sawing cedars horizontal the speed may offset the weight.

I do want a new saw. I'm thinking about a new cs590. What's your experience for best all around saw. By all around, I mean firewood and property mtnce (clearing cedar, fenceline cleaning, even cutting brush and underbrush).

Best Stihl-I have 4 of them, favorite is the MS 251 that is incredibility easy to start. Worst in my opinion is Poulan.

 

[jrsavoie]

I prefer saws that are pre EPA; I don't like choked down, limited, microprocessor controlled, stratified saws.

My favorite saw is a stihl MS361. Now this was Stihl's last non strato, true 2 stroke saw. It did have the EPA muffler on it, but it's very easy to delete. It has spring vibration damping and a very hot porting that really needs nothing done.

I have 4 stashed away that are still new in the box.

Now I do have over 30 saws and there are many more I do like. But as far as the perfect saw...Stihl did it with the 361.

This was my thinking. Look around for a lightly used saw. They're better than the new stuff. Asis most everything anymore