Which small chainsaw ?

[houser52]

A little background first. I already have a 60cc Husky for big stuff and looking for a small saw (30cc-35cc) to cut saplings, smaller limbs and trimming the edges around my 18 acres of planted pines. All cutting will be done at ground level. I don't need or want a saw bigger than 35cc.

I've been researching small chainsaws and have read everything I can find. I've narrowed it down to an Echo cs-310 or a Stihl ms170 rear handle saws. Most of the reviews and comments are more than a few years old and very few current reviews are out there.

I will be buying one of those saws from a full service dealer and not a big box store. I want to keep the saw in stock condition too.

Which one of those two are you using now, how do you like it and would you buy it again?

 

[TreePointer]

I know it's not answering your question, but for that task, I prefer a straight shaft trimmer with bike handles. Put a blade on it like the Stihl chisel-tooth circular saw blade. Cuts very well, bending down, and a lot safer than using a chainsaw for this purpose.

STIHL Trimmer Chisel Tooth Circular Saw Blade | STIHL USA

I run one of those on a 36cc Stihl FS-130. More expensive than a 36cc chainsaw? Absolutely, but I perform the task frequently enough that it's worth it.

 

[andrec999]

I use a Still ms170 and it is a very good little saw. Keep old gas away from it , like every small saw,and it will do a good job for small stuff.
I use a Husqvarna 455 for bigger stuff, but it*s allot heavier.

 

[houser52]

I use a Still ms170 and it is a very good little saw. Keep old gas away from it , like every small saw,and it will do a good job for small stuff.
I use a Husqvarna 455 for bigger stuff, but it*s allot heavier.

Thanks.
How has your 170 been as far as cranking? Some old reviews have said that sometimes it may take a dozen pulls or more to crank. That was one of the few negatives I saw about the 170.

 

[dfkrug]

I've narrowed it down to an Echo cs-310 or a Stihl ms170 rear
handle saws.

I have owned and fixed the MS170, and I am not impressed by the quality of Stihl's cheapest
consumer-grade saw. OTOH, Echo acquired Shindaiwa several years ago, and they tell me
that most or all of their saws are now based on Shindaiwa technology. That's a good thing, IMO,
and my Shindy 377 (37cc) is my favorite rear-handle smaller saw.

I regularly use 5 saw sizes: battery-powered polesaw, tophandle saw (26-34cc), the 377, a
Husky 455, and a Husky 2100. I really love the convenience and weight of the tophandle
saws, a class of saw usually used by pros. I usually keep one of my tophandles on my
tractor.

Consider the Echo CS-271T, if you want Echo. The cheapest Stihl tophandle will be more
than $100 over that one.

 

[xyz123]

I had a echo 310 in the shop and it was gutless for a little saw. Be warned. The little 180 I gave dad for Christmas would outcut it big time.

Also look at the husky 435. I was impressed with the ones I have had in. Cutting little saws.

 

[murphy1244]

I have owned and fixed the MS170, and I am not impressed by the quality of Stihl's cheapest
consumer-grade saw. OTOH, Echo acquired Shindaiwa several years ago, and they tell me
that most or all of their saws are now based on Shindaiwa technology. That's a good thing, IMO,
and my Shindy 377 (37cc) is my favorite rear-handle smaller saw.

I regularly use 5 saw sizes: battery-powered polesaw, tophandle saw (26-34cc), the 377, a
Husky 455, and a Husky 2100. I really love the convenience and weight of the tophandle
saws, a class of saw usually used by pros. I usually keep one of my tophandles on my
tractor.

Consider the Echo CS-271T, if you want Echo. The cheapest Stihl tophandle will be more
than $100 over that one.

I use the Top handle 271T for my all around saw. First pull start all the time.

 

[Omega Woods]

Either is an excellent choice. I have an Echo 330T and would buy another in a heartbeat.

 

[Rustyiron]

I just bought my first Echo, a 490?, about 50cc. Couldn't be happier. FWIW all my other (6) saws are Stihl.
There are a few sites where I've read others experiance, little to no negative comments on the Echo and everyone was amazed at their low cost. Most of these comments were from loyal Stihl or Husky guy's!

 

[s219]

The best small rear handle saw I have seen in the last couple years is the new Echo CS-361P. It will out-cut the larger CS-400, but it's lighter than the CS-310. It does cost $400, but you get what you pay for with chainsaws, and this one is amazing. I plan to order one myself.

The Stihl 170 is a decent saw, but unremarkable. Most homeowner Stihls are fairly unremarkable in terms of power, weight, and cost.

 

[houser52]

There are a few sites where I've read others experiance, little to no negative comments on the Echo and everyone was amazed at their low cost. Most of these comments were from loyal Stihl or Husky guy's!

When I was researching them I noticed the same thing about Echos, very few negative reviews. Comparing the prices between the two, the Echo cs310 runs $20 more than the Stihl ms170

 

[grnspot110]

I went with an Oregon 40V, 14" for my small work. I use it mostly for thinning my timber of up to 3" Hackberry sprouts. I can cut a few, stop & treat the stumps, then cut a few more. Two batteries last me a couple hours of cutting, treating & piling, which is all I want of that kind of work in one day anyway! For heavier work, I have a 16" Husqvarna 240 & an 18" Poulan. The 240 replaced a Stihl 029 that was starting to get a bit loose from years of use.

 

[xyz123]

I like echos. But like I said echo 310 isnt one of them.

Here is my stock echo 3900 39cc in ash with just a 12" buried. It came with 20" which I thought was crazy.

Untouched stock chain in ash.

 

[xyz123]

Then in a pine cant.

 

[Rustyiron]

I went from throwin' around my trusty 044 (70cc) for most all of my cutting except my top handle Stihl arborist saw, to the "little" 490 50cc. Echo. I really am enjoying the light weight (in comparison) and just have to remember that when it's dogging down a little with the bar burried. The 044 is always only a few steps away when I need the power.

 

[motownbrowne]

I just bought a 42cc Dolmar yesterday. It's the 421 model. I needed an easy starting saw so my dad or my wife can help cut firewood (we'll see if that ever happens) and for me to use for limbing and trimming.

I started out looking at the Stihl 181cbe and then the Echo cs-400. I did a lot of research, and just wasn't impressed with the power of the Echos in that size range. One dealer I spoke with who sold Echo and Dolmar said that between the cs400 and the 421, there's no comparison. The 421 will cut circles around the 400. The Stihl also was low on power for the same price tag. I thought about going as big as the 251cbe, but it's still a homeowner grade saw and they want $399 for it.

I got the Dolmar with a six pack of synthetic 2-stroke oil, a gallon of bar oil, three chains (and one more on the saw) for $339. I got promotional pricing and didn't pay sales tax (ag exempt). I'll get my first chance to run it tomorrow, but if it's half the saw everyone says it is, I'll be very pleased.

 

[ultrarunner]

Own Echo and Stihl.

Really like the Echo... it's been a little trouper.

Brother bought 3 MS170 new for the tree farm.

All brand new and Dealer set up... just the way the Dealer did it.

From day one 1 of the saws took more pulls than the other and after the first couple of weeks it was two saws.

So the one that is easy to start is the one all the guys want... the other two most sit at the back of the Santa Shed...

The one that starts easy would be fine for me... still like the Echo better... my Echo is top handle.

 

[motownbrowne]

Just put my new Dolmar 421 through some Ash and cedar. I'm very impressed with how easy it is to start. It's still a small saw, so it doesn't compare power wise to my other saws, but I think for the weight, size, build quality, and price of it, it does a great job. I'm gonna let it break in, pull the catalytic converter and see what it's like then.

 

[andrec999]

Thanks.
How has your 170 been as far as cranking? Some old reviews have said that sometimes it may take a dozen pulls or more to crank. That was one of the few negatives I saw about the 170.

Depending how long I have used it last, if it's a couple of months it will take a few cranks maybe 4 or 5, but if it's a coples of hours, first or second cranks, and it will go.

 

[houser52]

Update- I went to the Echo dealer today and checked out the 310. For some reason it just didn't feel right to me.

After leaving there I went back to the Stihl dealer and bought the little 170 with a 14" bar and chain. Got it home and ran almost a tank of fuel through it trimming limbs that were hanging over the edge of some places where I bush hog. I also cut a lot of saplings and smaller trees along the edge of some planted pines. Some of them were 4"-6" in diameter.

I was surprised how well the little saw ran and how quick it cut through anything I tried it on. I did have to set the idle speed up a little but that's it. It's amazing how light it is, a whole lot lighter than my Husky 61.

It's perfect for what I bought it for. I think I'm going to really like it.

Thanks for all the opinions.