A few years ago I bought a small Stihl saw. The handguard/clutch brake malfunctioned right out of the box on day one. Clutch and bearings burned up. Took it back to the dealer. They took another new one apart to fix my brand new saw. It malfunctioned as well. I washed my hands of Stihl at that point and bought a Husquavarna saw at the local big box store. It has worked well the few times I've used it.

We use a little Echo on our construction job site. It does the job well and the men beat on it a bit. Yep, extra chain. We are anti corn, so we buy the small cylinder of none ethanol fuel from Home Depot or our local gardener supply house. I think its 7 bucks for half gal? Had the Echo for a few years and no problems. If we were to buy another, I buy battery operated. Less maintenance, no fuel issues, we have a lot of major brand batteries. It isn't a tool we use often neither.

I have a STIHL MS 251. It has an 18-inch bar. It is a good size for a homeowner that doesn't cut a huge amount of wood each year. I have had it for about 10 years. They run about $350 now. If I were replacing it, I would pay a little more for the MS 251c to get the easier start as my old man arm gets weak after cutting wood a couple a days in a row). A chainsaw gets freakin' heavy fast if you are not used to one.

Some years, I only use it a couple times. Other years I cut a lot of trees (usually broken from the wind or blown partially over). It will cut a really big tree, but is pretty handy for light work as well.

I cut about 20 trees down (and cut them up) with it last week preparing my mother's 3 acre property for sale this spring (she passed away last year).

I put the first new chain on it last year (because I didn't want to take the time/energy to properly sharpen it) because I had to cut up several huge trees that fell on my vacation property in the mountains and had limited time. That is the only maintenance it has needed. But, like others here, I do not put ethanol fuel in it (or any of my small engines). I just keep the proper oil fuel mix in it and the chain oil reservoir full. In fact, there was about a 3 year period when I did not have any trees to cut and when I needed it, surprisingly it started up fine. I use the STIHL oil to mix with the gas and the STIL bar oil to lubricate the bar). Almost every gas station here sells the "non-ethanol" fuel at one pump (also at my vacation house). It is about 50 cents a gallon more.

I'm very happy with my HUSQVARNA 455 Rancher, in fact I love it. https://www.husqvarna.com/ca-en/products/chainsaws/455-rancher/965030296/

Don't worry too much about shapening. It's pretty easy with the correct sized file. A light sharpen each time you fill up the gas.

SAFETY TIME. They are more dangerous than a gun but you don't need a licence to use one. To sum up the two day chainsaw course into one sentence. Don't look straight down at the chain/bar, be on the left of it so when it kicks back it doesn't get you in the face.

Do not use pump gas. Get a can of Moto Mix or Husqvarna gas.

I have a bunch of Stihl saws, one Husky, and one Echo. We use the little arborist model Stihl probably the most.

Not sure if you can rent the cordless ones at home centers. I tried one at a construction show and came away super impressed. No bogging, but if over loaded, it will shut itself off for a couple seconds. For the amount we use the saw, the cordless saw is more then enough. We chop up 6 x 12 or 14s at times or cut sheathings for window openings. No more starting problems or lack of fuel when the guys pull it off their trucks. It is no heavy duty saw and can't cut a 16 diameter tree, but it will eat up an 8" tree in no time as long as you let the saw do its job or sharp chain. This is what I was told by the salesman at the Makita Booth. I think, DeWalt or Milwaukee should be about the same in terms of power and capacity. Its a light duty / med suty saw. HEavy duty saws kill forearms in minutes making it unsafe if you ask me.

I too have a small selection and my newest is a pro Stihl arborist with no carb (made in Germany) with a 14" bar (could take a 16) ... it's a little beast with about 35cc... not cheap though. Have an older 30cc-ish Echo (12" bar) and two larger Stihls (45cc w/ 16" and 55cc w 20") for larger stuff, but the 14 is awesome. The German Stihls are built differently (better & balanced) than the USA ones, but all are great, and so are Echos. No dealers carry Huskys here... I've asked why cause they are beasts too, and parts is what I've been told. My dealer carries both Stihl & Echo, and when I had a starting issue with a newer Stihl backback, they said the Stihl 2-cycle oil was "no bueno" (synthetic orange was OK) and recommended the Echo (Red Armour).... it's all I use now. NO ETHANOL ever in my 2-cycles.... NEVER... it's evil :(.

All that being said.... go get yourself a battery powered Dewalt :D.

Keep your chains sharp... if you're making sawdust (not chips) ... it's dull.

Be safe ....

Edited: For those outside of CA ... remove those stooopid screens (spark arrestors) ... they suck and even clean they steal Stihl power ... Echos too ;)

Better, but not best, for occasional use chain saw
 

If you’re using it that infrequently, buy the pre-mix. Haven’t bought it this year but typically it’s $20/gal but I use less than a gallon a year. I use it in my leaf blower and weed wacker and have zero issues starting them at the beginning of the season without running them dry in the fall.

When you're done using it, drain the tank, start it and let it run out of gas. It'll do everything you need it to do at half the cost of the bigger names. Did I mention the battery powered Dewalt kicks ass? If you're going to use it a lot in a day, get two batteries if runtime is a concern. No noisy two stroke, no more "damn thing won't start", no smelling like exhaust when you're done cutting. I'm going to buy the smaller "limber" to complement the bigger one we bought for my dad for Christmas.

https://www.amazon.com/Poulan-967084701-Stroke-Powered-Chainsaw/dp/B01N4O8NOR/ref=asc_df_B01N4O8NOR/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198123788296&hvpos=&hvnetw= g&hvrand=1048468544194772861&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt =&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9015981&hvt argid=pla-409793292914&psc=1

Yep, the arborist saw is little but mighty. Made in Germany, has a ring on it to clip onto a harness. I think it cost around $1,400 9 years ago and has been worth every single penny.

I also have the backpack blower. Super light and makes everything else look like a child's toy. But that's weird, all I've ever used at any time has been Moto Mix. The Stihl dealer will not honor the warranty if you use anything else. And I've never had a problem with a machine that has used only Moto Mix. I never use pump gas anymore on the 2-cycle machines. Having said that, I really really like the new 4-cycle Honda, Husky, Stihl, and Polaris small engines. I feel they are more reliable and always start.

Used chainsaws all my life, owned still,husky for the most part. Both good saw, carbs need to be leaned or richened constantly if you live in a place with 4 seasons. Recently bought a battery saw and it was shocking how well it worked for limbs and small stuff. First one was a dewalt and it died after a year, appears to be a bad capaciter control board is potted so unfixable. Just picked up a epower yesterday havnt even opened the box.

thanks folks, lots of good info.

^^^^ My best Stihl doesn't even have a carb ;), and I've been using all types for almost 5 decades now, and furthermore...

Steve should buy a battery powered Dewalt ;).

I live in the Sierria Foothills on 10 acres. We have oak trees and pine trees. I have 3 chainsaws all Sthil's a 391 with 25 bar, a 251 easy start with a 18" bar and a 10" pole saw. I had shoulder surgery on both shoulders. I went to a ag. expo and they had saw demo's. wanted to go battery powered but it didn't do it for me. The 251 easy start is the best saw I have ever owned. I will never buy cheap chainsaws or weed whackers again. I only use non ethanol fuel they always start.

Bernie

I can see myself occasionally needing to get through 14-18" diameter stuff. How will a battery powered unit work on stuff that big?

I don't know .... and will never own a battery powered saw myself ... ask Nick :).

My 45cc Stihl with a 16" bar (an older USA made MS250) is a great saw ... I don't like the new ones mentioned, and have used them a bit. Older Stihls had a "way" you had to start them, or not :D.

Echos are great, easy to start too ... always have
been. All Stihls are NOT created equal fwiw, most are made in USA, and the "Farm/Ranch" ones are made the same... just larger displacements. The German made Stihls are head & shoulders above the USA ones imo, but you pay to "play".

Any saw with a sharp chain will get the job done ;)....

Here’s my dewalt, http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1648393714.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1648393714.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1648393714.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1648393714.jpg

In the above pics.
last pic is the safety switch it fails meaning you have to dismantle the whole saw to get to it.
The control board is potted and the capacitors have a tendency to over heat and crap out.
There’s also problems with the trigger.
I used it one year worked great then it crapped out,

Dantilla is right again. Never use gas with ethanol. Yes, you can surely find non-ethanol gas in your area, even if there is no airport. You can also treat it with Stabil. And/or you can run it out of gas after use. As long as the tank is not over-full, you can just run it for a bit upside down. You can also store a chainsaw vertically, hanging from a hook.

Stihl chainsaws are so well designed and well built that it's just silly to buy anything else. IMHO. There are Stihls and Husqvarnas. The rest are toys. A Stihl is more reliable than most screwdrivers.

MS 170 or 180 are a good size, or 211. Most of us don't need anything bigger. The bars on those are 16", 16" and 18" respectively. If you gum up a carburetor, replacements are about $20. Always use a sharp chain. Never, ever let the chain touch the ground. If you do, throw the chain away.

Just got this in the mail yesterday, I also looked at stihl,husky, makkita all make battery saws. Went with the ego because it had a 5 year warranty and 3 on the battery.