Best Echo Chainsaw

[sweetnewearth]

Hey all - Wondering you guys think of the Echo CS-590. Recently been using it in the wild and find it to be a great chainsaw. Is it the best echo chainsaw tho? Not sure about that. Echo doesn't get too much love compared to Husky or Stihl I feel.


Pros

• The 24-inch chain is good for cutting through large trees and branches.
• The gas-powered engine provides plenty of power for tough jobs.
• The build quality seems sturdy enough

Cons

• The chainsaw can be difficult to start, especially if you're not used to gas-powered tools.
• The weight of the chainsaw can make it tiring to use for extended periods.
• The noise level is quite high, so you'll want to wear ear protection while using it. Like loud.

Impressive saw to say the least, especially for residential design. Doesn't have too many good ratings on amazon though, so wondering what everyone here thinks! Lmk.

 

[JKendrick87]

Not an Echo guy myself, but I have a few friends that are and they absolutely love the 590. I’ve heard good things about the 501and 601p.

 

[sweetnewearth]

Not an Echo guy myself, but I have a few friends that are and they absolutely love the 590. I’ve heard good things about the 501and 601p.

Seems to me to be a great saw. Don't see it used much by Arborists on YouTube

 

[JKendrick87]

Seems to me to be a great saw. Don't see it used much by Arborists on YouTube

Yeah the pro saws get all of the attention most of the time. It’s a workhorse, I know that my friend has cut many trees with his.

 

[Franny K]

so wondering what everyone here thinks! Lmk.

lmk=let me know

the 590 is the bang for the buck model there is one or two higher spec 60cc models that share a lot of parts. Is it spring or rubber anti vibe? Is it rim or spur drive?

There are 25cc models that cost pretty much the same as the 590 those might be the best or the 73cc one. Or maybe one not available here but elsewhere. They have one over 100cc kind of old design and not available in the states.

 

[berrnard]

im a stihl guy but really like my echos, especially my 2511t
and working on them is very similar to stihl, down to using t27 on everything

 

[kenmbz]

Love my 620P for getting through the big stuff.
490 is ok, it holds up well for the size.
I always hear good things about the 590.

 

[heimannm]

Like Allis-Chalmers tractors back in their day, Echo saws provide the most value for your dollar.

Mark

 

[F8Green]

• The chainsaw can be difficult to start, especially if you're not used to gas-powered tools.
• The noise level is quite high, so you'll want to wear ear protection while using it. Like loud.

These are hilarious “cons”

 

[jltrent]

My CS2511t and CS490 are as good as any. I have come close a few times but never gotten a CS590 yet. The CS590 IMO is pretty heavy for the power, but a good saw with a strong back.

 

[iowa_jim]

I've heard nothing but good things about the 590/620 so I bought a 620. If you keep a 590 in stock configuration it's a great value, but some will try to turn it into a 620 with some upgrades and I don't think this saves any money over buying a 620.

 

[esshup]

I've had a CS-340 for 23 years, bought it new. Had to work on it once - needed new primer bulb and fuel lines. I wore the dogs off of the saw. If I need to cut something 12" and smaller, that is the one I grab. Never fails to start, great fuel economy, light weight.

 

[holeycow]

The same can be said for many, many saws.

Like my 37 and 36 year old jonny 590's and my 33 year old 262xp... and many others.

New saws, not so much. I doubt any that are actually used will make it to 20 years old. We'll see.

 

[727sunset]

Echo makes a lot of good saws. And I believe 590 is the best selling saw in the Echo fleet. It’s excellent for weekend warriors etc. 590 is a bit larger than most homeowner saws and they do stand up well. Their 5 year warranty says a lot.
Pro’s would pick the 620P over 590 for performance and the list of pro features reasons. But don’t start with a 590 and then try to build a 620P.
As far as the best Echo saw, that’s very subjective…toooo many variables. Same with any brand.

 

[Eldotrees]

I have a decent stable of saws (660, 372xp, 029, 650evl, cs590, cs620p, cs341)
i typically pull out the 590 or 620p 9 times out of 10
both have mufflers mods and are fantastic saws.

 

[Pjohnson]

Only echo I own but my favorite little saw 2511t

 

[sweetnewearth]

These are hilarious “cons”

lol

 

[Timber MacFallen]

Hey all - Wondering you guys think of the Echo CS-590. Recently been using it in the wild and find it to be a great chainsaw. Is it the best echo chainsaw tho? Not sure about that. Echo doesn't get too much love compared to Husky or Stihl I feel.
View attachment 1136571

Pros

• The 24-inch chain is good for cutting through large trees and branches.
• The gas-powered engine provides plenty of power for tough jobs.
• The build quality seems sturdy enough

Cons

• The chainsaw can be difficult to start, especially if you're not used to gas-powered tools.
• The weight of the chainsaw can make it tiring to use for extended periods.
• The noise level is quite high, so you'll want to wear ear protection while using it. Like loud.

Impressive saw to say the least, especially for residential design. Doesn't have too many good ratings on amazon though, so wondering what everyone here thinks! Lmk.

The Timber Wolf is a mid-grade Echo saw that's meant to be the equivalent of a Stihl Farm Boss or Husqvarna rancher. It's a very good saw for the money. Reliable, simple and well made. It's not the lightest, smoothest, most powerful or sophisticated, but then again they're not asking a lot of money for it.

It's the saw I recommend when people need a do-it-all saw at a certain price point.

If you want an Echo saw that's more professional in nature I'd look at the CS-501P (50cc pro) CS-620P (60cc pro) or CS-7310P (73cc pro). All good and reliable saws that are simple in design. The CS-501P is actually one of the lightest 50cc saws in the world and will feel much easier on your arms than the Timber Wolf.

You won't find too many pros using them for a variety of reasons. The kill switch design and controls are a bit dated. The power output isn't as high as Stihl and Husky products. The carbs don't use auto adjustment systems so they may be difficult in climate extremes without some carb adjustment. They don't have the cool factor of being part of the Husky and Stihl family. Dealer support and a full product suite is usually easier to find with Husky and Stihl. They're kinda like owning a Toyota Tundra in an F-150 and Chevy Silverado world.

Overall, Echo has started focusing on the electric equipment game and stopped updating and putting R&D into gas saws at this stage. If you want the latest and greatest and to be part of a big club you go Stihl and Husky. If you want Japanese value, reliability and simplicity and don't mind being a bit different you get an Echo.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

I ran my 590 for 3 years. Caught it at 20% off so I paid $320 for it in 2018. Sold it in 21 after getting my 462, Got $300 for it with an extra new chain. Can’t say anything bad about it other than their drive link setup making it harder to get chains locally. By no means am I comparing those 2 saws as the price difference was huge but with the 462 being lighter I knew I was going to sell the 590.

 

[toppers]

The 590 has a big following but for a few bucks more the 620P has better components all around and is just an incredibly durable / simple / reliable saw. Nothing Echo makes is going to be a star around here because it doesn't do anything incredibly well, but as others have said, it's the "Toyota of chainsaws" which is a good thing.