Best Light Duty Chainsaw...

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johnnyb321

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I'm a newby here and had a question about the best light duty chainsaw. I'm a homeowner so it would get occasional limbing and small trees <10 inches. I'm on a budget and have read through some posts and advice you've given others. It seems a lot of people here like the stihls.

I've read some good things about the efco's and huskys as well. I know it's tempting to go with a bigger saw but I have to stay under $250. I'm looking at the Husky 142, Efco MT3600 or stihl ms 170. Seems like the husky has the larger displacement at 40cc.

Also...i noticed the efco has a model that is a top handle. This seems like it would be good for one handed use. Any other advantages or disadvantages?

Thanks for the help
 
johnnyb321 said:
I'm a newby here and had a question about the best light duty chainsaw. I'm a homeowner so it would get occasional limbing and small trees <10 inches. I'm on a budget and have read through some posts and advice you've given others. It seems a lot of people here like the stihls.

I've read some good things about the efco's and huskys as well. I know it's tempting to go with a bigger saw but I have to stay under $250. I'm looking at the Husky 142, Efco MT3600 or stihl ms 170. Seems like the husky has the larger displacement at 40cc.

Also...i noticed the efco has a model that is a top handle. This seems like it would be good for one handed use. Any other advantages or disadvantages?

Thanks for the help
Click to expand...
get the ms170 the 142 isnt much of a saw.the ms170 will cut much faster.
 
fullchisel said:
get the ms170 the 142 isnt much of a saw.the ms170 will cut much faster.
Click to expand...
For my .2cents I would stay away from any Stihl that is less than 50cc. I have not seen one that will out cut my Poulan 2550 40cc of raw power lol, but in my opinion I will stick to my Trusty little Poulan. Never put it against a ms200 but it did kick on the two 170s it has been stacked against and it embarrassed the owners of those saws.
 
Stihl,170-180-210

The Stihl will give you the least trouble and the best performance.Yes I am biased :)

The 3 saws you've stated are all pretty good saws for your use.First pick who has the best dealer support (ex. large parts inventory and service that's close).Then see which saw feels the best in your hands.

Stay away from top handle saws,no matter how neat they may seem,they are for pro's.

Now everyone can recommend every brand under the sun.

Oh yeah Dolmar 5100S there I said it.:rockn:
 
Howdy friend, I gotta agree with the MS 170, it's a pretty nice little saw for the price, and mine cuts great! I'd avoid the 180c version just cuz of the chain adjuster. Keep it simple and you'll have less trouble. :)
 
johnnyb321 said:
I'm a newby here and had a question about the best light duty chainsaw. I'm a homeowner so it would get occasional limbing and small trees <10 inches. I'm on a budget and have read through some posts and advice you've given others. It seems a lot of people here like the stihls.

I've read some good things about the efco's and huskys as well. I know it's tempting to go with a bigger saw but I have to stay under $250. I'm looking at the Husky 142, Efco MT3600 or stihl ms 170. Seems like the husky has the larger displacement at 40cc.

Also...i noticed the efco has a model that is a top handle. This seems like it would be good for one handed use. Any other advantages or disadvantages?

Thanks for the help
Click to expand...
my 017 has taken a beating cutting stumps and just wont die.my friend bought a 142 from sears and he regrets it.
 
Last edited:
Scooterbum said:
The Stihl will give you the least trouble and the best performance.Yes I am biased :)

The 3 saws you've stated are all pretty good saws for your use.First pick who has the best dealer support (ex. large parts inventory and service that's close).Then see which saw feels the best in your hands.

Stay away from top handle saws,no matter how neat they may seem,they are for pro's.

Now everyone can recommend every brand under the sun.

Oh yeah Dolmar 5100S there I said it.:rockn:
Click to expand...
So true I guess we all have are favorites and are all a little biased. At least it makes it fun!Just personaly I hate any Stihl under 50cc:popcorn:
 
+2 on the 170, my 017 is a nice little saw that just goes and goes. I'm not sure what all the fuss is about top handle saws in the hands of non-pros though. Back in the day, just about all of the little saws were top handle, and it didn't seem to make that much of a difference in my book.
 
I have

1-017
1-018c
2-180c's
1-180c Easy2start..wife's


Only problem's so far , a carb from sitting with old gas and 1 broken handle from falling off the skidder and getting hit by tire...



.
 
Last edited:
Poley4 said:
+2 on the 170, my 017 is a nice little saw that just goes and goes. I'm not sure what all the fuss is about top handle saws in the hands of non-pros though. Back in the day, just about all of the little saws were top handle, and it didn't seem to make that much of a difference in my book.
Click to expand...
I will totaly agree with you on the back in the day, but not on the little Stihl part. I remember my Dad teaching me how to use a saw and it was a little top handle Sacs Dolmar, yes a real Dolmar Okay I am biased again. I just remember him with his slight at that time German accent telling me not to jam the bar tip into any of the logs in the pile as it would bounce back at me I must have been around 9 or 10 years old. But what bug's me the most is I wonder what ever happened to that saw. I think he gave it to a friend then bought a big Stihl mom does not remember.
 
johnnyb321 said:
I'm a newby here and had a question about the best light duty chainsaw. I'm a homeowner so it would get occasional limbing and small trees <10 inches. I'm on a budget and have read through some posts and advice you've given others. It seems a lot of people here like the stihls.

I've read some good things about the efco's and huskys as well. I know it's tempting to go with a bigger saw but I have to stay under $250. I'm looking at the Husky 142, Efco MT3600 or stihl ms 170. Seems like the husky has the larger displacement at 40cc.

Also...i noticed the efco has a model that is a top handle. This seems like it would be good for one handed use. Any other advantages or disadvantages?

Thanks for the help
Click to expand...

I'm a newbie too, so welcome to the forum. You didn't mention if you would consider used saws or not, so I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in. I was in a similar position to you and decided rather than buy a brand new low-end saw I'd spend a similar amount on a used pro saw (or at least a bigger one, whatever deal came along first). I ended up with a Husky 357XP mid-size pro saw for just a few bucks more than your budget requirement. The difference in performance (4.4HP) and build quality (magnesium vs. plastic) is noticable, although at the rate I cut I don't know if it has any practical significance or not. Just an idea, check out Craigslist and the local dealers in your area and see what might be available used, just make sure you can test run it before buying.
 
I've got a little Echo CS300 top handle for getting at the real small stuff and windfall. Got it for a good price, so it fill the bill at the time. But I would prefer a rear handle saw rather than a top handle version. The Echo starts easy, and always runs very well, with good parts availablity as well as local dealer support. But I would spend a few more bucks and and get the Husky346XP. That will probably be my next purchase/Christmas present. My friend has one I've run, and I was sold on its balance,weight, and performance. There is also local support/parts at the same dealer that has the Echo line. It always comes down to parts availability for me, because I work on my own saws, and if I can't get things straightened out, it goes to the dealer. Good tools are not cheap, and cheap tools are not good. Spend now, or you'll pay later.......
 

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