Info on Husqvarna 340e

[Sweeney]

My very old Homelite Super XL has died and I'm in need of a new saw. I'm looking at the Husky 340e. It looks like the best deal I can find on a full size saw, and I'm familiar with Husqvarna saws. We use them at work in heavy construction, 365xp, 357xp, 353. I was given my Homelite when the company switched to Husky about ten years ago. Last year I switched from a woodstove to a pellet stove, so I no longer cut fire wood but I still need a good saw. My house is in the Catskill State Forest in New York, so I always have trees to deal with. Also, in five years I'll be retiring and plan to add a new den with a woodstove, so I'll be cutting wood again in the future.
Right now I need a saw that can sit in the shed all year and start right up when I need it. I'm favoring the Husky 340e at $239.00 online with extra chains, oil, hat and free shipping and no tax. I'm also considering the Stihl 210 at the local dealer at $250 plus 7.5% sales tax: $269, the Stihl 180 (recommended by the dealer) at $210 plus tax, and the Husky 142 online with the same deal.
What do you think of these saws? And, is the 340e the best deal?

 

[SawTroll]

The 340 is a better saw than either the 142, 210 or 230, and the 180 isn't even close - but preferably get one without the "e"......

 

[afntrn56]

without the e???

Why get one without the e?? Is there a problem with those? not so sure if they have the regular 340's anymore new.

 

[asb151]

My very old Homelite Super XL has died and I'm in need of a new saw. I'm looking at the Husky 340e. It looks like the best deal I can find on a full size saw, and I'm familiar with Husqvarna saws. We use them at work in heavy construction, 365xp, 357xp, 353. I was given my Homelite when the company switched to Husky about ten years ago. Last year I switched from a woodstove to a pellet stove, so I no longer cut fire wood but I still need a good saw. My house is in the Catskill State Forest in New York, so I always have trees to deal with. Also, in five years I'll be retiring and plan to add a new den with a woodstove, so I'll be cutting wood again in the future.
Right now I need a saw that can sit in the shed all year and start right up when I need it. I'm favoring the Husky 340e at $239.00 online with extra chains, oil, hat and free shipping and no tax. I'm also considering the Stihl 210 at the local dealer at $250 plus 7.5% sales tax: $269, the Stihl 180 (recommended by the dealer) at $210 plus tax, and the Husky 142 online with the same deal.
What do you think of these saws? And, is the 340e the best deal?

If you are used to the performance of a Super XL don't get a 340. Same goes for the 210. IMO get a least a 350 otherwise I think you will be very disapointed. The cost is not much more.

 

[XJWoody]

Why not a 353?

What didn't you like about the 353?

 

[sawracr]

Nothing wrong with the 340, and the e version is very easy to start, but don't expext the torque of the homelite, it is 3.5 ci the 340 is 2.5 ci. Jon

 

[computeruser]

Welcome to arboristsite, Sweeney. You've come to a good place to get a good idea of the good, the bad, and the ugly of the saw world. Lots of information and hands-on experiences that your dealers either won't share or, more likely, don't even know about.

I'm favoring the Husky 340e at $239.00 online with extra chains, oil, hat and free shipping and no tax. I'm also considering the Stihl 210 at the local dealer at $250 plus 7.5% sales tax: $269, the Stihl 180 (recommended by the dealer) at $210 plus tax, and the Husky 142 online with the same deal.

Ah, the dreaded $200-250 budget. It is amazing how many guys come here with this sort of price range in mind. And the advice is usually the same...read on...

What do you think of these saws? And, is the 340e the best deal?

Frankly, I'd pass on all of them. Find a good used saw instead, you will be able to make your $250 go a lot further in both the short- and long-run.

Even SawTroll will agree (I hope) that a gently used or rebuilt Stihl 026 or 028 would be a marked improvement over any of the current crop of saws you mentioned. Even an 024, 025/MS250, would be worth considering. By purchasing a nice used saw, you'll be able to get a saw that has a carb that can be adjusted, a saw that does not have a catylitic converter muffler that makes the saw run hot, and a saw that can be worked on or rebuilt easily and relatively inexpensively should the need arise. Check out the Trading Post section here on the site, you might be able to find a good deal.

This is a $200 used 026Pro that I got from a member here at arboristsite last year. I had this saw out yesterday morning and it was chewing through 12-16" oak and ash with ease:

Here's an nice, used 026 I sold on here in the fall of 2006 that was well within your price range, complete with a brand new bar and chain:

 

[SawTroll]

Why get one without the e?? Is there a problem with those? not so sure if they have the regular 340's anymore new.

That start help isn't needed, and it makes it easy to flood the saw during the starting prosess - same with Stihls "Easy-Start", I believe.

But if you open the choke at the faintest sign of the saw wanting to start, it probably isn't a real problem.

 

[SawTroll]

...

Frankly, I'd pass on all of them. Find a good used saw instead, you will be able to make your $250 go a lot further in both the short- and long-run.

Even SawTroll will agree (I hope) that a gently used or rebuilt Stihl 026 or 028 would be a marked improvement over any of the current crop of saws you mentioned. Even an 024, 025/MS250, would be worth considering. ...

Yes we do agree, my first responce was adressing the options indicated in the first post of the tread, and the 340 is by far the nicest saw of those mentioned there.......

A used Husky 353, or even 55 or 51, would also be good options......

 

[Sweeney]

"What didn't you like about the 353?"

There is nothing I don't like about any of the saws we have at work, all Husky's. Some of them are getting old and have never been maintained properly so they get pretty hard to start. One funny thing is that at work, heavy construction in NYC, we never sharpen chains. Just change them and throw away the other one. Sometimes, when working with recycled timbers with old nails buried inside I can go through four chains in a day. I think it's nuts but this is the way they want to do it. I guess it's like changing a Skillsaw blade, we don't have them sharpened anymore either. Handsaws; I have some beauties out in the garage but now I buy throwaways and use them for about six months then get another one. But anyway, I thought that the Homelight was great, and when I was using it regularly, it was, but since I got the pellet stove two years ago and put the saw in the shed it has just deteriorated. I took it to the local Stihl dealer last year and he said "I'll do what I can. I can't even get parts for this anymore." Got it back and it was running well and starting right up. Used it about three months ago and it ran like crap after almost killing me to start it. I tried it last weekend and it just won't even pop.
My saw history is that before I got the Homelite I cleared my land in the forest and cut all the 70 to 90 ft trees into firewood with a little McCollech saw. I thought that one was fine at the time. I would file the chain every time I gassed it up. On the Homelite I still file the chain almost every time I use it.
So here I am ready for a new saw, I picked the 340 because I like the Husky's and I really don't want to pay big $$$ for something I'll only be using once or twice a year. By reputation, I've heard that the Stihl's are better, but on Saturday I asked the local dealer why they are better and his only reply was that they aren't sold at HD and Lowe's. That doesn't mean anything to me. I think I'll get a lot more for my money with the Husky.

 

[Jim Mesthene]

Don't let anyone talk you into a bigger used saw. After you retire, you want an 11 pound saw, not a 16 pound saw.
Do consider a 350, same package, more power.

 

[SawTroll]

Don't let anyone talk you into a bigger used saw. After you retire, you want an 11 pound saw, not a 16 pound saw.
Do consider a 350, same package, more power.

Yep, and no "easy-start", which is good - but decomp valve and adjustable oiler, which also is good......