I may be in the market for a new small saw if I can't get the carb on my sthil 017 rebuilt. I was at a dealers the other day that handles both sthil and echo saws and he said the small echo has a 5year warranty, was a better saw and for me was a better deal. what do you say?
I know there are bigger and better built saws but I am 64 years old and need something light for light duty work and I don't think I will wear any of them out but you never know!
The Echo CS306 is a 30cc with 14" narrow kerf (3/8 x .043) bar and chain combination. If I recall correctly, the small Stihls also use this same narrow kerf chain.
Having run both Echo CS306 and what appears to be its twin, the CS346, I can tell you the CS346 is noticeably more powerful despite only having 10% more displacement and near identical weight. The CS346 will be a few ounces heavier due to having a 16" 3/8 x .050 bar and chain combination. The powerheads are advertised as identical weight.
I've been abusing
both a CS-346 and its predecessor, CS-3450 cutting whatever gets in my way including oak, poplar, and that :censored: black locust. I'm still amazed at how well these two saws cut hardwood be it green or dry. When the wood is above 10-12", I do go with a bigger saw. The small saws will cut it, but it takes longer.
I find the 3/8 x .050 chain combinations more readily available, and these are the same as used on the newer Echo CS-370 and CS-400 which are roughly 36cc and 40cc, respectively. These newer saws are vertical cylinder vs horizontal if that matters to you, but are 10.1# powerheads vs the 7.5# of 306/346.
When I went to the Stihl dealer looking for a small to moderate sized saw, he kept me away from the 170-250 range despite having quite a number of them on the shelf. The 260 is a pro saw and priced accordingly. I bought a 290.
You might consider the 40cc Makita/Dolmar saws if you're not locked into buying from your current dealer.
Likewise, there is Ebay. A few days ago there was a new-in-box CS-346 for $159 plus shipping, Buy It Now. I seem to recall the 40cc Makitas(Dolmar) on Ebay for $209 or so, new.