Steve pretty much covered it, but I'll chime in on this one anyway. A few years back, when I was not cutting very often, I purchased a 290 that I ran with a 20" bar and round-ground chisel chain. It worked great and continues to work great. I have cut a LOT of wood with it over the last three or four years - trees, twigs, firewood, stuff that was underwater, you name it. The saw starts on the third pull (two choked, one not) every single time, regardless of the weather.
That said, I sold the saw to my father-in-law a few weeks ago as part of my saw-purge because I found I just wasn't using it. I had picked up an 026Pro, which produces more or less the same power on a smaller, lighter (10.5lb) package, which made it a better saw for limbing and smaller work. And since my 7900 Dolmar weighed about the same as the 290 AND runs a 20" or 28" bar with equal ease, which one do you suppose I picked up more often for bigger tasks? Exactly.
Now for a guy looking for a single saw on a budget, the 290 is not a bad way to go. It is durable, inexpensive, and reliable. Its only real drawback to the 290 is that it is heavier than it needs to be, but for most people who cut at home, around their property, or on the farm, this is a non-issue because they're not humping the saw around all day by hand or on their shoulder.
The only place where I disagree with Steve is about buying up on displacement with the 290/310/390 chassis. Though that is usually a good idea to get as much displacement for the weight you're carrying around, I think that the main redeeming point of this product line is price and the 290 is the best price/power point of the lot. Once you start spending the money for the 310 and the 390, there are MUCH better options out there that are pretty close in price to those saws (310 - Husqvarna 359, Dolmar 5100s; 390 - Husqvarna 365, Makita/Dolmar 64xx/73xx; Stihl 361, etc.).
So to answer Sniper's question, I would look at the Stihl MS290 ($330 most of the time) as well as the Husqvarna 350 ($300 or so) and 353 ($350 or so). Of the three my preference would strongly be towards the 353, even though it is a bit more expensive than the other two, as it gets you a pro-grade magnesium case and nearly as much rated power as the 290 for about three pounds less. Ten years from now you won't remember that you paid a few bucks more but you will be very much aware that the saw still weighs 10.5lbs.
That said, I sold the saw to my father-in-law a few weeks ago as part of my saw-purge because I found I just wasn't using it. I had picked up an 026Pro, which produces more or less the same power on a smaller, lighter (10.5lb) package, which made it a better saw for limbing and smaller work. And since my 7900 Dolmar weighed about the same as the 290 AND runs a 20" or 28" bar with equal ease, which one do you suppose I picked up more often for bigger tasks? Exactly.
Now for a guy looking for a single saw on a budget, the 290 is not a bad way to go. It is durable, inexpensive, and reliable. Its only real drawback to the 290 is that it is heavier than it needs to be, but for most people who cut at home, around their property, or on the farm, this is a non-issue because they're not humping the saw around all day by hand or on their shoulder.
The only place where I disagree with Steve is about buying up on displacement with the 290/310/390 chassis. Though that is usually a good idea to get as much displacement for the weight you're carrying around, I think that the main redeeming point of this product line is price and the 290 is the best price/power point of the lot. Once you start spending the money for the 310 and the 390, there are MUCH better options out there that are pretty close in price to those saws (310 - Husqvarna 359, Dolmar 5100s; 390 - Husqvarna 365, Makita/Dolmar 64xx/73xx; Stihl 361, etc.).
So to answer Sniper's question, I would look at the Stihl MS290 ($330 most of the time) as well as the Husqvarna 350 ($300 or so) and 353 ($350 or so). Of the three my preference would strongly be towards the 353, even though it is a bit more expensive than the other two, as it gets you a pro-grade magnesium case and nearly as much rated power as the 290 for about three pounds less. Ten years from now you won't remember that you paid a few bucks more but you will be very much aware that the saw still weighs 10.5lbs.
:bang: :bang:
