Hi everyone, noticed Stihl have brought out a small ms 162 chainsaw for just £150. It's £100 less than the old ms171 for what looks the same specs! I'm sure they've made cost savings somewhere but that seems very cheap to me! I know bigger Chinese chainsaws are available for the same money but I've always stuck with a "proper" brand rather than these and quickly got a pro saw so no recent experience. I'm now wondering if any of the more recognised brands do a cheap chainsaw that's actually decent, I'm thinking 30-35cc 12" bar for small stuff to save swinging the 400?
Best small cheap chainsaw?
- Thread starter Hirdatron
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I like the small echo saws better than the small husqvarna or stihl saws.
The echo's are tough as nails and cheaper.
The 25cc chinese top handle runs about the same as all the 30cc homeowner saws and is dirt cheap. Mine cuts about the same as my brothers 235 husky, that saw has sucked from day one and it wasnt that cheap.
The echo's are tough as nails and cheaper.
The 25cc chinese top handle runs about the same as all the 30cc homeowner saws and is dirt cheap. Mine cuts about the same as my brothers 235 husky, that saw has sucked from day one and it wasnt that cheap.
Definitely go with an echo for your price point.
I'm a pretty big fan of the smaller Echo's in lieu of the "homeowner level" Stihl and Husqvarna offerings. I do like the MS-170's and have worked on a good many of them here before I retired and closed sown that part of the business, but lacking "L" and "H" screws on the carb is a showstopper for me.
Echo's CS-370/400's are a ROCK SOLID little saw. Not overly impressive for chain speed and cutting power, but they have enough "grunt" to make excellent limbing saws, and will last about a zillion hours w/o issues if you are smart enough to dig the CAT out of them and remove the tabs on the limiters to give them the fuel and air flow they need.......
Echo's CS-370/400's are a ROCK SOLID little saw. Not overly impressive for chain speed and cutting power, but they have enough "grunt" to make excellent limbing saws, and will last about a zillion hours w/o issues if you are smart enough to dig the CAT out of them and remove the tabs on the limiters to give them the fuel and air flow they need.......
Small 2511 25cc and normal size 355 35cc
Since the question is best, first we should establish which is better inboard or outboard clutch and how much putting the chain adjuster in the clutch cover detracts.
Maybe a battery one? They do have a case reed 30cc one kind of expensive probably not the best but there must be some reason they keep it in the line up.
Echo 3510, amazing little ripper after muffler mod and retune. Had one for years rock solid reliability, too. Smokes anything in the Stihl range.
"Not to hijack, but since we're talking about Echo saws, anybody got info on which model is their best top-handle tree saw?
Looks like there are half a dozen or more different TH models.
The CS-355T is excellent. I upgraded from an early model CS-360T and it's just better everyplace. I would NOT recommend a CS-330T or CS-360T. Not really a bad saw or anything of the sort, they just don't have the power and professional features of the CS-355T's."
This includes clutch driven oiler, two full size bar nuts, inboard clutch, unlimited coil, more power everywhere and no CAT in the muffler to deal with.
I have no experience with the CS-2511T, but imagine it's a smaller version of the CS-355T with all the same features.....
Looks like there are half a dozen or more different TH models.
The CS-355T is excellent. I upgraded from an early model CS-360T and it's just better everyplace. I would NOT recommend a CS-330T or CS-360T. Not really a bad saw or anything of the sort, they just don't have the power and professional features of the CS-355T's."
This includes clutch driven oiler, two full size bar nuts, inboard clutch, unlimited coil, more power everywhere and no CAT in the muffler to deal with.
I have no experience with the CS-2511T, but imagine it's a smaller version of the CS-355T with all the same features.....
Depends on how much you want to do with it. I got a long just fine with an 009 and 034 when I cut my own firewood. If you are getting more serious than that, move away from the smallest, cheapest saw out there.
Yes, I service and sell Stihl.
Otherwise, if you have a good dealer near you, I would be checking out their brand inventory.
Yes, I service and sell Stihl.
Otherwise, if you have a good dealer near you, I would be checking out their brand inventory.
Hard to beat a CS top handle for the price or the features though they do require some simple mods to make them run better. I have 2 of them myself. Both have the available non cat mufflers and I removed the plastic do nothing baffle over the carb intake as well and both of mine are factory set rich anyway so I didn't pull the limiter caps, didn't have to. Great little top handle saws in my humble opinion.
In that power range you could get the job done with a battery powered saw. But it would cost more than gas. I once had an Echo gas saw in that range. It was hard to start and had pathetically little power. It could not handle burying a 12" bar. That was a long time ago. I hear the newer Echos are better.
They are. I got into an Echo top handle after I inadvertently ran over my Stihl top handle arborist saw and I wasn't about to drop another 700 clams for a new one. The CS was my first Echo and now I have 3. 2 CS top handles and a 590 as well. No, I don't do serious mods to any of them either. Just mod them to breathe a little better.
I do have a nice thing going with Echo as my Kubota tractor dealer is also an Echo dealer and I work for him part time so I buy them at dealer cost.
Gonna purchase an Echo straight shaft brush trimmer this spring as well. My getting to be ancient Stihl FS66 is in need of replacement, getting pretty worn out. Last fall I had to replace the offset angle gearbox as the bearings were finally shot. Been a good brush trimmer for years now but time to replace it. Whatever I get, I'll keep the Stihl Tri-Cut head and adapt it to the new replacement trimmer as I have a bunch of nylon blades for it and I'm not going to toss them. Interesting in that the FS66 was made in Japan of all places.
JoshNY
ArboristSite Operative
My uncle used to own a tree service in Florida. Did a lot of palm tree trimming, he always had some smaller Echo saws (can't remember the model) but they got run hard 5 days a week and held up remarkably well.
For a real budget economy saw, I've actually heard the Joncutter saws from Farmertec actually arent bad for the ultra low price.
For a real budget economy saw, I've actually heard the Joncutter saws from Farmertec actually arent bad for the ultra low price.
James G
ArboristSite Lurker
Absolutely. My CS400 is a pleasure to use,
I'm not fond of any China saws so those aren't even in my equation and neither are battery powered chain saws. I have cordless (battery powered hand tools) but no chainsaw and will never be with me.
Sloughfoot
ArboristSite Lurker
MS 180 has been my 044 compliment and "truck saw" for ~20 years. Been used for work WAAAAY above it's pay grade A LOT.
Starts, cuts and restarts like new. New carb at 15 years is the only repair, and that's probably due to me leaving it sitting for months with corn squeezings in the tank.
Starts, cuts and restarts like new. New carb at 15 years is the only repair, and that's probably due to me leaving it sitting for months with corn squeezings in the tank.
One thing about Echo that I like and that is they are inherently Japanese quality even if made here because the parent corporation is Japanese.
Very happy with mine, especially the little CS. Light as a feather, starts second pull and even has a lanyard clip on the back that I never use anyway. Don't get up in any tree, way too old.
Very happy with mine, especially the little CS. Light as a feather, starts second pull and even has a lanyard clip on the back that I never use anyway. Don't get up in any tree, way too old.
