Echo's new top handle: CS-355T

[borat]

The old line of "You get what you pay for." Can only carry additional cost so far. A lot of what is spent on a high end brand anything is paying for the name.

For instance, Sony TVs were the cat's a$$ for decades. With the arrival of other premium quality TVs such as Samsung for instance, costing hundreds less, Sony's premium price was for the name only. Especially today when there are numerous brands of TVs available that easily outclass equivalently priced Sonys. That rule can be applied to many products including chainsaws. You can rest assured that a good piece of Stihl's profit margin is paying for the brand.

Accordingly, Echo, which sells for less, isn't necessarily an inferior product. Chances are, that many of their smaller models are right on par with anything out there and even better than some. Echo hasn't developed the brand following mass of the other major chainsaw manufacturers. Hence, they cannot grind much out of consumers just for brand recognition.

 

[blsnelling]

The old line of "You get what you pay for." Can only carry additional cost so far. A lot of what is spent on a high end brand anything is paying for the name.

For instance, Sony TVs were the cat's a$$ for decades. With the arrival of other premium quality TVs such as Samsung for instance, costing hundreds less, Sony's premium price was for the name only. Especially today when there are numerous brands of TVs available that easily outclass equivalently priced Sonys. That rule can be applied to many products including chainsaws. You can rest assured that a good piece of Stihl's profit margin is paying for the brand.

Accordingly, Echo, which sells for less, isn't necessarily an inferior product. Chances are, that many of their smaller models are right on par with anything out there and even better than some. Echo hasn't developed the brand following mass of the other major chainsaw manufacturers. Hence, they cannot grind much out of consumers just for brand recognition.

Yes, part of it is name, but Echo saws are not made with the same quality as Stihl, Husky, and Dolmar pro saws. If they were, their prices would reflect it. Now don't read more into this than I said. No doubt, they make some good saws.

What Echo models are you referring to that are equal or better than anything out there?

 

[mountainlake]

How much quality does a MS170 have? Steve

 

[borat]

Yes, part of it is name, but Echo saws are not made with the same quality as Stihl, Husky, and Dolmar pro saws. If they were, their prices would reflect it. Now don't read more into this than I said. No doubt, they make some good saws.

What Echo models are you referring to that are equal or better than anything out there?

If Echo saws aren't as well built as other top brand saws, how do so many of them last so long? In addition to that, how much of a difference in cost is there in material alone on purportedly superior saws? Is there enough to substantiate the difference of a couple hundred dollars between equivalent models?

I'm not going to go into model for model, brand for brand comparisons. I read post by numerous participants who have nothing but praise for Echo saws, primarily the smaller saws. I've used small Stihl saws and think they're fine saws. However, not so much that I'd pay a steep premium over an equivalent Echo. I know I'm extremely pleased with my CS346.

In reality, you don't always get what you pay for.

 

[blsnelling]

How much quality does a MS170 have? Steve

Not much!

 

[Hddnis]

I seem to remember someone once doing a thread on a quality little Ryobi that could be had for cheap...



Mr. HE

 

[blsnelling]

That would be the Ryobi version of the Redmax G400. They have a very plasticy cheap exterior, but an engine that's far better than most of the competition.

 

[brokenbudget]

Here ya go, another name-calling wimperer called hdbill surfaces on an echo thread. boo hoo did precious think he was at a party? Awwww... but it all got spoiled for him.. sob sob sob. go wipe your tears and change your panties ya sniveler

talk about the pot calling the kettle black:msp_sleep:

 

[bootboy]

Used a 335t today. My honest opinion: it's 2wice the saw that the 360 is. It revs lightning fast, Balances well, is very comfortable and feels well built. It cuts very quickly and has a much broader power band than the 360. It sounds fantastic, not whiny like my 360. I like my 360 well enough and it has been a stellar little saw but the 355 offers a whole different experience. I'm likely going to buy one in the near future as I have excellent dealer support 10 minutes from my house.

Ps. My local stihl dealer actually has a 200t sitting on their shelf. $629. Id love to own one for sure, but for that price, I'm not particularly interested. May be the last one out there. Let me know if anyone wants to buy it. Maybe we can work something out to get it to you.

 

[borat]

$629.00????

Don't think so. That's about two hern more than it should be. That's got to be $200.00 of pure brand name mark up.

 

[tmessenger]

Their "soul" purpose in life is to be redundant ?

Sure seemed like a good imformative thread about a interesting saw, was good reading except for 1 anus kept stinking up the party. Why do haters keep going on and on when others dont care what they hate ??????

 

[blsnelling]

I bought several 200Ts from my dealer for $529.00.

 

[bootboy]

$629.00????

Don't think so. That's about two hern more than it should be. That's got to be $200.00 of pure brand name mark up.

Dead serious, saw it last week. The price tag maybe the reason it hasn't sold yet. After a huge windstorm exactly a year ago, the shop sold over 60 saws in 3 days. I went down to get a few loops of chain during the cleanup and the shelves were completely empty with 2 exceptions, The only 2 that did not sell we're a 660 and a 200t. They sold multiples of everything else. They sold more in 2 days than they had all year. That 200t sits there to this day.

 

[millbilly]

Dead serious, saw it last week. The price tag maybe the reason it hasn't sold yet. After a huge windstorm exactly a year ago, the shop sold over 60 saws in 3 days. I went down to get a few loops of chain during the cleanup and the shelves were completely empty with 2 exceptions, The only 2 that did not sell we're a 660 and a 200t. They sold multiples of everything else. They sold more in 2 days than they had all year. That 200t sits there to this day.

If you can still get it I will give you $750 plus shipping. How many can you get. PM me

 

[MCW]

Interesting little saw. A lot of the local fruit tree pruning contractors have gone to Echos from Stihls and have been relatively happy. However these guys have borderline retarded IQ's and the boss did say that when some idiot puts straight fuel through a Stihl OR Echo it still dies. Hence he went the cheaper Echos.
The 200T had a lot of things going for it but the main one was throttle response. I compared both 200T's and 201T's I owned and sold the 201T. It balanced the same, probably had better fuel economy than the 200T, had similar speed in the cut, probably better torque than the 200T in the bigger stuff, but had a slow throttle response.
Throttle response is a key factor with a top handle when making fast cuts on small branches - speed in the cut doesn't mean anything if it takes three times longer to get up to speed PRIOR to dropping it in the cut. The videos here so far make me think that the 355 is a similar slug off the throttle to a stock 201T.
Throttle response is the key reason why arborists are disliking the 201T's compared to the 200T's although I'm aware that a few mods like Brad has done changes the saw completely.
Anybody ran both a 355 and 200T side by side? I know claims were made earlier that the 355 has more HP etc than a 200T but I doubt it.
I'm not an Echo hater but if anybody can say from experience that these things will match a 200T I'll order one but if they can only match a 201T they can stay there.

I think the 200T will be the king for a while yet and for a pro user doing paid work USD$629 for a new 200T is a bargain. In Australia the cheapest 200T pricing I ever heard was equivalent to USD$1380 and they were selling like hotcakes to arborists at that price. The sky is the limit for the best tool of the trade you can buy.

P.S. If anybody knows of any US dealers with 200T's in stock please PM me with a price. I'll make it worth your while

 

[Green Monster]

CS-355T vs. Stihl MS200T and MS201T

The CS-355T is one awesome saw for $449! It is comparable to the 200T and the 201T in power and I feel it is better balanced. The ECHO 355 puts out 2.1 hp and revs at 14,000 rpm. Get your hands on one and give it a try. See for yourself. Anyone who says the Stihls are built better just does not have experience with many ECHO chain saws. That is ECHO's claim to fame. They are tough and they are built to last. The parts are easy to obtain and ECHO's are very easy easy to service. For $170 cheaper than a comparable Stihl unit, the CS-355T is a bargain!

 

[MCW]

The CS-355T is one awesome saw for $449! It is comparable to the 200T and the 201T in power and I feel it is better balanced. The ECHO 355 puts out 2.1 hp and revs at 14,000 rpm. Get your hands on one and give it a try. See for yourself. Anyone who says the Stihls are built better just does not have experience with many ECHO chain saws. That is ECHO's claim to fame. They are tough and they are built to last. The parts are easy to obtain and ECHO's are very easy easy to service. For $170 cheaper than a comparable Stihl unit, the CS-355T is a bargain!

Just curious but you are saying the CS-355T is comparable to both the 200T and 201T in power. Which one is it comparable to as the 201T and 200T are completely different saws once you remove the 200T's spark arrestor with one screw. If it is comparable to a 200T then it will thump a 201T but vice versa it's a different story.
The 355T is certainly good value compared to the equivalent Stihls but if you use the saw to make money even being 5% down on power or speed is false economy. At $100-150 an hour it doesn't take long for the price differential to mean nothing.
In my area the biggest user of professional top handled saws is fruit tree pruning contractors and almond orchard employees. We do not have one single qualified arborist within 110 miles.
I gather you have used both but what are your thoughts on throttle response? I'd like to see both a 355T and 200T side by side. I have no doubt the 355T can match a 201T for throttle response as stock they are a slug but highly doubt they can get close to a 200T with the arrestor screen out. Even ported saws struggle.
Now don't get me wrong I like Echos and in my area have proven to be reliable. I already own 2 x 200T's (one brand new in the cupboard) and have owned a 201T but I have this gut feeling that all biases aside most arborists would run one for a week and go back to their 200T's, just as they have after trialling 201T's.
On another note I am not questioning the Echo's reliability or toughness, I am questioning it's performance against a 200T as that is a big claim to make.

 

[Eccentric]

Pics?

.......and video with "that horrible squeaky echo sound" of which you speak.

No I'm not part of the "Echo Brigade". I don't own a single Echo. However, I'm as tired of seeing the repeated, insulting, and vague "Echo bashing" rhetoric in your posts as you seem to be of reading any positive comments about Echos (or seemingly any other saws that aren't your personal choice). Why post in threads concerning saws that you despise? What's your contribution to these discussions???opcorn:

 

[Cliff R]

I bought an Echo CS-360T top handle just to find out what he was talking about. Been running the dog living piss out of it now for quite a few years. One job alone we used it to limb over 70 pine trees on an Estate in Deleware Ohio. It has good power for the cc's, dead solid reliable, and still hasn't developed the "death rattle" we were told was common for this model.

I guess that we know how to mix fuel and adjust carburetors here. Pretty likely the Echo "basher" and his beer drinking buddies had one of those pathetically underpowered Echo reed valve top handle saws once, straight gassed it, and continue to bash them decades later.

I also went thru quite a few other Echo saws here, CS-440, CS-510, CS-670, CS-6700 and CS-800. I still have the CS-6700 for my "loaner" saw, and kept the CS-510. The CS-510 is pound for pound by far and above the best of the bunch. The others were/are OK, but not nearly the power to weight ratio and chain speed of the CS-510.

Just some info from a guy with a shop that works on saws and other power equipment, and cuts at least 50 cords of wood a year, but what do I know?.......Cliff

 

[stihl sawing]

Lets try and get along eh, It don't matter what you buy. People are different, That's why we have a choice. I don't want to close the thread, A lot of information here. I have deleted some post and don't want to see any more innapropriate comments.