Saw sizes and progression for hardwoods

[JD Guy]

If you have a bad back I get it.
In that case a 261 will suffice. Won't set any speed records but it will get the job done.

Oh, I do have other saws. The 400 being one of them. It’s great for bucking, I can get it done more efficiently and save the back.

 

[Mad Professor]

A good 50cc pro saw will do 90% of what you need, but will be under gunned on big stuff. Add a 70-80cc bigger saw.

On small end a good top handle, and a 90cc for big stuff.

 

[EchoShindaiwaMakitaDolmar]

You've had great luck with Echo already, and their pro saws (X series) are very good saws. I have a 355T (35cc top handle) and a 620p (60cc). The Echo 7310 (73cc) is also a very good saw and many say it has the best air filtration system of any chainsaw. The 620p with a 20 or 24 inch bar, and the 7310p with a 24-30 inch bar, would cover lots of scenarios.

I also have three Makita/Dolmar saws and they're great, but Makita quit the gas powered tool biz a couple years back so it's getting hard to find most of their chainsaw related stuff, but Schneider's Chainsaw.com in Washington state has a few Makita 7300 models in stock.

 

[Hermio]

My 2-saw plan is a Stihl MS500i for almost everything, with spare bars and chains in case it gets stuck. Though I don't really need another powerhead, a Kobalt 80 volt battery saw with an 18" bar serves as a backup on occasion.