Which new chainsaw to buy?

Hello folks, I'm sure this question has been asked here 1000 times but I'll ask again. What is the most reliable, powerful saw to buy? Right now I own a Craftsman 50cc chainsaw with a 20in bar. Bought it at Sears a few years ago and its a great saw but I don't feel like I have enough power when I'm quartering large rounds. I'm looking at either going with Stihl or Husqvarna with a 24in bar. So I guess my real question is Stihl or Husky? Price wise Husky looks better but I've always heard Stihl is the way to go with saws. And which one of those to choose from. The Husqvarna 60cc 460 rancher looks good. Anyone use one of those? Thanks for your thoughts and advice.

 

Hey Juniper Hill , your right about being asked 1000 times. But sometimes it’s not easy to find those threads. For me anyway.

Something to consider is a used saw too. If patient and keeping your head up you could find the saw you’ve settled on way cheaper or an upgrade to pro or larger for the money you’ve decided to spend.

I think 60cc is a good number.
Keep your chains sharp. That will add or deduct 10cc of performance.

 

The 460 Rancher is a nice saw , keep in mind if you do go with Husqvarna if you buy 3 cans of the husky engineered fuel on the same receipt as the saw Husqvarna ups the warranty on the saw to 4 years.

 

I run 20" bars on 60cc saws and 24"bars on 70cc saws. As far as brand I would find a good dealer close to you and go with the brand he sells.

 

Juniper Hill I guess my first question is which dealer in your area, Stihl or Husky do you feel comfortable with that will give you the best service if you need it? Either brand should give you a good saw. Buying a pro model will give you a better quality saw in the long run. I like my stihl 462 as it has plenty of power for most anything I cut . good luck.

 

Dealer....it's a Ford or Chevy thing.
Both are quality saws, but get a pro model for power/weight and durability.

 

I agree with dumf, both are solid saws. Do you have some friends that can let you run one of each to see what you prefer? I imagine both are an upgrade to the craftsman ( no disrespect) so either one will make you happy. Good luck.

 

Stihl MS 362. Pricey for a homeowner but will handle anything you want to cut and will last you forever.

 

Good question. I don't think I know one person that owns a chainsaw. Definitely not anyone that uses it more than once a year.

 

I know there are Stihl dealers near me. Not sure about Husky. Just waiting for this lockdown to end so I can go check them out.

 

Also the Stihl 170 is on sale for $159.95. It's a light and dependable homeowner saw in the 30cc range.

 

Enabler!!

 

I’m a Husky guy so biased my answer will be..
If properly cared for, they all can be reliable.
Like mentioned, if you can afford a fully metal case saw, not plastic, you will end up much happier in the long run. Will the plastics get it done, yes but when you get into larger and larger wood, the extra heat generated by really long wide open throttle time is where the metal will outlast the plastic. You will pay a bit more initially but in the long run you won’t be seeking out a different saw. I know because I did that very thing. Bought a Husqvarna 450 and after a few weeks with it, I realized it wasn’t what I wanted.
Get yourself to a couple different dealers and handle some saws before you buy. Don't rule out Echo and Dolmar. There are a lot more than the big 2 out there, and a lot of guys here can attest to their reliability.

 

Before you spend a chunk of money. How much cutting do you do? More than 3 to 4 cord a year? Are you hand filing your chain between tanks of fuel? Your 50cc craftsman is likely the PP5020 Poulan. Husky stamped Poulan. My go to saw generally. And yes I have expensive Stihl pro saws. Rarely get used. Food for thought.

 

I do about 15-20 cords per year, no splitter so all hand chopped and noodled. I do sharpen my own chains when needed. Got some monster birch rounds cut at about 19 inches with some huge knots. The saw was really struggling to noodle through even with a brand new chain. Its been a great starter saw but I need more.

 

A 362 would fit your needs for sure and maybe even s 462. But so would a pro grade Husqvarna, Dolmar or any other top name.

Best thing is do your homework and pick what works for your cutting and budget needs. Spending more for a pro grade saw will save you money and time in the long run.

 

I just got a 562XP rips up shop

 

Yep. I was looking at that 462. Still have a lot of research to do, haven't checked out Dolmar yet.

 

Don’t rule out echo with a 5 year residential warranty

a good Dealer will let you make a few test cuts but you got to see which one feels right to you

 

I think if you really need a 24" bar, you should be looking at a 70cc saw.