Replaced my smashed Stihl top handle, wasn't about to pay another 700 bucks for one... Nice and very light saw (7 pounds loaded) Plenty of suds with one glaring exception, it comes with a cat in the muffler which I had to replace with a non cat muffler (Echo offers non cat mufflers as an accessory) Like the adjustable bar oiler as well as the roller nose (greaseable) bar and ships with an Oregon low pro chain. Quite a bargain at 335 bucks versus the 700 Stihl. Power wise it's about the same as the Stihl but a lot lighter and the I30 starting system makes starting a breeze. Finally, the Echo has a 5 year consumer warranty on it (1 year professional use), all in all, a good buy.
Echo only makes 2 top handle arborists saws and I bought the less expensive one. Only difference I can find is the more expensive one has a metal lanyard ring while mine is molded into the back of the lower air cleaner body. It's a nice and pretty powerful saw, actually has more balls than the Stihl I ran over a while back and broke the crankcase on. Sadly, that went to the landfill. Getting ready to buy another, larger rear handled one and sell my modded MS that has very low hours on it. I'll sell it with 2 loops of 325 chipper plus an extra roller nose bar and of course the loops will be very sharp. Did the muffler mod on the MS and re jetted it as well. Much more economical than a Stihl or even a Husky for that matter.
I'm pretty sure Echo make 4 gas top handle saws and one battery version. The CS-2511, CS-271, CS-303 and CS-355 are the gas units.
Far as I can ascertain, they only offer 2 top handle Arborists saws. The one I purchased and the other more expensive model. I have switched all my saws over to synthetic fuel with excellent results. I'm using the pre mixed Red Armor fuel now. I don't do battery powered saws at all and never will. Only battery powered stuff I have are a flashlight and a couple HF 20 volt tools.
Well maybe you should ascertain just a little bit more cause Eggshooterist listed all 4-5 in the post above yours. What's so hard about posting the model number of your saw? You keep jumping around the question like you can't remember and don't want to admit it.
corncob It would be out of courtesy that posting the model of said saw be recommended in reviews! I too see 4 models on Echo's web site.