Stihl vs Husqvarna chain saws

[JCM 9,130]

In 1994 I purchased a new Model # 51 husky chainsaw 3.1 cu in and that saw has not once ever let me down, in all those years other than gas & oil and air filter replacement I have not had to put any $ into it. Last fall I had the opportunity to pick up a very lightly used Stihl Model MS250 2.7 cu in  and put it through it's pace's both last fall and the two previous weekends and it is a pleasure to operate, it does have the easy start feature unlike the husky that needs to be put on the ground with your foot through the handle to start it because of no commpression release,just interested to hear your comments on both brands. Hope this doesn't start a Ford/ Chevy thing, I have owned both and are both capable Trucks.         Thanks  for your input. 

Edited April 15, 2019 by JCM

[ebinmaine 67,271]

My experience up here in the woods of Maine and listening to the loggers over the years will tell you that Stihl is the number one brand. Hands down. No argument. No discussion.

That said, I know a good plenty people wouldn't hesitate a single second to use a Husqvarna and I've seen many woodsmen and arborists with a truckload of Huskies and not one single solitary any other brand.

 

Personally, I have an Echo CS 490 and I'm quite happy with it. My sister just recently gave me a very generous gift of a nearly unused Stihl Ms180c. I've only used it just a tiny bit but I'm very impressed so far.

 

As far as a Stihl chainsaw versus a Husqvarna chainsaw I think it really is just a matter of personal preference or what your boss or your dad used to use or which one has failed you less times in the field.

 

[rmaynard 15,427]

Around these parts, Stihl is the king. I personally have owned and used the same Stihl chainsaw for over 30 years. In that time, it has only had minimal maintenance and it works like new. Since I've never used a Husqvarna, I can't speak for it, but my neighbor has had two of them since he moved here 12 years ago.

[JCM 9,130]

Thanks Eric for the comments.In 1988 I went up to Portage Lake Maine to Plumb a new home for a good  friend of mine and his father would meet 2 canadian  loggers and lay out an area to be selectively cut, they both had Huskys but that was many years ago, I think Stihl may have captured some of that market,I see a lot of them out there. That was the only reason that I chose that brand. Thanks.

[SylvanLakeWH 25,490]

Only had a Stihl...Always works...

 

[dells68 7,498]

I’ve been using the Husqvarna that my dad got about 12-15 years ago.  I’ve really used it heavily around the farm clearing trees, brush, and cutting trees to have sawn into lumber.  The only thing I’ve done is keep it gassed, full of oil, and put on a new bar and chain.  That thing is tough!  I wouldn’t hesitate for a minute to buy another.  Around here Stihl is much higher priced and I don’t feel any better quality - kind of like a John Deere - you’re paying for the name!

[Kenneth R Cluley 515]

Have a Stihl, very reliable. I had some experience with Husqvarna, something with intake hose makes them run rich and burn hole in piston, my buddy's saw had this happen and seems common from blogs i read. Tree service relative likes echo's. I think use/maintenance is very important to life and reliability of chainsaw.

[JAinVA 4,619]

I have owned Stihls only for over thirty years.Some I bought new from the local dealer but most I built from blown up saws because the local dealers starting acting like he was doing me a favor by working on the saws.I don't know anything about Husky saws but the people who sell locally don't service them.Some how I don't think I'd get good service from a shop that didn't make a dime on the sale.I know the local dealer I bought my Homelite Super XL from stopped selling the brand when Homelite starting selling the saws at Roses and requiring them to repair them under warranty claims.

[troutbum70 857]

I have a friend whose son has a logging business in his opinion for most home owners its a matter of personal preference probably based on price between huskie and stihl, for him hands down the stihl is the greater value much less down time per saw.Last year I retired a 50 year old homelite which was my dads, purchased the stihl 180 with easy start and no tools needed for chain adjust. Mine has 16 inch bar but would also take an 18 inch if desired, at the time I purchased it was $ 25.00 dollars more than an almost same size huskie.

[oldredrider 2,548]

Had a Stihl...hated it. Was glad someone stole it!  Spoke with a tree guy several years later and he said it was a crap model.

Been with Husky for over 25 years and have no complaints at all.

According to the tree people I have talked to, Husky is as good as Stihl but less expensive. 

[dells68 7,498]

My uncle has a Stihl and has had to take it in for repairs 3 or so times for repairs.  He laughed at my Husky, but it’s outperformed his Stihl.

[Mows4three 826]

I worked in the woods felling trees for a sawmill as a young man.   Our choice of professional saws was driven by the local saw shop and what brand they sold and serviced.  From the time I was 17, the shop sold Huskies until 2005 when their district sales manager took away their franchise.  They immediately were picked up by Stihl and never looked back.   If I remember correctly, most all of the hardwood sawmill operations around here switched from Husqvarna to Stihl at about that same time.  The clincher was the availability of parts for repairs and one of the best, if not THE best saw mechanic I've ever known that worked for this shop.  If he couldn't work on Huskies any longer, we all wanted to use the brand he could fix.

 

The Huskies I ran all worked superbly for me. They were super fast, had a good power to weight ratio and they all lasted until I felt I had gotten my money's worth from them, except for the occasional smashed saw from a run-in with a tree, a skidder or a truck.  

 

I no longer work in the woods and I'm too old to tote around a Huskie 2100 99cc saw like I used to.  My cutting is limited to firewood at camp but I have been equally satisfied with the Stihl saws I have now.  My latest has an onboard computer in it and a compression Release system.   No external adjustments to anything but the bar oil flow rate.   It has only had fifteen tanks of gas through it and it still seems to be breaking in.   It just keeps getting better.  It light, runs fast, and runs smooth, and it cuts like lightning.  

 

My suggestion is to find a good saw shop, ask the oldest most experienced guy which saw he likes working on and get his buy-in on a saw suited for what kind of work you are doing.  He will be the one you need to rely on for service, so follow his lead.....

 

Just my humble two cents worth.

 

Cheers!

 

Dave

Edited April 16, 2019 by Mows4three

[Mike'sHorseBarn 2,984]

What I gather from this is that both are great saws and I have used both with zero complaints. I will say that when i worked at building log homes we used Stihl's to cut the rough lumber and we had to use them without bar oil because the oil puts a stain on the log. I will say that in doing that, the bars and chains held up much longer than I would have thought since they had zero lubrication. That being said my dad always used husky and all my 2 cycle power tools are husky and I don't have any trouble with them. The dealer where I always go for oil, parts etc recently dropped their stihl dealership because they were having trouble with the company. They picked up a brand called EFCO....some European brand........comes with a 5 year warranty, but this guy here isn't going to give them a try lol

[oliver2-44 9,683]

Stil is also king around here, but.....

 

Like many manufacturers they have consumer, rancher, and professional models to match a price point consumers want.

 

I bought a Stihl Ms180, 16" bar (consumer model) about 8 years ago barely used it until about 2 years ago cut down a 20" Cedar Elm at my sons house.  The tree was over the house, so we ran the saw intermittently all day as we cut and lower limbs.  Late in the day it started running terrible.  After cleaning the car several times I took it to the dealer shop.  They did an air test and the crankcase had an air leak once it warmed up, so you never could get the carb adjusted. Half of the crankcase is poly carbonate plastic and it warped. You have to completely disassemble the saw to replace this plastic housing and the parts cost more than the saw is worth.  The saw didn't even have much paint wore off the bar!  There was a Stil Rep sale day coming, so I took it there and the rep said that can happen if the saw is overheated???   i tried to get him to offer some discount on a new "rancher" all metal crankcase model, but no dice.

 

The morel of this story is Stil (and other) consumer models are made for trimming limbs or cutting a small amount of BBQ wood at a time, not running all day,....Tthose were the reps words!

[The Tuul Crib 7,336]

Well Ive got a huskvarna rancher and it has been real good for me . Starts every time. My next door neighbor has a stihl and every time we cut trees in his woods it never runs long enough to cut a tree down! Spends more time starting it after it quits!

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

I'll be the odd man out... Dolmar made in Germany now Makita...no primer bulb and still starts on the 3rd tug no matter how long it has sat...cousins have Stihl and bemoan about starting issues but I personally haven't had a Stihl or Husky...so I can't say but I have own a Poulan Wild Thing for nearly 15 years and it keeps on running so it was definitely worth $149 lol.

[Pullstart 62,787]

Like someone mentioned, I run Husky because “that’s what was given to me.”  My first was a Christmas present from my mom and I’ve never had a reason to switch.  I‘ve heated with wood primarily for about 9-10 years and because I figured it would be nice to have a spare saw for hangups or pinches, I picked up another.  My first was a 450 with an 18” bar and second is a 346XP with a 20”.  The 346 runs much faster and is lighter even with the longer bar.  As stated in other posts, I’ve done nothing to either but gas and oil, and the occasional bar or chain.  

 

I have converted two two members of my wife’s side of the family from Stihl to Husqvarna and they have been impressed with their purchases for sure!

[LengerichKA88 1,883]

Guess I’m the only one that uses tannerite and .30-06 to clear trees....... 

[Tractorhead 9,064]

Got a small Husky, and being very satisfied.

 

Dealed it as a „giveaway“ when i bought and picked my Quadbike several Years ago.

first Action was filling up chain oil and fuel and help a friend to felling 24 smaller Spruce

with tribes between 20 - 30 cm arround his ground.

Next day we delimbing and cut in 2meter pieces - 2 Day’s Job with a lot of Fun.

 

Can‘t count the running hours til now, but that was some and my Husky is allway‘s ready for some Action.

 

As fuel i just uses Aspen „readymix“ no troubles, no smoke, no stink... 😂

and if it has a longer Standby time, 2 Months was the longest, it fires up at second tug.

 

First tug with Choke completely pulled, than choke at half and - here we go.

has now the 3. exchanged chain, because regrinding impossible.

Have allway‘s two chains aside, for quick change and grind later.

 

Christoph, my friend im helped with his Spruce- problem, bought at same time a Stihl, 

on the beginning both look to be same quality, just funny to see now few years ago, 

how he try to start....😂

 

I‘m proud of my Husky and never will change.

 

[ebinmaine 67,271]

2 hours ago, WVHillbilly520H said:

odd man out

 

Jeff I hate to take the title away from you but Ummmmm..

 

2 hours ago, LengerichKA88 said:

Guess I’m the only one that uses tannerite and .30-06 to clear trees....... 

 

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

2 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

 

Jeff I hate to take the title away from you but Ummmmm..

 

 

Only by chain saw brand not tree felling style .