best chainsaw overall

[suedeface]

New member here,and I want to ask you a question.Who do you think makes the best chainsaw.I hear everyone brag about stihl,but having to spend money on one myself I finally decided on a Husqvarna model 55 rancher w/the 20" pro bar and chain.This saw is Huge and very fast and powerful.it's also a bit cheaper than stihl. I definately put a vote in for husky.Though the guy who farms the field next to me is a stihl man , he thinks my husky is a great saw.I guess I wouldn't mind having a stihl either.My father in-law is an old school homelite man and would say homelite is the best,even though I let him use my saw to cut down a big deadfall pine tree and he was quite pleased with it.I guess every chainsaw has to be top quality for safety reasons ,but what is your guy's personal favorite. :confused:

[greencobra]

Poulin and don't know if that's spelled right. Have good luck with mine, I'm just a regular homeowner so I don't need lumberjack grade.

And suedeface (the names are getting really creative lately) welcome to the forum.

[WORKER#9]

My Dad And Brother Use Both Husky And Stihl, I Dont Think You Can Go Wrong With Either!!. #9

[greencobra]

I get it now...suedeface, chainsaw, LOL...jokes on us #9 :D :cool:

[4 s ter]

suedeface

Welcome to the Spyderco Forum.

As a (now retired) Forester, I spent a lot of time around people who used their chainsaws to make a living, not just for occasional use. There are variations locally which can be affected by local dealers - forest workers would buy a brand for which they could get dependable local service. However, Stihl and Husqvarna were by far the most popular.

Purchase price wasn't the determining factor to most. A days, or even an hours, lost production soon wiped out any saving made by purchasing a cheaper saw. Dependability was the main concern - and they bought Stihl or Husqvarna.

My impressions are a few years out-of-date, but unless major changes have been made either would be a good bet.

David

p.s. no offence to your father but I've used Homelites - and hated them :mad:

[Stevie Ray]

It's interesting that this conversation seems to come up all over the place. Once of my buddies has a Stihl ad I've got a Husky. They both are strong performers. I've had Craftsman, Poulon and a Macullough (sp) and none of them even come close.

I was actually set on buying a Stihl, but I got a super price break on the Husky. After using both, I've consider them neck and neck, but there are guys out there that swear by one or the other.

[spyderknut]

As a homeowner, not a forester, I find that I can get by with a 16" electric saw. I usually buy Craftsman. Cheap ($50-90) and very little to maintain (just blade sharpness and oil). It does not rip through 20+" oak stumps like I'd like it to but I cleaned up a lot after the hurricanes last year (once I bought a generator).

[JD Spydo]

I was in the tree trimming & tree removal business for 12 years. The only saw we used extensively was the entire STIHL line. Now I am in no way saying that STIHL is the only brand and all others are junk. NO as a matter of fact I got to use a saw once that I personally thought was an equal to or maybe even slightly better built than Stihl. The Swedish Saw Maker known as "JONSERED" was quite a superb quality unit. The reason I never added any JONSERED saws to our fleet was because we here in the Kansas City Missouri area had only one dealer and he was 50 miles from where I live. Parts availability is a must when you are using them to make a living with. Overall I couldn't find much fault with the STIHLs that we used. But JONSERED was a very fine quality unit also. They would be my other choice.
Albeit you can't really go wrong at all with Stihl. But in the STihl line you have the units made here in Virginia Beach, Virginia which are geared to the homeowner and the commercial grade units are mostly German made. The German made models are the "Creme de la Creme" in the Stihl line.

POULAN is the correct spelling of Poulan. Now I see some of you Spyder-brothers use Sears Craftsman which is made by Poulan. Poulan has a "Gold Series" in their line which is pretty decent quality and Sears does stand by their products. I hope that helps you all. JD :spyder: O

[fret]

I bought a Homelite 16" 20+ years ago. I ran the devil out of it. Dropped several trees on it. Ruined the bar and had to get a new bar. Put gasoline in the oil lube mistakenly, put oil in the gas mistakenly. Got it tuned up twice over the years. It still runs great. My friend has a McCullauh (SP?). He ran it for about 18 years then bought a new Stihl. First thing he did with the new Stihl was to cut his knee cap in two. I don't know which saw is the best but I sure like my old antique Homelite. Jeez...it even helped me drop a tree on our roof and another time on the power lines. What more could a fellow ask for? :D

[zackerty]

In NZ, ....Stihl, Dolmar, and Huskies run neck and neck in popularity...
I have a Stihl, and my next saw will be a Stihl :)
Mcculloch and Poulan are regarded as a joke here...

[Michael Cook]

:spyder: I'd go with a Manix :p :spyder: