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Best Gas Chainsaw Under $300 ?

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427HISS

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Aug 15, 2005
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746
I bought the Makita dual battery chainsaw and works great, the charger is also great, for under 4". For just a home use saw it's a good choice.
But we have a lot of trees and I need to up the power for bigger limbs. I'm not a
I won't pay over $300 for my use anyway.

I know a few best known brands are-

Stihl
Husqvarna
Poulan (a friend has one and likes it)
Craftsman

What's your recommendation for the saw, length of the bar and why ?
 
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Trapps

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If the $300 is a hard limit, consider these: Husqvarna 135 MkII or Stihl MS180 C-BE. Both run a 16" bar which is plenty for most homeowner use. Both saws readily available with parts damn near everywhere. The Husky is slightly larger on displacement 31cc vs 37cc, but HP gap is only 2.0 vs 2.1 with the Husky taking a slight lead.

For me the decider would be Stihls 8.6 Lbs. vs the husky 10.3 Lbs. of the Husky.

*Disclaimer - I am a Stihl fan
 
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R

racecougar

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If you need a saw that will tackle most trees at the expense of additional weight, I'll advocate for the largest displacement you can find for your budget. This will provide enough torque to run a larger bar; you can always bar down if you're using it for limbing or smaller trees.

My recommendation in your budget would be the 50cc Craftsman: https://www.searspartsdirect.com/pr...oro1v4hJbraZw2xiO9mo-ZTMRCleL5YkaAqQKEALw_wcB

It's a beast for the price, though prices sure have jumped up over the past few years. I bought that model new in '18 for $200 shipped. I run that saw for larger trees. I have a Poulan 40cc (4018) that barred down to a 14" for smaller stuff.
 
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mikedodge

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I bought a Stihl MS170 during one of their seasonal sales and would do it again. In reality I probably need something bigger but I don't want to spend more then those cost on something I don't use often. My only complaint is that it's a bit underpowered and gets jambed up at times but that's mainly my fault for using it to cut down trees far bigger then it was meant to.
 
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finn

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I have the MS170. Got it almost brand new from my daughter in law’s father.

Been an excellent clean up/ yard saw, and very light compared to my other saws.

The 180 or 190 are the newer versions
 
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racecougar

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I should add that Stihl does make an excellent saw, but you'll be stuck buying a small one on a $300 budget.
 
K

Kscardsfan

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Stihl 170 or the newer equivalent. Don't waste your time with the Poulan and Crafstman offerings. I have nothing against the Husky, I just don't have any experience with them since we don't have a dealer nearby.
 
S

sparky 1971

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I have a 16" Homelite, it's just a homeowner grade POS, but it's my favorite saw because it's nice and light along with being easy to start. The plastic adjuster constantly needs tightened or it throws the chain. I also have an 18 and 20 inch Poulan "pro". Those are awesome, but heavy and cold blooded. Once warmed up, there's no stopping them till exhaustion sets in. I don't remember what any of them cost,, but I doubt it was over $300, but that was the pre Covid market. I've got a bunch of trees and some of them are Ash in various stages of death. Every spring, a weekend is spent trimming and removing, but that's it, other than after a storm and I'm cutting up fallen walnut and maple branches.

My brother has 18 and 20 inch Stihl saws, but farms and heats with wood. In his situation a better saw is definitely worth it. I just won't justify the expense for me.

Edit: I bought my Poulan saws at Menards. I just checked and the 18 is $173, so I probably paid $150ish for it. There's no 20 in stock, but had to have been less than $200. I did see they have a 14" Troy-bilt for 150. I may have me a new mini saw by the end of the day.
 
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dcg9381

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427HISS said:
I bought the Makita dual battery chainsaw and works great
Click to expand...
I have the Makita dual and a 16" Echo that was re-tuned to run on AV gas mix (non-ethanol gas was hard to find at the time), removed the catalyst from the muffler. The Echo is slightly stronger, but the Makita is easier all the way around.

The issue for me is "how long does the chain last". I have a family member that does a lot of sawmill work. Stihl for the win for sure, even if you have to buy used...

But it's an issue of what you are cutting, how big is it, and how often do you have to do it. I've got 2 acres, so we don't need a 20" saw. Different if you have 60 acres.
 
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jsmeece

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This summer, I was looking for a new chain saw, since my old one was a freebie. I didn't want o spend more than $300 either. After researching chain saws for almost a month I decided I wanted a top handle saw. So I had to spend a little more than $300, decided on the Echo CS 355t with a 16 inch bar. I can say I think I made the right choice, for my needs anyway. I had a storm come though in June and it bought down a large limb out of one of my maple trees in the front yard. One of my neighbors, who works for a tree cutting service, which I didn't know at the time offered to trim my two maple trees. He also helped my cut up the large limb. He used a top handle Stihl as his main saw to trim my trees. I pulled out my Echo top handle and he said for the money that is an excellent saw, and said his top handle Stihl was close to $700, I told him I got mine for about $350.

Not sure how much you have looked at Echo chain saws, but they are worth a look.
 
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classic70

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For under 300 the new saws are going to be comparable to your battery saws in terms of power. I would go to a small engine shop and spend your money on a used saw in the 50-60cc range.
 
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Ton ton

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I bought a CS310 that I really like. It's an Echo but it's super easy to sharpen. It works decent for delimbing trees. It's not very powerful but it doesn't make my lower back ache either so you have to figure that into the equation too. I believe it has a 15" bar.
 
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lolaetype

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427HISS said:
What's your recommendation for the saw, length of the bar and why ?
Click to expand...
My old Craftsman (so old it was pre-chain break) finally needed replacement so I bought a 16" Black Max brand chainsaw at Walmart.

(Pause for boos, catcalls and warnings of dire disaster.) :)

In the couple of years I've used it, I cut down about 14 trees, mainly oak and pine, of 8-16" diameter, cut them up and hauled them away. No leaks, always started easily, cut well. It was all the saw I needed. Since then we've moved and the new place has no trees needing to be removed.

If I were going to use a chainsaw on a regular basis or were running a business where I needed a chainsaw I'd go with a Stihl or Husqvarna, but for my anticipated use those would have been overkill, IMHO.

EDIT: Oh, and the Black Max is made in the U. S. by Stanley Black and Decker and the engines are manufactured by Honda.
 
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johninct

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Dec 21, 2010
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427HISS said:
I bought the Makita dual battery chainsaw and works great, the charger is also great, for under 4". For just a home use saw it's a good choice.
But we have a lot of trees and I need to up the power for bigger limbs. I'm not a
I won't pay over $300 for my use anyway.

I know a few best known brands are-

Stihl
Husqvarna
Poulan (a friend has one and likes it)
Craftsman

What's your recommendation for the saw, length of the bar and why ?
Click to expand...
I am going to say that you need 2 chainsaws. You need one that will handle up to 6"-8" that is light weight that you will use 80% of the time and a bigger saw for big work. You can use the bigger saw for both but it gets heavy fast.
 
K

Kurt4440

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Jun 3, 2009
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Western New York
427HISS said:
I bought the Makita dual battery chainsaw and works great, the charger is also great, for under 4". For just a home use saw it's a good choice.
But we have a lot of trees and I need to up the power for bigger limbs. I'm not a
I won't pay over $300 for my use anyway.

I know a few best known brands are-

Stihl
Husqvarna
Poulan (a friend has one and likes it)
Craftsman

What's your recommendation for the saw, length of the bar and why
Click to expand...
Are you removing trees or just trimming branches?
What is the maximum diameter you are planning to cut?
 
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Wolley

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Makita is almost done killing dolmar. Looks like they are done making gas saws and going all electric.
 
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M6erfan

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'Merica!
I was recently n the market for a chainsaw for our new to us 5 acre property. After a lot of research I decided on an Echo CS-3510. Nice saw, good power, relatively lightweight and a 5 year warranty. I might put a 14" bar on it, which would make it slightly handier and tackle probably 80% of what I need it to do.
 
A

Aaron_W

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Hard to say without knowing what you are cutting, just limbing or dropping some small trees? Cutting up larger logs for firewood?

I prefer Stihl, but have run Husqvarnas and they are fine, I just like Stihl better. $300 will only get you into a 30-35cc saw with a 16" bar, which is still a lightweight. Fine for limbing, and bucking small trees.

If cutting larger logs for firewood, 8-12" I personally wouldn't consider anything less than 50cc / 20" but then you are looking at $400-500. I have a 391 with a 25" bar that I used for cutting firewood for years.

I ran saws for work for 20 years so I'll admit to being a saw snob. A small Echo, Poulon, Craftsman etc may be perfectly fine for light use, lots of homeowners are happy with them. Long term regular use they will not hold up like a Stihl or Husqvarna, but for some annual yard work and cleaning occasional storm damage they are probably fine.

Cutting a few cords of firewood a year, or doing some major thinning on acres of property I'd strongly suggest spending a bit more for a larger Stihl or Husky. It is about power, longevity and ergonomics, it may seem counter intuitive but within reason a larger saw will make the work easier, despite weighing a little more. A longer bar gives you more reach, which means you can keep the power head at a safer and more comfortable level. More power cuts faster getting the work done more quickly.
 
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Trapps

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Consider weight carefully - that 50cc Craftsman is listed at 21Lbs. A 450 Rancher has about 50cc and 3.2 HP. It weighs 11.2 Lbs and runs up to a 20" bar. Stihl's 661 Magnum is good for over 7 HP from its ~90cc and it weighs just under 17 Lbs. pulling a 36" bar (I wouldn't run that much bar though). Obviously those two examples are not a consideration due to cost, but show what a big part of the cost difference from a budget saw is going towards.

If you're happy with the Makita battery saw, then keep that for smaller stuff and go find a larger used H or S for the same money. Here are some examples:

Facebook

www.facebook.com www.facebook.com

Facebook

www.facebook.com www.facebook.com

detroit.craigslist.org

HUSQVARNA CHAINSAWS - tools - by owner - sale

HUSQVARNA CAHINSAWS IN EXCELLENT WORKING CONDITION FULLY FUNCTIONAL HAVE BEEN TESTED NO DAMAGES SPECS - HUSQVARNA 440 X TORQ 18” BAR $250 - HUSQVARNA 450 RANCHER 20” BAR $300 DONT HESITATE TO ASK...
detroit.craigslist.org

Buying used gets you into a bigger saw that is complementary to your current saw. Sticking with H or S means serviceability.

Good luck; let us know what you settle on.


EDIT: SMDH @ Facebook Marketplace....
 
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4

427HISS

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Messages
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Trapps said:
If the $300 is a hard limit, consider these: Husqvarna 135 MkII or Stihl MS180 C-BE. Both run a 16" bar which is plenty for most homeowner use. Both saws readily available with parts damn near everywhere. The Husky is slightly larger on displacement 31cc vs 37cc, but HP gap is only 2.0 vs 2.1 with the Husky taking a slight lead.

For me the decider would be Stihls 8.6 Lbs. vs the husky 10.3 Lbs. of the Husky.

*Disclaimer - I am a Stihl fan
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'm 60 now so weight can be an issue. lol
 
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F-22

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The Makita petrol saws are supposedly great quality. The EA4300F38C is around your price range.

Stihl and Husqy are very nice but you do pay a premium for the name. I own a Stihl 039 (I think this is considered the "farmer" model for occasional pro use) and an MS361 (the top pro model from Makita in the most versatile size). Wonderful saws, never had any real issue with the, apart from some rotted fuel lines due to age, but IMO the low end Stihl products in your price range may even be worse quality than the Makita at this point.
 
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4

427HISS

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mikedodge said:
I bought a Stihl MS170 during one of their seasonal sales and would do it again. In reality I probably need something bigger but I don't want to spend more then those cost on something I don't use often. My only complaint is that it's a bit underpowered and gets jambed up at times but that's mainly my fault for using it to cut down trees far bigger then it was meant to.
Click to expand...
How do you size a saw for tree size, the bar length, HP ?
 
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CR888

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Best new saw for $300 would have to be the Echo CS590 Timberwolf. Vertically split magnesium case pro saw for $399 but go on sale when echo has 20% off sale. I only have 1 echo product a little 25cc top handle, I mainly own Stihl, Husky, Dolmar, Solo & Makita saws but for that money nothing really touches the 59cc Echo Timberwolf.
 
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CJM8515

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i helped a friend cut down about 30-40 trees (large ones but mostly scrub pine) with nothing more than the echo 590 timberwolf and a pos ryobi poulon thing.
 
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theoldwizard1

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If your Makita has a 16" bar and you are comfortable using it, I say use it ! Buying a gas saw opens a whole bunch of maintenance items. Plus, the noise and vibration will get to you !

Buy extra batteries and extra chains. Chain sharpening is somewhat of an art. My Dad always had 3 or 4 chains. When one got dull, he would swap it out. Once he had sufficient dull one, he paid some one to sharpen them. This was a guy who burned 6-8 face cords of wood per year with an electric chainsaw (long before battery tools).
 
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427HISS

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CR888 said:
Best new saw for $300 would have to be the Echo CS590 Timberwolf. Vertically split magnesium case pro saw for $399 but go on sale when echo has 20% off sale. I only have 1 echo product a little 25cc top handle, I mainly own Stihl, Husky, Dolmar, Solo & Makita saws but for that money nothing really touches the 59cc Echo Timberwolf.
Click to expand...
Almost 60cc, nice. Yeah, $400 not on sale.. $320 might be OK with spending $20 more. I'm surprised that it's a Echo.
 
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