Buying New Chainsaw for home use

[amr]

Hello

I am a new member, have just come across this forum while trying to find information to help me choose a new saw for my home firewood cutting and gardening needs.

I have had a Husqvarna 136 for about 16 years and its reaching the end of its life. I have decided to buy a new saw before I start cutting up firewood for the winter.

 

I am torn as to whether to go for another husqvarna or get a stihl - i am hoping to spend upto £250.

 

Can anyone give me any ideas?

 

I have all the PPE etc but I am just an amateur user - i would like the saw that I buy to last me for a long time.

[Big J]

My best advice would be spend as much money as you can afford and get a pro saw. Husqvarna 346xp or Stihl 261. Both very good saws, robust and powerful and about £450 on a 15 inch bar. Much more powerful than a typical domestic saw too.

[harvey b davison]

Hi welcome to the forum, your probably looking at a ms180, or something, but dont just look at the stihl / husky range, have a look at the makita range as well.

[Big J]

I bought an MS 181 a few months back, having had one when I started out some years ago. It was so bad, so slow, so gutless and so disappointing that I took it back the next day and got my money back.

[amr]

thanks for the input. I cant really justify spending £450 for what i need. I had looked at the Husqvarna 435 and the Stihl MS211 as these are around my price budget. Does anyone have any knowledge on these saws and which would be best.

 

I have also looked at Makitas online but not found anywhere where i can look at them in person yet.

[littlerob]

i would say echo but thats my personal choice but there start from around the 250 mark here in the uk a bit more expensive than the husky and stihl but they have a longer warrenty of 5 years just as long as you take it in for a service once in the 1st year but there are loads of saw to have a look at if your looking at something quite cheap and even beeing sold by f.r jones that adverties on the left so carnt be that bad if they stock them as there a good firm that im sure will not be selling junk to rubbish there such good name they have Hitachi CS33EB (35cm) 14" Chainsaw 32.3cc | eBay

[spudulike]

You are looking at a 45 - 50cc saw and may find it better to get a second user decent saw than a small brand new one, at £250 you are still a little short on a low use 346XP which is a fab saw but should be able to get a decent Stihl MS260 or a Husqvarna 345/350 or something similar.

 

All will be more capable than your previous Husky:thumbup:

[david wood]

I sold a husky 340 on ebay that had been a firewood saw for 10 years and was still going strong, work runs a husky 351 for general use (abuse) and am sure both saws be had on ebay for under 200 in nice condition, perhaps buy it and then take to a local dealer and get it given a good once over. Give many years of service hopefully.

[TRADITIONAL LOGGERS]

There are some good electric chainsaws around to use for leisure firewood cutting on a sawhorse.

[hardtop110]

Depends on how much and what type of use it's going to get.

 

I bought a husky 236 earlier in the year (my second saw after an el cheapo B&Q special) and its been superb. I've gone through about 20l of fuel in it and used it for ringing up hard and softwood cord up to about 24" diameter buts.

 

I've no experience of pro saws, but for the price I paid for me wee husky, I'm well impressed.