Echo 390esx / 501sx / 620sx

[Ukulian]

I'm with Tom, they seem to get good reviews but every time I look at them that shiny plastic make em look poor. Am sure they arnt.

 

They aren't! We have a number of Echo's and over the last 2 1/2 years they've been subject to the usual misuse, dropped, left in toolbox while tipping, etc and not a single bit of plastic on them has broken. The shininess has worn off, but they're still intact. Same for the blowers. :)

[Andrew McEwan]

No electrickery on a 2172 is there? Nice saw I'd imagine.

 

 

No ecarb on the 2171, 99.9% sure the 2172 is old school too. As long as you don't mind a straight front handle, the jonsered feels just like a 371/72

[Andrew McEwan]

I had a look at the echo's in a local dealer yesterday, they look a bit plasticy, are they robust enough to handle pro work? Not saying they aren't they just look a bit soft.

 

Echo seem to have specialised in making plastic casings that look as cheap and shiney as possible, no idea why! Mine have stood up ok, and they dull off eventually and look less chi-bay ish. Have found on the little echos the oiler worm gear is weak (plastic) so can be easy to strip if the saw has been left for a while then started if the chain is at all sticky. Also the air filters seem to need more regular cleaning than german offerings, other wise no problems being bounced about a tree. Got the 280tes on an 8inch 043 bar and oregon 90 chain, brilliant performance and ultra light.

[stihl fan]

I think I'm going to stick with the Jonsered 2172 as far as I know its old school design. Then i will see how I get on and if I need a smaller saw give the echo 501sx a look. There may well be a bit more info available on this model by then.

[Coletti]

People say echo is plasticy but I don't see its got anymore plastic than the equivalent stihl or hisky models have and in my opinion, plastic, overall is more durable than anything cast

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

People say echo is plasticy but I don't see its got anymore plastic than the equivalent stihl or hisky models have and in my opinion, plastic, overall is more durable than anything cast

 

Ditto. This "plasticky" accusation is weird. Pick up a 362 or 560xp and they're just as plasticky...

[Sawchip]

Ditto. This "plasticky" accusation is weird. Pick up a 362 or 560xp and they're just as plasticky...

Besides ..."Good well made Plastics" in the appropriate place are fine IMO ...there Light ...I like light

[dan494]

Ditto. This "plasticky" accusation is weird. Pick up a 362 or 560xp and they're just as plasticky...

 

 

They are but I think echo saws look cheap as all that orange colour you'd see on the Chinese crap where husky add the gun metal colour and stihl had white to go with the orange so they look a more premium product

[peatff]

Any plastic will give up if you give it enough abuse whether it looks shiny or what. I remember a couple of Echo saws with problems due to broken plastic , one with casing broken and another that broke on the front of the oil tank where the plastic was worryingly thin but there are also lots of metal saws broken as well.

[Coletti]

They are but I think echo saws look cheap as all that orange colour you'd see on the Chinese crap where husky add the gun metal colour and stihl had white to go with the orange so they look a more premium product

 

Nobody thought husqvarna was or looked cheap before they started adding the grey and that wasn't many years ago...