Thread: Stihl chainsaw choice

[QUOTE=Ingrid 51;1401464]We’re living on 1/2 acre with plenty of hedges and small trees on the boundary, so I’m looking to buy a pruning/trimming/small-tree-felling Stihl. Shortlist based on T/M and other places is:

MS170 with 14” bar (seems a very basic 32 cc unit)
MS180 with 16” bar and 32 cc motor
MS211 with 16” bar. 40cc

Possibly an 023 model with 16” bar

I’m used to operating a Husky 20” unit but a son thought it would be better living in Auckland and I feel it woukd be far too heavy for the type of work I intend doing.
Any own one of my shortlist models and prepared to comment on degree of performance/satisfaction please? Many thanks in advance.[/QUOTE



MS170: good little saw but when it plays up buy another. Don't take into shop as the repair bill soon gets more than the saw is worth. Applies to most little saws.
Out of your picks I would go for an 023. I've had one for 30+ years and apart from new bars,chains and drive sproket/clutchs havn't done a thing to it. It's done 40+Ha of serious scrub cutting, min. of 5 cord of firewood per year, general hack-about saw and 20+ years orchard pruning work. It's been a reliable little saw.
Battery saws, Some people have a good run with them. We run 5 Stihl units on 2 orchard/vineyard properties (20Ha cherries and 40Ha vineyard).They are friggen good for the job they do as long as you keep the batteries up to feed them.But they're by no means maintainance free. And I wouldn't use them for serious firewood work.
To qualify my last statement, I work 4 days a week as mechanic in a Stihl dealership so get to see a lot of gear going through w/shop. I've personally tested a couple of customers top of range battery saws. 7-12 minutes per new battery on as new saws doing proper firewood cuts SAF doesn't equate to 1.5 tanks of gas in petrol saw. Batteries and saws tested OK on test equipment. Make of it what you will.
As previously stated they work great in orchard but they're not used continuously. Just my 2 cents.