Stihl and Hsquvarna are both top of the line, and both reflect this in the price tag. I would submit that for the occasional user, such as myself, Echo is a very good alternative. I had never heard of Echo, until my collage age son came home, and reported that college kids could not tear one up! Later, I purchased one with a 16" bar, and later on an 18" model. They are tough, reliable, easy to work on, and have carried me through hurricanes, downed trees, and my annual wood cutting in the mesquite woods. Mesquite is very hard, and tough on both saws and chains. If you need a chainsaw sometimes, but don't need a professional model, I think you would be well advised to look at an Echo.

STIHL! ALL the way... Nothin like an ol 036, 044, 066, 020 and an MS260 Pro. You can run em all day as long as you have the mix right and bar n oil.

Great saws easy to use and powerful.

I'd follow it up with a Husqvarna and the OLD metal housed homelites

My dad was a lumber jack for a number of years. He cut wood from SC to MI all the way north to ME. It's Husquvarna all the way baby. They cut fast and strong and never quit. I have a Husqy 45 adn my dad has a Husqy 371. (third generation, 71cc engine) Husquvarnas are very easy to work on too.

husky all the way .i work in the woods logging

I've got a Stihl 310 with a 20" bar and a son who likes to cut firewood. As soon as the weather breaks that we can get out again, I'm going to buy another one just like it.

I've always heard stihl and husty were the best. I have 2 stihls; a 036 from 1978 and still starts with one or two pulls. The other is a newer 018. I had to replace the muffler on the 36 and the gas line disintegrated and those are the only repairs I have ever had to make.

all my dads power lineman buddies use still and hsquvarna during storms and stuff but i got a stihl it sat in the garage for 2 years and started right up.

I own the Stihl 390 and a Husqvarna 51(?). Both are good saws for their size.

It's best to stay away from the bargin store brands.

I had a Stihl and really liked it, someone else did too as they stole it out of my outbuilding. My inlaws bought me a Craftsman for Xmas and its nothing but junk. One thing that did help was replacing the craftsman chain with a Stihl. The Stihl chains are wider and have more cutters...

country road-
You are right about the big equipment taking the place of the chainsaw. This was in LA, and every pulpwood hauler has a chainsaw. Could it be that after they load the logs from where they are cut, some need trimming to length to make a legal load? I'm just guessing, having never been around the logging industry, and going on observation.

Mead West Vaco lumber company does the same thing accept they use Husquvarna. They also send fellers into the cypress swamps to cut trees.