Husqvarna 550xp mark II vs. Stihl ms 261 c vs. Echo cs-501 sx - Chainsaw comparison video

Femalelumberjack has been testing out 3 50cc chainsaws.
I'll be comparing cutting time, cold start and will talk about the saws in general.
Hopefully this review will give you an idea of which chainsaw to try before you buy - enjoy ;)

[keithbrookshire]

I own several Echo's and I never knew you could use the rope handle to open the oil cap. THANK YOU.

[cameronknoechel]

Echos tend to have their carb set a little lean from the factory in my opinion. Tweak the high a little maybe a quarter turn after u remove the plastic restriction caps👍 also maybe a Stihl chain would make it cut smoother. If it has a full chisel chain it might be why its cutting rough. Their all good saws tho. I own stihl and echo and in my opinion echo is underrated.

[richwest]

I cut live oak and mesquite, my Stihls hold up to the abuse of these woods. I keep extra oil/fuel caps for my Stihls, a complex design that does work to keep the tanks sealed. At the end of the day, local dealer parts is what makes your choice to a brand. Fair review, thank you.

[dawgnolsactivities]

The 261c is a fantastic saw. Amazing power to weight ratio. I did all of my chainsaw exams with a 261. I thought it was fantastic. I do agree that all Stihl fuel and oil caps are inconveniences. They have been that way for over a decade. Time for an upgrade. Fantastic comparison of the saw. I subbed after I watched this.

[IRONHORSERACING]

I've been a boots on the ground logger here in the USA for going on 20 years now and have ran mostly Stihl and Husqvarna saws, while I have tried off shoot brands from time to time I keep coming back to what performs best day in day out and the Stihl and Husqvarna saws just can't be beat period hands down. Yes Stihl went through a period where the quality dropped off and prices went up but they are fixing that problem, I used Jonsereds (when they were still made in Sweden and not owned by Husqvarna) and loved the simplicity of their saws, no nonsense just a saw that worked and was not for the weak or meek or weekend Firewood cutter....when they tried to compete in that homeowner/weekend warrior market is when they got into trouble. But even in those days I still had a Stihl or 2 in my Truck....just in case.
It's only been in the recent past that now you will find NOTHING but Husqvarna and Stihl saws in my arsenal of saws. I'm not trying to be a know it all or big shot either...this is simply one loggers opinion from 20+ years of Falling timber in the Pine, Fir and Spruce covered Mountains of the American West.

[lcee]

Nice comparison of saws. Any of them would be a winner. I’ve had my Echo 510 EV since 1989 and the only mod was opening the exhaust up bit. Echo always chokes the exhaust too much. With an 18” bar, it handles it as well as some other saws that are a little bigger. I’ve changed the spark plug a couple times and that’s it. I’ll take a simple on/off switch anytime.

[paulnovak]

I've had my 261c for a year now and it's probably favorite tool I've ever owned

[mikepurvey]

Kudos for a crisp and clear review format. Effective at conveying the pertinent information without wasting my time. I hope you’ll continue along these lines. Thanks.

[woofman]

i've had my echo for over 10 years, just use it around the house and camping sometimes, the model number is the cs400 it's an 18 inch, ,, i've not had any issues

[ronanderson]

We cut 8 full cords in one day with 3 different saws at 9, 000 feet in Colorado in the fall. They all seemed to perform well until it was time to re-fuel; The Husky and Stihl did not start easily, requiring several pulls up to nine.The Echo started after 2 pulls. .

[Nightowl]

261c is my go to saw at work and has never let me down, Iv also got an older 261 and still runs like a champ!

[israelortega]

Recently bought the echo. I am a sthil guy. But the echo performed really good. And yes it's the bar length. For what it's worth echo did well for me on this particular saw. Not on the climbing saws but this one is good.

[johngamba]

What?
This had to be the most objective and efficient review I HAVE EVER WATCHED. LIKE WATCHING A PRO ON TOPGEAR. You captured EVERYTHING important with highlights and no waste of time. Extremely efficient. Because of your review, my own indecision has tipped me to the STIHL ms 261-C (or CM). I would be interested to know how it goes for MRO (Maintenace/Repair/Operation) over the next while. But you can’t go wrong with a good HUSKY or STIHL dealer. ECHO in Canada is mostly slower support, except if you have a Shindaiwa dealer as they are with Echo. 👍

[tkcannon]

Nice video. I've not used the Echo cs-501sx. I've got a Husky 550xp mk2 and Stihl MS 261 (refresh version - which is the one you have in the video). I like both saws and, despite using them extensively, I still can't decide which is better; my view is that you can't make a bad choice between these two.

[edwingroening]

Anyone else like the fact that stihl has a see trough gas tank and not always guessing if it's full or empty?

[thinkbumove]

Peace and love from Atlanta Georgia. Still rocking my Husqvarna 246XP since 1999 next saw will be the 550XP ;-)

[farmlessfarmer]

Thanks for the great video and real world comparisons. I’m in the Pacific NW region of the US and my heart just sinks for so many areas around the world when I hear how much chainsaws cost and I feel grateful and spoiled to live where I do. That being said I’m a cheap guy and I never buy my saws new either. I am not a professional but I’ve used saws quite a bit off and on in my life and it’s really more of a hobby now. I have a few from all 3 brands and have likes and dislikes on all of them but I’d say you can’t really go too wrong with any of these three. Thanks to all you professionals out there, we appreciate what you do!
Be Kind.
Aaron

[profdave]

The bar length has nothing to do with the chain speed. The sprocket still drives the chain at the same velocity, regardless of bar size (friction will have virtually no effect at that bar length). The Echo is simply a lower powered, slower saw.
As for the slight weight difference between the Stihl and Husky, I think you’ll find the Stihl has a larger fuel tank. From the manufacturers specs, the Stihl is lighter than the Husky (head only, no bar). In fact the Stihl 261 has the highest horsepower to weight ratio of any saw in its class.
Both the Stihl and Husky you tested are “pro” saws in their model lineup. I own the Stihl, my brother has the Husky, and they’re both excellent saws for those that want professional quality.

[rowycoracing]

I talked to the head mechanic at the local saw repair shop a couple of months ago. He said that the Echo’s that are made in Japan rarely come in for repairs, only the occasional end of season tune up or chain sharpening. He recommended those over any other brand. Interesting input. So far my little Stihl has done well for me but I am still deciding on a new bigger saw.

[longlowdog]

I've had a lot of trouble with Stihl oil caps until I found the one simple solution. Do not overfill the tank. If you use a Stihl self fill cap on your combi-can it stops filling at just the right height for the cap to work flawlessly. Too full and screwing the cap down creates pressure and the cap pops back off. Leave a little space and everything seems okay.