Which Chainsaw is Better than Makita or Stihl

Before buying a chainsaw, the question certainly arises: which chainsaw is better than Stihl or Husqvarna?

It is impossible to answer unequivocally, because everyone chooses an instrument that he likes. For this reason, in this article we will consider the main pros and cons of the Stihl and Husqvarna tools, knowing which it is much easier to decide on a purchase.

What is the difference between chainsaws

Stihl and Husqvarna are undoubtedly leaders in the production and sale of gasoline-powered chain saws. Due to serious competition, each of the companies annually develops many new technical solutions, introducing which facilitates and makes more comfortable using their tool. For example, Stihl has such technical innovations as:

  • The STIHL M-Tronic system, which makes it easier to start the chainsaw, thanks to a fully electronic ignition system. The system independently distinguishes cold start from hot start. Also, M-Tronic accurately sets the ignition timing and adjusts the amount of fuel mixture at the time of starting the chainsaw;
    Which Chainsaw is Better than Makita or Stihl
  • Hd2 filter. This filter is made of polyethylene, which has pores 70 percent smaller than a conventional filter. It repels oil and is easy to clean, which adds comfort when servicing the chainsaw on which it is installed;
  • Compensator. This is a special device in the carburetor that allows you to work with a chainsaw even when the air filter is completely dirty, and an important feature is that the saw practically does not lose power;
  • The catalyst burns up unburned fuel, due to which the exhaust of a chainsaw contains less harmful impurities that adversely affect the human body.

If you look at the technical innovations of Husqvarna, you can also highlight several interesting systems:

  • Air Injection (air purification system) centrifugal air purification system, due to which the cleaning interval of the filter element is increased;
  • X-Torq® The system reduces the amount of harmful emissions and, according to the manufacturer, a tool equipped with this system consumes less fuel compared to similar chainsaws in terms of engine volume;
  • Autotune is a system for automatically tuning the optimal parameters necessary for stable engine operation. The manufacturer does not indicate more about how the system works.

If you take two Stihl and Husqvarna chainsaws of the same volume, they will be similar only in that they have an internal combustion engine, a tire and a saw chain. But everything, even the typical elements of these chainsaws, vary in size, shape and materials from which they are made. Over, it is worth noting that due to the efforts of engineers, with the same cylinder volume, Stihl chainsaws have a large maximum power, which will be noticeable when comparing specific models of chainsaws.

Pros and Cons of Stihl

Stihl chainsaws are considered one of the most reliable and, for this reason, are very popular among professional lumberjacks who are used to working with powerful and reliable chainsaws. But if you look at the statistics of sales of household Stihl chainsaws, then we can conclude that they are also very popular. For example, the Stihl MS 180 chainsaw, from the moment it is on sale, annually occupies the top positions in the ratings of such Internet portals as the Yandex market.

The advantages of Stihl 180 include:

  • Light weight, which is 3.9 kg;
  • Power sufficient to perform work on a personal plot and not only;
  • Maintainability and the availability of the company Stihl, a large number of well-organized services;
  • The quality of the materials from which the chainsaw bodies are made.

All these advantages can be attributed to any product of a German company, but there is one main minus.

Compared to competitors, Stihl chainsaws have a rather high cost of both the tools themselves and the spare parts intended for their repair.

In turn, the high price of spare parts stimulates the emergence of a large number of low-quality spare parts intended to replace original and manufactured mainly in China. Such parts are installed at service centers not authorized to repair Stihl chainsaws, which entails a reduction in the life of the tools and adversely affects the image of the manufacturer.

Recently, the company Stihl, began to produce the most running model chainsaw. Stihl MS 180 at the factory, which is located in China. According to company representatives, this is due to the large volumes of products and preferential conditions for production. Representatives also note that the transfer of production did not affect the quality of products, for the reason that control of all stages of production remained at the same level.

Pros and Cons of Husqvarna

One of the advantages of Husqvarna chainsaws is their cost, as a rule, it is slightly lower than that of Stihl tools, although the difference in some cases is not significant. You can also note the build quality of the tools and materials from which they are made.

Husqvarna chainsaws are produced in many countries, including the factory in the city of Khimki near Moscow.

The most popular model, for example, the Husqvarna 135 have a price slightly lower than that of the competitor Stihl MC 180. In more detail we will compare these models a little later, but for now I would like to note that the European environmental standard is clearly traced in the technical solutions of Husqvarna. This means that the company primarily cares about the quality of the exhaust of the tool, which in some cases makes it sacrifice the maximum power of chainsaws. A striking example of such a company policy is the X-Torq® system. For the Russian Federation, this system is useless, because in our country there are no strict standards for exhaust quality.

It is worth noting that until 2015, the Husqvarna 236 and 240 models had a number of factory defects, to eliminate which the company had to upgrade these chainsaws. Precisely, the chainsaws had defective carburetors and piston rings. After 2015, this fact was officially recognized by the company, they also provided a complete list of defects that were available in models 236 and 240.

Comparison of the most popular models of Stihl and Husqvarna chainsaws

If we compare the popular Stihl and Husqvarna tools in terms of power, the main competitor of the Stihl 180 at Husqvarna is the Husqvarna 135 model.

The power of both is 1.5 kW. At the moment, Husqvarna loses not only in cost, because its price is slightly higher, but also in the volume of the cylinder, which is 40.9 cm³, while at Stihl, the volume is 31.8 cm³. If we consider this difference from the technical side, we can conclude that the Huskvarna engine with this volume should consume more fuel, since the fuel mixture consumption is directly related to the volume of the cylinder.

The second point in which Husqvarna loses the Stihl 180 is weight. Stihl weighs 3.9 kg, and Husqvarna is half a kilogram more. The differences are small, but still.

The advantage of Husqvarna 135 over the Stihl 180 is its quick-detachable filter, which can be washed and used after repeated cleaning. Calm does not have this, but it is possible to choose an additional complete set of tools, for example, purchase Stihl 180C or 180C-BE, which have an easy start, as well as the ability to adjust the chain tension, without the help of additional tools.

Thus, when choosing between 180 Stihl or Husqvarna 135, it is wiser and more profitable to purchase the Stihl 180, because it has long been the most popular chainsaw in the Russian Federation, unlike Husqvarna.

For those who live in rural areas and do not have the ability to repair tools in service centers, the acquisition of the Stihl 180 is more advisable for the reason that this chainsaw can be repaired independently.

Now compare the 180th with the budget version of Husqvarna, model 236.

Its power is 1.4 kW, which is already lower than that of the Stihl 180 chainsaw, and the working volume is higher and is 38.2 cm³. The price is slightly lower than the Stihl 180, but is it worth saving, while losing power and, accordingly, performance.

Another Husqvarna model that can be compared to the 180th is the Husqvarna 240.

Their price and engine power are the same, but Husqvarna loses in weight and volume of the cylinder. Its weight is 4.7 kg, which is almost a kilogram more than the Stihl 180, and its volume is 38.2 cm³.

Which chainsaw is better?

By comparing the popular Stihl and Huskarn chainsaws, we have the opportunity to answer the question: Is Stihl or Husqvarna better? But we will not answer it, because everyone has to make a decision himself, we only provide relevant information, diluting it with comments a little, for those who are poorly versed in technical nuances.

What to choose

When choosing a chainsaw, it is more advisable to give preference to models of the Stihl company, even though they are slightly more expensive. Stihl owners have a bit more benefits. They can make a choice: repair the tool themselves or contact a certified service center. There are more spare parts on Stihl, and if necessary, you can purchase less expensive analogues of the original parts. Stihl is a good tool, time-tested.

Below you can watch a in which the specialist in the sale and repair of chainsaws expresses his opinion on the household models Stihl and Husqvarna.

Conclusion

It can be noted that Stihl and Husqvarna tools are beautifully designed and well adapted to the climatic conditions of the Russian Federation and, with proper use and maintenance, can last a long time. Comparing the tools of these companies is quite difficult, as their quality is very high.