Best Stihl Chainsaw Reviews

I hope you love the products I've recommended below, just a heads up that as an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means I may earn commissions on products bought via links on this page.

When most people think of chainsaws, Stihl is one of, if not the most thought of manufacturer. Yet when I went looking online I noticed a distinct lack of reviews for them, so I wanted to find out what the best Stihl chainsaws with reviews are.

You would think being such a highly regarded manufacturer there would be a lot of reviews for them. Which if you go to there website you will find user reviews, which is certainly helpful. But the simple reason why you won’t find a lot of Stihl reviews online is that Stihl, don’t have an online store, so people can’t make commissions off them so they ignore them.

I feel this is unfair on the consumer, and Stihl products. How can I trust a reviewer if they ignore something because they won’t make any money off of it. Especially when it is of the quality of a Stihl chainsaw, even tho I’m a Husqvarna man myself. Even I know Stihl makes incredible chainsaws and should be covered.

Where Are Stihl Chainsaws Made?

Stihl has manufacturing plants in a lot of countries which includes Germany, USA, Brazil, and China. Now I know you see China and you assume alarm bells, but I feel this is no cause for concern. There is no such thing as a pure Stihl or Husqvarna anymore. T

he carburetors are made in China now, which is only bad if Stihl isn’t in control of the plant. People have this misconception that made in China means bad right away, which isn’t the case. China is responsible for some incredible engineering and manufacturing. While it is disappointing that those jobs aren’t kept here, that doesn’t detract from the quality of the saw.

Why Buy A Stihl Chainsaw?

I could list hundreds of reasons why you should buy a Stihl chainsaw. There is a reason why people and critics alike, recommend Stihl over most brands. The most obvious reason is that they consistently release some of the best chainsaws on the market. With only a few brands that come close to the same level.

But for me personally there is one thing that I really like about Stihl and their chainsaws. Which is that the have such a wide variety of products, they have a chainsaw for everyone. Whether you’re a professional, on a farm, or just a normal home owner. They have a grade of chainsaw for everyone.

A Chainsaw For Everyone

While the quality of Stihl chainsaws is well known, I think it’s their variety that makes them stand out. As I said before they have a chainsaw for everyone, which also includes gas and electric chainsaws. They both have their obvious differences, but both excel at what they’re designed to do.

This is an important question that everyone looking to buy a chainsaw needs to ask themselves, what do you need to cut. If you only need to trim some smaller trees, it’s highly unlikely you will need a high-grade professional chainsaw.

Best Stihl Chainsaw Model

The Stihl MS 250 Chainsaw

Trying to pick the best Stihl chainsaw is a dangerous task in this day and age, people get very protective of there purchases. In my opinion, the best Stihl chainsaw model is the MS 250. This is due to many factors, it can handle most jobs you can throw at it, but it is great for beginners and experts a like.

This isn’t the only reason but it’s a big part of my thinking on why it’s the best. Being the best and only accessible to a few people hardly feels like the best to me.

I don’t know about you but how many times have you tried to start a gas chainsaw, and it just doesn’t want to start and you feel you pop a shoulder socket. One of the most common things that I came across when asking people their opinion on this chainsaw, and my own firsthand experience. Is it just starts so easily, there is a bit of the usual gas stuff around at times, but it was far less common than most others I’ve used.

This definitely isn’t the most powerful saw on the market, and that’s okay it still makes other chainsaws look average in comparison. Tho it still has plenty of power that with the right technique you can take down some pretty impressive trees. Some people have said they have taken down some trees are 37 inches in diameter. While personally I never took it above a tree with a diameter or 20 inches, which it didn’t struggle with at all.

The Only Downside Of The Stihl MS 250

This isn’t a big downside and is only a deal breaker to a select few people. That is if you’re looking for a professional grade chainsaw, then isn’t the saw for you. While this is a downside it’s not a massive one, it will still handle most things around the home or farm. I feel if you’re someone who uses chainsaws for a living, I imagine you already have your own opinions on what saws you like.

The Specs

• Displacement – 45.4cc (2.77 cu. in.)
• Engine Power – 2.2KW (3.0 bhp)
• Powerhead Weight – 10.0 lbs (4.6kg)
• Fuel Capacity – 470cc (15.9 oz)
• Chain Oil Capacity – 200cc (6.8 oz)
• Guide Bar Recommendations – 16/18 inches

Best Stihl Chainsaw For The Money

The Stihl MS 170 Chainsaw

This is without a doubt one of Stihls most popular chainsaws and that’s for good reason. You get all the quality of a Stihl chainsaw in a much cheaper package. It’s hard not to find someone in the chainsaw community that has either owned one, or has a neighbor who owns one. That’s for good reason, it’s one of the best chainsaws on the market, and surely one of the best Stihl chainsaws.

Being reliable and good value for money isn’t the only reason this chainsaw was chosen. This is one of the best Stihl chainsaws for a homeowner and really great for beginners. It’s easy to start but one of the things I really like, is how easy it is to maintain. Which can be a big obstacle for some people, so this is a great chainsaw for people like that. It’s also a very comfortable and safe feeling chainsaw, which is important when using it in extended periods of time.

One thing with this chainsaw that I’ve noticed is a lot of people buy it, with planning to only do some limbing with it. Then to find out how good it is, and it turns into one of there main saws.

It packs a surprising amount of punch for a 30cc chainsaw, easily getting through hard maple trees that were 14 inches in diameter. I really wasn’t expecting this chainsaw to cut through such trees, so I was extremely happy with this chainsaw.

Normally I would do a section on what I dislike about the chainsaw in question but in a rare moment. There isn’t a lot I dislike about this chainsaw. It has the same not real issue as the MS 250 above, and that it’s not going to work out to well for a professional. But apart from that I really like this chainsaw and will be one of my personal favorite chainsaws going forward.

The Specs

• Displacement – 30.1 cc (1.8 cu. in.)
• Engine Power – 1.3 kw (1.7 bhp)
• Powerhead Weight – 8.6 lbs (3.9kg)
• Fuel Capacity – 250cc (8.5 oz)
• Chain Oil Capacity – 145cc (4.9 oz)
• Guide Bar Recommendations – 12/16 Inches

Best Professional Stihl Chainsaw

Stihl MS 362 C-M Chainsaw

While the other two chainsaws on this list are great for homeowners, this is the best chainsaw for professionals. This is not a chainsaw I’d recommend if it’s your first time using a chainsaw. This is a chainsaw you get if you cut almost daily, or require one for your day job. Then you can’t go wrong with the MS 362 C-M. This is a powerhouse of a saw that makes most others look small in comparison.

One thing that really surprised me with this saw is that it’s surprisingly light, for the size of it. It never felt to uncomfortable when using it, even in a tree. This is a great chainsaw if you’re a professional landscaper and you’re looking to find a bunch of new saws for your fleet.

It’s hard to pass up such a thing. If you’re not a professional but you have good knowledge, and money to spend on a chainsaw. Then this is still a great option, since it will get through everything you need.

This is the kind of saw that you only ever plan on buying once, which is something I like to live buy. The only issue I’ve ever had with this saw was with a cold start, and need to pull 15 times to get it to crank over. This has only happened a few times tho, and definitely not a deal-breaker for me. Tho once it’s warmed up it only ever required one pull to start, so a rare issue that shouldn’t be too off-putting.

Any Downsides To The MS 362 C-M Chainsaw?

The only downside of this chainsaw is the price and the occasional difficult start. The price isn’t a big issue considering it’s a professional-grade saw, but something to consider if you’re budget isn’t big enough. The starting issue seems to a pretty uncommon thing, as not to many people I talked to have had the same issue. So I do think I may of had a fault with my saw, that was far from the normal.

The Specs

• Displacement – 59.0cc (3.6 cu. in.)
• Engine Power – 3.5 KW (4.69 bhp)
• PowerHead Weight – Flush-Cut 12.35 lbs (5.6kg)/ Wrap-handle: 13.2lbs (6.0kg)
• Fuel Capacity – 600cc (20.3 oz)
• Chain Oil Capacity – 325cc (11.0 oz)
• Guide Bar Recommendations – 16/25 Inches

The Biggest Downside Of A Stihl?

There isn’t too many downsides to a Stihl chainsaw, and the main downside isn’t even about the chainsaw itself. As I mentioned in the very beginning that Stihl don’t have an online store. While I don’t think this is a good enough reason to not review them, I do feel it is a good enough reason to mark them down a little.

The simple reason is, imagine you like Stihl saws but have no access to a dealership that has them close by. This may not be an issue for you, but it is something I have seen a few times. Which does deserve to be mentioned? Tho If you want to find a local dealership you can find one here!

The only other downside is the cost of the chainsaw, while they’re well worth the money and pay for themselves in time. This is all well and good if you have the several hundred laying around, but if you don’t, finding the money can be difficult. So while not a massive downside it’s still a downside for some people.

My Final Thoughts

Stihl chainsaws are incredible that can’t be denied, all the chainsaws on this list excel at what they do. Sure some can be pricey but that comes with quality, and in a chainsaw you want quality. While I will still mainly use Husqvarna, this has made me appreciate Stihl a lot more then I had done so before.

If you have the money and don’t mind going to find a dealership that is close to you, then, by all means, I would recommend a Stihl. While it isn’t possible I wish they did have an online store for those who don’t live close to a dealership. This is definitely one of the biggest downsides of a Stihl chainsaw.