what is better Hasqvarna or steel saws ?

Question

We are buying my father in law a saw and sending it to Mexico so I'm trying to find something that is not going to break down the first month that he has it . He will be using the saw to do odd jobs for people so he may be using it a lot . I looked at craftsmen but I'm not sure which to go with , Money plays a part but quality is more importent . Any suggestions would be very helpful , Thank you ...................

Answer 1

Ya did it now, the old Husky vs Stihl debate.
I had a Stihl (026) and got it after having a number of Homelites and Macs so thought I would move up to the Stihl....I hated it.
It was the most gutless machine, the handlebar bolts stripped out of the block, was hard to start and the clutch kept slipping cause the engine refused to rev high enough.
Two weeks later I was cutting a large Douglas fir, made the final cut and the saw somehow got destroyed...and I was HAPPY!
Husky's are used a lot by professional loggers and fire fighters as are Stihl but those are the high end models.
What did I get to replace my Stihl?
Well, as a joke to myself I bought a lime green $139.00 Poulan with 18 inch bar figuring if it crapped out in six months that I was still ahead of the game...that was seven years ago and it has cut a LOT of wood big and small, had loads of power, is easy to use and has had its share of abuse and it just keeps going without complaint....best money I ever spent...and it still starts every third pull with only minimal maintenance!

Answer 2

I have a Husqvarna and have really liked it for major cutting. Prior to that I took Consumer Reports' advice and bought a Sears 18" that would barely cut a limb, much less a tree.
Took it back. Spent another hundred and got the Husky and have not regretted it since. However, best friend has two Stihls and they both run really well too. Both are easy to work on, you can buy the Husky from their website and occasionally get chains for $10 for life, which may be good because if your relative cannot sharpen the chain, and in Mexico cannot find someone who can, he's going to need to get several.

Answer 3

Husky and Stihl are both good saws. So is Jonsered. I know professional loggers and arborists who use all three of these brands. Another reliable saw for less money is Echo. I would ask local loggers which dealer has the best service department and buy from there. The best chainsaw in the world is useless if there is nobody to keep it in top condition. I would stay away from craftsman, homelite and poulan for anything more than occasional homeowner use.

Answer 4

I work with alot of logging operations and I have used both and with out a dought I would use a husky. The husky has a higher rpm that will cut wood much better and faster. The husky's are much more balanced and you won't get as tired using it. That is my observations. The Stihl is still a good saw but definitely stay away from the craftsman.

Answer 5

I have been looking at circular saws -- I hope that's the type of saw you meant. According to the reviews I read, neither of those brands are highly rated. Consumer Reports recommends a lot of saws, but their "best buys" are Ridgid R3200 ($110), Hitachi C7SB2 C7BD2 ($100), Makita 5740NB $(90), Ryobi CSB140LZK ($70). Milwaukee is highest rated, but the price is $150. Consumer Reports specifically said that the Craftsman has problems with blade alinement.

A good source of info is http://www.consumersearch.com . No subscription is required. Also see Popular Mechanics online. They did a big feature on circular saws.

Answer 6

Husqvarna makes really good equipment ,however it can be a little pricey. I personaly do like the Stihl brand.