It is time to see which chainsaw is better. Today we have the Echo CS-490 and the Stihl MS-271, both of which are professional and robust chainsaws with powerful engines, sharp chains, and excellent features. These are by no means cheap chainsaws. They are designed with power and functionality in mind, and you can’t go wrong with either purchase.
However, one chainsaw must be better than the other. To determine which chainsaw is the best, we need to look at all their features. The Echo is full of great parts, but so is the Stihl! Each has a strong 50.2CC motor, and each one is excellent for use around your property.
In fact, if you need a powerful chainsaw for working on your property, one of these two will do the job perfectly. They are designed for medium cutting. That means they can handle anything, like pruning a tree, cutting firewood, or even cutting down a full-grown tree.
Echo CS-490 Professional Chainsaw Review
The Echo CS-490 Professional Chainsaw is an excellent machine with a lot of power. It has a huge bar and chain for cutting the thickest wood and the biggest trees. The chainsaw starts quickly, it lasts a long time, and it gives you excellent service. It is well-made and has many useful bonuses.
Professional
This is definitely a professional chainsaw. It weighs only 10.6 pounds, making it one of the lightest chainsaws with a 20” bar on it. It is also one of the lightest chainsaws with a 50.2CC, 2-stroke engine. This chainsaw was designed to cut wood, to be comfortable, and to work professionally.
The chainsaw starts when you want it to, it has ergonomic handles designed for comfortable use through the entire day, and the vibration level is minimum. Everything about this chainsaw is for people who need to get some serious work done.
Portable
Despite this being an incredibly powerful tool, it is also very portable. It does not use a lot of fuel, meaning you don’t need to stop and refill it, and it is not heavy enough to hurt your back from using it all day or carrying it around. This means you can work in the most awkward orientations and still have full control over your chainsaw.
Stihl MS 271 Farm Boss Chainsaw Review
The Stihl MS 271 Farm Boss chainsaw is a positive revolution in the way chainsaws operate. This dedicated machine is top of the line. It offers a plethora of useful features to make your time in the field much easier, like how it minimizes vibration levels, maximizes fuel efficiency, reduces exhaust emissions, and provides optimum convenience.
Sturdy Parts
This chainsaw weighs a bit more than its competitors, but that is because it is equipped with real quality parts. Yes, it is mostly plastic and metal, but all the plastic and metal components are built strong and built sturdy. This is not a machine that is going to break or fail. So long as you observe constant maintenance, this is a tool that will work for life.
Air Filtration
Air filtration systems are super important. If you don’t want dust and dirt to clog your air filter or get inside your chainsaw and diminish the power of the engine, you need a good filtration system. And the Stihl Farm Boss has one!
With its pre-separation air filtration system, dirt and dust simply can’t reach the air filter. It works to capture and expel the dirt before it ever reaches the air filter, meaning you get to do less cleaning and less maintenance.
Echo vs Stihl: Main Product Differences
Yes, these are both professional chainsaws. These can be used for work on your property or for commercial applications on job sites or at logging camps. Both chainsaws are portable and lightweight, making them ideal for long days of woodcutting. Both chainsaws come with a 50.2CC engine. And finally, both chainsaws work and function perfectly. But there are some differences.
Weight
One of the big differences here is weight. The Stihl MS271 weighs 12.3 pounds with an 18” bar. In comparison, the Echo CS-490 weighs 10.6 pounds with a 20” bar. Considering both machines have the same size of engine, but the lighter unit has a bigger bar, what does that mean?
It comes down to quality. Those extra pounds on the Stihl come from its higher quality parts. This may not make a difference to most people, but to any professional, they know the feeling of quality when they hold it in their hands. The weight differential between these two chainsaws is translatable to quality.
Features
The Stihl has more features. There is no nice way of saying it. The Stihl comes with reduced emissions, fantastic fuel efficiency, an amazing pre-separation air filtration system, and even an anti-vibration system.
The Echo CS-490 does come with a handful of advancements, it does have minimal vibrations, and it does offer great cutting power – but it just can’t compete with the quality technical features of the Stihl.
Echo vs Stihl: Final Thoughts
It is always hard to choose a champion when there are two great products. The Echo CS-490 Professional Chainsaw is a worthy tool to have hanging in your garage. It is awesome for firewood cutters, it is handy and portable for homeowners, and it is relatively light for such a big chainsaw with such a big bar and chain.
However, the Stihl Farm Boss Chainsaw is the better tool. It has a more advanced air filtration system, it has a superb anti-vibration system, the adjustments can be made without tools, and even the chain tensioner is positioned exactly where it should be for easy adjustments.
Not to mention, the Farm Boss Chainsaw is environmentally conscious, producing very low exhaust emissions while conserving fuel with great fuel efficiency. The best deal for the money must be the Stihl chainsaw. I highly recommend it.
