Stihl's cheapest gas saw is now the MS 172 C-E, not the MS 170 — the 170/171 generation was dropped and the 172 took the bottom of the range with 31.8cc, 1.3 kW and the Easy2Start recoil that halves pull effort. At $250 with a 16-inch Light 01 bar it is a limbing and small-firewood saw, nothing more: the 3/8" Picco chain is .043" narrow-kerf, which cuts briskly in 8-inch softwood and stalls in anything hard much over 10. Owners who have bought one recently like that it starts in two pulls and that the clutch sits inboard so the bar and chain come off without wrestling. The recurring complaint is weight — 10.4 lb of powerhead for 1.3 kW is heavy for the class, and longtime Stihl buyers say the small saws got heavier, not lighter, with each replacement.

Best for: Suburban owners who need an occasional saw for storm limbs and 8-inch firewood and want a dealer-serviced Stihl at the lowest price Stihl sells one.

Specifications

Engine class: 30cc class (by displacement)
Engine: 31.8 cc
Rated power: 1.3 kW
Bar length: 16 in
Single-pass cut: about 14 in (bar minus 2)
Chain: 3/8" Picco pitch / .043" gauge (61 PMM3)
Weight: 10.4 lb, powerhead only, without fuel (11.7 lb with the 16" bar and chain)
Power type: Gas
Use case: Homeowner
Warranty: 1-year consumer / 3-month professional (Stihl policy effective Jan 1, 2026)
Model: MS 172 C-E

Manufacturer figures except the engine class and single-pass cut, which are derived here. What each spec means

Stihl's entry price at $250
Easy2Start recoil
Replaces the dropped MS 170

What owners like

Cheapest way into a dealer-supported Stihl gas saw at about $250 with bar and chain
Easy2Start spring-assist recoil — owners report two-pull starts from cold
Inboard clutch means the bar and chain come off without fighting the sprocket
Narrow-kerf .043" Picco chain keeps the little engine from bogging in small wood
Toolless fuel and oil caps, side-access chain tensioner

Common complaints

10.4 lb powerhead for only 1.3 kW — heavy for an entry saw, and owners say each replacement got heavier
Runs out of engine past roughly 10-inch hardwood; 16" is the bar it tolerates, not one it pulls
Clamshell engine, so it is a replace-not-rebuild saw
Stihl's gas chainsaw warranty dropped to 1 year consumer / 3 months professional for 2026
Dealer-only distribution means no price shopping — you pay Stihl's number