Stihl MS 362 C-M

The MS 291 is the Farm Boss's bigger brother — same 12.3-pound clamshell chassis, but bored out to 55.5cc and 2.8 kW, which buys you a quarter horsepower and noticeably better pull on a 20-inch bar in hardwood. ArboristSite regulars who like this class generally steer buyers here over the 271: it's essentially the same saw with more engine, and the fuel-sipping design and five-times-longer air filter life carry over. The criticisms carry over too. Pros still call it a heavy homeowner clamshell, OEM parts (especially the top end) are expensive, and there's essentially no aftermarket support — one owner grumbled his 291 spends too much time on the bench. The real debate is value: at $619.99 you're only $80 from where used MS 362s and other pro saws start appearing, which is exactly the 'new 291 vs used 362' thread that keeps recurring on the forums. If you're set on new with a warranty, though, it's the strongest saw in Stihl's farm line.

The saw that made West Coast fallers trade in their 044s and 461s: 72.2cc and 4.4 kW in a 13.2-pound powerhead that Stihl bills as the lightest it has ever built in this class, and owners on ArboristSite describe with phrases like 'monster torque' and 'game changer'. The M-Tronic metering keeps it in perfect tune from sea level to mountain jobs, and users bucking hardwood with 25- and 28-inch bars report it never feels short of breath — several admit their 660-class saws now sit unused because the 462 does the work at two pounds less. Complaints are scarce and mostly economic: the price has marched steadily upward (Ace lists the 25-inch at $1,619.99), and weekend cutters frequently confess they love it but reach for it less than expected because it's simply more saw than most firewood requires. A few owners cross-shop the lighter MS 400 and wonder if 66cc would do. As a do-everything big saw for felling and heavy bucking, though, forum consensus is about as unanimous as chainsaw forums get: no buyer's remorse.

The Farm Boss is probably the most-recommended 'my first serious saw' in America, and its 4.5-star average over 2,850+ Ace reviews shows the formula works: 50.2cc, a 20-inch bar, modern spring anti-vibration that owners say leaves their hands fresh after a full day, and a fuel-efficient engine that runs 20% longer per tank than the MS 270 it replaced. There's a whole ArboristSite thread literally titled 'Why do so many guys bad mouth the MS 271' — the answer is that pros dismiss it as a heavy clamshell homeowner saw with mediocre power density (12.3 lbs for only 2.6 kW, about what a 10-pound pro 50cc saw makes). Both sides are right. It's slower than an MS 261 and not rebuildable the way a pro saw is, and OEM top-end parts are expensive with little aftermarket support. But for a landowner cutting a few cords a year, it's smooth, dependable, and roughly half the price of the pro alternative — which is exactly why dealers can't keep them on the wall.