Craftsman S205 vs Craftsman S1800
Tinted cells mark the better figure on that row alone: more engine, longer bar, lighter, cheaper. A lighter weight is only a win on the same basis.
What owners like and complain about
Craftsman S205
- Full-crank 46cc engine is smoother and more durable than price peers
- Walmart pricing regularly lands in the $130-170 range
- Easy Start reduces pull-cord effort noticeably
- 20-inch bar covers big cleanup jobs
- Positive reviews from Pro Tool Reviews and OPE Reviews back the value case
- Factory low-kickback chain cuts slowly — plan a chain swap
- Basic anti-vibration by modern standards
- No dealer service network behind the warranty
- 16.4 lb ready-to-cut is hefty for occasional users
- Occasional-duty design — not a firewood-by-the-cord machine
Craftsman S1800
- Full-crank engine and 3-point anti-vibration carried over from the S1600
- 12.9 lb with bar and chain is genuinely light for an 18-inch gas saw
- Easy Pull Start reduces cord effort noticeably on a cold engine
- $229 is the cheapest 18-inch gas saw from a nationally stocked brand
- 42cc is underpowered for 18 inches of bar — reach without matching capability
- 3.7 stars across 664 Lowe's reviews, the same middling score as the S1600
- Starter housing and post-storage starting are the repeated owner complaints
- No dealer service network; the 2-year warranty runs through a retail returns desk
- Only $30 under saws with real 45cc-plus engines on sale