Echo CS-501P vs Husqvarna 545 Mark II
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
Echo CS-501P
- 10.6 lb dry powerhead is the lightest 50cc sold in North America — roughly a pound under a Husqvarna 545 Mark II
- Owners moving from 50-class Stihl and Husqvarna saws consistently report more low-end torque than the displacement suggests
- Captive bar nuts stay attached to the clutch cover, so they cannot be lost in the field
- Aluminium handlebar with rubber grip, rim sprocket and magnesium-grade pro internals rather than homeowner plastics
- Decompression valve and translucent fuel tank make starting and fuel checks genuinely quicker
- 5-year consumer warranty is unmatched on any competing pro-tier 50cc saw
- About $670 — roughly $240 more than Echo's own CS-4920, which is only half a pound heavier
- Standard recoil with no spring-assist or i-30 starter, unlike Echo's cheaper homeowner saws
- Sold through Echo dealers rather than big-box stores, so there is no retail review aggregate to check
- Capped at a 20-inch bar — step up to the CS-620P if you need 24 or 27 inches
- Scattered owner reports of an early cracked clutch cover, though not a documented pattern
Husqvarna 545 Mark II
- Shares the 550 XP Mark II's magnesium crankcase and anti-vibe at a meaningfully lower price
- AutoTune compensates for altitude, fuel and filter condition with no screwdriver
- 11.7 lb powerhead for 50.1cc is pro-class power-to-weight
- Rated to a 20-inch bar, so there is real headroom over the 16 inches it ships with
- Dealer-channel parts and service, with the same X-Cut chain as the rest of the 50cc pro range
- Gauge changes with bar length — .058 on 16 and 18-inch builds, .050 on 20-inch — an easy ordering mistake
- 0.3 kW down on the 550 XP Mark II for $110 less — the narrowest power gap in Husqvarna's 50cc range
- AutoTune needs a dealer with diagnostic gear for deep fuel-system service
- Dealer-only distribution, so no big-box price shopping or same-day exchange
- $640 is a lot of money beside the 450X Rancher for buyers who cut a few cords a year