Makita UC4051A vs Stihl MSE 170 C-B
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
Makita UC4051A
- Build quality in a different league from value corded saws
- Smooth, torquey 14.5A motor with current-limiter protection
- Effective anti-vibration — rare in the corded class
- Tool-less chain tensioning done right
- Large oil reservoir with a view window
- Nearly 3x the price of the value corded standard-bearers
- 1-year warranty trails the cheap competition's 2-3 years
- 12.3 lb is substantial for a 16-inch electric
- Overkill for occasional woodpile duty
Stihl MSE 170 C-B
- Unlimited runtime — no pack to swap and no fade at the end of a long processing session
- Brushless DC motor: no fuel mixing, no carburetor, no exhaust, almost nothing to service
- 8.4 lb powerhead with no battery hanging off it, so it is light in the hands all day
- Quick Chain Adjuster tensions without tools; the oil cap opens by hand
- 2-year warranty for consumer AND professional use — Stihl's gas saws now get 1 year and 3 months
- Stihl specifically recommends leg protection with corded saws: constant high torque means chaps may not stop the sprocket
- About $560 — more than a 45cc MS 251 Wood Boss that goes anywhere
- Tethered to an extension cord, and a long cord on a 13.1 A load means voltage drop
- 12-16" bars only; it is not a felling saw
- Narrow market means thin dealer stock — bar-length options are often backordered