Stihl MS 172 C-E vs Stihl MS 182

Stihl / Gas

Stihl MS 172 C-E

30cc class

~$250

Stihl / Gas

30cc class

~$270

The Stihl MS 172 C-E costs about $20 less; the Stihl MS 182 has more engine (35.8cc).

Spec	Stihl MS 172 C-E	Stihl MS 182
Approx. price	~$250with 16" bar and chain	~$270with 16" bar and chain
Engine class	30cc classby displacement	30cc classby displacement
Power type	Gas	Gas
Use case	Homeowner	Homeowner
Engine	31.8 cc	35.8 cc
Rated power	1.3 kW	1.6 kW
Bar length	16 in	16 in
Single-pass cut	about 14 in	about 14 in
Chain	3/8" Picco pitch / .043" gauge (61 PMM3)	3/8" Picco pitch / .050" gauge (63 PM3 55)
Weight	10.4 lbpowerhead only, without fuel (11.7 lb with the 16" bar and chain)	10 lbpowerhead only, without fuel (11.9 lb with the 16" bar and chain)
Warranty	1-year consumer / 3-month professional (Stihl policy effective Jan 1, 2026)	1-year consumer / 3-month professional (Stihl policy effective Jan 1, 2026)

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.

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

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

More power and less weight than the MS 172 for about $20 more — the better buy of the two
10.0 lb dry is light enough for overhead limbing and one-handed-awkward angles (two hands, always)
Easy2Start MS 182 C-BE version available for $50 more, which is the fix for anyone who struggles to pull a recoil
Toolless caps, side-access tensioner, and a dealer network for parts
1.6 kW (2.2 bhp) to ISO 7293 from 35.8cc — respectable for a sub-$300 gas saw

Clamshell construction — Stihl's small saws are not built to be rebuilt
Oiler is matched to the 16" bar; owners who fit longer bars report dry-chain wear
12-inch hardwood is the practical ceiling despite the 16" bar
Warranty for 2026 is 1 year consumer, 3 months if you earn money with it