Stihl MS 250 vs Stihl MS 251 Wood Boss
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
Stihl MS 250
- Best power-to-weight in Stihl's homeowner range — 45.4cc in a 10.1 lb powerhead
- Pulls an 18" bar and .325" chain well enough for genuine firewood processing, not just cleanup
- Side-access chain tensioner beats the bar-nut fiddling on the 170/180
- Simple, parts-everywhere design that dealers have serviced for 20+ years
- Winter/summer carb shutter prevents icing for cold-weather cutting
- Hundreds of dollars cheaper than any pro-tier Stihl with comparable displacement
- Cold-blooded, hard-starting reputation — the most common complaint in its 2,628 Ace reviews and in owner discussions
- Dated anti-vibration system transmits noticeably more buzz than the MS 271/291
- Old-generation engine is thirstier and dirtier than Stihl's newer low-emission designs
- Stihl doesn't allow OEM parts sales online, so every repair means a dealer trip
- Air filtration is far behind the pre-separation systems on newer saws — filters clog fast in dusty wood
Stihl MS 251 Wood Boss
- 2.2 kW and a .325"/.063" chain — proper firewood gearing, not a narrow-kerf homeowner chain
- 10.6 lb powerhead is light for 45cc; owners report full days without arm fatigue
- Long-term owners in firewood forums report multi-year service on filters and plugs alone
- 20% better fuel economy and about half the emissions of the MS 250 generation it replaces
- $430 is roughly a third of what a pro 50cc Stihl costs
- Plastic clamshell engine against the MS 261's magnesium crankcase — it will not take long, dirty workdays the same way
- Owners report it drops revs and can die under sustained load in softwood
- Factory bar and chain are the weak point: dulls and burns quickly when pushed
- Scattered reports of piston failure in the first weeks with warranty claims denied
- No M-Tronic — altitude and seasonal changes mean carburetor tinkering