Stihl MS 271 Farm Boss vs Husqvarna 455 Rancher

Stihl MS 271 Farm Boss

Stihl / Gas

Stihl MS 271 Farm Boss

50cc class

~$540

4.5/5 Ace Hardware

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Husqvarna 455 Rancher

Husqvarna / Gas

Husqvarna 455 Rancher

50cc class

~$589

4.6/5 Lowe's

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The Stihl MS 271 Farm Boss costs about $49 less; the Husqvarna 455 Rancher has more engine (55.5cc); the Stihl MS 271 Farm Boss is lighter at 12.3 lb on the same basis.

SpecStihl MS 271 Farm BossHusqvarna 455 Rancher
Approx. price~$540with 20" bar and chain~$589with 20" bar and chain
Engine class50cc classby displacement50cc classby displacement
Power typeGasGas
Use caseFarm & RanchFarm & Ranch
Engine50.2 cc55.5 cc
Rated power2.6 kW2.6 kW
Bar length20 in20 in
Single-pass cutabout 18 inabout 18 in
Bar range16-20 in13-24 in
Chain.325" pitch / .063" gauge (26 RM3)3/8" pitch / .050" gauge
Weight12.3 lbpowerhead only13.2 lbpowerhead only
Warranty1-year consumer / 3-month professional (Stihl policy from Jan 1, 2026)2-year consumer (extendable to 4 with fuel registration)

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 271 Farm Boss

  • Proven all-rounder for felling and firewood — 50.2cc comfortably runs 16"-20" bars
  • Advanced anti-vibration mounts noticeably reduce fatigue; a top owner-praised feature after long cutting days
  • Fuel-efficient engine runs 20% longer between refills than the MS 270 it replaced
  • Pre-separation air filtration stretches filter cleaning intervals in dirty wood
  • 4.5-star average across 2,856 Ace Hardware reviews — one of the biggest verified track records of any farm saw
  • $539.99 is roughly half the cost of Stihl's pro 50cc-class saws
  • Heavy for its output — 12.3 lbs powerhead for 2.6 kW; pro saws make more power at less weight
  • Clamshell engine construction: pros consider it a throwaway design rather than a rebuildable saw
  • Little aftermarket parts support and expensive OEM top-end parts if it does wear out
  • Noticeably slower in big hardwood than an MS 261/362 despite similar displacement
  • Scattered owner reports of fussy chain-brake behavior and denied warranty claims

Husqvarna 455 Rancher

  • Two decades of proven reliability — the definition of a known quantity
  • 4.6-star Lowe's aggregate across roughly 700 reviews
  • Genuinely pulls its 20-inch bar in hardwood
  • Parts, bars, and chains stocked everywhere from Lowe's to rural dealers
  • Smart Start, fuel pump, and inertia chain brake as standard
  • Tolerates neglect that would kill fussier saws
  • The chain tensioner runs out of travel on this short frame — after a few years the screw reaches its limit and the chain goes slack mid-cut, and the fix is to break a drive link out
  • A weak bar oiler is the complaint owners repeat most about the 455/460 family; one sold his saw over it
  • 13.2 lb powerhead is heavy for 55cc — fatigue shows on long days
  • Vibration is noticeably stronger than modern pro saws
  • Forum consensus favors the CS-590 on value and the MS 271 on refinement
  • Consumer crankcase — not rebuildable pro construction
  • At $589 it has crept into striking distance of better saws
Stihl MS 271 Farm Boss in fullHusqvarna 455 Rancher in fullMore matchups