Summary:
I like this saw, would by it again and recommend it to my friends who are looking for this class of saw.

Strengths:
Feels good in the hands, 3hp, 16" bar with Stihl RS chain, easy to start, minimal to non-existent vibrations, Best Home-Owners Saw on th emarket IMO.

Weaknesses:
Perhaps a little high on price, but you get what you pay for.

Summary:
Probably the best chains saw for the money. Backed by warranty service that can be had with a short car ride. Other models may be less expensive, but problematic when they need service or warranty repairs.

Strengths:
Excellent power to weight ration.Absorbs vibrations well, making it less fatiguing to use. Starts easily, and tends to runs long periods without having to pull the chain off and clean away wood chips, etc. Allows more time cutting wood, and less time spent cleaning and adjusting.

Weaknesses:
None that I can determine.

Summary:
Best trim saw I have ever owned or operated. Beats any other make in class hands down. Will probably give some bigger saws from other makers a run for their money. Going to complement this one with a bigger Stihl soon. 5 years and still a long ways from needing to be replaced, well worth the few extra bucks.....

Strengths:
Outstanding trim saw. Drop-dead reliable. Never had this saw fail to start by the fourth pull, generally one pull on full choke when cold and then one pull half choke and she fires right up. Zaps through the small stuff like nobody's business. I can leave it on the shelf for a year long deployment, come home and fire it up like it was just run the day before......

Weaknesses:
None, if used for the stuff it was intended. This is not an MS460, don't try to use it like one and it'll do fine.

Summary:
Saw is great for my needs. Pruning and cut up a few trees each year. Thats about as much work as I want to do with a chainsaw.

Strengths:
I have the MS 250 CB-E. So of course the starting is extremely easy as is any chain adjusting. Also easy to maintain. Cuts great, plenty of power. I have a 20 acre orchard and it suits my needs perfectly. The Stihl was a replacement for the Poulan 295, although after a little work on the Poulan it is still a very good saw also. Keep 16" bars on both and that works for me.

Weaknesses:
None really, but my use is only a couple of months. But I don't anticipate any problems. Know other people that have the 250 and everyone loves it.

Summary:
I highly recommend this saw. The 45.4 c.c. engine with an 18 inch bar and chain is what I have, is plenty powerful. I love it.

Strengths:
Cuts very well. Slices through wood like hot butter.Have cut green pecan ,10 inches in diameter are the largest cuts on the pecan. Has no problem cutting the pecan or oak. Very smooth saw. Very low vibration, if any at all. Starts very easy. If you put it on full choke when cold, pull once; then on half choke, one more pull and she's running.Have used two tanks of gas and haven't had to tighten chain yet!

Weaknesses:
None at all.

Summary:
Stihl's easy start works very well, better than I expected in fact, and out performs other brands' easy starts I have on other power equipment. The saw is overly expensive and Stihl has no excuse offer a case that requires anger to close, paints the chips so readily and the forethought to angle exhaust gases elsewhere. And yet with those caveats listed, I'd purchase another Stihl simply because Stihl has over 8,000 dealers where I can purchase parts—and then any and every part. This means that I can service this saw until I get tired of looking at it and for me, that makes all the difference.

Strengths:
I recently purchased a MS250C. The best things about the Stihl MC250C is that it cold starts without fifty-thousand pulls and once it starts, it stays running without stalling and all of this out of the box without adjustment. Moreover, he saw features a plate that can be flipped to keep the carb warm in the cold and it is relatively powerful for its size and I was able to tackle felling a 22" plumb tree with the stock 16" bar and a wedge on the saw's first outing.

Weaknesses:
If you look strongly at the bar, let alone use it, the paint chips off of it. Exhaust discolors chain adjustment cover. Not all dealers are created equally but they can all get parts. Bonus: the fifty-dollar, universal-orange-colored, plastic Stihl case doesn't quite fit the MS250C and requires fiddling to close. Poor form, Stihl. While Stihl contemplates its poor casse performance, when you redesign the case, why don't you design a storage bin in the case so there is less need to play fifty-two pick-up with all the spares.

Summary:
Alittle higher priced then the cheaper saws Poulan, Echo, etc and while I can't say Husky is better or worse (I debated quite a bit Stihl or Husky), I have absolutely no regrets on buying the Stihl. I've never had luck starting a Stihl easily (old 028 and MS170) however the MS250 pulls 2-3 times on full choke, begins to run and stalls, then put it on warm choke and 1 pull your away. Lightweight, power and size are all perfect for what i'd consider a medium saw. Easy to feather the throttle when close to the ground cutting up firewood, can't go wrong with this saw.

Strengths:
Looked at Jonsered, Husky and Stihl before narrowing it down to Stihl or Husky as there are no Jonsered dealers near me for service, parts, etc. I knew I wanted a 40 something cc saw with 16 inch bar. This saw cuts beautifully and with its lightweight, it makes notching a tree very easy all day long. I find compared to other saws that were more powerful but much heavier, I prefer the MS250 as it still has plenty of power at 45cc. I've cut 12" dry maple with a 14" stump no porblem at all. If your only looking to cut wood 16" diametre or less for firewood, I don't think the MS250 can be beat. Starts 3-4 pull every time cold, 1st pull when warm so I opted to skip the new recoil starter (CE) option as I know it works, but this seems like a gimmick to me when a saw is easy to start anyways. Could have a place for older users or persons with muscle/joint issues.

Weaknesses:
While the power is plenty, Its too bad the MS250 is the largest you can get before the weight jumps. For example, the MS210, 230 and 250 weight the same. I wasn't prepared to jump to the MS290 Farm Boss when the weight jumped up, even with the extra power. Not really a weakness as the person buying an MS250 would be the average home owner, firewood, property saw where the 16-18" bar would be plenty. If you're looking for a larger saw, then i'd go with the MS290 and MS170 and you've really got the best of both worlds (The MS170 is a beauty as well for a baby saw). Can't even complain about the cost, you know buying a Stihl that its going to last a damn long time.

Summary:
I love this saw. My first was a Poulan (yuk!) My dad has a Stihl 028 that was not used for 15 years. 1 pull - and it started! You may pay a little more, but you will not have to replace or repair this saw like others!

Strengths:
I love this saw! As long as you have a properly sharpened chain this baby is unstoppable. It will last forever.

Weaknesses:
I had some trouble learning how to start this saw. I do not believe it has anything to do with the saw - just user error. Every thing that is mentioned in this thread about starting is true. 2 pulls on full choke, 1 on half choke and your are ripping!

Summary:
great buy I opted for 18" bar glad I did cause stihl bars run kinda short.

Strengths:
power and smooth also easy to start

Weaknesses:
None

Summary:
First Stihl saw that I have owned (received as gift). Will never buy another Stihl saw.

Strengths:
Light weight, easy starting.

Weaknesses:
Poor reliability. New saw (about 3 tanks of pre-mix through it) hit a rotten spot in a stump and sucked in some powder/wood debris and died. Completely cleaned carb (made in China!), air filter, and entire saw. Started up, ran fine for about 1/3 of a tank, then lost power. Idles fine, no power at high rpm. Repeated the cleanings twice, each time, ran great for a while, then back to no power. I hate this saw. Both of my Huskys run forever, no problems. This thing is a finicky piece of junk.

Summary:
Have had this saw for (6) years - heat with firewood - best saw I have ever used. Using 18" bar with the Super (RS) chain you will buzz to the other side of anything for wood stove heating! Friend has an MS290 - a bit more power; however, the extra 30% in weight make the MS250 a better bet.

Strengths:
Great power to weight. Starts easy, reliable.

Weaknesses:
None!

Summary:
pretty good for a nazi saw, but not as good as a wild thang

Strengths:
its pretty

Weaknesses:
not as good as the poulan wildthang, now that is a saw with tremendous power. Mine will pull a 36 inch bar with full house chisel chain. I also modded the muffler so it sounds like a cooter fart in the woods, so you can sneak up on the trees more easily that way.

Summary:
Great saw compared to the other brands in its class, wouldn't trade it for another! I LOVE STIHL CHAINSAWS!

Strengths:
This saw has been great! I have cut about 30 trees and had no problems with it. I have built many 2stroke engines and used double oil in the gas for a break in period, with this saw I used 40:1 mix and it seemed to run and start pretty good for 20 % more oil than required. Now that I broke it in I went back to the 50:1 mix and the saw freakin screams very happy with stihl and would defiantly purchase another before any other brand.

Weaknesses:
There are a couple things that I would say are a weakness. Now that the new fuels are ethanol based they act as a detergent and break down the 2 stroke oil if left mixed to long ,try to use your fuel up and not store it.This could cause a clogged carb or even worse if stored to long loss of compression, due to lack of lubrication. Another thing I dont like is on some models they have the tool less adjuster this sucks, if you plan to use this saw for long periods do not get this option the heat melts the plastic and you will loose tension. If you only use it for a few minutes at a time its not really an issue, but I recommend the old style adjuster .

Summary:
This is an AWESOME homeowner's/occasional use saw. If you're looking to cut up 3 or 4 cord of firewood per year, spend the extra money and get yourself at least a 290 Farm Boss. But for trees/logs up to about 16 or 18 inches in diameter, this saw is absolutely perfect.

Strengths:
I bought this saw with the intent to use it for cutting up firewood for my wood stove. It worked great until I got into the really big stuff (30"+). Due to the size of the logs I'm cutting now, I had to bump up to a 390. I had an 18" bar and yellow chain on the 250 and it screamed. I would highly recommend getting the yellow, full chisel chain (only if you're experienced though) as it chews through the wood a lot better and allows the engine to spool up a lot quicker. Ask your dealer to do the swap. If they want the sale, they'll do it.

Weaknesses:
None that I could really see. It always started very easily and was very reliable. I did have a problem with it stalling out after a long, high-rev cut. But that was easily remedied with a quick carb adjustment.

Summary:
Greeay saw for cutting firewood it is defenetly worth the price compared to a craftsman.

Strengths:
AWSome high power will cut through anything it seems. very smooth and chains are great. AWSOME SAW!!!!

Weaknesses:
NONE!!!!

Summary:
I had a Jonsered 2036 Turbo with very few hours on it. The plastic gear at the recoil was all rounded over and I needed a carb kit as well because I left fuel in it. I went to the only Jonsered dealer around and he just tried to sell me a new saw. I left and saw a Husky 445 at Lowes with an 18 inch bar for $319 (not a great price, but that saw normally comes with a 16 inch bar) and I bought it. I ended up returning it as I read that dealer support was more important than brand so I bought the Stihl. In truth either would have been fine, but so far I'm happy. I didn't want the couple extra pounds of the 290 and so far 45ccs seems like enough power for my needs.

Strengths:
Cuts fast and smooth. A good small saw for cutting small trees and firewood.

Weaknesses:
Starting procedure not well explained to me by the dealer or in the manual. I kept flooding it before I took it back and made them give me a proper starting demonstration (put it on 'cold start' and give it two pulls MAXIMUM or you'll flood the carb - then put the switch on warm start and pull til it takes off).

Summary:
Get this firecracker saw! It is a pleasure to use, with the above 3 mods plus chain swap. A hot knife in butter. IMO, it's now better than a MS-260 Pro in all areas except housing durability. The 1/2 Lb lighter MS-250 is appreciated compared to the 260 as the day gets longer. The extra 0.2 HP of the 260 is not missed in the 250. If you have a bad right shoulder, the starting may still be too harsh for you. You should look for a saw with a decompression valve, or the Easy2Start system, or a smaller engined saw.

Strengths:
Lightweight yet excellent power. I use it for 90% of my cutting. With yellow, narrower Picco chain (63PM-55), Amsoil synthetic oil mixed at 100:1 in 91 octane non-oxygenated fuel, this thing freakin rips through oak. Hot/cold air shutter for the carb improves run quality in the winter without having to adjust the carburetor.

Weaknesses:
Causes tingly fingers after 3 minutes @ full throttle cutting in hardwoods. Engine harshly yanks back on the recoil handle when starting a warm engine. Exhaust diffuser puts exhaust in your face & discoloration on chain cover. I fixed the above as follows: Drill 8 holes 3/32" diameter in the sides of the 3 rubber handle isolation bushings, plus 1 cover bushing. Install an "ElastoStart" handle/rope assembly, from Stihl. Remove the exhaust diffuser, but then do not use saw in public forests as this removes the spark arrest screen.

Summary:
I would buy the saw again. It is more money than box store saws, but it seems worth it to me.

Strengths:
After over 20 years with my Stihl 009L and beating on it and it still runs well, I decided on a new saw with more power, an MS250. My children even bought it for me. It was a good choice. I have gone through 2 gal of bar and chain oil. I even cut under water fallen trees in a swamp and some stumps, a lot of chain touch up with the file and guide. It is the right weight for a 67 year, old guy. I have cut a few cords of oak fire wood also and find it not to tiring to use. Just like the 009L, it is well made and runs well.

Weaknesses:
None really, but learning to start it, you must follow the manual. It has never failed to start.

Summary:
Average for its class.

Strengths:
Very good performance. Easy starting. Well controlled vibration.

Weaknesses:
Very poor handle bar mount. Uses a plastic plug that has tendency to fall out of its mount leaving the handle attached in one place. Also has those useless index fuel and oil caps.

Summary:
This saw got me through a ice storm (winter of 08-09)that took out so many trees it was a day and a half to get down the street.11 days to get my power back. me and my neighbor who also uses a stihl didn't wait for rescue we cut our way out. Had a major wind storm this year more trees. no problem had the yard and others cleaned up in no time. At no time did this saw slow down or refuse to start. still cutting fire wood just fine.

Strengths:
plain and simple for it's size and weight this saw is a beyond description.

Weaknesses:
N/A

Summary:
I have owned a landscaping service in Maricopa County Az FOr 18 years. This is the first and probably last piece of stihl equiptment i will ever buy.

Strengths:
Really can not find any.

Weaknesses:
I bought a new ms250 3 years ago. Have maybe 5 hours on it and had the retail dealer who i bought it from do a tune-up this past spring. I clean the saw after use and it has never been dropped or abused. Now the saw refuses to start. It started twice since the tune up, and now nothing. Of coarse it will be operater error. No response from stihl. I would not buy this piece of equiptment ever again.

Summary:
boat anchor

Strengths:
good enough to sell at a garage sale, but wouldn't stick a friend with it. I did buy a used Poulan 2150 at a garage sale... works!

Weaknesses:
Wont start. Compared to my 30 year old Maccullough, this is a lemon. I have read how others got theirs to start. Repeated and nothing. I have to take mine back to the dealer to start, and even they have a nasty go at it. Note--> after 2 weeks I tried to get the dealer to upgrade it to anything else, even another Stihl....nope!