On the Fence: 46cc Homelite for $139 VS 40cc Echo for $299 (both are 18")

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
DanCorcoran

DanCorcoran

Minister of Fire
Jan 5, 2010
2,205
Richmond, VA
I was just at Home Depot and noticed that they have marked down their Homelite (made in China) 46cc 18" from $179 to $139 (looks like a closeout). It comes with a 2-year warranty and a hard plastic case.

Right next it was an Echo (made in Japan) 400 (40cc, also 18", no case) for $299. It has a 5-year warranty.

Why NOT buy the Homelite? You could buy two for less than the price of one Echo, and get a 15% higher displacement engine. This would not be for a lot of cutting...just a cord or two a year. You could even buy the Homelite and put a 16" bar on it for a lot less than the Echo.

Is Homelite that bad?
 
Its going to come down to what it takes to keep a saw producing wood. With that said how much wood do you need to produce in a years time?
 
A cord or two a year...
 
DanCorcoran said:
A cord or two a year...
Click to expand...

Homelite should be fine......Thats very light use.
 
Echo, made in Japan is a far better made saw,but for that money the home lite would work just fine. If I only wanted to spend around 200 on a saw I'd buy used off ebay or something.You can get a great powerful saw for about 200. and with all the parts on the internet today you can keep anything running for years to come!
 
I'd buy the homelite. you won't run across a deal like that anytime soon on a new saw. I bought my Menards special for less, but I'd rather have something like a Homelite for a few more bucks. Let's be clear, though. I'd rather have the Echo, just not at that price difference.
 
Look at it this way.... I buy used saws all the time,This summer I bought a Husqvarna 288 xp for 60.00 bucks at a rummage sale . It needed about 30.00 worth of parts so now I have a saw that's very powerful for about 90.00 ...that saw new is about 1200.00. So putting a 30.00 part in a saw like that makes sense. If you buy a 150.00 no matter what you do you always have a cheap saw.. MADE IN CHINA
 
Anyone know who makes Homelite (is it Poulan?). And would it indeed be a good idea to put a 16" bar on it, to improve the displacement to bar-length ratio?

P.S. I'm old enough to remember when "Made in Japan" was enough to damn a product...times do change.
 
Sorry they are both sheet.

Two cord of wood a year, hmmm. What size is the wood you are cutting? Two cord you cut cut with a crosscut if ya had to!!

Get the best Stihl you can afford. Then every year when you start cutting wood, take your wife to dinner on the money you will save fixing/swearing at/replacing those toys in your OP.
 
ISeeDeadBTUs said:
Sorry they are both sheet.

Two cord of wood a year, hmmm. What size is the wood you are cutting? Two cord you cut cut with a crosscut if ya had to!!

Get the best Stihl you can afford. Then every year when you start cutting wood, take your wife to dinner on the money you will save fixing/swearing at/replacing those toys in your OP.
Click to expand...


sorry, but I had a CS400 for a bit....that saw is not "sheeet" - especially if you are only cutting a couple/few cord a year.

Its actually built pretty well, very smooth to run and is comfortable to use. If I could find another one at the right price, I'd pick it up for some light cutting/limbing...
 
I have the smaller ECHO 370. It has cut a ton of wood for me and is very reliable.
I have abused the snot out of it too. Starts second pull every time. It has already paid for its 3 years of cutting. If it dies tomorrow, I won't be upset.

Still, I'd love to have a XP Stihl or Husky. Something bigger that screams through wood. I scrounge some bigger stuff that the ECHO 16 inch has no business messing with.

But this ECHO was a good starter for me and is a 1 minor step above a homelite.
 
No complaints with my cs-400. 2 pulls with choke then 3rd pull to fire.
 
I bought a new 40cc Crapsman last fall ('09). Then I found a 30 year old jonsered, mostly worn out. Twice as powerfull as the Crapsman. Then a freind gave me a beat up ms210. The Crapsman very well may never be used again.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

R
Lopi vs Empire, two local installers... help us decide!
Replies
13
Views
3K
The Hearth Room - Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
bholler
B
ColdNorCal
Need a 2nd Lighter Saw - Jonsered or Echo
Replies
10
Views
4K
The Gear
ColdNorCal
ColdNorCal
P
Do you own a woodlot - Time to repaint the boundaries
Replies
1
Views
1K
The Wood Shed
moresnow
moresnow
Chris_F
Opinions and recommendations for a new wood burning stove insert
Replies
26
Views
7K
The Hearth Room - Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
Hoytman
H
R
I need some boots, what do you suggest?
Replies
25
Views
4K
The Gear
SpaceBus
SpaceBus
Top Bottom
Back