What are your guys thoughts on Echo saws. I know when it comes to most things in life. You get what you pay for. But I know some of my buddies have older echo saws and love them and they say they are reliable. They are cheaper then your Stihl and husky saws. And just wondering if they are worth the purchase. Or should I just stick to Stihl or husky saws.
Echo saws
- Thread starter Bucher86
- Start date
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I have the cs590. It’s great for the price. Lots of power, maybe a little less refined than a husky.
NorthernFireplaceFool
Member
WoodBurnerInWI
Feeling the Heat
I too own a CS-590, have owned it for around 4 years now and it cuts around 10-15 cords of wood per year. I haven't replaced anything on it yet except for bars and chains. Gives me more than enough power for what I'm cutting through and it easily goes through big tree's (3ft around or so). I would recommend it if Stihls are too pricey (although farm and fleet recently had a sale on one of the 18" Stihls that was a decent price).
buc74
Burning Hunk
Isaac Carlson
Minister of Fire
I think they are pretty heavy and a bit unbalanced. I like my husqvarna because it's light and well balanced.
I've had Echo saws since 1978 and they all work fine. Like all two cycle engines, they need a gas stabilizer and regular use. Keep them sharp and they can perform as well as any other brand. Like a Honda auto, not the most expensive nor the highest performance but a great value. And they last.
CentralVAWoodHeat
Minister of Fire
One of my saws is a cs-590 as well. For the price, I really like it. I have a 24” bar on mine and it has just enough power to run it well.
I agree with Isaac about the balance of the saw, especially with the larger bar. It is very front heavy. Also, the vibration from the Echo is significantly more noticeable that that of my Husqvarna saws. I’ve also found that to be true of their weed eaters as well, for what it’s worth.
Either way, the 590 starts and runs well and serves it’s purpose as a backup saw for me.
I agree with Isaac about the balance of the saw, especially with the larger bar. It is very front heavy. Also, the vibration from the Echo is significantly more noticeable that that of my Husqvarna saws. I’ve also found that to be true of their weed eaters as well, for what it’s worth.
Either way, the 590 starts and runs well and serves it’s purpose as a backup saw for me.
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
I've had my fair share of echo saws. I have moved on. The price is ok, the durability is ok also. I dont like the balance of the saw as well as the weight. for a few dollars more your into a saw that cuts faster and has better balance and is lighter..Husky is my vote...
D8Chumley
Minister of Fire
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
at that price your close to owning a still or a husky.. for a few dollars more you'll have a pro saw in your hands...
Your right..., you will have a pro saw with buying that one....kinda like there is more options than Ford and Chevy. Dolmar (now makita) saws have been around longer than both the brands you mentioned. Parts are easily available (if/when needed) and they work very well....and like you said, you save some money vs the more known names.
ColdNorCal
Feeling the Heat
I am always impressed with the cs352. It starts easily and runs great. Sips gas and bar oil. And does a lot of work despite its 34cc. It is mm'd and retuned,
I put an Echo in my fleet several years ago after a bunch of reading, some from the real saw freaks that just can't resist porting and playing with them for squeezing out a bit more juice and didn't come across a bad comment.
I'm done swinging around my old faithful 044 just to limb up a tree, that's where my little Echo CS-490 comes in the picture. A great little saw for under $400.
I'm done swinging around my old faithful 044 just to limb up a tree, that's where my little Echo CS-490 comes in the picture. A great little saw for under $400.
I think Echo are a great bang for the buck saw. I've had a few, worked on a few. I currently run a little one for limbing. It's light and was cheap. Never given me one ounce of trouble.
Stihl, Husky, Dolmar, Shindaiwa, Echo.... in that order in my opinion. You can't beat Stihl pro saws, but you sure pay for them.
Stihl, Husky, Dolmar, Shindaiwa, Echo.... in that order in my opinion. You can't beat Stihl pro saws, but you sure pay for them.
I want to mention the Echo CS-7310P. A buddy just got one of these saws and they are really well built, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one after playing with his. Other saws like the CS-620 PW and the CS-501P are great saws too.
They are well-built, quality saws. They meet emissions by choking them down and leaning them out to such a degree that longevity is put at risk. If you address those issues right out of the box - open the muffler, retune the saw properly - you will have a solid saw built around older, proven, reliable two-stroke technology, free of computers and other gimmicks.
