What brand of chainsaw to choose - the best manufacturers

Even if the loggers at one time tried to automate production, the prototype chainsaw was originally designed for medical purposes. In the middle of the XIX century, the prosthetist Bernard Hein created a device consisting of a fixed tire, along which a metal chain “walked”, on the links of which the cutting teeth were fixed. The chain was set in motion by an asterisk, which was rotated by a handle attached to it.

For industrial use, this idea was modernized through the efforts of designers from Stihl and Husqvarna. If you need a tool from the pioneers of the industry, then you will have to choose the brand of chainsaw between these names, and this solution will often be quite difficult - both manufacturers very carefully approach the issue of the quality of their products. If, however, you need to choose a workhorse "regardless of the faces", then quite wide product lines of European, American, Asian and domestic manufacturers are represented on the market.

The best European and American brands of chainsaws

European designers are no doubt the forefathers of the entire industry. And for a short, by historical standards, period - from 1926 to 1958 all the main elements of a modern chainsaw were developed and introduced into production. Initially, it was at least autonomous and seriously facilitating the work of lumberjacks, but weighing about 50 kg of the device.

The revolution occurred in 1954, when it became possible to use a two-stroke engine in a chainsaw - the entire device weighed 11 kg and they could not only cut down trees, but also clean them from boughs. The final touch was the introduction of a membrane carburetor (in 1958), thanks to which it became possible to keep the saw at work upside down and produce not only professional but also household tools.

Stihl

One of the recognized industry leaders who did a lot to develop the main components of a modern chainsaw. The developers of this German company were the first to create a saw, first on an electric and then on a gasoline engine, which made this tool truly autonomous and versatile.

The development of the company has continued for nearly a century, and all this time it has been working in one, initially defined direction, which determines the consistently high quality of the equipment produced. This is confirmed by numerous customer reviews, which, based on their own experience of using, recommend Stihl professional and household chainsaws as a reliable, high-quality and unpretentious tool.

In addition to household, semi and professional chainsaws, under the brand name “Shtil”, you can buy specialized saws for rescue teams that are lightweight.

Husqvarna

If Stihl was the ancestor of the gasoline saw industry, then Swedish Husqvarna has been producing garden tools for more than 300 years, and when chainsaws appeared, actively involved in the process of their modernization. Vibration damping, automatic brake of the chain during reverse impact, electronic ignition system and lubrication of the chain during operation - all these are developments of Husqvarna engineers who became the standard for other manufacturers.

The company produces professional and household tools, and user reviews point out only one subjective “flaw” - a price high enough for a domestic buyer. Otherwise, when used properly, it is one of the best chainsaws on the market.

Emak

If the chainsaw is produced under the trademarks Efco and Oleo-Mac, then its manufacturer is the Italian company Emak. This manufacturer does not participate in the marketing wars in the domestic market, therefore, it has not gained particular fame from buyers in the CIS countries. Such a conclusion can be made on the basis of the fact that it never even hit the top ten manufacturers, whose tools are most readily acquired on the post-Soviet market in general and in Russia in particular.

If a company does not strive for dominant positions, this does not mean that it will surrender existing ones. Budgetary and semi-professional models of the brand, which Emak specializes in, consistently find their customers and receive mostly positive feedback and recommendations from them.

Dolmar

Originally a German trademark, in 1991 became part of the Japanese concern for the production of power tools Makita. This allowed the tool giant to enter the chainsaw market, promoting products manufactured under the two trademarks - acquired by Dolmar and Makita, which is mainly found on the domestic market.

The production process itself has undergone some changes.If the floor and professional tools of medium and high price categories continue to be made at the "native" German factory, then household models began to be made in China. In general, the place of assembly should not affect the quality, but the facts suggest that Makita household chainsaws (and Dolmar respectively) receive less positive feedback from buyers than professional models.

Huter

Another German manufacturer of chainsaws, electrical equipment and other garden equipment. The company provides a large number of sales due to the relatively low cost of its products, so there are no professional chainsaws produced under this brand name on the market.

Huter equipment is being promoted under the slogan "German quality", but since these are still economy segment products, they are marked "made in China" on their packaging. Here, traditionally, are located the production facilities of European grandees, who produce low-cost product lines.

The best Asian brands of chainsaws

The equipment from Chinese and Korean manufacturers finds its buyer due to its low price or certain design developments, which makes it easier and more reliable. In general, the Chinese and Korean chainsaws can be described as the most functional at the lowest possible price, so if you decide which brand of chainsaw to choose to give, they will be a good solution. Some low-end models can even be equipped with the New Pure Fire system, which saves gasoline and reduces the amount of exhaust to the atmosphere by almost half.

Partner

Often, the packaging of these chainsaws by the manufacturer indicates the Swedish concern Husqvarna, of which Partner is already far from the first year. The history of the company began in the fifties of the twentieth century as a manufacturer of specialized tools for loggers, but in the eighties expanded the range of models, adding home appliances to them for use in housekeeping.

The new direction turned out to be successful and now the company is fully focused on it, producing low-cost models of good quality at fairly low prices, since the production facilities are located in China. For their value Partner chainsaws have sufficient functionality and reliability, as noted in the reviews of its owners.

Kioritz Corporation

Kiorits companies own three brands at once - except for repeating the name of the parent company Kioritz, they are fighting for the attention of buyers names such as Shindaiwa and Echo that came out of its walls. At the same time, chainsaws were not originally the main products of the corporation - they are produced only under the Shindaiwa and Echo brands, and the domestic buyer in general can only purchase the latest one. It is not known exactly why the company’s management made such a decision, perhaps they decided to promote a more “European” name, but after 2016 the Shindaiwa chainsaws are not supplied to the domestic market.

In the segment of professional equipment, the company's products are practically not represented, but domestic and semi-professional chainsaw buyers rated positively for their lightness, quality of components and assembly.

Champion

In contrast to venerable competitors, this Chinese trademark was announced relatively recently - the company has been operating only since the early 2000s. Not trying to compete in quality, she immediately made a bet on her trump card - the ability to supply the market with inexpensive and functional low-end models of chainsaws.

The company does not develop new technologies, focusing on the production of existing ones - it makes almost a dozen chainsaws. They are quite willing to get them for home use, since they cope with their task, and at a cost one-third (sometimes even 2-3 times) lower than the domestic models of the same Stihl or Hewskvarna.

Like most budget products, reviews for Champion saws are completely opposite - among some owners, the tool gives odds to competitors from competitors, while others may almost immediately fail.

Hyundai

Thanks to many years of experience in the production of cars, the engine is a strong point for any chainsaw of this brand - power and reliability of which are confirmed by customer reviews. Another advantage of the products of this brand are the prices - although not the lowest on the market, but allowing for a reasonable price to get quite a good tool with a good margin of safety.

The disadvantages of Hyundai chainsaws are quite subjective - they may seem insignificant to someone, and for another they will be the reason to look at products of a different brand.First of all, this is a small selection of products - the company started production of several successful models and expands their lineup rather slowly. Also, buyers note the poor quality of plastic, which closes the body of the saw - it does not crumble into pieces, but leaves much to be desired. The third thing to consider is that all Hyundai chainsaws weigh more than 4.5 kg - if the weight of the device is important, then this is an important factor when choosing.

Patriot

The label "Made in China" is misleading some customers that the Patriot chainsaw is a "pure Chinese", but in fact the company was originally created in the USA. Since its inception, the company has grown from a small workshop for forty years to an enterprise supplying equipment for agricultural work to several dozen countries and constantly expanding the market.

Since sales are primarily aimed at the economy segment, at one time production facilities from America were transferred to China. Coupled with effective marketing, this made it possible to set the lowest prices on the market. As for the quality of the product, it corresponds to some extent to the cost, but in fairness it is noted that the overall price-performance ratio is in favor of the Patriot equipment.

The best Russian brands of chainsaws

Decent models of chainsaws are also offered by domestic manufacturers, who initially focused on the realities of using tools in “our” conditions. They can lose a few foreign counterparts in size and weight, but their cost, quality requirements for fuel and oil will be an order of magnitude lower, with relatively equal engine powers. Choosing which company to buy a chainsaw, among domestic brands, the choice mainly comes down to the products of Interskol and Caliber companies.

Interskol

A manufacturer of electric and gas powered tools that has been working in the market since the late 1990s. Offers customers the most reliable devices, which seeks to set prices available to any budget.

We must pay tribute to the leadership of the company, which is able to identify weak points of production and find effective solutions to eliminate them. For example, if the engine itself is made at an acceptable level, then carburetors for it are made in Japan, at the Walbro plant - one of the leaders in this industry. As a result, in general, Interskol chainsaws are easy to start, relatively quiet, balanced in weight, have a low level of vibration and do not require specialized oils to operate.

Caliber

The minimum price and nothing extra - the “Caliber” brand chainsaws are made according to this principle. The manufacturing enterprise is located in the Moscow region, and sells its products throughout the CIS and beyond, taking its place in the niche of low-end equipment.

Despite the proclaimed asceticism, each Caliber chainsaw has a full range of components, which make it easier to work with the tool and make it safe: quick start and vibration damping systems, a chain brake during a back stroke and automatic lubrication of the mechanism during operation . Also, users note a good weight distribution devices and their overall ergonomics.

The listed trademarks are far from the only ones that are represented on the market - here are collected those that are sales leaders and collect a large amount of feedback from customers. This allows you to make relatively certain conclusions about the quality of their products, and the final choice always depends on the decision of the buyer.