Well, let's get away from starting the chainsaw. The original question was about brands. One of the many features I like about Stihl is the handle configuration. My first chainsaws were McCullugh brand, and the handles were such that when I held a saw, I was looking right down the bar. When I first picked up a Stihl, I immediately noticed that I was looking at the side of the bar. The Stihl has an angled top handle that causes me to naturally hold it to my side a little, rather than directly in front of me. I consider that an important safety feature, as kickback would tend to throw the saw up over my shoulder, rather than at my face.
Now, I've never had uncontrollable kickback from a chainsaw (even though I tune my chains for an aggressive cut), but I like that feature.
There are other features I like about Stihl too, such as having the flywheel inboard of the chain sprocket, not needing priming, bar shape, ease of chain tensioning, power, weight, durability, and servicability. Mostly, I just like how well they cut (given a sharp chain). Husqvarna is generally considered of equal quality and the two brands each have devotees. Echo is typically regarded as second-tier. McCullugh, Homelite, and Poulan are at the bottom.
Regards,
Eric
