My family owns both the 550xp MkII and the MS 261, here's the deal: 1) The handles on the Husky are much more comfortable if you have large hands. The Stihl handles are best for small or medium sized hands. 2) The Husky balances much better with an 18" and 20" bar length. The Sithl is nose heavy. 3) The Husky with the narrow kerf chain option cuts faster than the Stihl. 4) The Husky is easier to get re-started when you run the gas tank dry because of the priming bulb. 5) The Husky oils the bar better and the Stihl is a bit stingy on oil. 6) The Stihl is a pound lighter than the Husky. 7) The Stihl has more dealer coverage 8) The Stihl has 1" more effective bar cutting length for equal length bars. For example, an 18" Stihl bar is 1" longer than an 18" Husky bar on these particular models. 9) The Husky costs less to purchase new. 10) You can get a five year warranty on the Husky but only 2 years on the Stihl. 11) Reliability is equal. No problems with either after 3 years. 12) Build quality and materials is slightly higher on the 550xp mk II.

forgot something although stihl is great product the 550 is by far a better saw hands down one of the best chainsaws on the market. 3rd gen. arborist. owned them all. have them all. the 550 in its class is a far better saw.

Really great job explaining some of the differences and why they're there. Thanks for the footage 👣 and keep up the great work.

You have a natural talent to explain such things. It was both informative and fun to watch!

Just rebuilt my 8 year old 550xp for the 2nd time in 8 years,but both my stihl are over 10 years old with no major work done to them. One of them ,my ms441c I use for big firewood and my Alaskan mill. Its seen brutal use and never a single problem. If reliability and ease of maintenance is what you want then I'd choose stihl

Awesome info and great video. I think you helped a lot of people understand those two saws.

Man wish you thought us in high school, so clear and easy to learn, good job

Good unbiased comparison of main features.

I would go with the Stihl. I like the features of it better, and have Stihl dealers all around my area. I have owned Farm/Ranch grade Stihls for years and they have been awesome saws.

Great video, I have both brands, a MS261c and 562XP. I run the MS 261 with a 18" bar and the 562XP with a 24" bar. I live in Michigan and use both saws year round on both soft and hard woods. The husky is a little faster but the 261 has a little better low end torque. Both saw have served me well and I can't say a bad thing about either brand, And if you take off the cover of the Husqvarna without releasing the brake, its not a big deal. I reset the brake just using the brake handle where it curves against the brake in the cover and in less than two minutes I'm back in business, no tools needed. I do think Stihl has the better air filter but I feel the Husqvarna has better balance. You can't go wrong with either company. IMHO

Thank you we use these as crane saws and was super helpful to see where I loose money. Been watching the guys fumble with chain on 550 for years now… also to be noted I live in western nc and temp and moisture and pressure changes a lot. The 550s just don’t run reliably here. Guess im gonna give the stihl a whirl.

I like that Stihl pretty much makes you buy the 261 in store, in my state NC you physically cannot buy a Stihl 261 and have it shipped to your door, you can buy online and go pick it up, or buy one on eBay lol, but they won’t ship a pro saw to a regular consumer. They also sell them in both flavors. Old school adjustable carb, or Mtronic auto tune. (Either model is the same price) the reason for in-store pickup up, is so a professional can set the saw up for you, mount bar+chain, add proper quality fuel, add bar oil, start it, and see it run and function properly, tune the carb if needed. No shipping allowed, no shipping damage whatsoever, and minimal user error, and potential loss or fraud completely eliminated. This drastically reduces returned products due to buyer error. As for the Husky you can literally buy one online right now, and they’ll ship it to your door. This is good and bad at the same time. It could be damaged in shipping, or not set up correctly by the buyer. I assume someone buying a 550XP has experience lol. But you never know haha. Anyways, both are great saws! John Deere provided me some excellent service in my 261 purchase. Also, no one mentioned price here at all. The STIHL 261 is $689.99-$719.99 range depending on BAR type. The HUSQVARNA 550XP MKII is $590 dollars. That’s a good bit cheaper. 😊 I own a new 261 (20”) but just sayn.

Like the both brands. Dealer support is better on sthil. Sthil has a double ring piston which gives more engine life and the weight is generally lighter. I like them both brands and they do very good. Both brands have some competition now. It's the Echo X series that's at a lower price and the performance is impressive..

I got both which makes the choice easy! The 550 mark2 has more power for sure. I prefer the weight and inboard clutch in the stihl, makes changing chain much easier, another plus is if you pinch your bar with the stihl you can pull the bar off and get the power head out of the way.

Great comparison. I bought the 550xp only because I couldn’t find a dealer with any of the 261’s in stock!

Great review.

I'm just south of salem ohio. I have a stihl dealer 6 or 7 miles northeast of me and a husqvarna/stihl dealer 12 miles west of me. I bought the 550xp mark ii in November and love it. Very light and reliable. Great information comparing the 2!

Great overview ! Thank you

2 of my favorite saws

Husqvarna dealers stand behind their products the same as Stihl would. I love my 550 xp mark 2. I also have a Stihl FS66 weed trimmer that I have had for 38 years and only lately had to clean the exhaust screen because it wouldn't run , now it runs like also. Never had a problem with it.

10/10 the inboard clutch is brilliant on the Stihl saw... I've got a 550XP (had a 450e before that) and the outboard clutch is a massive pain when you get it stuck and have to pull the bar off to get it out... the easy fix is to not get it stuck ;) but every now and then you just have a failure and it can be a real pain to get the powerhead away from the bar/chain on the Husky...

Interesting review with a shelf load of Stihl gear in the background 👍

Is that Husky you just compared to the ms261 a 550xp or a 550xp mark ii

Do you have an updated review, after 2 years?

Very nice video, filled with information. Great work! Greetings from Norway👍

I have a number of Stihl products and was pretty keen on a 261. After looking closely at them, the 550, and then the Shindaiwa 501SX (Echo 501P) I went with that. Pro saw, significantly lighter, Japanese quality with no brand premium, no electronics, and longer warranty. Very happy.

The only thing primer bulbs are good for is rotting out and causing a lean mix

I’m trying to decide between the 261c and the 550XP, but the Stihl has the upper hand because there’s Stihl dealers everywhere around here. I had some questions about the Mtronic carb and the owner of one of the local dealers told me that usually if there was a problem with that saw it was owner-induced. That didn’t instill me with much confidence in warranty support. As far as the Husqvarna I really don’t like the idea of an outer clutch. Other than that it looks like a great saw.

I'm Stihl have the MS 261C, MS290, MS170, MS291, Loving the Stihl, IF IT AIN"T STIHL IT AIN"T REAL

Ive had a ms260 pro for years and its been a tough saw ,my local shop sells both and says they see more bearing failure with the huskys so ive ordered a new stihl 261

I have a husqvarna 550 xp mark 2 and I was looking for a good secondary saw something that is a little lighter what is a good saw for that??

Did you show us how to change the air flow for winter?

the double rings on the 261 is the deal breaker for me, wouldn’t want a saw that’s got an obvious feature that’ll shorten its life compared to the other

There is no husqvarna dealer in my area so it's Stihl all the way. Rarely I see anyone uses husqvarna. Stihl does its job so there's never a time to wish a husqvarna dealer here.

"Your number one issue is your dealer", spoken by a dealer...LOL

Looking at getting the MS261 and had a question. My local dealer said that it is not real good for it if you are doing a lot of light work with it and that it really needs to be pushed hard. Is this true? I use a small Echo CS310 a little every couple of months. Most of what I would be cutting is a lot of smaller stuff, but I do get into some larger mesquite and other central TX woods that the Echo struggles with. I don't mind spending more for quality that will last even if I won't be using it much. I was hoping the MS261 would be fine even if I was using it a lot for lighter stuff, but dealer recommended hanging on to the smaller Echo for the lighter stuff. I'd like to just have one saw for it all. What are your thoughts?

The stihl is one pound lighter and has a decompression value... I will be getting the stihl

I like both brands and have dealers for both; but my Stihl leaks fuel and oil from those damned caps no matter how careful I am to keep the "O" rings and seats clean. My newer saws are Huskvarna or Echo in 70cc class. The purge bulbs help with hot starts. The de-compression valves are not my "cup of tea". I use them on cold starts for the first pull, but I have plugs on hand for when they eventually stick -- so far they have not stuck open; some reports of sticking by others.

I use husky’s but can’t keep crank bearings in them so I’m going to try the ms 261

I bought a 261. I was very torn between the husky and the stihl. Even though the husky dealer is about a mile away from me I went for Stihl Purley because of the whole clutch/brake faff. I had it on a husky 251 xp and remembered it being a real knob ache. Although I recently bought a husky disk cutter and that is hands down a better machine than the stihl. That said my man's maths is saying but a 550 and then I would be able to make a better judgement 😂😂😂

That's hands down easy for me. My buddies 261mtronic is a turd compared to my mark2. I let him run my mark2 for a day and next thing I know he's got a new mark2!!

Hello! I need detailed impressions of the 550xp mark 2 and the stihl ms 261 without the mtronic. I have to settle on one of the two. I've read quite a bit about them, but mostly initial impressions and dry information. The saw will be used primarily in the yard for cutting hardwood firewood. I will be glad if you share which of the two models is better. Which of the two models will create more joy than nerves. Which is more long-lasting and hassle-free, overall. Not primarily aimed at cutting speed. Looking for comfort and reliability on the part of the machine. To predispose to a feeling of safe and secure work, without being extreme, if you understand me. Naturally, if it contains all of these together, it's even better. 😊 Let anyone who has reasonably extended experience with the 550xp mark2 and ms261 share their extensive views on them. As well as any pressing issues to fix or recommended changes to the machine related to its optimization. Greetings!

Did you mention the cost?

Husqvarna best start switch procedure best fuel cap just a better saw muffler mod the 550 be a pure beast after

air purge no primer

I think decomp valves on anything 80cc and under isn't needed. I can pull my 500i no problem without it.

What the biggest hus they make

The theory of heat from a clutch , could be interpreted as a sink , in some minds .

I have Husqvarna 346xp. The best chainsaw

STHIL 261 bogs down unless you use 16 inch bar, which is tiny. It's too under powered to run a 20+ inch bar. If you're doing any kind of reasonable work, you want 25+ inches. It also burns out.. aka scores piston after lots of use. It is not a pro saw despite being marketed as one. I got a stihl 462 to replace it. The only reason I didn't get a husqvarna 572 was because lack of dealer support in my area. Stihl chainsaws are like all things german... innovative and good design, but not made to last. Expecting my new $1400 saw to work for 2-3 years...heck I recently learned stihl had to redesign the piston as of last year because of failures (I got the new version, but the whole idea doesn't inspire much confidence). Sure dealer support is great for stihl, but they defer to Virginia beach, VA for warranty claims. My experience dealing with them was poor. They just blame the owner and try to refuse warranty coverage. So in summary stihl got dealer support, but the reliability and warranty is junk. I will get a huskqvarna and drives hours for a dealer if this stihl craps out...this is this last chance (strike 3).

clearly the cs-501p is the better choice 😏😎

I just want some ice cream.

Husky all day long , they are only tempamental to user error prone people . Brought a 550 xp mark 2 The key is to rip it as sujested don't hesitate , learn the length of cord and rip it to 2/3rds of the length . Can be started on first pull if you hold ya tong right . And dam it cuts better than a 261 ms . Ps husky has a better service department.

I used to run Husqvarna for years and years (faller) now I run stihl everything. Husqvarna sold out to outsourcing their labor to China. Stihl is still made in Germany.

Why anyone would need or want a decomp on a 50cc saw is beyond me.

Does the Stihl require a strong thumb (unnatural) lift to shut engine off? .... WHY? Although you did say the saw (261) Had return to run,... good. Jonsered 2245 had that 12 years ago! Stihl has best advertising! But l wanna cut wood! I hope everyone knows l am just having fun!

If it ain't stihl it ain't real. Without any bias toward either brand intentionally you literally explained in great detail why stihl is better. Just my 271 farm boss after being broke in will cut just as fast or faster than any husky which seems to be their only convinceable selling point.

Not gonna run them because the Husqvarna cuts waaaaay faster lol

550XP team 😊 !!!

550xp mk2 more more efficent

ECHO

Germany over Sweden. Canada over USA

Since 2017 Stihl is China sourced parts. Not the same at all anymore. Since stihl did away with the 0 series they went to shit imo!! Just not the same!!

Husky best

To me you guys stihl will kick the husqvarna butt so to me stihl chainsaw is better

Anyone notice how fromt heavy and unbalanced that Stihl is? It wants to rock off the bench top when he lets go

261 💩