Husqvarna 455 Rancher vs Stihl MS 291: My Honest Test

I needed a new chainsaw last fall. The air was getting cold. My wood pile was too small. I had big oak logs to cut. I did not need a pro saw. But I wanted a good tool.

I looked at two main choices. One was the Husqvarna 455 Rancher. The other was the Stihl MS 291. These are “farm saws.” They are for people who cut wood for heat.

I got both saws to test them. I wanted to see which one felt right. Here is what I found.

The First Pick Up: Weight Matters

I picked up the Husqvarna 455 Rancher first. It felt heavy. It looked strong. But I felt the weight in my arm. The body is wide.

Then I picked up the Stihl MS 291. It was a nice surprise. It felt light. The body was slim. It fit close to my side.

If you only cut a few logs, weight is fine. But I had a full day of work. That extra pound on the Husqvarna gets heavy fast.

In The Wood: Power and Feel

I took them to the wood pile. I started with the Stihl. The Stihl MS 291 is fast. I pulled the trigger. The chain sped up quick. I pushed it into a thick log. It cut through the wood fast.

Next was the Husqvarna 455 Rancher. It felt different. It did not rev up as fast. But it felt strong in the wood. It kept going. It has a lot of torque. It felt like a tractor. It was not fast, but it was tough.

Build Quality

Both saws are made well. They use different ideas. The Husqvarna has more plastic on the outside. But the insides are tough. The air filter system is great. I cut for two hours. The filter looked new.

The Stihl feels tight. Parts fit well. But the air filter got a bit of dust on it. It was not bad. But the Husky stayed cleaner.

Reliability & Starting

This is big for me. I hate pulling a cord many times. The Husqvarna won here. It has a bulb to prime the fuel. It started on the second pull almost every time.

The Stihl was a bit picky. It started fine when cold. But if I shut it off to move a log, it was hard to restart. I had to get the choke just right.

Pros and Cons: Husqvarna 455 Rancher vs Stihl MS 291

Here is what I loved and what I did not like.

Husqvarna 455 Rancher

Pros:

• Clean Air: The filter stays clean for a long time. This is good for dirty wood.
• Easy Start: The purge bulb helps a lot. It is easy to get going.
• Strong Pull: It has “grunt.” It does not stop easily in the cut.
• Cost: It is often cheaper than the Stihl.

Cons:

• Heavy: It weighs a lot. My arms were tired after a few hours.
• Big Size: It feels wide. It is hard to turn it to cut branches.

Stihl MS 291

Pros:

• Light Weight: It is almost a pound lighter. This helps a lot.
• Power: It has more power. It cuts very fast in soft wood.
• Slim Shape: The saw is narrow. It is easy to use in brush.
• Resale: If you sell it, you get good money back.

Cons:

• Flip Caps: The gas caps are hard to use. They can leak if not closed right.
• Starting: You have to learn the trick to start it when it is warm.

My Final Verdict

So, which one did I keep?

It was hard to choose. The Husqvarna 455 Rancher is like a tank. It is tough. If I only cut big logs on the ground, I would pick it.

But I kept the Stihl MS 291.

Why? The weight. I am not young. Saving a pound helps my back. I also liked the slim feel. It was easier to move around the tree.

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