At a glance
I have used all five of these petrol chainsaws and the ranking was clearer to me than I expected. Not because the saws are obviously different in terms of what they can cut, they are all capable domestic tools, but because two things separate them from each other more than any spec comparison does: how they feel in the hand over a full morning, and what happens if something goes wrong and the warranty gets involved. On both of those measures, the field splits almost immediately into the Husqvarna at the top, three in the middle competing on different grounds, and one saw that offers the best engine in the group attached to the shortest warranty period.
What these saws are all built for is the same general category of domestic work: clearing storm damage, cutting firewood in the under-15-inch range, felling small to medium trees, general estate and plot maintenance. What I found cutting willow along a drainage ditch, then hardwood firewood, then a stand of overgrown hazel over several sessions with different saws, is that the differences between them on actual cutting are smaller than the differences on everything else. Weight, vibration, warranty, starting behaviour, and what is or is not in the box are where the real decisions get made.
How these were assessed. Each saw was used on real domestic jobs over multiple sessions: firewood processing, clearing storm damage, felling small trees, coppice work. Scores cover cutting performance, fuel life, build quality, ease of use, value for money, and UK suitability including warranty terms and availability.
Quick verdict summary
All 5 petrol chainsaws ranked
The 435 II takes the top position for one overriding reason: the vibration figures. At 3.1 m/s² on the front handle and 3.8 m/s² on the rear, it is substantially better damped than every other saw in this group. This is not a number that matters on a twenty-minute job. It matters on a two-hour coppicing session or a full morning of firewood processing, which is when the difference between 3.8 m/s² and 7.76 m/s² starts accumulating in your hands and arms in a way that stays with you into the afternoon.
The 40.9 cc X-Torq engine, the Smart Start system that needs roughly 40% less pull force to fire, the flip-up fuel cap that opens with a thumb in thick gloves, Air Injection centrifugal pre-cleaning, and felling sights moulded into the casing are all genuine improvements on the saws below it. The 2-year warranty and Husqvarna dealer network are the right support structure for a saw you plan to use seriously. The limitation to name is that it is dealer only: Garden Machinery Direct, Radmore and Tucker, Red Band and similar UK dealers; not available direct from Amazon as a standard listing. The 40.9 cc engine also starts to show its ceiling on very large hardwood material, though for domestic use it has more than enough power.
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The Hyundai comes second despite being the heaviest saw in the group and having the highest vibration figures, because what you are getting for the money is different in character from the others. The 62 cc engine is the largest here by a distance and the 20-inch bar gives reach the others cannot match. The 3-year platinum home warranty, requiring registration within thirty days of purchase, is the best cover in this group. The spare chain, carry bag, mixing bottle, chain file, and multi-tool all in the box make it the saw you can use the same day it arrives without ordering anything else. The OxyPower engine claims 70% fewer emissions and 20% less fuel consumption than previous models.
One detail that separates the Hyundai from every other saw in this group: the fuel mix is 40:1, not 50:1. If you own any other petrol chainsaw alongside this one, keeping separate mixed fuel is essential. In practice on material up to 18 inches in diameter it handles the work without drama; above that it slows but does not stall, which is about the limit of what this category is designed for.
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The MS 170 is the right saw for a specific type of buyer: someone who does not need more than a 35cm bar, wants the lightest possible tool, and wants the Stihl dealer network behind it. At 3.9 kg bare it is noticeably lighter than anything else here, and for overhead work, sustained light pruning, or anyone with hand or wrist limitations, that weight difference matters over a full morning. The single-lever master control puts stop, start, choke, and throttle on one lever, the ElastoStart rubber spring in the pull-start mechanism absorbs the starting pull jerk, and the Ematic oiling system uses up to 50% less bar oil than a conventional oiling arrangement. The 2-year standard warranty extends to 3 years with a MotoMix purchase and dealer registration.
Two things are worth knowing before you buy. The MS 170 is no longer the current Stihl UK model, having been replaced by the MS 182 C-BE, so what you are buying is new-old-stock. And the chain tensioner and fuel cap both require a tool to operate, which is dated compared to the flip-up caps and easier tensioners on the Husqvarna and current Hyundai.
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The CS 50S gives you more engine and more bar than the CS 42S below it: 50 cc at 2.1 kW and a 46cm bar that handles medium-sized trees and serious firewood more comfortably than the smaller saw. The OxyPower engine claims 70% fewer emissions and 20% less fuel consumption than previous models, and the felling sights are a useful addition. For the right buyer, someone who wants a capable 50 cc saw from Amazon at a lower price than the Husqvarna, it does the job. The vibration figures are high at an equivalent 7.76 m/s² and the extra kilo over the CS 42S is noticeable over a long session. The one-year warranty is unchanged from the smaller model and is the thing that pulls this saw back in the ranking relative to its specification.
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The CS 42S is the entry point of this group: 42 cc OxyPower, 16-inch bar, Amazon UK, fully assembled from the box. For lighter domestic work, firewood in the under-12-inch range, occasional clearance, it is capable. The 0.3 litre fuel tank is small and will need refilling more than once on a serious session. The carburettor may need tuning from the factory default settings before it runs at its best, and the chain tensioner requires the integrated combi tool rather than being adjustable by hand. The one-year warranty is the real limitation: a carburettor repair on a petrol chainsaw at month 14 is entirely possible and would cost a meaningful proportion of the original purchase price.
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Head to head comparison
The five saws differ more on non-cutting specifications than on cutting performance. All five handle the core domestic jobs; the differences are on weight, vibration, warranty, and availability.
| Model | Engine | Bar | Vibration | Warranty | Mix | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Husqvarna 435 II | 40.9 cc X-Torq | 38cm | 3.1/3.8 m/s² | 2 yr | 50:1 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Hyundai HYC6220 | 62 cc EURO 2 | 50cm / 20″ | 7.76 m/s² equiv | 3 yr* | 40:1 | 3.9 / 5 |
| Stihl MS 170 | 30.1 cc 2-MIX | 30-35cm | 5.2/5.5 m/s² | 2-3 yr† | 50:1 | 3.8 / 5 |
| McCulloch CS 50S | 50 cc OxyPower | 46cm / 18″ | 7.76 m/s² equiv | 1 yr | 50:1 | 3.7 / 5 |
| McCulloch CS 42S | 42 cc OxyPower | 40.5cm / 16″ | 5.2/6.2 m/s² | 1 yr | 50:1 | 3.6 / 5 |
* Hyundai 3-yr warranty requires registration within 30 days of purchase. † Stihl 3-yr requires MotoMix purchase and dealer registration; standard is 2 yr.
The Hyundai HYC6220 takes 40:1 fuel mix, not 50:1. Every other saw in this group takes 50:1. If you own more than one petrol chainsaw, keep separate fuel mixes clearly labelled. Using 50:1 in the Hyundai under-lubricates the engine.
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What to look for before you buy
Bar length is the obvious starting point and also the easiest one to get right. For most domestic work, branches up to 25cm, occasional small tree felling, processing timber that has come down rather than timber you are deliberately felling, a 30 to 38cm bar does everything. The Stihl MS 170 and the Husqvarna 435 II both cover this range. For anything heavier or larger, the McCulloch CS 50S and the Hyundai HYC6220 with their 46 and 50cm bars give meaningful headroom, and the engines to back them up.
Vibration is the specification that I think gets underweighted by most buyers and overweights the engine size. The Husqvarna 435 II at 3.1/3.8 m/s² is in a different class to the rest. The Stihl MS 170 at 5.2/5.5 m/s² and the McCulloch CS 42S at 5.2/6.2 m/s² sit in the middle range. The McCulloch CS 50S and the Hyundai HYC6220 both reach an equivalent of 7.76 m/s², which is noticeable above an hour. If you will be using a petrol chainsaw for sessions longer than that, the vibration figure matters more than the engine size. The Husqvarna costs more; that is what you are paying for.
Warranty is the other specification that buyers consistently underweight until they need it. All five saws have petrol engines with carburettors that are vulnerable to fuel system degradation if the correct fuel discipline is not maintained. The McCulloch saws offer one year. The Husqvarna offers two. The Stihl offers two standard and can be extended to three. The Hyundai offers three years with registration within thirty days. On a saw you are putting to serious domestic use, the longer warranty cover is the right economics.
All five saws in this group exceed the 8 m/s chain speed threshold that triggers the CS39 chainsaw certificate requirement for professional and employed users in the UK. For domestic buyers purchasing for their own land there is no legal restriction on which of these saws you can buy. The requirement is an employer responsibility for employed chainsaw use, not a retail purchase restriction for private individuals.
Final verdict and recommendations
For regular domestic use over full sessions, the Husqvarna 435 II. The vibration figures alone justify the premium over the McCullochs and the Hyundai for anyone who will be using a petrol chainsaw for more than an occasional hour. The 2-year warranty, the Smart Start, the flip-up caps, and the build quality make it the right saw for someone who wants a tool that will earn its place in the shed for several years.
For occasional use where the budget matters and in-box value is the priority, the Hyundai HYC6220. The 62 cc engine handles material the Husqvarna would find heavy going, the 3-year warranty with registration is the best cover in this group, and you do not need to buy anything else to use it on the day it arrives. Remember the 40:1 fuel mix and register within thirty days.
For a first petrol chainsaw or lighter work, the Stihl MS 170. The weight advantage is real and the Stihl dealer network and extended warranty option with MotoMix are the right support structure for a new petrol chainsaw user. Know that the current Stihl entry-level model is the MS 182 C-BE and compare both before buying. For a step up from entry level on a budget, the McCulloch CS 50S over the CS 42S. The one-year warranty applies to both; that is the trade-off you are accepting in this part of the market.
For regular domestic use, full sessions: Husqvarna 435 II.
For occasional use, best value, longest warranty: Hyundai HYC6220. Register within 30 days.
For lightest saw, Stihl network, first petrol chainsaw: Stihl MS 170.
For step-up budget, larger material: McCulloch CS 50S.
For lowest entry cost, light domestic work: McCulloch CS 42S.
The Husqvarna 435 II earns the top spot on vibration, warranty, and build quality, and it is the right saw for anyone who will use it regularly. The Hyundai HYC6220 earns second on engine size, warranty, and in-box value, and is the right saw for the buyer who wants a 62 cc saw at a domestic price with three years cover behind it. The ranking between these five saws is driven less by what they can cut and more by how they feel doing it and who stands behind them when something goes wrong.
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