I operate 13 of these two models on my Christmas tree farm and without exception, the 250 is the superior design. The choke assembly on the 251 binds up easily and the air cleaner cover requires 3 or 4 screws to be removed for access. The air cleaner itself is a better design but access is tedious. The biggest drawback to the 251 is the warm-up time. The 250 can be started and revved up immediately while the 251 takes upwards of a minute to come off idle without stalling. The exhaust system is more emissions friendly but in the real-world it's a huge performance drawback. When a new saw is added to the fleet it's going to be another 250 for as long as they are still available.
What do you think about the air filter design? I sold mine because I was spending way too much time cleaning and replacing filters. The handle is also all plastic and one time I actually pulled it out of the saw. Other than that it was fast cutting.
I hate all that emissions crap. Just an excuse to give us bad tech and downgrade our stuff. The fact that they think they actually have an affect on our world is extremely egotistical.
Thanks! Bought a 251 not long ago for the company and the 250 today for my property. Considered swapping uses, but will keep the 250 for personal based on this review.
Have you checked the high side mixture screw on your 251? Mine was too far in right from the store. Brought it out to the limit and it has no cold-blooded tendencies. I’ve seen videos of 251’s here on the tube and they’re clearly very lean. I wonder what the percentage are that are adjusted well.
Father owns a variety of STIHL Saws from when he worked on the Mountain cutting timber. Watching their reliability as a kid I knew what brand of saw I would get. I currently own the smaller ms180 and ms250 saws. They have been very reliable and fulfill my needs for doing work around the home, cutting firewood for the stove, etc.
What you don't say is that they are both extremely hard to start because they have a high compression. I have a 251 and am considering swapping it because of this. An inertia starter would help but it can't be converted.
I own an MS251, and it's a good saw, but... only one bar nut. I bought it when I needed a new saw, and it was the best one I could afford at the time, but I think had the MS250 been available at that time, I would have preferred it
This bothers me too. I’ve been working on gathering parts to convert it. Got a two-stud cover, extra studs, etc… it turns out the rear dummy stud has a different thread than the main stud. Haven’t been able to source the right pitch stud yet…
Ive owned an ms250 for 3 years now and cut 4-5 cord of firewood a year with it. You can bury that 18" bar in red oak and it pulls rigjt through. Right now im cutting up a 24" red oak and it doesnt even stutter. Its an older more trusted design. Parts are cheaper and more readily available, should i need something. Its so light that you dont mind using it all day and although not as fast as a pro saw,it can cut anything ya need cut. The ms251 has a cheaper,less robust chain tensioner thats more prone to failure. The slightest better fuel efficiency and slightly larger displacement of the ms251 are moot points as the differences are tiny and insignificant. The ms250 is light,easy to handle,easy to work on,and powerful enough and reliable enough for 80% of homeowners needs.
I got a 251 and wish I went with a 250 pretty often. But one thing I love about the 251 is the power; in its sweet spot it really pulls and it’s all I need. It surprises me how well it runs - to the point where I feel like it’s more than 3hp. I know the 250 has a longer stroke so by nature it’s going to have more torque. Videos I’ve seen of well tuned 250’s 100% make me say, ‘yeah, the 251 would not like being buried like that.’
Ill keep my 250 any day. Probably ten years old . A couple of carbs through the years and still going strong. No disrespect to the 251 but when the saw runs out of gas you are ready for a rest anyway when cutting firewood continuously.
I have 025 and 251 .... what can I say ... 025 design feels real vs 251 .. like a toy feeling :) By feeling the power - I would say 025 feels sharper, but 251 really feels fuel economy, but it don't like to empty all the fuel from tank.
Serial number for Stihl chainsaw My MS461 was made in Germany, my MS180 and MS310 was USA. • If the first digit in the serial number is a 1 then it was manufactured in Germany • If it’s a 2 or a 5 it was manufactured in the United States • A 3 means it’s manufactured in Brazil • Serial starting with 8 is Chinese made • Starting with 4 means made in Austria
7:00 banging on about fuel consumption on a MS250/ 251. Steer clear of the Magnum 660 my guy! It'll frighten the Greta out of you😁. The 250 is an awesome little saw.
That’s funny! I have to admit, as Joe homeowner I do like that Strat motors for fuel economy and cleanliness. I have two strat Stihls and one non-strat. The strat motors are wayyy better on gas than the odd one out. No matter how well I tune the non strat motor it’s thirsty and spooges so I find it kind of annoying.
I picked up a 251 recently an indian guy bought new to cut down one tree. Paid $500 AUD which is $400 under showroom prices. Fantastic saw so far, revs hard, good power and super light to handle. The single bar nut/stud is a concern. I might add i think i got the saw too hot when cutting full 18 bar halving a round and chain went dull. Very sappy green wood. The heat comming off the saw was like no else i seen before. No power or running issues but. So far done about 10 tanks and happy with it
I've owned my MS251 for 8 years this coming December. Besides some TruFuel gumming up the carb from occasional use I haven't had an issue with it. To start I would just put it on choke as required, pull it over until it popped off and it would start every time. Besides regular maintenance and cleaning the only thing I've changed on it was the chain. I switched out the garbage safety chain Stihl loves to put on everything for their Rapid Super chain. I've also plugged up the sprocket nose on the bar while cutting some white oak. The only thing you can do about it is clean out the chain rail and free the nose sprocket with some oil or penetrant. The stock bar doesn't have a little hole for greasing the nose sprocket like other bars do.
I did the same thing to the sprocket on my 251. Took way too long to free up. Also managed to explode the pull start pawl and clock spring when the pull start handle got caught on my chaps white it was running. But I do agree the 251 is a runner. I’m really surprised at how well it pulls in the cut. I’ve had good luck with the stock chain using a 2:1 file.
@@yo_marc I got into the habit of walking around with mine facing backward while it was running so nothing would catch my pantleg or chaps. Besides TruFuel gumming up my carb and the bar nose getting stuck I haven't had any problems with it. It always starts when I need it and it has good power for a 45cc saw. :)
Actually the MS250 has 3.1 bhp so... it's more powerful. The only advantage of the MS251 is it's more fuel efficent and has less vibrations, but you actually are paying for it, it's a lie that the price is the same for both. So in conclusion: go with the MS250
I can understand if you have shoulder trouble,but even the regular ms250 is easy to pull. Mine usually burps by the 3rd pull and starts on the 4th or 5th. My 70cc ms441c is hard to pull sometimes,even with the decompression valve
@@michaelussher8876 If you're breaking the nut off of your 251 that's you and not the saw. I've had mine for 8 years now and have had no problems with it.
I have both, i also rebuild saws and have seen how they are built. The ms251 is light years ahead on build quality, anti vibration springs were added and the acceleration is much better in the 251, i also like the larger top handle, better oiler system and filter, if you can get a better price on the the 250 i would go with it then, the 251 rips so much better it’s worth the money!
Ms 250 purchace new, I do solo tree removal , would never purchase again , the price I'd 250.00 + - cheap plastic, step up to metal model , you will be glad you did.
I work on chainsaws a lot and I really don't care much for either one. I think Stihl just "upgraded" their saws to slow the Chinese from copying their parts.
They keep leaning these saws out tryin to meet emmisions,but a 2 stroke engine run lean produces more heat which is a killer to these small engines. I seriously doubt a new epa saw will last as long as an old school saw like the ms250. I had a 1st generation husqvarna 550xp that suffered from overheating. It ran like a scalded dog,but only lasted a few years before it had to be rebuilt.
Would I toss my 18 year old MS250C to get a MS251? No. Would someone buying one today get the MS251. Yes. 20 second video. Why waste our time? Would I get something over 50cc for more serious work unless I was an arborist using chainsaws elevated in the trees? Even more likely. I have a 2005ish MS250C and it just keeps plugging along. Light and great for ground sectioning and branching of downed trees. Not my first choice for felling trees.
The ms205 is the newer version of the 025. The 251 is the woke version of the ms250. My 025 is 32 years old and still going strong. I somehow don't think anyone will say that about the 251.
Never heard of somone pruning firewood lol. Saying that .1cc is going to make a big difference shows your lack of knowledge. The 025 is hand down a better saw despite having less displacement.
First time viewing your channel this is a lie the MS 250 burn gas very very good i have One and i have no problem with fuel it's good and fuel so that's not true in what you said about fuel efficient
Yes the 550sp is better but it only has 1 piston ring and it wont last as long as a still. I replace the piston and ring on about 10 husqvarna 500xp saws each month.
Lol. It’s a pos compared to any Stihl!! How do I know! Because I have tested them all! That Husqvarna will not last any amount of time versus any Stihl! I’m not being a dick here I’m just telling you the truth
I operate 13 of these two models on my Christmas tree farm and without exception, the 250 is the superior design. The choke assembly on the 251 binds up easily and the air cleaner cover requires 3 or 4 screws to be removed for access. The air cleaner itself is a better design but access is tedious. The biggest drawback to the 251 is the warm-up time. The 250 can be started and revved up immediately while the 251 takes upwards of a minute to come off idle without stalling. The exhaust system is more emissions friendly but in the real-world it's a huge performance drawback. When a new saw is added to the fleet it's going to be another 250 for as long as they are still available.
What do you think about the air filter design? I sold mine because I was spending way too much time cleaning and replacing filters. The handle is also all plastic and one time I actually pulled it out of the saw. Other than that it was fast cutting.
I hate all that emissions crap. Just an excuse to give us bad tech and downgrade our stuff. The fact that they think they actually have an affect on our world is extremely egotistical.
This is the real world comparison that I came to the video for. I just happened to find it in the comments. Thanks a ton!
Thanks! Bought a 251 not long ago for the company and the 250 today for my property. Considered swapping uses, but will keep the 250 for personal based on this review.
Have you checked the high side mixture screw on your 251? Mine was too far in right from the store. Brought it out to the limit and it has no cold-blooded tendencies.
I’ve seen videos of 251’s here on the tube and they’re clearly very lean. I wonder what the percentage are that are adjusted well.
Father owns a variety of STIHL Saws from when he worked on the Mountain cutting timber. Watching their reliability as a kid I knew what brand of saw I would get. I currently own the smaller ms180 and ms250 saws. They have been very reliable and fulfill my needs for doing work around the home, cutting firewood for the stove, etc.
I run saw daily .if its not cutting it's not running. Im not concerned with a couple oz. Of fuel.
Informative video
Horsepower is the product of torque and speed. A 2% increase in displacement is not significant and didn’t produce any power increase.
Amen to that! This review was beyond ridiculous and the biggest waste of my time that I've had in awhile
What you don't say is that they are both extremely hard to start because they have a high compression. I have a 251 and am considering swapping it because of this.
An inertia starter would help but it can't be converted.
First hand experience, 025/MS250 is a way superior saw, HANDS DOWN!
Nice try … sadly I can’t stand listening to the A.I. VOICES over- lazy people use to narrate their videos .
It's the worst!
I own an MS251, and it's a good saw, but... only one bar nut. I bought it when I needed a new saw, and it was the best one I could afford at the time, but I think had the MS250 been available at that time, I would have preferred it
This bothers me too. I’ve been working on gathering parts to convert it. Got a two-stud cover, extra studs, etc… it turns out the rear dummy stud has a different thread than the main stud. Haven’t been able to source the right pitch stud yet…
Ive owned an ms250 for 3 years now and cut 4-5 cord of firewood a year with it. You can bury that 18" bar in red oak and it pulls rigjt through. Right now im cutting up a 24" red oak and it doesnt even stutter. Its an older more trusted design. Parts are cheaper and more readily available, should i need something. Its so light that you dont mind using it all day and although not as fast as a pro saw,it can cut anything ya need cut. The ms251 has a cheaper,less robust chain tensioner thats more prone to failure. The slightest better fuel efficiency and slightly larger displacement of the ms251 are moot points as the differences are tiny and insignificant. The ms250 is light,easy to handle,easy to work on,and powerful enough and reliable enough for 80% of homeowners needs.
I got a 251 and wish I went with a 250 pretty often. But one thing I love about the 251 is the power; in its sweet spot it really pulls and it’s all I need. It surprises me how well it runs - to the point where I feel like it’s more than 3hp. I know the 250 has a longer stroke so by nature it’s going to have more torque. Videos I’ve seen of well tuned 250’s 100% make me say, ‘yeah, the 251 would not like being buried like that.’
Just bought the wood boss 251, cause she is the wood boss , if u want a real good around home or farm chain saw, the 251 will not let u down.
Ill keep my 250 any day. Probably ten years old . A couple of carbs through the years and still going strong. No disrespect to the 251 but when the saw runs out of gas you are ready for a rest anyway when cutting firewood continuously.
I have 025 and 251 .... what can I say ... 025 design feels real vs 251 .. like a toy feeling :) By feeling the power - I would say 025 feels sharper, but 251 really feels fuel economy, but it don't like to empty all the fuel from tank.
Serial number for Stihl chainsaw
My MS461 was made in Germany, my MS180 and MS310 was USA.
• If the first digit in the serial number is a 1 then it was manufactured in Germany
• If it’s a 2 or a 5 it was manufactured in the United States
• A 3 means it’s manufactured in Brazil
• Serial starting with 8 is Chinese made
• Starting with 4 means made in Austria
The 250 is streets ahead of 251 in every aspect, I have both, the 250& 251 and pick up the 250 9 times out of 10
What size is the retaining nuts holden the carburetor to engine
Good comparison video, however, the easy start feature is not featured.
I have both, I think the 250 is a better saw, seems to be better built, and it has 2 bar nuts.
7:00 banging on about fuel consumption on a MS250/ 251. Steer clear of the Magnum 660 my guy! It'll frighten the Greta out of you😁. The 250 is an awesome little saw.
Frighten the Greta outta you! I'm dead!🤣💀⚰️🪦
That’s funny! I have to admit, as Joe homeowner I do like that Strat motors for fuel economy and cleanliness. I have two strat Stihls and one non-strat. The strat motors are wayyy better on gas than the odd one out. No matter how well I tune the non strat motor it’s thirsty and spooges so I find it kind of annoying.
251 is best,no problem whatsoever in any area! I've got the easy start model!
I picked up a 251 recently an indian guy bought new to cut down one tree. Paid $500 AUD which is $400 under showroom prices.
Fantastic saw so far, revs hard, good power and super light to handle. The single bar nut/stud is a concern. I might add i think i got the saw too hot when cutting full 18 bar halving a round and chain went dull. Very sappy green wood. The heat comming off the saw was like no else i seen before. No power or running issues but.
So far done about 10 tanks and happy with it
I've owned my MS251 for 8 years this coming December. Besides some TruFuel gumming up the carb from occasional use I haven't had an issue with it. To start I would just put it on choke as required, pull it over until it popped off and it would start every time. Besides regular maintenance and cleaning the only thing I've changed on it was the chain. I switched out the garbage safety chain Stihl loves to put on everything for their Rapid Super chain. I've also plugged up the sprocket nose on the bar while cutting some white oak. The only thing you can do about it is clean out the chain rail and free the nose sprocket with some oil or penetrant. The stock bar doesn't have a little hole for greasing the nose sprocket like other bars do.
@@Slane583 251s for the win 💪
I did the same thing to the sprocket on my 251. Took way too long to free up. Also managed to explode the pull start pawl and clock spring when the pull start handle got caught on my chaps white it was running. But I do agree the 251 is a runner. I’m really surprised at how well it pulls in the cut. I’ve had good luck with the stock chain using a 2:1 file.
@@yo_marc I got into the habit of walking around with mine facing backward while it was running so nothing would catch my pantleg or chaps. Besides TruFuel gumming up my carb and the bar nose getting stuck I haven't had any problems with it. It always starts when I need it and it has good power for a 45cc saw. :)
Actually the MS250 has 3.1 bhp so... it's more powerful.
The only advantage of the MS251 is it's more fuel efficent and has less vibrations, but you actually are paying for it, it's a lie that the price is the same for both.
So in conclusion: go with the MS250
I rather buy the MS251C. Easy start
I can understand if you have shoulder trouble,but even the regular ms250 is easy to pull. Mine usually burps by the 3rd pull and starts on the 4th or 5th. My 70cc ms441c is hard to pull sometimes,even with the decompression valve
I have both they are basically almost the same
100% different saws in the same class
The 250 has two nuts holding the bar on vers the 251 has one that breaks
@@michaelussher8876 If you're breaking the nut off of your 251 that's you and not the saw. I've had mine for 8 years now and have had no problems with it.
@@michaelussher8876It only breaks if a gorilla reefs on it.
Yes Sir mine will be 10 years old 2024 I use it for my lawn care jobs. When a tree or limb falls. @@Slane583
I have both, i also rebuild saws and have seen how they are built. The ms251 is light years ahead on build quality, anti vibration springs were added and the acceleration is much better in the 251, i also like the larger top handle, better oiler system and filter, if you can get a better price on the the 250 i would go with it then, the 251 rips so much better it’s worth the money!
Ms 250 purchace new, I do solo tree removal , would never purchase again , the price I'd 250.00 + - cheap plastic, step up to metal model , you will be glad you did.
Ai has produced this whole video comparison
I work on chainsaws a lot and I really don't care much for either one. I think Stihl just "upgraded" their saws to slow the Chinese from copying their parts.
No they needed new designs for emissions, the 251 is a stratto saw for emissions and that’s why it takes longer to warm up
They keep leaning these saws out tryin to meet emmisions,but a 2 stroke engine run lean produces more heat which is a killer to these small engines. I seriously doubt a new epa saw will last as long as an old school saw like the ms250. I had a 1st generation husqvarna 550xp that suffered from overheating. It ran like a scalded dog,but only lasted a few years before it had to be rebuilt.
Would I toss my 18 year old MS250C to get a MS251? No. Would someone buying one today get the MS251. Yes. 20 second video. Why waste our time? Would I get something over 50cc for more serious work unless I was an arborist using chainsaws elevated in the trees? Even more likely. I have a 2005ish MS250C and it just keeps plugging along. Light and great for ground sectioning and branching of downed trees. Not my first choice for felling trees.
what's wrong with you, telling, that the 45.6 cc will have a better performance than the 45.4 cc. It's the same!
Immediately going for the one that isn’t “safer for the environment”. That usually means the government made them ruin it.
The ms205 is the newer version of the 025. The 251 is the woke version of the ms250. My 025 is 32 years old and still going strong. I somehow don't think anyone will say that about the 251.
Never heard of somone pruning firewood lol. Saying that .1cc is going to make a big difference shows your lack of knowledge. The 025 is hand down a better saw despite having less displacement.
Bought a 251 wasn't 13 moths later the one stud holding the bar on sheared off
250 ineffient 2501 20 % better than bad lol
You're talking about an MS251, BUT you're showing a 251c!!! Two different saws!!
These AI videos. Not good
251 зборка якої країни ?
251/271/291 all suck compared to the 250/270/290.
❤
This guy makes many mistakes. Several times he calls the saws a "Chain Sword" and he also says it uses bar oil as fuel.
First time viewing your channel this is a lie the MS 250 burn gas very very good i have One and i have no problem with fuel it's good and fuel so that's not true in what you said about fuel efficient
artificial intelligence voice is annoying .
The 251 is junk 😢😢
AI narration sucks.
Just get yourself a Husqvarna 550xp, its 10 times better then any sthil chainsaw
10 times better !
Yes the 550sp is better but it only has 1 piston ring and it wont last as long as a still. I replace the piston and ring on about 10 husqvarna 500xp saws each month.
Lol. It’s a pos compared to any Stihl!! How do I know! Because I have tested them all! That Husqvarna will not last any amount of time versus any Stihl! I’m not being a dick here I’m just telling you the truth
It's not better at all. Stihl is the better built and longer lasting saw.
@@MatthewC137absolutely. not my opinion it is a fact