First things first, if you are going to be using a Chainsaw, even just around the home, then please
1) Get some professional training including correct usage, safety and maintenance. And by professional I don't mean from Joe Blogs Next Door.
2) Obtain and use Personal Protection Equipment - Boots, Chaps, Helmet, Face/Eye protection, Earmuffs, and the likes.
Why? A Chainsaw is the most dangerous piece of power equipment you can use without a licence. One microsecond, one millimetre, one slip and you could do some serious damage, or even be all over.
As to the chainsaw, in short, get the best, highest quality saw you can afford that is suited to your needs.
Many years ago I bought myself a domestic chainsaw from the local hardware store thinking to myself that all that extra money for a Stihl or the likes was not necessary. I mean, how different can one brand be from another?
It depends on the type of and amount of work you need to do of course, but I soon learned, even doing domestic type work, that there is a huge difference in not only performance but also safety.
Since then I have ended up with a number Stihls, small, medium and large (long story) and wouldn't buy anything else.
The other major brand is of course Husqvarna but I trained on, and feel comfortable with, Stihl so stick with them. Which is another good point of course, you need to feel comfortable with your chosen saw.
Size - One important piece of advice given to me was to buy a saw slightly bigger than you need so you have that little extra bit of power up your sleeve. Bar size is less important than the power of the motor, and also the power to weight ratio of the machine over all. As an example, the Stihl MS270 model for example is made for the consumer market whereas the MS261 is made for the professional market and has a much higher power output for less weight.
On that point, it would be better to get a Pro machine if you can because of the greater power per weight, the much better
anti-vibration engineering built into the machine, and so on.
This US page lists all the current models for comparison, which is quite useful.
http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/comparison.html
Other considerations are how often/constantly you will be using it, what type of timber you are cutting (hardwood or softwood, green or dry), and how large the timber is. This will all help you choose a model, blade length and chain type.
Blade Length - Bigger is not always better. The Americans seem to have a love of overly long chain bars, but it is often not necessary. You don't always need a 24" bar to cut 24" diameter timber, if you know what you are doing. So get a bar length suited to your needs.
Chain Type - There are various types of chain for various purposes, mostly only used in professional circumstances, but in general standard profile chain is better that low profile (picco) as it gives more cutting surface and thus puts less strain on the motor. This will also depend on the choice of saw as each saw is design to be used with a particular type of chain.
Having said that, I have two saws that use LP/Picco chain which are excellent for their respective jobs, but I would never think of using them out of their range. IE., my small saw with 3/8" LP chain is perfect for snedding/bucking/limbing or even small firewood, but I would never use it on anything larger than 2" in diameter. That is when I reach for the bigger saws.
Make Sense? I hope this helps with some basic info, the next step is to go into a few chainsaw shops, not the local hardware please, explain your needs and ask their thoughts. Hopefully they will all be pretty close in their recommendations, which should narrow the field for you.
And remember, get some professional training - it is worth its weight in Fingers and Toes!
