Makita EA3201S

Typical chinese rubbish. Has never idled correctly from new. It has to be kept on wide open throttle in between cutting or it stalls.
30 to 50 pulls just to start it.
Has been like this since the day I bought it.

Almost my first purchase after the Dec 2022 fires wrecked my place. This Makita was put through 6 months of pretty ugly (sooty, dirty) cleanup work, including dead, fallen and hanging trees were realistically bigger than the spec and remaining structural timber etc. Still working fine!

With the usual maintenance (air filter, de-gunking, sharpening, etc), it keeps on starting fine and working well - we were gifted a slightly bigger H*** saw that has needed a service already (it's pining for the Fjords maybe), while the Makita just keeps on going like Honeybadger

I reviewed this saw approx 3yrs ago and it was about 5yrs old then, apart from 1 small repair 3 yrs ago it’s still going strong and never been serviced. Still on first spark plug .

This saw is very easy to start. It is very well made (as you would expect from a Makita. It cuts through trunks of a size it has no business cutting through. Maintenance and cleaning is very easy. Top product.

I have had this saw for about 18 months. It starts within two to three pulls and runs well. The only problem I have with it is that it breaks the e-clip that retains the chain drive sprocket and washer. The e-clip only costs $1, but it is a pain to have to stop the saw, let it cool and then fit the new e-clip, after finding finding where it dropped the chain retention washer. During two days of heavy use, I broke three of these clips. Other than that, it is a great little saw.

I have reviewed two Ozito saws and a 236e Husqvarna. I also have a Huge Stihl saw that I can use for felling any size tree I may need to & it is in a class of its own for quality & performance. I have had many others over the years, and have even owned a McCulloch chainsaw back in the day (when they were good). So, you can see that I use chainsaws on a regular basis.
My Makita EA3201s is without a doubt the best built small saw I have ever owned. Actually to be honest it is the best build "of any saw" I have ever owned. It is light, quiet, s

Bought this saw cause my other got stolen and Bunnings only shop open on a Sunday. It's been sitting in my ute tool box for approx 5yrs and always starts, I use on average once a week. In 5 yrs never had a service and just last week the pull starter started to slip. $15 later I replaced cam plate and it's been good again.

After 3 years of faultless use, I thought I'd leave a positive review of a product. My little Makita chainsaw has started first time (after choke pulls) every time. (Touch wood - don't want to jinx it). It is used for garden pruning and occasional firewood for camping, not forestry work, but it cuts through logs of 300mm quite well.
I make sure I use fuel preserving additive so that the fuel doesn't go off between uses, and have also been using canola oil for bar lube to be environmentally friendly, and that works quite well too.