Great chainsaw, easy to maintain have other types of saws that run on different mix and used wrong fuel for three days, removed large Pepper Tree. cut large branches bigger than bar, which is not recommended. Was using the last of the old fuel, bad mistake motor popped and locked. killed the motor, still the best brand easy start but need to look after. Dropped out off tree 3m fall no problem. Will buy a bigger on next time, but not much bigger as cost goes up and the kick in trees can really throw you off balance. will miss the 181

I bought the MS181 for cutting firewood and for bigger pruning tasks. It's light and easy to handle and It suites my requirements perfectly. It doesn't get year round use, but come winter, it's used probably every other weekend chopping fallen branches. The only issue I've had was a leaking chain oil pipe, which was fixed promptly under warranty at my local Stihl shop, and the spark arrester got clogged up after 2 years use (my 2 stroke mix may be a little oil rich). I'm very happy with it and will definitely go Stihl again if I ever need a bigger saw.

Have operated chain saws for many years,Bought new MS181 new have used three tanks of fuel on not to heavy work and am disappointed that a lot of the teeth on the chain have broken off never had this happen on any other saw.I have also used new MS171 as well as MS181 and on both when I slackened lock nut to adjust chain tension the threaded stud undid from the body of saw not allowing it to become slack .Surprised at these defects on anew saw

Admittedly I have only owned 2 other chainsaws.

This is easy to maintain, easy to clean and it is a well put together unit! Cuts everything i have tried with ease. Even successfully plunge cut to chop up a 1.2m dia gum stump i had left over.

The bar oiler is exceptional.. it does seem to use more bar oil than my other saws, but that isnt really a negative..

Definitely needs the rpm up to cut, so sometimes its worth holding back a few seconds before chopping into the wood.

I've owned the MS181 for a little over 2 years, and it has worked flawlessly. The saw gets used very regularly, and for extended periods, throughout the autumn and winter seasons for cutting firewood, its never missed a beat.
It's lightweight with minimal vibration, and has enough power to handle most jobs. It can struggle a bit when cutting larger diameter hardwood, but this is rarely an issue.
As long as you perform the regular maintenance that chainsaws require, the MS181 won't disappoint, great value for money.

Had the misfortune to spend nearly $500 on a Stihl chainsaw. Found it to be a very poor quality product backed up by even poorer quality service