- Sign in
- Write a review
Stihl MS 231 Wood Boss
- MS 231, MS 231 C-BE with Rapid Duro 3 · See All
Reviewer Photos & Videos
I bought my 231 for small pruning jobs around the yard, track clearing, camping and to compliment my much larger saw (661 w/ 30 and 36" bar) in firewood cutting.
It starts without fail everytime. Put the switch to bottom setting. Pull it until it first tries to start, the click it up one position and it will always start next pull.
I'm very happy with it and haven't had a single issue in these first 6months, I've easily and fairly quickly cut down trees of upto 14" diameter.
I was worried it would feel slow and sluggish compared to the 661. However it's a pleasure to use, when used within its limits.
I'm glad I spent the extra over a small Stihl like a 170 or 180.
Purchased in for $749.
- Build Quality
- Value for Money
- See all answers
- 13 reviews
- 5 likes
Best Chainsaw I ever bought In the Whole Entire World I would not Buy Husqvarna Chainsaws Under any Circumstances
This STIHL Chainsaw the MS231C Wood Boss Chainsaw with the easy2start is the best. I only use for cutting up firewood not for felling small trees, it only requires a soft gentle pull of the actual pull cord recoil which is extremely smooth and gentle pull ago this chainsaw starts one pull every-time and it has an extremely reliable AV System and is extremely well built. I hate Husqvarna Chainsaws they are a complete waste of money the way that Husqvarna had designed their chainsaws to start them is useless because you have to pull out a blue ch...
Read moreoke lever or you have to push a red lever upwards. I hate these type of designs that Husqvarna have ever designed however with the STIHL Chainsaws to start them they have what STIHL Calls a Master Control Lever what it is a single lever located on the front of the STIHL Chainsaw from my perspective this is a much better design that STIHL Has ever made compared to Husqvarna Chainsaws. Starting System which is a complete piece of junk but I take pride in all of the brands that I choose when I buy High Quality Gardening Equipment and I do not Buy Chainsaws that are Built in China such as Baumur-Ag or Yukon those brands are Complete junk and I would not spend money on them also not only that Husqvarna Chainsaws are a complete waste of money and they are rubbish and junk. I hate to spend money on Chinese chainsaws such as Baumr-Ag or Yukon buying these brands is like throwing money away the bin and I am not capable of doing that at all. I only spend money on Good and High Quality Chainsaws Such as STIHL Only STIHL Chainsaws are the way to go for me they are extremely reliable solid and durable. Do not buy Husqvarna Chainsaws Stick to STIHL Chainsaws Husqvarna Chainsaws they are garbage and pieces of complete junk.Purchased in for $800.
- Build Quality
- Value for Money
- See all answers
This is my first saw and it took a while for me to really get the hang of its use. It also was subjected to my novice mistakes. It has been a good saw through all of this. I mainly cut wet pine in a rainforest climate and split and season it. I treat the saw well now. I was careful to not over rev the saw in its break in period. I also clean it after every use, particularly in the chain guard region.
It cuts really well when the chain is sharp. It suffers when the chain is blunted to any degree and doesnt have the power to cut itself through ...
Read morethe wood. I run two chains with the saw for this reason and can chop 1-3 trailer loads of rounds easily before sharpening is required in both chains. The default carb settings in the manual provide good power and the saw doesnt get too hot. It is best when cutting up to 14 inch branches and logs. You can double cut bigger logs but the chain gets pinched and sometimes you have to plunge cut to relieve tension. I will buy a bigger saw to make my life easier in the future. It hasn't missed a beat in 2 years. No problems with the bar oiling either, it doesnt run out before a tank of fuel so i fill both at the same time. I got the HD2 filter with it from the dealer.
Purchased in for $800.
- Build Quality
- Value for Money
- See all answers
- 5 reviews
- 4 likes
Purchased it new and cannot start the unit because of the compression Will be taking it back to the dealer to have the Easy2Start accessory fitted at a further cost of $200 AU
Purchased in for $750.
- Incentivised Review No
Find out how Stihl MS 231 Wood Boss compares to other Petrol Chainsaws
Know better, choose better.
- 3 reviews
This chainsaw performs very well, but be careful of the chain brake lever. It's plastic and there is a lot of leverage on the section that engages and disengages the brake. It may break for you as it did for me. As an engineer I can say there's not enough plastic bulk in the design in the right places, and it cannot take the sustained force of clicking the brake on and off a lot (which you should do for safety). Once broken, the brake will be either stuck on or stuck off. One way the saw cannot be used, the other it should not be used until it is made safe again. Keep this part of the chainsaw greased to reduce the forces in the area and that could lengthen the life of this part.
Purchased in for $650.
- Build Quality
- Value for Money
- See all answers
- 12 reviews
- 8 likes
Bought this second hand on ebay, changed the chain. starts super easy and powers through anything, really happy with it. I had a mcculloch c400t chainsaw that I paid $300 for in bunnings previously it was ok but only lasted 2 years, better to buy a Stihl when they have service centres and parts available everywhere.
- Date Purchased
- 4 reviews
- 2 likes
I was originally looking for a smaller chainsaw for trimming back some olive trees and to accompany me on our 4wd trips for cutting firewood, i settled for the Stihl MS 231 the baby of the Wood Boss category, so far it has been a pleasure to use, easy to start and maintain, an excellent chainsaw
- Date Purchased
Related Articles
Spring is the perfect time to get in the garden and give it some TLC. Doing garden maintenance like pruning, removing old much, weeding, and getting your garden ready for new growth will help keep it lush and healthy throughout the warmer months.
The right to repair movement in Australia is calling for companies to make it easier for their products to be repaired. Here are some electronics and appliance manufacturers who are starting to listen and make it more feasible for consumers to repair, rather than replace, their items.
Staying at home doesn’t have to be a drag, even if you’re isolating. With the right products, you can still eat, drink, and relax as if you’re on holiday, so that your summer staycation is something special.
- 3 reviews
- 7 likes
I had bought a cheapie to start with, but kept on having problems with the chain tensioner with it.
I finally decided to go for Stihl. And I'm definitely not disapointed.
I've been advised to go for at least that make, though it was stretching a bit my budget.
I had a 18inch bar fitted instead of the 16inches for around NZ $60.
And so far, it has worked like a charm. It starts really easily, after 2 - 3 pulls (once I've managed to flog the engine, and it wouldn't start anymore then, but I left it alone for a day, and the next day it was back on an easy start).
It has good power, even though I suppose you'd always like some more.
...
- Date Purchased
Questions & Answers
Any thoughts on the 231 vs 231 CBE? It it worth the extra?
The quick tensioner on the CBE is a convenience feature, but I would save my money by buying the regular saw and buying a second chain for the situation in which you accidentally dull the first chain ...
Read moreand need to get the job done. Changing bars and chains actually looks more difficult with the quick tensioner and cleaning your saw is important for longevity.
do not have sufficient knowledge of the products to give you a informed answer I own a MS 231C with the easy start unit and find it very good
The chain came off when cutting. How do I reset the tensioner? The book says to take tensioner off and undo screw to align with bar. How to do this. In woman speak please:)
The instruction Manual Page 21 will clearly advise the procedures to take, from personal experience I have always ensured that the chain is tensioned firmly to avoid your problem
The hole in the right side of the chainsaw next to the big nut controls the tension of the chain by pushing the bar in or out if you turn the recessed screw clockwise (out) or counter clockwise (in). ...
Read moreYou likely threw the chain because of a lack of tension on the chain. Unfortunately you now have to remove the cover that is held on by the nut, push the bar in with the screw, put the bar on the protrusions (every thing should feel correct when everything is aligned), put the chain on the bar and sprocket and tighten the chain by moving the bar outward with the screw once the cover is on. Lift the bar nose once the chain looks snug underneath the bar to make sure the chain is tight enough and tighten the cover bolt. Slide the chain along as well once you think the tension is good to confirm that it is well adjusted. It should be able to slide by hand but not too easily.
can I put a 60cm bar & chain on a MS 231 for ripping purposes
The saw struggles to cross cut 14 inch pine using a 16 inch bar, especially if the chain isnt perfectly sharp. So fitting a 24 inch bar isnt really a good idea.
Get an answer from our members and Stihl representatives
Details
 Stihl MS 2314.6(8) |  Stihl MS 231 C-BE with Rapid Duro 3No reviews yet | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Petrol Chainsaws | Petrol Chainsaws |
| Price (RRP) | $749.00 | |
| Use | Pruning | |
| Bar Length | 40 cm | |
| Features | Anti-Vibration System and Tool-free Chain Tensioning | |
| Weight | 4.8 kg | |
| Noise Level | 103 dB | |
| Power (kW) | 2 kW | |
| Power (HP) | 2.7 HP | |
| Engine Displacement | 42.6 cc | |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 390 mL | |
| Release date |
Extra Information
Other Petrol Chainsaws
ieatwords.com.au has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence our content moderation policies in any way, though ieatwords.com.au may earn commissions for products/services purchased via affiliate links.