If you're shopping the 90cc class for big wood and a 36-inch bar, you're already in "big dogs" territory. This is the 36-inch tree class, and for most buyers it comes down to two saws: the Stihl MS 661 C-M and the Husqvarna 592 XP (the one on the bench was the 592 XPG with heated handles).

Here's the twist. On paper, the Husqvarna has strong arguments, including warranty. Still, after tearing both down and weighing them, the pick leaned Stihl because of trust, support, and a longer track record.

This comparison was also a long overdue request for subscriber Levi Blackwood, who asked for it four times (quattro).

Main Street Mower (the shop behind this test) is based in Central Florida, but the online store ships across the United States (except Hawaii). If you want to browse what they stock, these links match what was referenced in the video: Main Street Mower online store, plus Chip and Stu's Favorites collection.

Here's the quick snapshot of why people care about this comparison.

The rest of this post walks through the same order as the video: stats first, then weights, then the teardown, then what the real deciding factors look like.

A 90cc pro saw isn't just "a bigger homeowner saw." It's a different category of tool. The way it was described is a good mental picture: most common saws feel like the pickup truck range (F-150, 250, 350). When you jump to saws like these, it's more like moving into heavy truck territory, think Peterbilt or a dump truck. They're built to work every day, and to survive the kind of use that eats smaller saws alive.

That's also why people tend to buy a saw like this "for life." Not because nothing ever breaks, but because the core build is meant to stay in service. At this level, the choice often comes down to intangibles you can't fully prove with a spec sheet: how a saw holds up after years of heat cycles, whether the parts pipeline is strong, and whether your local dealer can get you back running fast.

The hosts also admitted the elephant in the room. They're a Stihl dealer, so there's bias. They still tried to treat it like Apple vs Samsung. Both brands make excellent products, but small design choices can matter a lot when you live behind the handles.

The simplest way to start is displacement, horsepower, weight, price, and warranty. This is also where some surprises show up.

Both saws in this comparison were set up for 36-inch bar work, and both are rated to handle that length.

• Stihl MS 661 C-M: 92.7cc, rated 7.6 horsepower
• Husqvarna 592 XP: 91.1cc, rated 7.3 horsepower

That slight edge in rated output is part of why the Stihl is still treated as the standard "high-output pro saw" in this class. In cutting speed videos they watched, the MS 661 often came in a couple seconds faster on big cuts when set up similarly.

Bar length is where expectations need a reset. Even if a saw can run a 36-inch bar, that doesn't mean a 36-inch bar is always the best choice. A shorter bar can cut faster because the engine is pushing fewer cutters through the wood at once, so more power reaches each tooth.

Long bars still have real advantages. You can stand more upright, reach across larger diameter wood, and avoid bending as much. The tradeoff is carry weight and forward balance, especially with a long bar hanging off the nose.

Pricing in the video was based on both saws being purchased with a 36-inch bar.

That puts the Stihl at $200 more in the configuration they discussed.

Warranty went the other direction:

• Stihl: 90-day warranty
• Husqvarna: 2-year warranty

That 2-year warranty is a big number for a pro chainsaw, and it's a real point in Husqvarna's favor.

Dealer network was the next big factor. They stated there are more than 20 percent more Stihl dealers nationally, and in their area (Orlando and Central Florida) the gap is dramatic: 35 Stihl dealers versus two Husqvarna dealers. For many buyers, that affects parts availability and turnaround time more than horsepower ever will.

A saw can be great on the day you buy it, but if parts and service take forever, you feel it fast.

The teardown wasn't about "who has more screws." It was about build quality, service access, and whether anything looked cheap in a class where nothing should be.

Both saws have serious dogs, and both are set up like tools meant to bite and hold. The Stihl had a captured nut arrangement and "double dogs" on both sides. The Husqvarna also had captured bar nuts, plus dogs that looked different in shape (they joked they looked Scandinavian, almost reindeer-like).

They also called out a few layout differences that affect day-to-day work:

• Chain brake placement: They liked that the brake is on the engine side, and noted that's typical for Stihl, while many Husqvarna saws put pieces on the clutch cover side.
• Chain tensioner location: The Husqvarna adjustment is on the side cover plate, which they said they don't like because it can be more challenging in some situations.

With the top covers off, both saws gave good access to key service points, and both used designs that aim for a tight seal. They focused on the lip that mates the filter to the intake area, because that seal is "the money maker." Dirt ingestion ruins saws, even expensive ones.

They also shared a practical habit: on any used saw, pull the air filter and inspect the intake area with a flashlight. Squeeze the throttle and look for signs of dirt where it shouldn't be.

Both saws had plated steel mufflers, which they described as heat-tolerant and likely to last the life of the saw. Visually, both had that gold-toned plated look.

They pointed out a difference in how easily you might modify the exhaust. On one muffler, a front section seemed removable (they referenced bark box style mods), while the other looked more like a single-piece setup that might be harder to change. They didn't modify anything in the video, but they called out the design difference.

This section highlighted one of the clearest material differences in the teardown:

• Stihl rewind cover: magnesium-aluminum alloy, plus Stihl's ElastoStart handle design (rubber element inside)
• Husqvarna rewind cover: plastic, with a simpler rope knot and setup

They also noted Stihl rewind assemblies are expensive (they mentioned around $200), but they've seen them last a long time unless damaged by drops or impact.

On hardware, they liked that the Husqvarna used captured screws in many places, although they found one screw that was not captured.

They also brought up a point from reviews they had seen: some users reported the Husqvarna pull handle coming off early. During their teardown, they looked at the knot choice and found it was a simple style, not the same knot Stihl typically uses.

Both saws in this comparison use electronically managed carb systems:

• Husqvarna: AutoTune 3.0
• Stihl: M-Tronic

They described both systems as refined over time. AutoTune has gone through generations, and M-Tronic had issues early on but has been "very good" for about the last 10 years. If you like the idea of a saw adjusting itself for conditions, both aim to do that job.

They also placed these saws in time:

• The 592 XP hit dealers around 2022, so it has a few years of market feedback.
• The MS 661 platform dates back to 2013, and it follows the MS 660, which was similar but without M-Tronic.

That history mattered a lot in the final decision.

Fuel and oil caps are one of those things people argue about forever. They compared:

• Stihl cap style: the three-tab design that locks with a quarter turn. People complain about the tabs, but they argued you get used to the orientation quickly on your own saw.
• Husqvarna cap style: a threaded screw-on cap with a press area that helps if gloves make it hard to lift. They liked the quick removal, about one to two full rotations, and noted the sealing material looked more advanced than a basic O-ring.

They pulled the sprockets and found the setups looked very similar. Both used a rim sprocket style, and they even suggested the rims looked interchangeable.

They also explained why rim sprockets are popular in pro use:

• They're quick and cheap to replace (they quoted around $8 for a rim, versus $35 to $40 for a full sprocket setup).
• You can change tooth counts to adjust chain speed.
• They help keep the chain tracking well with a little float.

Inside, they noticed:

• Needle cage bearings on both, with different roller layouts.
• Two different clutch spring designs, one more like traditional coil springs, the other more like leaf-style springs. Both are serviceable and replaceable.

On oiling, they pointed out the basics that trip people up during reassembly: the clutch drum drives a worm gear that pumps bar oil. When you put it back together, you have to align the notch and the drive points so the oiler works correctly.

They checked anti-vibration (AV) setups and saw stout springs in similar locations on both saws (rear handle, wrap handle area, lower mounts). The springs felt stiffer than what you'd see on smaller saws, which makes sense given the heavier powerhead.

They also spotted a practical difference:

• The Husqvarna had a primer bubble.
• The Stihl did not.

They noted a primer can help starting, but if it fails it can become a path for dirt to enter, and it can be more complicated to service than a simple design.

After going through layers, the impression was consistent: both are flagship saws, and neither looked like it was built with cheap parts.

Both saws looked like true industrial-grade tools once they were opened up.

Specs don't show what happens after months of hard work, or when a saw sits in a shop waiting for parts. That's where user feedback matters, even if it's messy.

They mentioned reading reviews for both saws and seeing some negatives. One complaint they called out was stalling at idle. Their response was blunt: that's often an idle adjustment issue, not a reason to rate a saw one star.

They also pointed out something every experienced owner knows: there's always a way to break a saw. Bad fuel mix, impacts from limbs, running a chain too loose, or adjusting a tensioner past its range can all cause failures that aren't really "design flaws."

Don't let stats alone make the decision, and don't let a handful of harsh reviews make it either.

They referenced a video from YouTuber Guilty of Treeson (Jake) where he was given a 592 by Husqvarna and reported serious reliability issues. The list included a recoil failure early, cross-threaded bolts that needed tapping, bogging issues, and long stretches where the saw sat in the shop.

That story didn't prove every 592 XP will have problems, but it did underline the risk of downtime, especially when dealer coverage is thin in some areas.

The hosts' final reasoning kept coming back to track record. The 661 has been around longer, it has a proven predecessor in the MS 660, and they've personally seen many 661s hold up for owners who earn money with them.

They also cited review volume as one small data point:

• MS 661: 503 reviews, 4.7 stars
• 592 XP: 100-plus reviews, 4.6 stars

They were clear that review scores can be misleading, but time in the field plus volume of feedback can still help with confidence.

After the teardown, the pick leaned Stihl MS 661 C-M. The reasons weren't flashy. They liked the feel, the tolerances, the lighter scale weight in their test, and the dealer support advantage. Most of all, they trusted the platform because it has more history in the market.

At the same time, respect for the Husqvarna 592 XP went up after seeing it opened. They called it a great saw with cool engineering, and the 2-year warranty is hard to ignore. If you value warranty length and want a newer design with AutoTune 3.0, it has a strong case.

If you want to see the exact model referenced, here's the product page they shared for the Stihl: Stihl MS 661 Magnum chainsaw. For a wider look at what they recommend and use, there's also Chip and Stu's Favorites.

In the end, both saws belong in the same top tier. One looks better on warranty, the other wins on familiarity, support, and long-term trust. If you run either one correctly and maintain it, you're holding a serious tool.

Share what you've seen with the MS 661 or 592 XP, good or bad, especially if you run them for work. That kind of feedback helps the next buyer more than any spec sheet.

Links to Main Street Mower

• Shop online: Main Street Mower
• YouTube: Main Street Mower on YouTube
• Facebook: Main Street Mower on Facebook
• Instagram: Main Street Mower on Instagram
• TikTok: Main Street Mower on TikTok