Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 stars5 star performer...
Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2015
Update: 7-3-2018: Still starts just like it's new...switch on, compress the primer bulb 5 times...choke on...three pulls...choke off...two pulls...and it starts...after sitting for over a year. I just loaned it to my neighbor when they couldn't get their new Husqvarna 440E to start. Highly recommended...makes me want to buy another....lol. Anyway...just thought I'd let you know how my saw was working out. Still 5 stars.
Edit: This needs to be first...do not use E-gas in your chain saw. That's ethanol contaminated gas. While it will work fine in your car, it will cause issues in your little two strok engines. Just google it and you'll find lots of links detailing ethanol issues with two stroke engines. My saws and the rest of my two stroke gadgets work just like new...and still start as advertised, because I have never put E-gas in them. If you live in a state where you cannot buy gas without ethanol in it at a local gas station...then go to one of the big box stores and pick up a can...you will not be sorry.
Beginning of original review.
If you are looking for a near pro-grade chainsaw for home use, this is the one. I recently purchased this saw after discovering that similar Husqvarna saws were getting poor customer reviews. Now, let me say this about the Husqvarna 240 chain saw; the Echo 310 equivalent. I was disappointed that the 240 didn't score higher with customers. I am a Husqvarna guy. I have one of their lawn tractors...love it...one of their prograde gas string trimers...love it...and one of their gas powered blowers...and love it. But, I just couldn't bring myself to buy their model 240 chain saw after reading all of the negative reviews. That's how I came to buy the Echo 310, after doing some research...and reading a lot of customer reviews.
This saw has the highest reviews of any saw that I looked at with a 14 inch bar. And, after cutting through 8 inch and 6 inch branches and many smaller branches with ease, I have to admit that I too am a very satisfied customer.
I read the instructions, filled it with 50:1 gas, Husqvarna bar lube, and cranked it per the instructions, and went at it...and in no time had made 40 to 50 cuts. The saw performed flawlessly. The little motor easily powered the chain through all of my cuts. Just make sure that you let the saw do the cutting. It was a joy to use. And, its operation was almost smokeless, if not smokeless, because as I'm writing this I don't remember any smoke.
Cons...none really. Just be aware that it's easier to fill the bar lube tank, because of it's location, using a quart bottle, rather than using a gallon bottle. A gallon of bar lube is just over $10.00 while a quart is around $4.50. The price difference might tempt you to buy more bar lube than you'll use. I made all of my cuts without having to refill the bar lube tank and still have some left.
Tip: This saw incorporates a black rubber WINTER/SUMMER plug THAT MUST BE USED in temps ABOVE 41 degrees F, and must not be used at temperatures LOWER than 41F. The saw comes with the plug in the summer mode...plugs hole...if you're using the saw during the colder months of the year, remove the top cover and move the plug from the summer position to the winter STORAGE position. For temperatures above 41F, return the plug to the summer position TO PREVENT OVERHEATING.
Highly recommended. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one, or any of their other products, if they're customer reviews are decent.
Hope this helps.
Edit...update. (11-15-2015) So far so good. I've had the saw for around 9 months now, and it's still cutting like a beaver on fire...lol. My neighbor and I just cut down two trees in his front yard. I have had to replace the chain once...since I have a tendency to stick it in the dirt...which is highly not recommended. Mother Earth will dull your chain...and soon.
One other thing. Buy the gallon jug of chain lube...it's half the price, and you'll go through a lot more than you might think. In nine months, I've used over half a gallon. At the box box stores, a gallon is a little over twice the price of two quarts...so essentially you're getting two quarts free. Chain lube at my big box store is $4.88 per quart...and less than $11.00 for a gallon...a no brainer really. And, you really don't want to run out of chain lube...that's a bad experience all the way around.