Why Are Stihl And Husqvarna Chainsaws So Different?
Stihl was founded in 1926 by a single engineer in Stuttgart with one idea: bring the saw to the tree, not the tree to the saw. Husqvarna was founded in 1689 as a Swedish weapons factory by royal decree. Both companies eventually built chainsaws. Neither one built them the same way.
This documentary traces the two most trusted chainsaw brands in the world from their origins to the engineering inside their saws today. We cover how Stihl's 33 years of chainsaw-only focus produced the 1959 Contra — a 12-kilogram, 6 HP saw that increased forestry productivity by 200 percent. We cover how Husqvarna entered the chainsaw market in 1959 using motorcycle muffler technology to cut noise levels in half, and how a decade later it became the first company in the world to build a chainsaw with an integrated anti-vibration system.
We go deep into the engines. Stihl's 2-MIX stratified scavenging system reduces fuel consumption by up to 20 percent and emissions by up to 70 percent, while delivering the strong low-end torque the brand is known for. Husqvarna's X-Torq engine reduces fuel consumption by up to 20 percent and emissions by up to 60 percent, broadening torque across a wider rpm range for quicker, smoother cutting. We explain what those differences actually feel like in the hands of the person holding the saw.
We cover the MS 500i — the world's first chainsaw with electronically controlled fuel injection, launched in 2019, with a 79.2 cc engine producing 6.7 bhp in a 13.9-pound powerhead that accelerates its chain from 0 to 100 km/h in 0.25 seconds. We cover Husqvarna's AutoTune and Air Injection systems, and what it means for a saw to manage its own carburetor in real time.
We also cover the business structures behind the saws. Stihl has been privately owned by the founding family since 1926 and sells exclusively through authorized service dealers — not big-box stores. Husqvarna is publicly listed on the NASDAQ Stockholm and sells through both dealers and major retail chains. Those two ownership structures produce two different kinds of products, and this documentary explains exactly how.
Stihl has been the world's top-selling chainsaw brand since 1971. The debate over which saw is better has been running just as long. By the end of this video, you will understand why that debate has no clean answer — and why it never will.
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