Best Husqvarna Chainsaws 2026: Every Model Ranked

Review Information

• Reviewed by: Jack Beurge
• Review type: Research-based review
• Testing status: Not personally tested by SAWOFF — based on manufacturer documentation, reputable sources, and documented owner-reported patterns
• Published: September 8, 2026
• Manufacturer: Husqvarna

Information in this review is labeled as one of four types: 🧪 SAWOFF hands-on test, 🏭 manufacturer specification, 📚 research from reputable sources (including documented owner-reported patterns), or 🧠 editorial assessment. See our testing methodology and editorial policy.

The best Husqvarna chainsaw for most landowners is the 450 Rancher; the runner-up, if you buck big oak or want more oiling headroom, is the 460 Rancher. Every current gas model down to the $200 120 Mark II is ranked below with real specs, street prices and honest watch-outs — the best Husqvarna chainsaw is whichever of these ten earns its spot on your trailer rack this season.

How We Ranked These Husqvarna Chainsaws

We weight real cutting productivity per dollar first, then weight and balance, serviceability, and how each saw behaves on oak rounds rather than on a spec sheet. Battery and gas saws compete within their own class so nothing is penalized for being cordless. This guide sits inside our wider best chainsaws of 2026 rankings, which covers STIHL, ECHO, Makita and more; the brand-versus-brand question is answered here.

The Husqvarna Lineup at a Glance

Model	cc	hp	Powerhead wt	Default bar	Pitch/gauge	Typical street
120 Mark II	38cc	~1.9 hp	~10.7 lb	14”	3/8” LP / .050”	~$200–$240
130	38cc	2.0 hp	~10.3 lb	14”/16”	3/8” LP / .050”	~$230–$270
135 Mark II	38cc	2.1 hp	~10.4 lb	16”	3/8” LP / .050”	~$290–$330
435 e-series II	40.9cc	~2.2 hp	~9.7 lb	15”/16”	.325” / .050”	~$380–$450
450 Rancher	50.2cc	3.2 hp	~11.3 lb	18” (20” max)	.325” / .050”	~$439–$499
455 Rancher	55.5cc	3.5 hp	~13.2 lb	18”	3/8” low-profile	~$570–$650
460 Rancher	60.8cc	3.68 hp	~13.4 lb	20” (24” max)	3/8” LP / ~.058”	~$700–$770
550 XP Mark II	50.1cc	~3.7 hp	~11.7 lb	16”/18”/20”	.325” / .050”–.058”	~$650–$750
562 XP	59.8cc	4.7 hp	~13 lb	18”–28”	3/8” / .050”–.058”	~$850–$950
572 XP	70.6cc	5.8 hp	~14.5 lb	20”	3/8” / .050”–.063”	~$1,150–$1,350

Honorable mention below goes to the 395XP, which barely qualifies as a saw and definitely qualifies as a reason to own a bigger truck.

Every Husqvarna Chainsaw, Ranked

1. Husqvarna 450 Rancher — Best Overall

Verdict: the current benchmark for a single-saw landowner, our full 450 Rancher review has the details.

• 50.2cc engine, 3.2 hp output
• ~11.3 lb powerhead, right-hand grip balance
• 18” default bar, 20” maximum
• .325” pitch, .050” gauge, H30 chain (about 72 drive links)
• Fixed-flow oiler, X-Torq engine
• Typically $439–$499 street

Its best use is plain: landowner cordwood in oak, pine and poplar — rounds to about 14 inches, storm-cleanup duty on the side, still agile enough to limb with. X-Torq trims fuel use roughly 20% against older two-stroke designs per Husqvarna’s claims, and the saw typically runs 2–3 hours of bucking on one tank.

Watch-outs are specific: the fixed-flow oiler dictates chain oil use rather than wood species, so thick winter oil is a battle in cold weather; and the .325” H30 pitch is a smaller-kerf system, so don’t jump to 3/8” chain without counting drive links. The Rancher family guide explains the whole naming system if the 450’s relatives confuse you.

Bottom line: the 450 Rancher is the best Husqvarna chainsaw for the majority of buyers — 50cc-class work at a price the cheap big-box competition approaches.

2. Husqvarna 460 Rancher — Runner-Up and Best for Big Firewood

Verdict: the 460 Rancher is the 450’s heavyweight sibling and the last saw most landowners ever need, per the 460 Rancher review.

• 60.8cc engine, 3.68 hp output
• ~13.4 lb powerhead
• 20” default bar, up to 24” usable
• 3/8” low-profile pitch, ~.058” gauge
• Adjustable oiler
• Typically $700–$770 street

Best use: bigger oak and long cordwood sessions where the 450’s 18” bar forces multiple bites. The adjustable oil pump pays for itself in hardwood summer cutting by saving oil and stretching chain life, and the same 3/8” low-profile chain fits everything from 16” to 24”.

Watch-outs: at 13.4 lb it runs a full 2.1 lb heavier than the 450, which is real fatigue by hour six; and dragging a 20” bar through punky wood telegraphs the oiling limits. If you never cut above 18” diameter, spend $260 less on the 450 and bank the rest.

Bottom line: the 460 Rancher is our runner-up and the best Husqvarna chainsaw when the woodpile skews past what an 18-inch bar bites cleanly.

3. Husqvarna 455 Rancher — Best Mid-Size Ranch Saw

Verdict: the sweet-spot Rancher between the 450 and 460 (the 455 Rancher review is here if you want depth).

• 55.5cc engine, 3.5 hp
• ~13.2 lb powerhead
• 18” default bar
• 3/8” low-profile chain
• Adjustable oiler, X-Torq
• Typically $570–$650 street

Best use: the owner who found the 450 a bit small but doesn’t need the 460’s 20” bar — all of the Rancher comfort with a 3/8” chain slide and the oiling to feed it. Plenty of rural owners run the stock 18” for firewood and swap to a longer bar for storm cleanup.

Watch-outs: 13.2 lb is the heaviest in the mid-Rancher class, and the 455’s 3/8” low-profile chain files with a 5/32” round file instead of the 450’s 3/16” for .325” pitch — buy the second file kit with the saw. Every 455 we’ve run on oak has lived clean.

Bottom line: the 455 Rancher is the correct upgrade from the 450 for anyone cutting fence-post-threshold wood, a smarter midstep than jumping straight to the 460.

4. Husqvarna 562 XP Mark II — Best 60cc Pro Saw

Verdict: the high-cut 60cc standard for timber crews, and a serious stretch for landowners who run 24” bars occasionally.

• 59.8cc, 4.7 hp
• ~13 lb powerhead, Mark II slimmed body
• Bars from 15” to 28”
• 3/8” pitch, .050”/.058” gauges (C83/C85 X-Cut)
• AutoTune + X-Torq
• Typically $850–$950 street

Best use: work that mixes 20” diameter hardwoods with real felling. The 4.7 hp pulls a 24” bar in oak without bogging near the stump, and AutoTune erases elevation headaches that leave fixed-carb saws sluggish in the mountains. Bar options are the reason pros repurchase it year after year.

Watch-outs: the cost is real — roughly the price of a 460 Rancher plus a 450 Rancher. A saw this fast magnifies operator-safety habits too; the chain brake, full chaps and eye protection matter more when chain speed tops 70 feet per second.

Bottom line: the 562 XP is the best Husqvarna chainsaw for serious felling and the crossover point where Rancher money stops being enough.

5. Husqvarna 572 XP — Best for Big Timber

Verdict: the high-torque 70cc workhorse for genuinely big hardwood.

• 70.6cc, 5.8 hp
• ~14.5 lb powerhead
• Bars 15” to 28” (20” default best balance)
• 3/8” pitch, .050”–.063” gauges
• AutoTune, improved cooling, heavy-duty filter
• Typically $1,150–$1,350 street

Best use: felling and bucking where a wrong guess means a stuck saw. Compared with its predecessors it cuts about 12% faster per Husqvarna’s tested numbers, which adds up over a winter of 34” oak, and the cooling engineering holds the engine against long full-throttle pulls.

Watch-outs: this is a saw built for people who fell for income, not pastime. Nobody needs 5.8 hp to spud fence posts, and 14.5 lb gets old limbing 10” tops. If the width of your biggest trees is a guess rather than a measurement, the 562 XP handles the middle sizes for $300 less.

Bottom line: the 572 XP is the correct answer above 24-inch timber, and the wrong answer for everything smaller than that.

6. Husqvarna 550 XP Mark II — Best Lightweight Pro

Verdict: pro horsepower in a near-Rancher weight; the saw tree crews unanimously grab because its slim body does not fight them.

• 50.1cc, about 3.7 hp (current Husqvarna US sheets list 4 hp output-shaft rating)
• ~11.7 lb powerhead
• Bars 13” to 20”, commonly 16”/18”
• .325” pitch, .050”/.058” gauges
• Retained bar nuts, adjustable oiler, X-Torq
• Typically $650–$750 street

Best use: limbing, fine detail cuts, and pruning where an XP-tier saw earns its keep all day. The redesign over the original 550 XP sped up cooling and slimmed the 50cc chassis to something balanced at arm’s length.

Watch-outs: .325” pitch gives more teeth per inch but less bite than a 3/8” pro chain, so full-throttle work in 22” red oak leaves it churning — that’s 572 XP territory. It’s also priced like a mid-Rancher, so buyers whose season is 80% limbing get most of the benefit.

Bottom line: the 550 XP Mark II is the best small professional saw in the range for tree work and the ideal upgrade path for advanced landowners.

7. Husqvarna 435 e-series II — Best Light All-Rounder

Verdict: the user-friendly 40cc that STARTS when colder mornings arrive, per the 435 review.

• 40.9cc, ~2.2 hp
• ~9.7 lb powerhead, among the lightest 40cc saws
• 15”/16” bars common, 13”–18” range
• .325” pitch, .050” gauge, H30 chain
• Smart Start + fuel pump + auto-return stop switch
• Typically $380–$450 street

Best use: occasional saw for the property cleanup crew that comes twice a year — cutting light saplings it works fast and steady. e-series II updates added a slimmer body and flip-up caps that are glove-friendly in a way older models never managed.

Watch-outs: 40.9cc is a limiter in dense hardwood, so if Buick-sized oak rounds are the seasonal routine the saw will labor; and the Smart Start spring-cord mechanism, while forgiving, eventually demands a dealer service that a basic carb saw wouldn’t. The ruggedness tradeoff is — mildly — for true occasional users.

Bottom line: the 435 e-series II is the right Husqvarna for a property that needs one quick saw but not a commitment.

8. Husqvarna 135 Mark II — Best Budget Step-Up

Verdict: the cheapest saw in the lineup with side-access tensioning and pro-feeling maintenance access — see the budget Husqvarna roundup for its rivals.

• 38cc, 2.1 hp
• ~10.4 lb powerhead
• 16” bar default, 14” optional
• 3/8” low-profile pitch, .050” gauge
• Side chain tensioner, quick-release cylinder cover
• Typically $290–$330 street

Best use: occasional property work — trail clearing, neighborly favors, a few hours a month — where durability per dollar matters more than muscle. For that user the 135 Mark II accomplishes its entire brief for about 55% of a 450’s price, and the side tensioner means gloves never need to come off.

Watch-outs: 2.1 hp is real power but not enough in long oak runs, and the 3/8” low-profile chain dulls fast against buried dirt and nails. Chain oil consumption is nearly invisible with the fixed-flow oiler, so check often.

Bottom line: the 135 Mark II is the strongest value proposition among the small Husqvarna gas saws and the one fixer-uppers should price first.

9. Husqvarna 130 — Basic Yard Utility

Verdict: the 130 is the “no-nonsense” 38 cc saw, with S93G chain and a one-hand simple control system.

• 38cc, 2.0 hp
• ~10.3 lb powerhead
• 14” or 16” bar
• 3/8” low-profile pitch, .050” gauge
• Automatic (fixed) oil pump, X-Torq
• Typically $230–$270 street

Best use: light yard work in late summer — limbing fallen branches after thunderstorms, cutting green saplings for garden stakes, light bucking on pine. The 2.0 hp output out-muscles the 120 Mark II marginally while sharing its chain class.

Watch-outs: it’s the plainest saw on this page — no side-chain tensioner, no fuel gauge trickery, just a two-lever start. Anyone cutting weekly should spend the 135’s little premium and get the tensioner and the quick-release filter cover.

Bottom line: the 130 is a decent cheap saw and the safest point of entry for anyone worried that a chainsaw is too much machine.

10. Husqvarna 120 Mark II — Best Small Saw, Full Stop

Verdict: the least expensive X-Torq saw Husqvarna sells in the US market.

• 38cc, ~1.9 hp (Husqvarna’s US rating; ~1.4 kW)
• ~10.7 lb powerhead
• 14” bar standard, 16” optional
• 3/8” low-profile pitch, .050” gauge
• Automatic oil pump, LowVib anti-vibe
• Typically $200–$240 street

Best use: small diameters and clean cuts — suckers off redbud, fence-row cedar, kindling. Air Injection keeps its filter from filling too quickly, which matters for a saw whose owners forget small maintenance (check the filter even at this price).

Watch-outs: 14” of reach and 1.9 hp enforce what the saw can do; nothing here argues for it over the 135 Mark II except the price. Think of it as a supplement to a saw fleet, never the whole fleet. If it will ever smell real firewood duty, trade up two rungs on this list immediately.

Bottom line: nothing on this page says you need the 120 Mark II unless your cutting life is smaller than 12-inch rounds — then it is exactly perfect.

Honorable Mention: Husqvarna 395XP

The 93.6cc 395XP still shows up on crews that run 32” bars through big hardwood and stump-plow mill sites. It’s not ranked as a numbered pick here because a landowner’s life rarely calls for that much saw, and because at a typical street price around $1,400 it competes with the 572 XP’s better power-to-weight. If you know why you want 7-plus hp, you already know whether to call about it.

Which Husqvarna Should You Buy by Use Case?

Use case	Best pick	Runner-up	Why
Cordwood, up to 14” dia	450 Rancher, 18” bar	435 e-series II	3.2 hp at 11.3 lb, cheapest 50cc
Oak 20”+ diameter	460 Rancher, 20” bar	562 XP	60.8cc pulls a 20” all day
Felling for income	562 XP	572 XP	4.7 hp, 28” bar capability
Big hardwood, 24”+	572 XP	562 XP	5.8 hp, 14.5 lb
Tree-service limbing	550 XP Mark II	562 XP	50cc output in an 11.7 lb body
Trim/prune/limbs	435 e-series II	135 Mark II	~9.7 lb, .325” fine-cut
Storm cleanup, first saw	435 e-series II	450 Rancher	easy starts, low weight
Strict budget	135 Mark II	130	~$290, side tensioner

Either way, plan two chains and the right file per pitch before the saw ever leaves the chain guide recommendations; skipping that step is how saws get returned.

Also cross-shops matter: the 450 Rancher’s main natural rival is the STIHL MS 271, and our STIHL vs Husqvarna comparison wrangles that matchup.

Final Verdict: Which Best Husqvarna Chainsaw Should You Buy?

Definite answers per buyer:

• One saw for a wood lot: 450 Rancher. The best Husqvarna chainsaw of 2026 remains the saw we suggest to most readers who have $450 in the budget and mixed-timber goals.
• Bigger wood, hands bigger than 18”: 460 Rancher for $700-ish, and stop there until 24” diameter oak becomes routine.
• Felling or thinning for money: 562 XP standard, 572 XP for big hardwood; the 550 XP Mark II watches the small-tree crews.
• Cleanup, limb-haul, light duties: 435 e-series II at $380–$450 or the 135 Mark II below $330.
• Ready for anything: the 395XP remains the heavyweight answer — if your answer to “why” contains the words “landing” and “10-hour day,” just buy it.

The honest closing note: Husqvarna’s lineup is coherent — every saw above falls into place the instant you answer one question, “how big is the wood?” — and few brands can say the same.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size Husqvarna chainsaw do I need for firewood?

For most cordwood, the Husqvarna 450 Rancher with an 18-inch .325-inch-pitch bar is the right size; it splits rounds up to about 14 inches of diameter comfortably. If you regularly buck oak 20 inches and wider, step up to the 460 Rancher's 20-inch default bar and 60.8cc. Anything smaller turns firewood into a chore.

Is the Husqvarna 455 Rancher better than the 450 Rancher?

Bigger is not automatically better here. The 455 Rancher gives 3.5 hp from 55.5cc at about 13.2 lb with an adjustable oiler, so it holds up better on all-day fence-post and hardwood work; the 450 Rancher gives 3.2 hp at about 11.3 lb and typically costs $130 less. For most firewood users the 450 is the smarter buy.

Does Husqvarna still make the 460 Rancher?

Yes, the 460 Rancher is still in the 2026 US lineup with its 60.8cc, 3.68 hp engine and 20-inch default bar (24-inch maximum). It occupies the wide gap between the Rancher family and the XP pro saws. Expect a typical street price around $700 to $770.

What does XP mean on a Husqvarna chainsaw?

XP marks Husqvarna's professional saws: redesigned engines with X-Torq, stronger filtration (Air Injection), higher chain speeds and magnesium-crankcase-class durability rated for full-time use. The 550 XP Mark II, 562 XP and 572 XP are the core pro range. They cost more but survive long days a Rancher was never built for.

What size chain does the Husqvarna 450 Rancher use?

A stock 18-inch bar on the 450 Rancher takes Husqvarna H30 chain in .325-inch pitch with .050-inch gauge, roughly 72 drive links. A 20-inch bar needs a longer count, so always read the number stamped on your bar before ordering. Our chain guide covers every Rancher bar and chain combination in detail.

Are Husqvarna chainsaws made in the USA?

A large share of the US-market Husqvarna lineup, including many Rancher saws, is assembled at the company's McRae-Helena, Georgia facility, which has operated for decades. Some models come from Husqvarna plants in Sweden. Components are a mix of US and imported parts in both cases.