OK, I recently caught up on the thread about chain saws and oddly enough I am in the market for a new CS. My 18" Craftsman died after only 16 years
I read the merits of the Husky and the Stihl and they sound great. I use my CS fairly infrequently (3-4 times a year a couple of hours each time) and usually for light duty applications. I can not justify spending over $300 for it, especially since the "low end" Craftsman lasted so long.
I have looked at the current Craftsman, Poulan, Homelite, and today was at Home Depot and saw their Echo brand. These are the brands that are readily available at places I know (there's also a local Husky dealer - cheapest was $330). They all seem to be about the same quality in general appearance and the price range is from $150-$300 (18 inch bar with 40cc or so engine).
So what say ye, the collective intelligence...
Be well,
Doc