Well there is a reason why they cost more than a Craftsman.
Yep. The differences are pretty stark.
I've been dealing with a LOT of older "fixer-upper" equipment lately. My dad recently passed away, and he was a hoarder. I have the privilege of cleaning out his collection. At least 15-20 small engine tools in the garage or under a tarp in the yard.
With so many of them, most of them being nearly worthless, I just toss the Craftsman/Ryobi/Homelite stuff and do a rushed diagnosis on the Echo and Stihl stuff. Sometimes I entertain Poulan Pro or McCulloch stuff out of curiosity. On a lot of them the pull cord is broken or the ignition boot cut (which is a conundrum for me).
Pull the plug, check for spark. Spray starting fluid in. If it fires, it has a carb issue and I sell it as is.
An older GT-225 (oddly in mint condition, but at least 7-8 years old) was found in the garage. Looked almost never used. Buried in the back, so been sitting for years. Put gas in it, primed the bulb, started on the first pull.
Another Echo curved shaft trimmer (GT-2000, which is the older version of the Gt-225 and identical except for grey plastics) was back there too. But roughed up a bit. Dirty carb, but fired up on starting fluid. Sold as is.
The fundamentals of the Echo machines are always solid. Great cylinders/pistons. It's usually the peripherals - carb, recoil starter, or fuel lines maybe that give issue. Even the ignition coils seem robust.
Can't say the same for the other stuff...
Found a couple of Poulan Pro chainsaws in there, too. Really meaty saws. Like 54cc, 22" bars. These things are such dogs to work on. You spray starting fluid in the cylinder of an Echo and that sucker pops over IMMEDIATELY. With these Poulans, it's hit or miss. One time it fires over and runs for 3 seconds. The other time you're pulling on it 20 times over, and the 21st time it coughs again. So inconsistent.
The differences lie in the details - refinement of ignition timing, shape of intake, the muffler design, etc. All these details add up, and the non-Stihl/Echo stuff just ain't got it.
Another interesting note - In the rummage I found a "Homelite" chainsaw. A cutie - 33cc, 14" bar. But in quite good condition. The label was faint, but seemed to say "1999" emissions compliance. The side cover said "Homelite Powerstroke
made by John Deere" ouuuu, fancy, huh?
Well, I guess JD is a good one (at least back then), too, because that saw started up immediately and ran great.
Not sure if the whole saw is made by JD, or just the motor. Motor ran great, but clearly a low-end saw. Oiler was clogged, but gushed when cleared up. Leaves puddle on ground when idling (my cheapo Echo doesn't). I cut a small limb just to humor myself. OMG - complete lack of vibration damping. Sold it immediately. What a beating that saw will give you if using for more than 5-7 mins. Other details such as knobs, linkages, tensioner, etc scream economy-grade.