Stihl MS 162 vs MS 172 C-E: Which Entry Saw Earns Your $50?
Stihl’s two cheapest gas saws share almost everything: the same bar, the same chain, the same primer bulb. Here’s exactly what the price gap buys, from the guy who sells both across the counter.
Walk into any Stihl dealer and the first two gas saws on the wall are the MS 162 and the MS 172 C-E. They look nearly identical, they’re both aimed at homeowners cutting firewood and cleaning up after storms, and the sticker difference is small enough that people stand there for ten minutes not knowing which to grab. I sell both. This is the honest breakdown of what’s the same, what’s different, and which one actually belongs in your garage.
These Aren’t Warmed-Over MS 170s , The Platform Actually Changed
The MS 162 and MS 172 replaced the long-running MS 170/171 family, and the update is more than a new sticker. The anti-vibration system moved from rubber bushings to steel springs which is the same concept Stihl uses on its pro saws and the difference in your hands after twenty minutes of cutting is real. The engine cover comes off with three screws for a new-style air filter that’s faster to service. Both fuel and bar-oil tanks are translucent, so you can see your levels at a glance instead of cracking caps open. And the chain cover now rides on a single bar nut instead of two, one less thing to drop in the leaves.
Both saws also carry a primer bulb (purge pump). Press it a few times before starting and it pulls fresh fuel into the carburetor so you’re not yanking the rope against a dry carb. Two things worth knowing from the service side of the counter, covered in the note below.
Primer bulbs are a genuine quality-of-life upgrade. They save your shoulder and your patience on cold starts. But they’re a rubber part living in an ethanol world: give one enough seasons and it will harden and crack, and a cracked bulb means an air leak and a saw that won’t idle right. The good news is they’re a cheap, five-minute fix. If your saw suddenly gets hard to start and the bulb doesn’t spring back like it used to, that’s your first suspect.
What’s Identical (More Than You’d Think)
Before we get to the differences, understand how much of these two saws is the same machine. Both run the same 16″ Light 01 guide bar (Stihl 3005 003 3913) and the same 61 PMM3 55 chain — 3/8″ Picco pitch, .043″ gauge, 55 drive links. Same Master Control Lever running choke, throttle lock, and off switch from one thumb. Same side-access chain tensioner. Same spring AV mounts, same translucent tanks, same single bar nut, same primer bulb, same 13.5 oz fuel tank and 9.5 oz oil tank.
The Light 01 bar that ships on both saws is a lightweight fixed-nose bar. There is no sprocket at the tip. A sprocket nose carries the chain around the tip on rollers; a fixed nose makes the chain slide around on the rail. That means a touch more drag and faster wear at the nose, especially if you do a lot of boring cuts or run the tip in the wood. For light limbing and firewood duty it’s a fair trade for the weight savings but it’s worth knowing what you’re getting because plenty of buyers assume every bar has a sprocket tip. If it ever bothers you, a sprocket-nose replacement bar in the same mount is an easy upgrade at the dealer.
What’s Actually Different Three Things
1. Displacement and Power
The MS 162 runs a 30.1 cc engine making 1.6 bhp. The MS 172 C-E runs 31.8 cc making 1.9 bhp. On paper that’s a modest bump; in the cut, the 172 holds chain speed noticeably better once the bar is buried in anything over 10 inches. In limbs and small rounds you won’t feel it. In a stack of 14″ oak, you will.
2. Easy2Start
The “C-E” in the name is the reason this saw exists. Stihl’s Easy2Start recoil uses a spring between the rope and the crankshaft, so a slow, gentle pull winds the spring and the spring spins the engine over. There’s no sharp compression snap and no strong pull required. If the person running the saw has shoulder trouble, arthritis, or has simply had it with flooding stubborn saws, this feature alone decides the purchase and it’s the main thing the price difference pays for.
3. Weight
The Easy2Start mechanism isn’t free. The MS 162 powerhead weighs 9.9 lb; the MS 172 C-E is 10.4 lb. Half a pound doesn’t sound like much until hour two of storm cleanup. Lightest-possible saw? That’s the 162. Easiest-starting saw? That’s the 172 C-E. You can’t have both.
Side-by-Side Spec Table
| Spec | Stihl MS 162 | Stihl MS 172 C-E |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 30.1 cc | 31.8 cc |
| Engine Power | 1.6 bhp | 1.9 bhp |
| Powerhead Weight | 9.9 lb (lightest) | 10.4 lb |
| Starting System | Standard recoil + primer bulb | Easy2Start + primer bulb |
| Guide Bar | 16″ Light 01 — 3005 003 3913 (fixed nose, both saws) | |
| Chain | 61 PMM3 55 — 3/8″ P · .043″ · 55 DL (both saws) | |
| Chain Tensioner | Side-access, bar wrench (both) | |
| Bar Nut | Single nut on chain cover (both) | |
| AV System | Spring anti-vibration mounts (both) | |
| Tanks | Translucent fuel & bar oil — 13.5 oz / 9.5 oz (both) | |
| Air Filter Access | 3-screw engine cover, new-style filter (both) | |
| Best For | Lightest saw, occasional light cutting, tightest budget | Anyone who hates pull-starting, more frequent firewood duty |
Specs per Stihl USA published data for current US models. Weights are powerhead only, dry.
The Verdict From Behind the Counter
Buy the MS 162 if the saw comes out a few times a year for limbs and small cleanup, and lightest-and-cheapest is the goal. It’s a legitimate Stihl with the same modern platform — nothing about it feels like a penalty box. Buy the MS 172 C-E if the saw will earn its keep on firewood, if more than one person in the household runs it, or if a hard-pulling recoil is a dealbreaker. The extra power is nice; the Easy2Start is the reason people walk out with it. Either way you’re feeding it the same chain and the same bar oil for the life of the saw which keeps ownership simple and cheap.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the MS 162 and MS 172 C-E use the same chain?
Is the MS 172 C-E worth the extra money over the MS 162?
Which saw is lighter?
Does the bar on these saws have a sprocket nose?
What does the primer bulb do, and do they fail?
Stepping Up a Size?
If your firewood pile is winning, read the next comparison in the series: the MS 172 C-E against the more powerful MS 182 and MS 182 C-BE.