Husqvarna 353 18 in. 51.7 cc gas chainsaw review

Although not as light as the 137 model, the Husqvarna 353 is still a rather light chainsaw, offering high maneuverability and decent power for its dimensions, and it seems to have learned a lot from the mistakes made with the previous 350 model, and corrected them all.
You can expect good quality out of the Husqvarna 353 and decent life-span, with not that much repair and maintenance needed. It really seems to be one of the favorite chainsaws for entry level professionals and a must have for amateur users. So let’s take a look at the improvements made to this model and how they affect the overall performance.

Pros

Easy to use

One of the first things you’ll notice is that the 353 is easy to start and has good vibration control. As you probably expect from a Husqvarna chainsaw, this saw is pretty user-friendly and won’t give you much trouble, no matter if you just use it around the house to remove debris or try it on some of the harder woods such as oak. It can actually be used for almost any job you could think of, except for cutting larger logs – you have to remember that its a small chainsaw after all and will probably get stuck if you overuse it.

Its light construction offers high maneuverability and you’ll be able to work longer without feeling as tired as you would with a regular chainsaw. You can also forget about any back aches and numb hands when using the Husqvarna 353.

Good performance

One of the most important things for professionals when speaking about a chainsaw is the vibration control. If vibrations are kept at a low during use, everything goes smoothly – no hand numbness means that you will work with more efficiency.

The other thing when it comes to a Husqvarna model is the gas and oil leakings. The good thing about this model builds on the experience from its less fortunate predecessor, the Husqvarna 137, and has almost no oil leaking, even when left idle for a longer period of time.

The chain also seems to work better than on the previous models, although you will still need to sharpen it from time to time. The Husqvarna 353 is ideal for cutting logs of 20″ inches in diameter. Although it can be used for slightly larger logs, it is not recommended that you do that very often.

The air filtering is exactly what you would expect from a Husqvarna – they do their job well and can be easily accessed by removing the top cover.

You’ll also find out that it doesn’t consume very much gas, which makes it a better long-term investment.

Cons

Performance

You will have to be careful with the Husqvarna 353 – the fact that it is a small and light chainsaw means that you have to take it slow. Sure, it can cut through most wood and reasonably large logs, but if you don’t allow enough space to clear the sawdust, the chain can bind and it will be hard to continue.

The oiler also seems to offer minimal outage, perhaps this was one of the ways they came up with to reduce leaking when idle. You can make with it though, it’s just that it will slow you down a little bit.

You might find that the area near the muffler gets somewhat hot when getting the bar fully in the wood. This is also a consequence of its small dimensions, and may make things a little more difficult and unpleasant when cutting larger logs.

The bar and chain lubricants still leak when the chainsaw is idle, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary. Professional users will perhaps wish that this model would have a larger fuel tank. If they actually need it, than they should look for another product on the market – this light chainsaw can’t do anything about it.

Good quality – price ratio

Overall, the Husqvarna 353 delivers good quality for its price and offers more torque and power than you could imagine a chainsaw this small could. It’s the perfect entry-level chainsaw to use for both professionals and amateurs, although if you need to cut very large logs and such, you should look for a heavier product on the market.

Engine specification

Cylinder displacement	51.7 cm?
Power output	2.4 kW
Idling speed	2700 rpm
Maximum power speed	9000 rpm
Maximum recommended engine speed	13000 rpm
Cylinder bore	45 mm
Cylinder stroke	32.5 mm
Ignition system	SEM AM50
Ignition module air gap	0.3 mm
Spark plug	Champion RCJ7Y, NGK BPMR7A
Electrode gap	0.5 mm
Carburettor model name	C3-EL32
Fuel tank volume	0.5 lit
Oil tank volume	0.28 lit
Oil pump type	Adjustable flow
Oil pump capacity	5-12 ml/min
Air filter type	Nylon 80µ
Torque, max.	2.7 Nm/6600 rpm
Fuel consumption	490 g/kWh

Cutting equipment

Chain pitch	.325″
Recommended bar length, min-max	33-50 cm
Chain speed at max power	17.3 m/s
Bar mount	Small

Emission, vibration & noise data

Equivalent vibration level (ahv , eq) front / rear handle	3.1/3.2 m/s?
Sound pressure level at operators ear	102 dB(A)
Sound power level, guaranteed (LWA)	113 dB(A)

Emission data EPA

Exhaust emissions (HC average)	126 g/kWh
Exhaust emissions (CO average)	345 g/kWh
Exhaust emissions (NOx average)	2.5 g/kWh
Exhaust emissions (CO? average)	888 g/kWh

Overall dimensions

Weight (excl. cutting equipment)	5 kg