▶ The Stihl MS 500i is the industry’s
first electronically fuel-injected chain-
saw. That might not sound like much, but
when you adjust fuel flow and combus-
tion with a microprocessor, you increase
engine power, which improves the
power-to-weight ratio. With a 20-inch
bar, it weighs 18 pounds—at least two
pounds lighter than typical saws in this
class. The light weight improves han-
dling, and it enabled Stihl’s engineers to
optimize its pivot point. In our tests, it
limbed as easily and capably as it felled.
We were also impressed by its ease of
starting, torque, and ease of shutoff.
Starting at $1,210STIHL TOOL OF THE YEAR
BEST CHAINSAW
A lightweight
flywheel limits
gyroscopic forces.▶ Milwaukee’s Quik-Lok offers an edger, string trimmer,
articulating hedge trimmer, ten-inch pole saw, and three-foot
extension, and it addresses many of the shortcomings we’ve
found in other combination systems. These tools actually pro-
vide gutsy performance, vibration-free power, and run time.
They’re all powered by a potent 18-volt battery that we found
to be rugged and long-running. $329 for power head and
string trimmer with charger and batteryMILWAUKEE
BEST COMBINATION SYSTEM
62 June 2019 _ PopularMechanics.com