I had a Husqvarna 257 chainsaw, and still have a 235 weedeater. I like Husqvarna, but prefer Stihl because of dedication to service and staying true to who they are, service and parts availability, and a better product.
I will quantify the last part of that- there is a difference in what you buy at Lowe's and TSC, and what you buy from a pro line Husqvarna dealer. Most people, in what I read, refer to saws bought at the stores. I have cut along side them, and my Stihl's (390 and 660) run better, and I can get parts and service much easier than you can at Lowe's or TSC. I know that Husqvarna still has a pro line and dedicated dealers, but not in my area. They are simply harder to deal with than Stihl, which I have 4 dealers within 30 miles of me.
My 257 was a great saw, but it didn't outperform my 390, which is the same size saw. My 225 runs great, but ergonomically, I like my Stihl FS130 better.
At the end of the day, both saws are good, and will perform well for most any homeowner. But, if you use a saw heavy, and cut bigger timber (we cut for my family, my mom and dad, and my brothers family- we cut a lot of wood), then for me and my needs (the real key here), Stihl makes more sense.
I had a Husqvarna 257, and now have a 390 to replace it, and a 660 magnum. My brother and dad both have Husqvarna 254's, and my dad replaced a Husqvarna 272 with a Stihl 440 magnum.
