Husqvarna 455 Rancher Review: 55cc 20 in Gas Chainsaw Pros and Cons

The 455 Rancher is best at bucking firewood: cutting felled trunks and big limbs into stove-length rounds, season after season. A chainsaw bar is the steel guide the chain runs around, and the 455 is rated to run bars from 13 to 24 inches, which covers nearly every homeowner firewood job.

• Bar flexibility. Run the stock 20 inch bar for wood up to about 18 inches, or fit a 24 inch bar for occasional 22 inch rounds.
• Torque for hardwood. Husqvarna says its X-Torq design maximizes power even at low RPM, which helps keep the chain moving in dense oak and hickory.
• Longer air filter life. Air Injection spins out larger dust and chips before they reach the filter, a real benefit in dry, dusty sawdust conditions.
• Easier starts. Smart Start reduces pull effort, and the inertia-activated chain brake can stop the chain in a kickback.
• Control. The 7 degree offset front handle and LowVib dampeners reduce hand fatigue on long bucking sessions.

Budget for the gear too: Husqvarna X-Guard bar and chain oil, a way to sharpen such as the Oregon field sharpening kit, and fuel mixed at the ratio in the manual. Husqvarna specifies 50:1 for its 2-stroke saws; VP Racing SEF 50:1 premix skips the mixing.

The biggest drawback is that it is more saw than many homeowners should be swinging. A 55cc engine with a 20 inch bar is heavier at arm's length than a 40cc saw, and a longer bar puts more of the kickback-prone tip in play. For limbing, pruning and storm cleanup of branches under 10 inches, the Husqvarna 440 or the battery EGO CS1815 is lighter and easier to control.

The price gap is the second issue. The Husqvarna 450 Rancher ($354.99) ships with the same 20 inch bar length and 3.2 HP, so the 455's extra money buys 0.3 HP and the ability to run bars up to 24 inches. If you will never fit a bar longer than 20 inches, the 450 is the better value. The listing also leaves out the saw's weight, chain pitch and gauge, oil tank sizes and warranty term, so check the operator manual.

These are recurring themes in published owner reviews, summarized as consensus rather than our own use. Review volume and quality vary by listing, so read them as tendencies, not guarantees.

Praise themes

• Plenty of power for bucking hardwood firewood, even with a longer bar.
• Starts easily with Smart Start when the fuel is fresh.
• Good value compared with professional saws of similar displacement.
• Parts and service are easy to find through Husqvarna dealers.

Complaint themes

• Heavy and tiring for limbing or long overhead work.
• Bar oil seeps from the saw during storage, a common chainsaw complaint.
• The out-of-box chain needs sharpening sooner than expected, and new chains stretch and need re-tensioning.
• Hard starting or rough running after fuel sits for months.

Buy it if

• You cut several cords of firewood a year, much of it 14 to 22 inch hardwood.
• You may want to run a 24 inch bar for occasional big rounds.
• You are an experienced saw user with full protective gear.
• You have a Husqvarna dealer nearby for chains, bars and service.

Skip it if

• You will never run more than a 20 inch bar; the 450 Rancher costs less.
• You mostly prune and clean up branches; the Husqvarna 120 Mark III or EGO CS1613 is lighter.
• You hate mixing fuel and pull starts; the EGO CS1815 is a 50cc-class battery saw.
• You plan to fell large or leaning trees near a house; hire a certified arborist.

Warranty: the listing does not state a warranty term. Husqvarna publishes consumer and commercial terms for its handheld equipment, and coverage can depend on registration and using the recommended 2-stroke oil, so confirm the terms with Husqvarna or a dealer before you buy.

Engine certification: gas engines sold for outdoor power equipment in the US must be certified to EPA emissions standards, and equipment sold in California must also be CARB certified. The emissions label is on the engine. A model listed as 49-state compliant is not sold or shipped to California.

Recalls: check the CPSC recall database at cpsc.gov/Recalls for this model before you buy, and again once a year after you own it. Search by brand and model number, and register the product with the manufacturer so a recall notice reaches you directly.