re: Best Chainsaw for homeowners who like nice tools?

I've owned well over 100 chain saws of all different sizes and brands. Husky and Stihl have some really good models and some not so great models. For homeowner saws, the husky ones are absolute crap and Stihl is the way to go. My advice, get a used pro model saw like a stihl 260/361 or a husky 357.
Another way to go is get a used rental saw from home depot for $200. They are makita saws made by dolmar, a german company that's been around since the 20's and are extremely reliable. They are a bit heavy though.