STIHL MS 231 petrol chainsaw 40 cm, PM3, 3/8" P

If you cut your own firewood or manage a plot, you want a saw that starts easily, runs clean and pulls through hardwood without fuss. The STIHL MS 231 delivers dependable 2.0 kW performance with noticeably lower fuel use and emissions, so you get more done between fills and breathe easier around the job.

The balanced chassis, anti-vibration system and simple side chain tensioning make handling straightforward, even if you only use a chainsaw a few times a season. It’s a compact, capable workmate you can trust when the woodpile needs topping up.

Where it shines

• Cutting and bucking firewood up to the 40 cm bar length
• Yard maintenance and storm clean-up on private plots
• Light building timber and DIY tasks for tradespeople
• Cold-weather use thanks to carburettor preheating

Why you’ll like it

• Efficient 2-MIX engine reduces fuel use and emissions
• Side chain tensioner for quick, safer chain adjustments
• Tool-free tank caps speed up refuelling and oiling
• Anti-vibration system keeps hands fresher for longer

In the hands

The MS 231 feels planted without being bulky. The controls are clear, the bayonet fuel and oil caps open without tools, and the saw holds a stable idle thanks to the compensator in the carburettor. Vibration is well controlled, so cuts track cleanly and fatigue builds more slowly during a stack of logs.

Capacity and key specs

• Displacement: 42.6 cm³
• Power: 2 kW
• Guide bar length: 35 / 40 cm
• Chain pitch: 3/8" P
• Groove width: 1.30 mm
• Weight (without fuel): 4.8 kg
• System weight (without fuel, with bar/chain): 5.48 / 5.58 kg
• Sound pressure level: 103 dB(A)
• Sound power level: 113 dB(A)
• Vibration left/right: 3.9 / 3.9 m/s²
• Device length with spike: 424 mm
• CO2: 819 g/kWh

Advice from gardenmachineshop.com

Keep your chain sharp and properly tensioned—check it every refuel. A sharp, correctly tensioned chain cuts faster, runs cooler and vastly reduces kickback risk.

Returns: as a consumer you can withdraw from your purchase within 14 days of receiving it, without giving a reason – this also applies to parts we order in specially for you. See our Refund & return policy for how to return an item and who pays the return shipping.

Please note: if a machine has been fuelled or used beyond what is needed to check it, we may deduct the resulting loss in value from your refund.