Husqvarna 435 16-Inch 40.9cc | Refurbished Chainsaw

I bought this refurbished chainsaw because it looked like a great deal at this price and I just had a 40' fir tree break in half and drop in my back yard.

The bottom line is that the saw performed admirably dropping the other half of the tree and bucking up the trunk so that I could split it for firewood.  I still consider this purchase to be a great deal.

The reason I couldn't rated it more highly is because I have a higher cosmetic expectations for a factory refurbished product. (These did not affect function)

The saw arrived in a reltively plain, craft style brown box.   That's fine.  The body was in a plastic bag.   Pulling it out the entire underside was soaked with oil, presumably chain oil.   I guess its better to be over lubricated than under, but it was a bit of a mess.  I cleaned it up with some paper towels.  Not a big deal, but not a great first impression.

The bar looked slightly used, but no big deal.  There were also some minor scuffs and scratches on the body.  Also no big deal.  Basically after the first use these would look that way anyway.

What I didn't appreciate was that there was a number hand written on the body in what looks like black sharpie.  I consider that a defacement and think the factory should have either cleaned that off (if possible) so that portion of the body looked the same as the rest.  Or they should have replaced that part with one that hadn't been defaced.

If it weren't for that writing I would have given it 4 stars.  If the bar also looked new and the body wasn't sopping with oil, I probably would have given it 5.

For the price it was still a great deal.  If these conditions were disclosed ahead of time I probably would have still purchased the saw and then rated it higher because it would have met or exceeded all of my expectations. 

P.S.  I should also add as somebody new to chainsaws, I didn't realize that there was a small plastic spacer between the bar and the body that is supposed to be removed.  I couldn't figure out why the chain would get tighter as I finished tightening the nut.  The problem was this spacer.  I presume it was for shipping or something.  Upon close inspection it does have the word "remove" molded into it.  This part wasn't mentioned or pictured in the assembly instructions.

The saw came shipped and on time perfectly, I assembled it ... easy job. After many pulls the saw starts. I test cut some logs, cuts great. Saw will not idel ... stalls then back to pulling way to many times to get it running again. Cut some more, works great. Put the saw down ... will not idel stalls, rubbed hands raw starting this little  ....

I'm told take it to my dealer .. 90 day ... Oh boy here we go. I guess I have no way out of this???

I am unable to see other reviews on the site? dead links ... why? hope this gets posted.

This saw is fantastic--easy to start after reading owner's manual, light, powerful for a home user's perspective, quality is great!!  I cetainly would purchase another saw from this manufacturer if the need arose. The delivery was quickly performed, the price was reasonable, and assistance from vendor was greatly appreciated!! I will purchase additional equipment from this vendor in the future when required !!

In answer:

How do I use the product or what do I use it for? 

Well, I cut trees, limbs, and brush.  Also, use to cut logs for firewood for the entire winter -- meaning I cut 'cords' of wood!  live on arces of land and can do a lot with the 435 size -- I am small person so I do not like too heavy a saw and this is just right for me, others may like the heavier more cutting edge 455 forester farm type. I have used and bought many other brands that I will not mention but they were junk! -- This is like using a tool that knows what to do without asking it to do it!  It is amazing!  <br />

AS YOU CAN TELL ... I love the saw and will certainly continue to buy with this company, they have great items and well refurbished!  Thanks to "www.vminnovations.com" -- I can own a Husqvarna. Price was great!

I do not have a "CON" or a bad thing to say about this saw, I can not think of anything that I would change or do not like about it !

Buy one and you too can be rewarded by a finely tuned well made saw! I have used it all day, just got it in the last 2 days and it runs like a top! I would buy from "www.vminnovations.com" though ... not all know how to refurbish saws this well, like new!

Good Luck to all,

rcg

The Husqvarna 435 is an excellent value when purchased from VM Inovations.  You can't beat the refurbished price.  When I took the saw out of the box it looked practically new.  I put the bar and chain on right away and started cutting the cord and a half of hard oak that I have for my wood burning stove.  The power in this saw is impressive and it is fairly light weight.  The anti-vibration handle on this saw is a nice plus.  I was able to use the saw for a hour without any pain in my hands.  My hands would hurt after about 15 min when I would use my Poulan Wood Shark.

What I liked about buying the saw from VM Inovations was that I called customer service before I bought the saw and was able to talk to a person.  Just hold a little while they picked up both times that I called.  This first time I asked about the saw and their warranty, which is 90 days, if anything is wrong you get to take it to a dealer to have them check it out for free.  I thought this was great.  The second time I called I asked about my order.  Both times they were helpful and more than happy to talk to me.  Delivery was very fast.  I ordered on a Thursday night, late.  I received the saw Saturday afternoon. 

I read other reviews about this saw, where they said it would idle and run good, but was very difficult to start.  And guess what, they were right.  (At first, until I changed something.)  When I tried to start the saw I followed the directions exactly 4 times in a row.  Each time, I ended up pulling and pulling and the chainsaw not starting.  To get the saw to start I had to hold the throttle wide open and pull several times and it started!  (But this is not the thing that I changed.)  Once started it idled and ran like a dream.  What puzzled me was how hard it was to start, because I read other reviews that said how easily this saw started.  And then I read an excellent piece of advice on a chainsaw forum.  "Use high octane gas and Seafoam to help get rid of any moisture," (paraphrased).  When I did this, the saw started exactly per the instructions and immediately.  A couple of pulls and it took right off.  What I changed was the gas that I was using.  I had used 87 octane gas which is the lowest octane recommended for this saw.  I switched to 91 octane gas and added the Seafoam and that did the trick.  Higher octane gas is recommended in the manual.  I just can't believe the difference it actually made.

Hands down this is just a great saw, and the price just makes it that much better!  I would definitely recommend the Husqvarna 435 to anyone who wants a smaller saw, 41cc, but also wants the power.

VMInnovations shipped my Husqvarna 435 within an hour and a half after purchase, and it took only two days to arrive!  The saw arrived packaged well and in overall good condition for a refurbished product.  There are a few minor scuffs on the bottom and the bar had some wear on the painted lettering, however otherwise it looks great, and most importantly it functions fantastically!

Following the directions, the saw cold started on the fourth pull (three with choke on, fourth with choke off).  It fired up easily and idled nicely.  I limbed and bucked an entire fallen pine in the back yard, probably ~20' with ~14" base diameter in less than a half hour (not including clean-up)!!!  The 435 cut through the soft wood like a hot knife through butter, throwing only nice wood chips (blade arrived sharp and ready).   It NEVER bogged, and always felt like it had plenty of power to spare. 

Breaking this down into two parts:

The Husqvarna 435 in its own right is a wonderful saw!  It's perfect for suburban home owners with a bit of land, or even for larger land owners who want a light weight, yet powerful saw to manage their small to moderate tasks!  The saw has a GREAT power to weight ratio, and feels underrated if you ask me (it's rated at 'only' 2.2hp, however it definitely outperforms some other brands I've used claiming up to .5hp more). It loves to scream! :-)

The refurbished 435 from VMInnovations is an excellent value!  The key is to expect what is described; a refurbished product...  From my experience, and from talking to others, the saw may arrive with some minor cosmetic blemishes, but it should function like new.  I'm VERY happy with mine, and the price was hard to beat!

Also of note:  VMInnovations is on top of their game!  As mentioned in the beginning, they ship RAPIDLY!  They keep you posted on every step of your order status.  Customer service was a cinch to reach for me, and the representative was friendly and knowledgeable.  Great company!

So for this works great. When I recieved it I could hardly tell that it was a referb other than a few small scratches in the plastic. 

I am very happy with this chainsaw.  I have always wanted Husqvarna equipment but it is usually too expensive for me.  But this was a great price, the saw is in great shape, easy to use and works great.  My first job for it was topping fenceposts and I got it done in no time!  Can't wait to use it again!

Well worth the money.  This machine cuts great.

Ordered saw to cut firewood and clear small trees on land. For basic jobs is all you will ever need.  Saw comes with good reputation on quality and ease of use. Is covered under 90 day warranty. Had question on a problem when saw arrived and was responded to promptly from the company. Problem solved. Have not put it under heavy load but works fine for smaller limbs and general use.

Good power, but difficult to get the right starting procedureWoo

Had to clear my property after a storm.  Took it out of the box put the bar and chain on, fueled it up and away I went.  Took care of four trees and a lot of branches in two days and never once had a problem.  The only problem I had was all my neighbors wanted me to help the cut down their trees too.  Took care of all of that too!  Great machine!

Love the product!  My only dislike was the fact that if the saw was actually refurbished, why wasn't the used and damaged chain replaced?  So before I could use the saw I had to puchase a new chain.  Saw started on the 3rd pull.

good price, works as it should.

I can't say that I've used my 435 for hours on end, I haven't.....what I can say that it was easy to set-up..started on the 4th pull and I downed a 20" dia. tree in my backyard in very short order. I've used it a couple of times since and it has started easily. It isn't big but it does what I need done. If it keeps doing what I need done, It will be one of my best purchases in quite some time.

good price, works as it should.

Great saw at a very good price, I did a lot of research and looked at prices all over the Internet and this beats them all including other refurb units.

Looked like new out of the box and assembled and started with no problems, I went out and cut some lay downs and it cut quickly throwing chips so the chain was sharp.

I have no complaints and have bought a trimmer since getting the saw in from the same company.

Thanks for making a quality product affordable!

Great lightweight limbing saw and up to the task for light bucking and clean up jobs.  The narrow kerf chain makes this thing cut fast for the amount of power it generates.  Just be wary, it's not a fuel injected car, mine needed a carb tweak out of the box, but it's running great since.

What a great saw, just a litte trouble setting up the bar and chain, but beyond that it was a great experience, easy to order, great shipping, and I wish I bought the saw a year ago!! Was using a Homelite and this saw cuts through anything like butter!! Would recommend it to anyone!! Don't be afraid of the reconditition...except for a few scraches the saw was like new!

My last chainsaw is a husqvarna and after 20 years it is still going strong this is lighter but just as incredible !

I have been a Stihl user for over 30 years. Years ago, I wouldn't have considered anything else. The economy being like it is, the price of the Husky saw caught my eye. Since I don't use my chainsaws as much as I did years ago, I decided to give one a try. I contacted customer service at VMI before ordering the saw. They assured me they would stand behind the products they sell. When the saw arrived, it was easy to tell it had never seen the woods. There was not so much as a scratch on the saw body and no wear on the paint on the bar. The clutch/sprocket cover incorporates the chain break on the saw, so that took a couple of minutes to figure out. After following the startup procedure in the manual, the saw fired up and ran like a champ. I have only made a couple of cuts with the saw, but am excited about cutting some firewood this fall and clearing some shooting lanes on a hunting property. I am very pleased with the customer service and with the quality of the saw. <br />I have my eye on the Husky 455 now... If I decide to pull the trigger on that purchase, it will be through VMI. Thanks for making a great product available at a great price!

I got 2 of them, love that deal.On sale at -owes they are $269.00

This saw is ideal for around house use, plenty of power for myself. I'll be using it for cutting fire wood for the winter months. Runs great, idles fine, no issue so far. Also this saw comes with a new chain like it should. If you think you got a dull chain I would check to make sure you have the teeth  going in the rite rotation.  I was a liittle disappointed that the saw didn't come with a chain guard, would have been nice. That and I wishes I had purchased the saw from the main sight and not on ebay, I could have saved myself $20.00. Overall great saw for decent price, well worth it! 

Light weight and adequate power make for a good saw.  I've put 5 tanks of gas/oil mix thru my saw and have had no problems.  It cut through a 16 inch Alder or Western Hemlock quickly with little effort. 

Bought this saw as backup to Stihl when i went to use it it was spitting dust(tell tale sign chain is dull) should spit wood shavings. now i will have to buy new chain as there really isn't anything left to sharpen.

Second saw purchased from Innovations.  455 rancher for the heavy cutting, now a lighter 435 for brush work. 

Do not be afraid of a refurbished unit.  Easy assembly, just need an extra chain and scabbard to be a complete package. 

Nevertheless, good purchase for the money! 

I have 20 acres of trees I need to maintain on my homestead. So I don't have time to do tool repair. The chain saw worked right out of the box. The only suggestion is you include instruction telling dummies like me to remove spacer before mounting bar. 

saw is great but read the directions on how to start it. it is different than my old saw or any of my dads saws. but once you figure it out it starts within 3 pulls cold and 2 pulls warm.  a little less power than i would expect for a 41cc saw

Husqvarana chainsaws are high quality tools. The build quality on this model is no exception.

The power to weight ratio is fantastic on this particular model. At a touch over 9lbs, its still a great saw for trimming limbs, but has the power to take down larger trees without bogging down. I used it to take the lower limbs off of 6 cedar trees in my yard. Even while cutting limbs over-head it was not as tiring as some "other makes" I own...

The one I received looked almost new. The only exceptions were a small scratch on the bottom of the case, and a trace amount of fuel/oil mix left in the tank by the factory. I slapped on the bar and chain, added some fuel/oil mix and it fired on the second pull. Have had no problems with it being tuff to restart thus far. Extremely pleased with this purchase, and with my first business transaction with VMInnovations.

First off, this saw came in a clean, dry husqvarna factory box.  Upon opening I found it to be clean and in positive cosmetic condition.  What people buying this saw need to keep in mind is that it is "refurbished" and for sale at a fraction of the cost of a new saw.  The mechanical condition of the saw was excellent.  Are there very minor scratches and witness marks on the saw, yes.  After all it is used.  The saw started upon the second pull after filling it with gas and following the starting instructions that are clearly marked on the saw.  If you choose not to follow the instructions, you might as well expect problems on some level.  2 cycle engines require precise starting procedures and Husqvarna has certainly figured this saw out.  I've run many many chainsaws of varying sizes and brands for both work and "play" and this saw ranks among the best stihl or jonsered out there.  YOU WILL NOT FIND A BETTER SAW FOR THE MONEY!  Don't bother to drop $100 on a lesser product.  For an extra $50 you can have one for life if you treat it right. 

Having used chainsaws for over 30 years, it was a breeze to put together and get going. The chain break is different than what I am used to, so it took a couple of extra minutes getting that figured out. Push the primer bulb until you see a little gas move into it before trying to start. The initial start requires maybe 4 pulls. It fired right up. I am used to using a Stihl saw with about 15 cc more power. As long as you recognize the saw's limitations and let it do the work instead of forcing it through the wood, it cuts great. The saw I received looked as though it had never been used. There were no scratches anywhere on the saw body. There was no paint worn off of the bar. In my opinion, I got a new saw at just over half the price the local box stores want for the same saw.

The saw looked new except for a few light scratches on the bottom. It took only a few minutes to put the bar and chain on, fill the chain oil tank and fill it with pre-mixed gas. I set the choke to on, primed the bulb 7 times and pulled the rope. The saw fired once, I set the choke to run, pulled the rope and it was running like a top. I cut about 10 or so 8" logs to size for my woodburning furnace in no time. This saw is great. I have a craftsman which is actually a poulan with a different label. That saw is junk.  I've also had to try and repair my father in-laws Poulan woodshark and that is a piece of junk as well. I highly recommend the Husqvarna 435, at this price it is a steal and only a bit more expensive than a Poulan of the same size.

1. This is a good second saw. Easier to handle for overhead work and limbing. My other saw is a 18 year professional 32" bar Husky. Just don't expect it to perform like a big saw and you will be very happy with this model. Also fits in my truck tool box for emergencies

I expected the saw to work as it is supposed to for a much longer time period than it did. Although it is light and easy to handle,as it stands now, I would be very hesitant to buy another Husqvarna product; especially a factory refurbished unit.

Came in a puddle of oil...mess to clean-up.

Very weak - when cutting through a simple 6 inch tree it bogs down.....

I only use this for recreational cutting, but love it.  I used to cut fire wood for winter heating.  I wish I had this saw the last 20 years of cutting.  Much lighter and has just as much power.  I only needed something for limb trimming and smaller trees, but I am sure this will outlast me.  Great saw.

Chain brake needed to be re-installed but other than that a great little chainsaw.

Against my better judgement I decided to try out the refurbished Husqvarna 435 chainsaw.  The first issue was assemby.  You have to install the chain bar and chain.  That took about an hour since the chain brake built into the chain cover kept engaging and so the chain wouldn't turn freely even though the brake handle was pulled back into the disengage position.  I finally was able to get the cover mostly on and engage the brake and then disengage it and then the cover would fit and the chain could be moved by hand and the tension set.  After that fiasco I decided against better judgement again and gassed it up and filled the chain lube resevoir.  Got it started and disengaged and the chain started moving at a high rate of speed at idle.  I immediately killed it and rechecked the manual to make sure I wasn't doing something wrong.   I was following the directions exactly and tried it again.  Same thing and in the few seconds that it was running with the brake on the braking mechanism got so hot that it started to smoke.  I shut it off again and the braking mechanism was too hot to touch.  So that was enough for me.  A few posts on the web forums mentioned that having the idle set too high can cause the chain to move at idle with the brake off.  So maybe that's the problem - who knows.  It takes a special screwdriver/wrench to adjust the idle (not included) so it's definitely something that should be factory set.

So, I'll be calling VMInnovations tomorrow and requesting a full refund.  I rarely post reviews, but felt compelled her since it is a chainsaw.  So, my advice is buyer beware unless you have like Vegas odds or you're a lumberjack with mad set of tools.

If you are looking for a small saw for semi-professional use, this is a good choice. Given its weight/power ratio, it compares well with Stihl 201 - but even better with the 192's -- just for 1/2 or 1/3 the price. These refurbs are a real value.

I have owned just about every brand of chainsaw made. In my honest opinion for less than $350, this is the best I own. My $600+ stihl being my favorite "large bar" saw. This Husqvarna has plenty of power, is lightweight, and is perfect for limbing and cutting down small to medium sized trees. I have ran about 8 tanks of gas through it so far without any issues. When it is cold it is a slight bit "tempermental" about cranking unless you get the choke set "just-so". It idles great once it has had a couple of minutes to warm up. I read several reviews stating that the chain the saw comes with is dull. Knowing this in advance, I simply sharpened the chain before first use. Not really a big deal for anyone that has more than beginner's experience with saws. Takes 5-10 minutes to make sure the saw cuts smooth and doesn't burn the bar up. I wonder if some of the negative comments on this saw "lacking power" or "bogging down" are simply a dull chain. It sure makes a huge diffrence when your chain is sharp!

The one I received looked almost new. Just a few scuffs on the bar, and a small scatch on the bottom. I have also read a few comments about the saws arriving with "oil/bar oil leaked out in the box". In my experience (about 32 years of chainsaw experience) they all leak to some extent. It should be expected of a "refurb". All in all, for less than $150 this saw is a fantastic buy, and money well spent. If you are in the market for a saw and don't want to spend a wad of money you should seriously consider puchasing this one. (I know I'm glad I did!)

This was my first purchase from VMI. I can honestly say it wont be my last! Fantastic prices, fast shipping, great customer support. What more could one realistically ask for?

i WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THE FIRST ORDER FROM YOU AND EQUALLY PLEASED WITH THE SECOND ONE.  i COULDN'T ASK FOR BETTER SERVICE OR PRODUCT. tHANK YOU.

Receive my 435 Saw today , Man Am I proud to get this saw ,only took a few minutes to set up ,gas oil chain an bar ,

primed her up and three quick pull and a way she went , My wife and I have already cut up over a rick of fire wood ,

Saw looks brand new ,really really happy so far thank you

glen

This chainsaw looked good and clean when I got it, but it wouldn't start. I took it to a husky dealer, and it took him about 5 minutes to tell me that the motor was completely burned out, and that it never would have started. It also cost me 25 bucks to look at it just to tell me that (which wasn't covered under the warranty plus the cost of a new plug). I don't blame VMI directly for sending me a dud, because they are just a reseller, but it does show that they do not test these chainsaws before they sell them, which is poor policy. I mailed back the saw and they gave me a full refund, but doing business with VMI cost me several hours of my time, the gas mileage I had to haul that dud of a chainsaw around to the dealer and fedex, and the 30 dollars from the dealer to look at it. I don't necessarily think all there refurbs are like this, but buyer beware.

A good saw.  Difficult to set up since the diagrams were missing and the word explanation obscure.  The set up was also counter intuitive having prior experience on other chainsaw brands.

Was very impressed with the way the saw looked out of the box. Had seen reviews that talked about a mess but mine was spotless. Looks almost brand new. Mixed up some high octane fuel and oil and saw started on the 3rd pull. Have done some cutting around the yard and it works nicely. Same saw at TSC goes for $269.00, so cannot beat the price.

Arived quickly.  Opened it up and it was in great shape, looked new.

started as easily as my line trimmer, that I use weekly.  I was pleasantly surprised.

Great deal, well worth it!