Ethanol-free gas is worth the premium.

The short answer is ethanol. Most pump gas contains up to 10% ethanol, which attracts water. That water separates from the gas, sinks to the bottom of your tank, and turns into a corrosive sludge. Your carburetor hates this. Small engines have tiny jets that clog instantly.

The fix is simple: use ethanol-free gas if you can find it, or add a fuel stabilizer religiously if you can’t. Stabilizers buy you a few months, but nothing beats the pure stuff. If you only run the saw a few times a year, buy pre-mixed canned fuel instead — it lasts two years and saves you the headache of cleaning a gummed-up carb.

Either way, don’t let a saw sit with untreated gas for more than 30 days. Drain it or run it dry.

Future you will thank you when the saw starts on the second pull instead of a weekend of cursing.