tried sears, tried poulan (16 inch)- they are about the same, but sears
has 1/2 more hp

HP is important but it isn't everything. I have had several electrics
including the $200+ Husqvarna. I burned that one out, too, by driving it
too hard, so whatever you get, use some restraint when cutting with it. My
current electric is the 3 hp/12 amp Remington I got at Lowe's, model
number 107625-02. I did a lot of checking on the internet and found
Remington offers several nearly identical 3 hp electrics and at least one
3.5 hp version (or they did 2 years ago). I put more faith in amp ratings
than horsepower, but this particular Remington model is 1/2 pound heavier
than the others. I reasoned that might indicate it was better built. I
haven't taken it apart to see what mechanical differences it might have
but it works well and "feels" like it may be a better unit. The auto
chain oiler works great and I have been pretty happy with it for the last
two years.

-mike paulson, fort collins, co