People search for STIHL decibels because they are about to buy a blower, a saw or a mower and want to know what the neighbors will hear. STIHL answers part of that question on its US site and the rest abroad. Every blower page on stihlusa.com carries a 50 foot rating, while its saw, trimmer, hedge trimmer and mower pages print no noise row at all. The same models sold in the UK, Ireland and Australia do carry figures in STIHL's own product data, and STIHL's international manuals print them with the test standard. This page gathers every current US STIHL blower, chainsaw, string trimmer, hedge trimmer and walk-behind mower with a published figure, says exactly what each number is, and ranks like with like.
Every figure here is STIHL's own, read on October 4, 2026 from the product data behind stihlusa.com and stihl.co.uk (with stihl.com.au where the UK has no match), and from STIHL instruction manuals. How STIHL compares with other brands is a separate question. Our guide to the quietest leaf blowers ranks every brand on the 50 foot figure, and its sibling guides do the same for each tool type.
Our picks are listed above, with full specifications for each.
The three numbers STIHL prints
STIHL USA's blower pages carry one row: "Sound pressure level 15 m distance", with the note "Measured according to ANSI/OPEI B175.2-2012 (R2019)". That is the bystander level about 50 feet away, the basis many city leaf blower rules use, often with a 65 dB(A) limit.
STIHL's UK and Australian product data add two rows for handheld tools: "Sound pressure level", the noise at the operator, and "Sound power level", the total noise the tool emits, each with "K-value according to Directive 2006/42/EC = 2.0 dB(A)". The data do not name a test standard. Where we checked them against STIHL's manuals, the numbers match: the MSA 60 manual gives 83 and 91 dB(A) measured to EN 62841-4-1, the same as the UK data. STIHL measures battery tools to the EN 62841 or EN 50636 series and gas tools to ISO 22868, so we rank battery and gas tools in separate lists. Mower data differ: a "Measured sound pressure level LpA" with its own KpA, and a "Sound power level, guaranteed LWA".
The guaranteed sound power, LWA under EU directive 2000/14/EC, sits in each manual's declaration of conformity. It is a ceiling, higher than the measured sound power: the MSA 60 declaration lists "Measured sound power level: 95 dB(A)" and "Guaranteed sound power level: 97 dB(A)". We list it where we found it and rank it only against other guaranteed figures. Our sound power vs sound pressure explainer covers why the kinds of figure cannot be set against each other. This page never does: 50 foot figures are ranked against 50 foot figures, operator against operator and sound power against sound power, within each tool type.
Battery blowers by the 50 foot ANSI rating on STIHL USA, quietest first:
- BGA 30, handheld, AS 11 V: 50 dB(A)
- BGA 50, handheld, AK: 55 dB(A)
- BGA 60, handheld, AK, and BGA 110, handheld, AP: 56 dB(A)
- BGA 160, handheld, AP: 57 dB(A)
- BGA 86, handheld, AP: 58 dB(A)
- BGA 250, handheld, AP: 59 dB(A)
- BGA 200, handheld, AP: 60 dB(A)
- BGA 300, backpack, AP: 62 dB(A)
- BRA 200, BRA 500 and BRA 600, backpack: 64 dB(A)
- BRA 280, backpack: 65 dB(A)
Gas blowers on the same rating: BG 50, BG 56 C-E, BG 86, BG 86 C-E and BR 200 at 70 dB(A); BR 600 and BR 700 at 75; BR 430 at 76; BR 450, BR 800 C-E and BR 800 X at 77. Sets and unit only versions of the same blower carry the same figure.
At the operator, from STIHL's UK data, battery blowers run quietest first: BGA 30 73 dB(A); BGA 60 76; BGA 50 78; BGA 86 79 (Australian data); BGA 160 and BGA 200 80; BGA 110 82; BGA 250, BGA 300 and BRA 500 84; BRA 600 85; BRA 200 86; BRA 280 88. Gas: BG 56 90; BG 86 92; BR 600 100; BR 430 and BR 700 101; BR 800 C-E 104. The UK data are for the plain BG 56, where the US sells the BG 56 C-E.
By measured sound power in the same data: BGA 30 84 dB(A); BGA 50 and BGA 110 88; BGA 60 89; BGA 86 and BGA 160 90; BGA 200 91; BGA 250 92; BGA 300, BRA 200 and BRA 500 94; BRA 600 95; BRA 280 96. Gas: BG 56 104; BG 86 105; BR 600 107; BR 430 108. The BG 50, BR 200 and BR 450 have no operator or sound power figure in any STIHL data we found. Our guides to backpack blowers and handheld battery blowers set these beside other brands on the 50 foot figure.
Battery saws at the operator, from STIHL's UK and Australian data, quietest first: MSA 60 C-B and MSA 70 C-B 83 dB(A); MSA 80 C-B, MSA 160 C-B and MSA 200 C-B 85; MSA 260 C-O 89; MSA 190 T and MSA 220 C-B 91; MSA 300 C-O 96. The top handle MSA 220 TC-O lists 94, but its manual measures it to EN ISO 22868 rather than EN 62841-4-1, so we keep it out of that order. Measured sound power: MSA 60 and MSA 70 91 dB(A); MSA 80, MSA 160 and MSA 200 93; MSA 260 97; MSA 190 T and MSA 220 C-B 99; MSA 300 C-O 104, and the MSA 220 TC-O 104.
Guaranteed sound power, from STIHL's manuals: MSA 60 and MSA 80 97 dB(A); MSA 70 and MSA 160 98; MSA 190 T 101; MSA 220 C-B 104; MSA 220 TC-O 106; MSA 300 C-O 109.
Gas saws at the operator: MS 151 C-E 96 dB(A) (the MS 151 TC-E also 96); MS 201 C-M 99; MS 162, MS 194 T and MS 201 TC-M 100; MS 172 101; MS 182, MS 212, MS 251, MS 271 and MS 291 103; MS 261 C-M, MS 311, MS 391 and MS 661 C-M 105; MS 362 C-M, MS 500i and MS 881 106; MS 400 C-M 107; MS 462 C-M 108. STIHL's MS 250 manual adds 99 dB(A) to ISO 22868 and a guaranteed 114. The UK data are for the MS 201 C-M and the MS 172, where the US sells the MS 201 C-EM and the MS 172 C-E.
Measured sound power for the gas saws: MS 151 TC-E 107 dB(A); MS 151 C-E 108; MS 194 T and MS 201 C-M 110; MS 162 and MS 201 TC-M 111; MS 172 and MS 182 112; MS 212, MS 251 and MS 271 113, as is the MS 250 in its manual; MS 261 C-M and MS 291 114; MS 311, MS 362 C-M, MS 391, MS 661 C-M and MS 881 115; MS 400 C-M 116; MS 500i 117; MS 462 C-M 118. Our chainsaw guide and electric chainsaw guide compare these with other brands.
Battery trimmers at the operator, quietest first: FSA 50 69 dB(A); FSA 57 74 (manual); FSA 30, FSA 60 R, FSA 70 R and FSA 110 R 76; FSA 86 R 77 (manual); FSA 135 R 80 (Australian data); FSA 80, FSA 80 R, FSA 120, FSA 120 R, FSA 200 and FSA 200 R 81; FSA 400 83. One caution: the manuals that name a standard use EN 50636-2-91 for the FSA 57 and FSA 86 R and IEC 62841-4-4 for the FSA 80 R, and the product data name none, so treat one or two decibel gaps here with care. Measured sound power: FSA 50 82 dB(A); FSA 30 and FSA 57 89; FSA 60 R 90; FSA 70 R, FSA 86 R and FSA 110 R 91; FSA 135 R 92; FSA 80, FSA 120 and FSA 200 families 94; FSA 400 96. Guaranteed, from the manuals: FSA 57 91 dB(A); FSA 86 R 93; FSA 80 R 96.
Our guide to the quietest cordless string trimmers sets these battery trimmers beside Husqvarna's and Worx's on guaranteed sound power, where the FSA 50 declares 84 dB(A) in its international manual.
Gas trimmers at the operator: FS 94 RC-E 93 dB(A); FS 56 C-E, FS 56 RC-E, FS 70 R, FS 91 and FS 91 R 94; FS 38 96; FS 131 R 97; FS 361 C-EM 100. Measured sound power: FS 56 C-E, FS 56 RC-E and FS 70 R 103; FS 91 and FS 94 RC-E 104; FS 38 106; FS 361 C-EM 110. The UK figure for the FS 94 is for the FS 94 RC-E, where the US sells the FS 94 R. The FS 56 RC-E manual gives slightly different values, 93 dB(A) at the operator and 105 sound power with a mowing head. Our string trimmer guide ranks these against other brands.
Battery hedge trimmers at the operator, quietest first: HSA 26 shrub shear 72 dB(A); HSA 100 76; HSA 60 77; HSA 140 R 77 with the 600 mm blade and 79 with the 750 mm; HSA 50 81; HSA 30, HSA 40 and HSA 140 T 82; HSA 150 R 83; HSA 150 T 85. Measured sound power: HSA 26 80; HSA 100 84; HSA 60 and HSA 140 R (600 mm) 85; HSA 140 R (750 mm) 87; HSA 50 89; HSA 30, HSA 40 and HSA 140 T 90; HSA 150 R 91; HSA 150 T 93. Guaranteed, from the manuals: HSA 26 82; HSA 100 86; HSA 60 and HSA 140 R (600 mm) 87; HSA 140 R (750 mm) 89; HSA 50 91; HSA 30, HSA 40 and HSA 140 T 92.
Battery long-reach models at the operator: HLA 40 74 dB(A); HLA 86 76; HLA 56 77; HLA 66 83; HLA 150 84; HLA 140 K 85. Sound power: HLA 40 84; HLA 56 88; HLA 66 and HLA 86 91; HLA 140 K and HLA 150 96.
Gas hedge trimmers at the operator: HS 82 RC-E 94 dB(A); HS 82 T 95; HS 87 R 96; HS 45 and HS 87 T 97. Sound power: HS 87 R 105; HS 45, HS 82 RC-E, HS 82 T and HS 87 T 106, with a guaranteed 105 for the HS 45 in its manual. The long-reach HL 94 C-E lists 91 at the operator and 106 sound power; the US sells the HL 94 and HL 94 K. The UK data are for the HS 82 RC-E, where the US sells the HS 82 R. Our hedge trimmer guide has the cross brand view.
STIHL's UK data give mowers a measured operator figure and a guaranteed sound power. Battery mowers at the operator, quietest first: RMA 448 V and RMA 453 PV 79 dB(A); RMA 7 RV 82; RMA 756 V 83; RMA 765 V 84, with KpA 3 dB(A); RMA 348 and RMA 348 V 85 (Australian data, KpA 3). By guaranteed sound power: RMA 765 V 93; RMA 448 V and RMA 453 PV 94; RMA 348 and RMA 348 V 95; RMA 7 RV 96; RMA 756 V 98.
Gas mowers at the operator: RM 453 T and RM 453 V 82 dB(A); RM 655 V and RM 655 VS 84; RM 756 YC 86. Guaranteed: RM 453 T and RM 453 V 97; RM 655 V, RM 655 VS and RM 756 YC 98. Our lawn mower guide shows where these sit among other brands.
What moves the numbers inside STIHL's range
- Battery or gas. In every tool type, STIHL's quietest battery model lists less than its quietest gas model. For blowers the gap is complete: the loudest battery blower at 50 ft, the BRA 280 at 65 dB(A), lists less than the quietest gas blowers at 70. For saws and mowers the ranges overlap: the battery RMA 348 lists 85 dB(A) at the operator against 82 for the gas RM 453 T.
- Size and duty. The 11 V BGA 30 lists 50 dB(A) at 50 ft and the 36 V BRA 280 backpack 65. The light MSA 60 lists 83 dB(A) at the operator and the professional MSA 300 C-O 96.
- Cutting attachment. The HSA 140 R lists two decibels more with its longer blade, and STIHL's trimmer manuals give separate figures for line heads and blades.
- Quiet features. STIHL's US data tag the BGA 30 and BGA 50 with "Quiet Operation", "This product is ideal for noise-sensitive areas", and say of the BGA 30: "Low noise and clean operation make it ideal for use inside."
Roughly every 10 decibels sounds twice as loud, so the BGA 30 at 50 dB(A) sounds about a quarter as loud at 50 feet as a BG 50 at 70. Our decibel chart places these figures among everyday sounds.
We did not measure any of these tools. Every figure on this page is STIHL's own, quoted from its US and international product data and instruction manuals as read on October 4, 2026, with the condition each describes, and ranked only against figures of the same kind within the same tool type.
