Hi Dave
I actually use two saws, both of them Stihl, although that might get you in the doghouse for a while. It did for me! My first one, and the one in the DVD, is an 026, which was the biggest I could afford at the time. It has a
20" bar on it. Shortly after I bought it, I started getting into really big logs, and petitioned SWMBO for permission for a larger saw. She said, "You just got a larger saw!". To make a long story a little shorter, I ended up with an 046 Magnum with a 28" bar, which is probably at the other end of what most people need. It is a monster, and is no fun to use all day long. Something in between the two would probably be suitable for a one saw stable. The two together make a very nice combination, but they ain't cheap.
Maintenance has been almost nonexistent. I fill them with gas and oil, change the filters from time to time, and sharpen the chains, but they both have six years of pretty good use on them now, and they still start right up in hot, cold, or inbetween weather. They both still have their original spark plugs. I have only ever had one part break (besides the chintzy cases Stihl offers, and which I think they have improved since I bought mine), and that is a washer on the 046 which holds the sprocket on. It wore through from use, and cost me something like $1.75 to replace. The guy at the Stihl store even put the new one on for me, as it was one of those E clip things that tend to go shooting off into orbit.
I would not hesitate to buy either again. Now as a side note, I understand that Stihl makes two lines. Those saws with even numbers are professional grade, and those with odd numbers are homeowner grade, although still much better than the big box offerings. I cannot vouch for that. The other thing to know is that a little while after I bought my saws they changed all the model numbers. It is a small change, and amounted to nothing more than moving the 0, so that my 026 became a 260 and my 046 became a 460, but it helps to be aware of it so there is no confusion.
Good luck with it, and if you have any more questions, I would be glad to try and answer them.