I got a homeowners special homelite... horrible... ended up selling it at a flea market for $30 a few weeks ago. Sucks to be the buyer, I ripped him off for sure, and it only had like a dozen hours on it, max.
Got a 136cc Husqvarna at the local pawn shop for $75 (they had $269 on the tag... HA!) because it had some stuff wrong with it and had no gas in it so I couldn't test it out. Threw a new bar, new chain, new chain brake assembly, new bar oil pump and a few other parts (ereplacementparts.com is the most awesome site for getting small engine/yard equipment replacement parts, btw) on it and it's been good to me ever since.
If I could just remember to bring bar oil, a sharpening file, and a chain tensioning socket/driver tool with me, I would be much happier. That's an issue between the user's ears however.