$1000 will buy more saw than you need.
How often do you cut wood that's actually 25" across, and how big a hurry are you in when you're doing it?
The commonly available brands that offer professional-grade saws are Stihl, Husqvarna, Echo and Dolmar/Makita. You'll want a displacement somewhere in the range of 50-70cc, with bigger tending to be both heavier and more expensive. Unless you're cutting 25" hardwood all the time, I'd save both the money and the weight and go with a 50-60cc saw. I'm unfamiliar with the Echo product line and only slightly familiar with a few Dolmar / Makita models, but excellent choices would be the Stihl MS261, Husqvarna 555 or 562, or Stihl MS362.
I don't often cut 25" hardwood but I do run into it from time to time.
I tend to favor an 18" bar as it cuts most of the stuff I run into and it will cut bigger wood with an extra pass.
When I cut wood I'm not in a big hurry. I put on my Deep Woods Off, carry a small radio, a jug of ice tea along with saw, file, bar lube and mixed gas. I make a day of it and it is less stressful that way.
Due to changes in job and such I had been out of the wood cutting business for a while but I'm back in it for home heating purposes in the upper NY area. This past winter was the 4th worst in the last 100 years. We has sub zero temps into May.
Things I value in a saw are:
1. Knowing the pull cord will not break
2. Knowing it will start and idle with out having to rev the motor to the point the chain moves
3. Light weight. Those old steel housed saws that seemed like they weighed 50 pounds are not for me.
4. I like teeth. The steel points between the bar and motor
5. It should have a wheel at the end of the bar
6. I prefer a high rev motor to a slower motor that is hard to stop. Personal preference.
7. The saws' gas tank should run out before the tank of bar lube
8. Vibration should be kept to a minimum
9. It should be easy to tighten the chain and to change the chain.
10. If the saw needs idle adjustment it should be easy to get to.
11. Everything should feel right. The hand position should feel comfy, I should be able to pull the choke with light gloves.