# Leaf Blower Recommendations



## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

I'm looking to add a leaf blower to my inventory this year. I normally go with Echo because we have a dealer nearby and I have had good luck with them over the years. Just wondering what everyone has and how they like them as it wouldn't bother me switching brands if quality is better. Looking for a hand held blower I do not need a backpack blower... at the moment at least :lol:


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

J_nick said:


> I'm looking to add a leaf blower to my inventory this year. I normally go with Echo because we have a dealer nearby and I have had good luck with them over the years. Just wondering what everyone has and how they like them as it wouldn't bother me switching brands if quality is better. Looking for a hand held blower I do not need a backpack blower... at the moment at least :lol:


I've had a Stihl backpack for probably 15 years. If it ever dies, I will likely replace it with another backpack. A handheld is probably fine, but I enjoy how you can effortlessly sweep the nozzle back and forth with a backpack, and the blower is the one outdoor power tool that I use year-round, not just during the growing season.

I've also never regretted having the extra horsepower/cfm at my disposal. Looking at the current Stihl Professional Blower lineup, their middle of the road backpack (BR450) pushes about 75% more cfm than their top of the line handheld (BG86) - although that does come at a proportional increase in price.

I think Stihl and Echo are _the big two_, and I think you're on the right track going with the brand that has a servicing dealer close to you.

ETA: Sorry if that sounded like a sales pitch for a backpack.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

All that said, as I look at the leaves that have accumulated in the landscaping beds inside my fenced backyard... if I was buying a handheld, I would consider a convertible shredder vac/blower like the Stihl SH86 C-E. It's basically their top-of-the-line handheld blower with parts to turn it into a leaf vacuum.

It would really come in handy after those spring storms where you end up with a bunch of leaves and debris on your freshly cut lawn. As you know, reel mowers don't mulch well. :lol:


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## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

Well you did a hell of a job with the sale pitch. The extra CFM would be nice I just don't know if I could justify the $200 price difference. I don't have a drive way to blow off after a mow. Back porch, walkway and cleaning up pine needles would be it's main duty. Although if a verticutter gets put in rotation that extra CFM could come in handy. Idk the rotary with bag might be sufficient.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

J_nick said:


> Well you did a hell of a job with the sale pitch. The extra CFM would be nice I just don't know if I could justify the $200 price difference. I don't have a drive way to blow off after a mow. Back porch, walkway and cleaning up pine needles would be it's main duty. Although if a verticutter gets put in rotation that extra CFM could come in handy. Idk the rotary with bag might be sufficient.


Yeah, I have fair amount of cleanup - driveway, sidewalks, patios, curbs and street.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I have a Stihl BR600 that has been in use for 6-7 years with NO issues what so ever and of course has plenty of power to do anything I want. It might be a little too much for what you need it for but just remember that you don't want to regret buying something more powerful down the road.


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## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

Mightyquinn said:


> I have a Stihl BR600 that has been in use for 6-7 years with NO issues what so ever and of course has plenty of power to do anything I want. It might be a little too much for what you need it for but just remember that you don't want to regret buying something more powerful down the road.


Agreed. I'd prefer to buy once with no regrets. The backpacks just out perform the handhelds so much. It may be more power than I'll need but it's always better to have too much than not enough. I wasn't even considering a backpack when I posted this but I'm going to stop by and take a look at them tomorrow.

How is arm fatigue? When borrowing my BIL's my hand would start going numb and I would have to switch hands.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

If I'm doing a lot of blowing(I know there is a joke in there). I'll lock the trigger and just hold the tube( and one here&#128512


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Mightyquinn said:


> If I'm doing a lot of blowing(I know there is a joke in there). I'll lock the trigger and just hold the tube( and one here😀)


+1 on the Stihl backpack trigger lock - not sure about the rest of that... :lol:


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## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

Ware said:


> Mightyquinn said:
> 
> 
> > If I'm doing a lot of blowing(I know there is a joke in there). I'll lock the trigger and just hold the tube( and one here😀)
> ...


Haha, I read the Exho's have a Cruise Control which I imagine is the same thing.


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## Redtenchu (Jan 28, 2017)

All great advice, I have the Stihl BG185 (handheld) and find it's just about perfect for my little lawn. If I ran across a used backpack blower for the right price, I would definitely upgrade.


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## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

Redtenchu said:


> All great advice, I have the Stihl BG185 (handheld) and find it's just about perfect for my little lawn. If I ran across a used backpack blower for the right price, I would definitely upgrade.


https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/grd/5986887114.html
This one isn't too far from you.


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## Redtenchu (Jan 28, 2017)

Thanks JNick!


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## LawnBossLady (Jul 13, 2018)

Looking for recommendations on a new leaf blower. In an ideal world, I want something light weight as I'm only 5'2", gas powered, and not over $250! It's probably a near impossible task, but I'm interested to see what everyone has and likes!


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## Ecks from Tex (Apr 26, 2018)

I don't think that's an impossibl task. My Stihl SH 86 CE Blower/Vac was only $300.

The smaller version blower only is in your range.

But I would consider battery powered unless you're doing a lot of leaf blowing


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

I wouldn't pass up looking at the ego electric blower. Plenty of power, light weight, speed lock and very user friendly. Should be close if not under budget too.


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## Ecks from Tex (Apr 26, 2018)

ABC123 said:


> I wouldn't pass up looking at the ego electric blower. Plenty of power, light weight, speed lock and very user friendly. Should be close if not under budget too.


That's the exact one I had in mind. Great blower. I've got a dewalt but ego is the best I've seen in that category


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## kaptain_zero (Jun 2, 2018)

If you are already invested in other cordless tools, such as Dewalt, Makita, Milwaukee etc., you may be able to use the battery packs you already have and can save yourself some money. Most of the manufacturers make cordless outdoor products that use the same battery packs as their drills and saws + whatever else they make.

I happen to have an extensive collection of Makita tools and batteries, so I went with their dual battery (36V) trimmer and blower (bare tools, no batteries) as they are more than good enough for a homeowner type situation. I cannot be bothered dealing with 2 stroke powered engines as they need to be put to bed for at least 5 months a year in my area. My 4 stroke lawnmower I can handle, I need the extra power over an electric and the gas gets dumped into the car every month and the fuel can gets fresh no ethanol gas each month.

On the other hand, for contractor use..... gas is probably the way to go.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

I bought this gas powered Stihl BG 56 C-E for $180 in early spring to blow out a whole bunch of leaves from my back woods walking path. I thought about getting a battery powered blower, but I didn't want to do the initial $$$ battery/charger upfront cost.


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## LawnBossLady (Jul 13, 2018)

kaptain_zero said:


> If you are already invested in other cordless tools, such as Dewalt, Makita, Milwaukee etc., you may be able to use the battery packs you already have and can save yourself some money. Most of the manufacturers make cordless outdoor products that use the same battery packs as their drills and saws + whatever else they make.
> 
> I happen to have an extensive collection of Makita tools and batteries, so I went with their dual battery (36V) trimmer and blower (bare tools, no batteries) as they are more than good enough for a homeowner type situation. I cannot be bothered dealing with 2 stroke powered engines as they need to be put to bed for at least 5 months a year in my area. My 4 stroke lawnmower I can handle, I need the extra power over an electric and the gas gets dumped into the car every month and the fuel can gets fresh no ethanol gas each month.
> 
> On the other hand, for contractor use..... gas is probably the way to go.


We only have chargers for our Ryobi tools. Not sure if their blowers are any good. 
I was partial to the gas because we do use it a lot and in the fall we'll have lots of wet leaves to move. As long as a battery powered blower has enough power I'm not opposed to it. Have you had any issues with power with your battery blower?


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## kaptain_zero (Jun 2, 2018)

No, but Makita is usually pretty good and I have more battery packs than I really need.

I have no idea on the quality of the Ryobi units. I would hesitate to buy into another battery platform, just because a single tool seemed good. Batteries are not inexpensive.

I see you are in Washington state..... that means you get to use your blower pretty much through the entire year which means you won't have to winterize it like I would have to. Perhaps a gas blower might be the better bet for your case. I just wanted to point out the possibility of using a battery powered blower if you have already invested in a particular cordless platform. As for the cost of fuel vs battery.... battery power seems cheap, until you need to buy new batteries and then gas starts to look pretty good.


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## Alan (Apr 23, 2017)

I own a husky BT130 backpack gas blower and like it. It's not too heavy and it's just a hair under budget on Amazon.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

Wet leaves do not generally move well with a handheld blower. If that's what your budget allows, then it is what it is. But I highly recommend a strong backpack type blower for heavy-duty leaf removal. That said, I have both a BR600 backpack and the SH86 handheld blower from Stihl. I use the heck out of the handheld compared to the backpack unless I am doing a scalp/verticut cleanup or some other heavy task. When I lived in NY, the backpack was a must for all the leaves.


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## Foxhound (Jul 20, 2018)

I have the Stihl KM-130R. Plenty of power and dependable.

https://www.stihlusa.com/products/multi-task-tools/kombisystem-attachments/kmbg/


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## Foxhound (Jul 20, 2018)

I just replied to a post about this from last year before I figured out how to change the order of threads/posts from ascending to descending. Anyway, here's my 2¢.....

I have the Stihl KM-130R. Plenty of power and dependable. Also fairly easy to use with the loop handle on it.

https://www.stihlusa.com/products/multi ... ents/kmbg/


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

@Foxhound I just merged the two topics to avoid this. Thanks.


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## ThomasPI (May 18, 2019)

Just kicking this to the top. Any suggestions on cutting back pack blowers ?


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## Tmank87 (Feb 13, 2019)

Stihl or Redmax. I've been very pleased with my BR600 Magnum. Had it about 5 years, always starts right up and is quite powerful.

Echo is releasing a new blower that will be the most powerful on the market.


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## RayTL (Jun 4, 2018)

If I were buying a new backpack to replace my Echo, I think it'd be the Stihl BR800.

I just got a Makita 36V LXT handheld blower and I absolutely love it. It has a ton of power and it is great for post mowing clean up, porches, you name it. And it comes with four batteries right now. It certainly would not replace a backpack blower, but I love it it for most jobs.


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## ThomasPI (May 18, 2019)

Thanks much !


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

I prefer using the backpack blower.



I had an Echo PB 1000 handheld, which was adequate for general yard cleanup, and easy to pick up and blow something off in a hurry.

However, it really struggled to move large piles of leaves, so I bought the Stihl backpack blower because it is much more powerful.

The hand held vibrates a lot, and it numbs your hand, even with anti-vibration gloves on. Plus, it can get tiresome using one arm only.

The backpack is more trouble to put into operation, but once you strap in on your back and point at something it is going to get literally blown away.

The thing will move leaves idling....

It takes a lot of the weight off your arms. With anti-vibe gloves on I do not get numb hands at all. I use gel palm gloves riding motorcycles so I wear those, fingerless, when I blow leaves and debris.

I also use it to blow off the mowers when done, dry off the mowers when I wash them off, and I use it to dry off my vehicles when I hand wash them.

The Stihl is an absolute powerhouse.

My Echo died. I rebuilt the fuel system and it ran for awhile. It died again.

Dang thing vibrated my hand so bad I have not tried to repair it again. What that thing needs now is a decent burial. :lol:

My best advice would be to get a Stihl backpack blower. And don't let your neighbors use it - they need to go buy their own...!


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## The_iHenry (Apr 23, 2019)

I love my echo PB-580T. It has a back fan to keep the operator cool which is an awesome feature. Plus it puts down 200+ mph winds.


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## Wolverine (Jan 17, 2018)

Stihl is the only real leaf blower made. Anything else is nothing but frustration and disappointment.


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## RayTL (Jun 4, 2018)

+1 on the PB-500T, mine works well!


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## ThomasPI (May 18, 2019)

Thanks prolly wait for end of season sales and grab one.


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## GrayFox (Apr 17, 2020)

Wolverine said:


> Stihl is the only real leaf blower made. Anything else is nothing but frustration and disappointment.





ThomasPI said:


> Thanks prolly wait for end of season sales and grab one.


Same here. Though I may argue with that because I'm still not convinced. I'm sure that I will rarely use it so I won't invest much money into it. I have some other Stihl instruments but a leaf blower like this would be an overkill. I heard about such brands like Dewalt and Black and Decker, but nobody mentioned it in this thread.


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

I like my Echo PB580 backpack. For that matter, I like all of my Echo equipment. For the most part they are the entry level models. I treat them like crap, and they give me nothing but love in return.


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## Pamboys09 (Apr 16, 2019)

Ego 650 , i highly recommend it.


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## Lawnguyland (Apr 25, 2018)

I'm a big fan of my RedMax EBZ8500. Maybe they're only popular in my area, but it's the only blower I see landscapers use around here.


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## gene_stl (Oct 29, 2017)

1+ on Echo gear. I have a John Deere backpack blower that I bought in 1982 that still runs great. (It's an Echo) It has had one new carb and a couple of rebuilds. Runs great. So does my newer bigger one and the blower vac. If I had it to do over again I would buy all and only Echo.


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## StormTrooper86 (Feb 3, 2019)

I've got a Stihl BR700 and really enjoy it. Had it for 3 years with no issues. It's honestly overkill for me but it's been very reliable. It's great if you've got a lot leaves to deal with. Next time I'll step down a size or two but will definitely get another Stihl backpack blower.


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