Talk to me about blowers / Leaf Blowers

Darth_DMack · Nov 13, 2024

I am not a landscaper, nor do I do anything commercially.

I have a big shop under construction, and some property. I'm in the market for a leaf blower, something to blow the shop out, or the driveway, and blow leaves out of my flowerbeds and such.

I have several Stihl chainsaws, a Stihl string trimmer, so I've been looking at Stihl blowers. The BG86 has my eye, but I'm wondering if I should bite the bullet and get the BR200 or BR350 backpack blower?

I have a bunch of Ryobi 18V tools, so I even looked at the Ryobi 40V blower, but that is a battery I don't have. I also have a SKIL 40V PWRCORE chainsaw, and string trimmer, so the SKIL 40V PWRCore cordless blower is also in contention, since I have several SKIL 40V batteries.

I've looked at all the stats... CFM vs MPH vs Newtons, etc.

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

I know that the Echo branded blowers are VERY highly rated. I like the idea of a gas blower, for longer run times, but the convenience of the battery power is also noted.

What say you?

ultrarunner · Nov 13, 2024

I have a very good Echo and also Stihl back pack blowers that do well...

Illegal to fire them up in my city so I bought Stihl AP battery blower and use it several times each week and daily now with leaves falling.

JeepHead · Nov 13, 2024

I have the Ego 765CFM blower. It’s great for blowing out my shop, blowing the clippings off my drive, patios, sidewalks, or a few leaves out of the flower gardens. It’s so easy to just grab and go and not have to make sure it’s fueled and work to get it started. It has a variable speed trigger so I can blow a little or a lot. The battery may last 30 mins if I am lucky. For small jobs, it’s great. It’s not good for clearing my yard of leaves, it’s absolutely the worst tool possible for that. I can see the need for two blowers for some people who have large yards like I do. E blowers are wonderful for very small stuff.

Darth_DMack · Nov 13, 2024

JeepHead said:
I have the Ego 765CFM blower. It’s great for blowing out my shop, blowing the clippings off my drive, patios, sidewalks, or a few leaves out of the flower gardens. It’s so easy to just grab and go and not have to make sure it’s fueled and work to get it started. It has a variable speed trigger so I can blow a little or a lot. The battery may last 30 mins if I am lucky. For small jobs, it’s great. It’s not good for clearing my yard of leaves, it’s absolutely the worst tool possible for that. I can see the need for two blowers for some people who have large yards like I do. E blowers are wonderful for very small stuff.

I have a mulching kit on my Gravely ZT HD... works awesome mulching up leaves... but, I need a good blower. I have a small Ryobi 18V hand held, great for blowing off work benches, etc... and I have a Harbor Freight Pitsburgh corded blower... but I need something with more power. Definitely don't want to deal with an extension cord anymore.

JeepHead · Nov 13, 2024

For serious blowing needs, I prefer a backpack blower. All of my gas powered tools are pro tools, not the homeowner series. Buy once, cry once is my mentality. I am not loyal to any one brand and own gas powered tools from a few big companies. I prefer Husqvarna and Echo. I do love the older Stihl stuff but not so much the new offerings.

MAX-24-Dean · Nov 13, 2024

I have respiritory problems, so I have a walk behind floor sweeper and a vacuum with a 30 inch pickup. They work great for anything inside the shop.
I used my Echo blower, but the 2 stroke fumes would choke off my ability to breath. I looked at battery powered blowers, but even without the exhaust fumes there would still have been dust kicked up into the air.
My brother -in- law closed his machine shop and gave me his sweeper and vacuum mentioned above.

Carl_NH · Nov 13, 2024

I have two Sthil BP Sprayer/Blower 420 and 450 for mosquito fogging and leaf cleanup, then a very handy and light 10 LB HItachi 25CC (now Metabo) blower thats my "go to" for quick cleanup, blowing out the zero turn, light leaf cleanup. Robot or human?

It's 6 years old and still fires up quickly - it doesn't do wet leaves, but I can put if on my zero turn and head out to do an area vs having a BP blower at 20+Lbs to lug around,

The price (was $99 when I got it) was good, but now its $185 and for that money you can get a small Stihl, or a larger backpack blower. If its going to be your primary leaf blower go backpack style..

alexinPA · Nov 13, 2024

All depends on $ you want to spent... Electric blowers are good for shop and deck. I got walk behind 5 hp Little Wonder for 1/4 mile driveway and 1 acre lawn blowing. For smaller areas Husqvarna backpack is strong and reliable.

ultrarunner · Nov 13, 2024

JeepHead said:
For serious blowing needs, I prefer a backpack blower. All of my gas powered tools are pro tools, not the homeowner series. Buy once, cry once is my mentality. I am not loyal to any one brand and own gas powered tools from a few big companies. I prefer Husqvarna and Echo. I do love the older Stihl stuff but not so much the new offerings

MAX-24-Dean said:
I have respiritory problems, so I have a walk behind floor sweeper and a vacuum with a 30 inch pickup. They work great for anything inside the shop.
I used my Echo blower, but the 2 stroke fumes would choke off my ability to breath. I looked at battery powered blowers, but even without the exhaust fumes there would still have been dust kicked up into the air.
My brother -in- law closed his machine shop and gave me his sweeper and vacuum mentioned above.

Good Deal… I need to always wear a canister respirator otherwise I pay for it…