Consider buying a leaf blower

B

BackyardBrian

Active Member
Ive been down the review hole and man theres a lot of noise in this space. Every video is sponsored, every guy swears his brand is the only one worth buyin.
Heres where Im at. 1.5 acres, 6 maples plus a couple oaks along the property line. I dont need commercial grade, but I also dont wanna buy some big box store special that dies in 2 seasons and Im back shoppin again.
Handheld or backpack. Thats the first fork in the road I cant get past. Backpack seems like overkill for a homeowner but every review says once you go backpack you never go back. Handheld is cheaper and easier to store but Ive read the vibration wears your wrist out after an hour.
And then theres gas vs battery. I already got gas cans in the garage for the mower so another gas tool isnt a big deal to me. But the battery guys keep sayin the new lithium stuff blows old gas units outta the water on cfm now. True or marketing.
Budget is flexible up to like 400 ish if the tool is gonna last me 10 years. Would go higher if theres a real reason to.
What are yall runnin, and if you had to buy again today would you get the same thing. Also anybody got strong feelins on cordless vs corded, I havent even considered corded honestly is that still a thing people do.
Any input welcome, this forum has never steered me wrong
 
I am a fan of Stihl handheld blowers. The biggest thing with any 2-stroke is to empty the fuel and run it out of fuel if it is going to be stored for more than a couple of weeks.
 
ask yourself how long you will use it on each occasion. Then decide whether to go ev or gas. We have both. The ev does blow more, but the battery and motor will overheat and shut off for safety reasons if we use it more than 4 or 5 minutes on the highest settings. The gas one requires draining if it will be unused for more than a few days because the diaphragms in the carb warp when fuel is left in them. I can get 5 years out of a carb if I drain the tank and run the carb dry after each use, but only about 8 to 9 months with fuel left in it before it goes wonky. If this will help - the mower shop near us services hundreds of commercial gardeners in this and the next county over. It is always busy. We are under a mandate in California where we cannot buy any gas engine device under 25hp. Eventually when the backpacks go bad, the person owning them either decides on an ev one or repairing the old one. Last time I was in the store, about three weeks ago, there was a mound 10' x 10' x 10' of the orange and gray backpacks piled up behind the shop near the repair area. I am guessing that the owners brought them in for repair and decided it was easier and cheaper to get an ev one. If you go ev be sure to price batteries, because you may want to have multiple ones on hand while you are blowing leaves from those trees. It takes more time than one thinks it will to move a pile of leaves. Some people get a dedicated machine sort of like a walk behind lawn mower that blows leaves. They are called push blowers.
 
BackyardBrian said:
Ive been down the review hole and man theres a lot of noise in this space. Every video is sponsored, every guy swears his brand is the only one worth buyin.
Heres where Im at. 1.5 acres, 6 maples plus a couple oaks along the property line. I dont need commercial grade, but I also dont wanna buy some big box store special that dies in 2 seasons and Im back shoppin again.
Handheld or backpack. Thats the first fork in the road I cant get past. Backpack seems like overkill for a homeowner but every review says once you go backpack you never go back. Handheld is cheaper and easier to store but Ive read the vibration wears your wrist out after an hour.
And then theres gas vs battery. I already got gas cans in the garage for the mower so another gas tool isnt a big deal to me. But the battery guys keep sayin the new lithium stuff blows old gas units outta the water on cfm now. True or marketing.
Budget is flexible up to like 400 ish if the tool is gonna last me 10 years. Would go higher if theres a real reason to.
What are yall runnin, and if you had to buy again today would you get the same thing. Also anybody got strong feelins on cordless vs corded, I havent even considered corded honestly is that still a thing people do.
Any input welcome, this forum has never steered me wrong
Click to expand...
$400 will buy a mid grade gas backpack blower. If you want a piece of equipment that will perform, and last for many years, this is the way to go. Stihl, Husqvarna, Echo, or Redmax, accept no other substitutes.
If you need to blow in the fall for leaves and go with a battery blower, be prepared to have to stop to charge the battery. Once the battery craps out in X number of years, be prepared to pay 1/2 to 2/3 of original cost of blower, just for a battery.
 
I would get a good hand held 2 stroke blower. It's easier to store and easier to operate. I have used the Stihl hand held before. I didn't find the vibrations uncomfortable.
Echo, Husqvarna, Stihl, or Red Max are the ones to look at. Buy from a dealer.
Compare the specifications among the brands. Husqvarna and Red Max will be similar. Red Max is owned by Husqvarna.
Don't get locked in on Stihl as your first pick. I know that Stihl has flooded the market. The majority of OPE dealers around here carry them. Do yourself a favor and look at the others. Compare the balance of the machines, ergonomics, and ease of service.
Look at the $300 to $350 price range.
 
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BackyardBrian said:
1.5 acres, 6 maples plus a couple oaks along the property line.
Click to expand...
Tells me for sure a backpack. You will be doing hand swapping/tossing/cramping exercises constantly with a yard that size.

I have a 1/3 of an acre in the city. Would never even look at a hand job. Course I'm on the end of the block with three streets to edge and such.

I actually have a Ryobi 38cc gas backpack. Blows better than a much larger engined Stihl or Echo. Bought it when they were $199 at home depot. Now they are $299. This thing won't die. Since it's not commercial rated, been the best purchase I've made on cheap lawn gear. Nice straps and tons of airflow.

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If you already have other battery powered tools, a battery model may work for you.
I have DeWalt 20V Max and Milwaukee 18V battery hand tools. I could go to a battery powered blower if I wanted.
A mower can help you a bunch with the leaves. I have three pecan trees and I never use a blower around them. I pulverize the leaves with my zero turn.
The only time I use a blower is for blowing out the garage, the drive, and side walk.
 
Appreciate all the input! Leanin gas backpack around the 400 mark now. Any specific models worth handlin in person before I pull the trigger?
 
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