Leaf blower recommendation

[Warren01]

I have an Echo gas powered one that you carry on your back, and it works great. But I also use it to clean my roof/gutters 5-6 times a year and I've never felt comfortable heaving it up on the roof. So I bought one of those Makita 36volt cordless and am enamoured with it. Runs about 45-60 min on a charge takes about 30 min to recharge and is great for the gutters. I also use it for blowing out the vehicles (who needs a vacuum), cleaning off the deck, cleaning my driveway, garage. My wife has also started using it. Works for drying you bicycle after a ride in the rain as well. I now only use the big one for leaf cleanup in the fall, even though I think the Makita would do the job.

[_Mike_]

I’ve had a Ryobi gas one for three-ish years now. Starts pretty consistently, and works well enough. It was not overly expensive as I recall
From the start, though I have been going with the canned premix. So far so good

[joe white]

I've been using an Echo back pack blower for the last five or six years. Very powerful and extremely fuel efficient. Starts on the second pull every time. Previously I used my Stihl hand held and it would really fatigue my wrists and hands. It can be quite finicky to start as well.

[hairpuller]

Originally Posted by hubcapsc

Its .13 string seems more important than the
gas motor. My EGO string trimmer can only use up to .095 string,
it breaks too easy.

-Mike

Hey Mike, are those coated strings cuz I'm not crazy about the tone of those?
Are you sure that trimmer can handle .13's?

scott

[Chipotle]

Originally Posted by lfoo6952

For electric powered, Consumer Reports recommends the Toro 51624. It is corded, not cordless.

I've had a corded Toro blower/vac for years and love it. I have a very small lot compared to many here (only about 6500sf/.15 acres and only half of that being yard), but lots of big mature trees. After blowing leaves into piles, the vac function chops things up to only 1/4 the volume it would be normally. I went from 20 55-gal drum liners full of leaves every fall to 4-5. Much easier to bag and dispose of.

I can get to the edges of the lot with a 100' extension cord. No batteries or engine maintenance to worry about. If it were any bigger, though, I'd want to cordless.

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by Chipotle

I've had a corded Toro blower/vac for years and love it. I have a very small lot compared to many here (only about 6500sf/.15 acres and only half of that being yard), but lots of big mature trees. After blowing leaves into piles, the vac function chops things up to only 1/4 the volume it would be normally. I went from 20 55-gal drum liners full of leaves every fall to 4-5. Much easier to bag and dispose of.

I can get to the edges of the lot with a 100' extension cord. No batteries or engine maintenance to worry about. If it were any bigger, though, I'd want to cordless.

Interesting - you’ve pretty much described my situation for the last several years. Corded Toro, which used to get dragged out every year to mulch the leaves. It does a great job - but a couple of years ago we signed up for our trash company’s yard service. Weekly collection of an 80gallon bin, plus as many paper trash bags full of waste as we can haul to the curb - for about $130 a season.

Now we just pack leaves into bags without mulching them - it’s way quicker. Very few jobs I need to use the mulcher for any more, so the cordless Ego blower really is pretty much the ultimate tool for my needs.

[hubcapsc]

Originally Posted by hairpuller

Hey Mike, are those coated strings cuz I'm not crazy about the tone of those?
Are you sure that trimmer can handle .13's?

scott

Thanks Scott... I'll probably be out there tomorrow trying to
install my used Elixirs in the RedMax...

-Mike

[sayheyjeff]

I’m with Simon and recommend at least having a look at the EGO chordless electric. Their mower is great too.

Jeff

[pukematrix]

I have an Echo PB-8010T backpack blower (gas), an Echo handheld (gas), and just picked up a Milwaukee M18 Fuel electric blower.

The Echo handheld was my first and is adequate for easy jobs - cleaning off the patio, light leaves, etc. When we bought our new house, it came with a lot of trees, and a steady supply of leaves, pine needles, and gumballs. The handheld just wasn't up to the task.

The PB-8010T will handle huge piles of leaves, as it puts out a ton of volume (1071 cfm, 211 mph at the nozzle). It'll move pinestraw, sweet gumballs, and dog turds with ease. It is loud, but not as loud as some for the amount of work it does. Noise rating is 79.3 db.

Just picked up the Milwaukee for light work since I already have the M18 battery system and it was on sale. If you don't need it for extended periods of time, it's killer. It puts out 450 CFM, 120 mph, and comes in at 62 db. We have a long drive, large patio/walkway and, did I mention gumballs? This little guy makes quick work of that stuff and will also move decent size piles of leaves, even wet ones. But you've got to work quick. I don't have their extended duty battery for it (I have 3 5.0 amp hour batteries), so that covers my needs. For the more involved clean-up, I'll break out the big Echo. The big plus for the electric - you can use it to blow out the garage without choking yourself out.

Austin

[LyleGorch]

Husqvarna 525bx, best handheld. Nice enough for the wife to use.

[KenL]

I've had a Stihl gas-powered blower for many years, and like it very much. Bulletproof, although I had to have the carb adjusted when I moved from el. 1200 feet to 8500 feet. That repairman advised me to use nothing but Husqvarna canned gas in it, so I do.

However, if I had to replace it, I would go with the battery-powered version. I recently bought my neighbor's Stihl battery-op chainsaw from him, and it is truly amazing! The battery lasts longer than I do, that's for sure.

I have this theory- the fewer gas-powered engines you have in your life, the better off you are.

[catndahats]

all I can add to what is already posted:
The leaf blower is the best yard tool ever invented!
And the weed eater is a close 2nd.

[hairpuller]

Originally Posted by hubcapsc

Thanks Scott... I'll probably be out there tomorrow trying to
install my used Elixirs in the RedMax...

-Mike

Good move, Mike! Can never have enough string threads on here!
scott

[Don W]

Leaf blowers make no sense to me. I was given one and am about to donate it to free stuff.

[The Watchman]

I've gone through a few. I am happy with my handheld gas Stihl (4 years). It has started every time with just a bit of maintenance. I have the long tube extension so I can blow out the gutters from below (a bit of work). But my favorite use is in blowing out the dirt and leaves from my garage floor, which I used to use a garden hose to do. Much easier with the blower.