Recommendation for Leaf Blower

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FB01
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Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by FB01 »

Hello,

Can anyone recommend a leaf blower? I am buying for the first time so not sure what to look for. Any recommendations is appreciated.
Thanks, | FB
dukeblue219
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by dukeblue219 »

How much do you want your neighbors to hate you?

Get electric, like the Worx blowers. 40v if you need decent power for leaves, or 20v if you're just blowing grass clippings off the sidewalk. Don't even think about gas. Nothing ruins a lazy weekend day like VRRRRM VRRRRM VRRRM.
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Kagord
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by Kagord »

I bought an electric Ryobi, I regret it, it's not as powerful as a gas model, and it doesn't last as long (run time 15 minutes). I also suspect the gas models last 10-20 years in useful life, whereas an electric will likely keep needing expensive batteries every few years. I don't know about the other electric brands. My initial thinking was an electric would be less hassle, I have a lot of gas engines already to maintain.

In hindsight, I wish I bought an Echo or Stihl gas model.
Last edited by Kagord on Fri May 07, 2021 4:16 pm, edited 2 times in total.
squirm
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by squirm »

Whatever you get, look at what the manufacture offers in other outdoor tools in case you want to at to it without having to buy into another battery platform.

If a 18v blower works good enough I would consider the Ridgid as you'll get lifetime battery and equipment warranty.
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FrugalInvestor
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by FrugalInvestor »

I have a gas blower for large jobs. For small jobs or where I need finesse instead of raw power I use a small Ryobi battery powered blower - the batteries interchange with my other power tools. I do quite a bit of yard work and find this to be a good combination.
Last edited by FrugalInvestor on Sat May 08, 2021 8:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
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retiredjg
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by retiredjg »

I have the EGO battery powered leaf blower. Love it. Would buy another in a minute if I needed to. Very quiet compared to gas powered. It is one of several EGO products I own.

I don't use it a great deal. It lasts several weeks on a charge for my use. I'll edit that. I use it a lot but usually for just a few minutes at at time.
loghound
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by loghound »

retiredjg wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 4:29 pm I have the EGO battery powered leaf blower. Love it. Would buy another in a minute if I needed to. Very quiet compared to gas powered. It is one of several EGO products I own.

I don't use it a great deal. It lasts several weeks on a charge for my use. I'll edit that. I use it a lot but usually for just a few minutes at at time.
A second on the EGO's.

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onourway
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by onourway »

At the high-end (Ego, Echo, etc.) battery blowers are on-par with gas for power and have more run-time from their bigger battery packs than most people will want to use them for. They are much quieter, and much easier to modulate for actually controlling where stuff goes.

How you will use it and what your property size, tree cover, etc. is like will determine what you need.
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TnGuy
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by TnGuy »

You didn't state whether you needed a hand-held or backpack type.

As someone who has lived in the woods (nearly 7 acres) for the last 29 years, I decided a long time ago that a backpack blower was a necessity. A couple of years ago I upgraded to this Husqvarna model and my wife and I have enjoyed using it ever since. It has all the power we need and does a great, efficient and quick job.


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Silverado
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by Silverado »

dukeblue219 wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 3:54 pm How much do you want your neighbors to hate you?

Get electric, like the Worx blowers. 40v if you need decent power for leaves, or 20v if you're just blowing grass clippings off the sidewalk. Don't even think about gas. Nothing ruins a lazy weekend day like VRRRRM VRRRRM VRRRM.
+1
Normchad
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by Normchad »

I use a corded electric one for my suburban yard. I think it would be adequate for any quarter acre yard, and it’s inexpensive. So if you outgrow it, you haven’t wasted much money.

It’s 20 years old, but here is what the newer models look like. https://www.amazon.com/BLACK-DECKER-Ele ... den&sr=1-4
Harri88
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by Harri88 »

I have an Echo PB-2620 blower 2 cycle engine, it is a great blower, and I like the Echo brand. It has plenty of power for my needs, and I'm not completely sold on battery powered tools for yard work. I paid $200 for it.
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by mkc »

TnGuy wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 4:44 pm You didn't state whether you needed a hand-held or backpack type.
^ This ^

We have his and hers Stihl backpack blowers (BR700 and BR200) for most things, plus a small Echo hand-held gas powered for gutter cleaning.
regularguy455
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by regularguy455 »

Strongly recommend a backpack blower if you have to do more than blow off grass clippings from your driveway.
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Supergrover
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by Supergrover »

retiredjg wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 4:29 pm I have the EGO battery powered leaf blower. Love it. Would buy another in a minute if I needed to. Very quiet compared to gas powered. It is one of several EGO products I own.

I don't use it a great deal. It lasts several weeks on a charge for my use. I'll edit that. I use it a lot but usually for just a few minutes at at time.

****I second this. This blower is great. So QUIET, no gas to deal with. Keep an extra battery charging in the shed, although I rarely need it.
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

Harri88 wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 4:49 pm I have an Echo PB-2620 blower 2 cycle engine, it is a great blower, and I like the Echo brand. It has plenty of power for my needs, and I'm not completely sold on battery powered tools for yard work. I paid $200 for it.
I have one of these as well and have been quite happy with it. I bought it at the power equipment store where I buy Husqvarna chain saws and parts and Kubota tractor parts. I was impressed by the low price. My first question was "do you service these?" and yes they do. I have owned big box leave blowers, trimmers and hedge trimmers and they are all crap. None have lasted more than a year. I've had the Echo for about 7 years now.

I also have an Echo pole chain saw (2 cycle).

My yard is relatively small at 6000 square feet. When leaves are on the trees, I can't see any neighbors from my house, so I could be axe murdering for sport on weekends and nobody would hear. I use ear protection with the blower which is no big deal as I'm using it all the time with equipment for firewood harvesting.
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Californiastate
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by Californiastate »

retiredjg wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 4:29 pm I have the EGO battery powered leaf blower. Love it. Would buy another in a minute if I needed to. Very quiet compared to gas powered. It is one of several EGO products I own.

I don't use it a great deal. It lasts several weeks on a charge for my use. I'll edit that. I use it a lot but usually for just a few minutes at at time.
We have an EGO lawn mower, hedge trimmer and blower. So far so good.
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by egrets »

FB01 wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 3:52 pm Hello,

Can anyone recommend a leaf blower? I am buying for the first time so not sure what to look for. Any recommendations is appreciated.
Don't buy one. They're terrible for the environment, destroying beneficial insects, habitat, drive your neighbors and wildlife crazy with noise.

If you have so many leaves that shredding them in the course of mowing isn't enough, rake them into a simple compost pile. If you're trying to get rid of grass clippings, wait a few days and they will have dried to invisibility.
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Brianmcg321
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by Brianmcg321 »

EGO electric. Love it.

Blower blow out:
https://youtu.be/bswCWVuvzJs

I will definitely be getting there mower and edger soon too.
Last edited by Brianmcg321 on Fri May 07, 2021 5:28 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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linuxizer
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by linuxizer »

People hating on electric have never used a 60v or 80v system. Greenworks of Ego brushless are amazing. There’s even a backpack blower.

No reason to deal with the maintenance and costs of gas.
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Voltaire2.0
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by Voltaire2.0 »

Depends on what you're blowing and how long you you'll be blowing. I.e., wet leaves vs dry grass and the size of your property.

I had a large yard and bought a handheld Echo gas blower. It has/had a design flaw in the throttle linkage so I returned it and bought a Stihl. Excellent blower. Powerful, reliable and easy to start. It runs for a long time on a tank of gas and if you run out, just fill 'er up. No need to wait for a recharge.

I now have a small yard and own an Ego self-propelled mower. If I were buying a blower today I would buy an Ego and use my 56v battery. That battery is pretty heavy, though, and I'm sure that unit is weighs more than my Stihl gas blower.
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by brokendirtdart »

I have the EGO 650 CFM blower. https://egopowerplus.com/blower-650cfm/

It is no replacement for a good gas powered blower, but it does the job. The "turbo" mode comes in handy for pushing the leaves and pine needles back into the woods so as to give me a good buffer. It is also handy in the winter to blow the snow off the woodpile.

I picked up a spare battery for it by buying an EGO 18" chainsaw when Home Depot was blowing them out. The saw is actually pretty convenient for-had to use it to clear the road during the last windstorm so I could get home. I like my Husky gas saw better though.
Harri88
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by Harri88 »

Jack FFR1846 wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 5:18 pm
Harri88 wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 4:49 pm I have an Echo PB-2620 blower 2 cycle engine, it is a great blower, and I like the Echo brand. It has plenty of power for my needs, and I'm not completely sold on battery powered tools for yard work. I paid $200 for it.
I have one of these as well and have been quite happy with it. I bought it at the power equipment store where I buy Husqvarna chain saws and parts and Kubota tractor parts. I was impressed by the low price. My first question was "do you service these?" and yes they do. I have owned big box leave blowers, trimmers and hedge trimmers and they are all crap. None have lasted more than a year. I've had the Echo for about 7 years now.

I also have an Echo pole chain saw (2 cycle).

My yard is relatively small at 6000 square feet. When leaves are on the trees, I can't see any neighbors from my house, so I could be axe murdering for sport on weekends and nobody would hear. I use ear protection with the blower which is no big deal as I'm using it all the time with equipment for firewood harvesting.
Over the years I've had Ryobi, Troy Bilt, and they dont last long at all, and was replacing them every few seasons. Good to know they last a long time, that is what I was hoping for, as I have gone all in on the Echo brand.

I'm on my second season with the blower, and the PAS-225VP trimmer and edger. I like the interchangeable tools with the PAS system. I also have one of their Chainsaws 4 seasons, and Hedge trimmer 3-4 seasons, all gas. Overall I'm very happy with my Echo tools.
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by timboktoo »

I have a Stihl and I love it. It's the bottom-most of their professional series and is gas powered. We bought a Stilh for my mother in law as well. That one is electric. You can't go wrong with Stihl.

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Orangutan
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by Orangutan »

Why do you need something expensive to blow leaves? :oops: I just use a rake or broom. I had this same discussion in the snowblower thread.
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daytona084
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by daytona084 »

I love my EGO electric blower. Use it all the time. And I use it much more than I used my old gas blower.

I also have the EGO string trimmer and EGO snow blower. They are also great machines.

It was a great day when I got rid of my last 2-cycle engine.
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Kenkat
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by Kenkat »

Orangutan wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 7:41 pm Why do you need something expensive to blow leaves? :oops: I just use a rake or broom. I had this same discussion in the snowblower thread.
It all depends on how many leaves (or how much snow) we are talking...
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Orangutan
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by Orangutan »

Kenkat wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 7:52 pm
Orangutan wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 7:41 pm Why do you need something expensive to blow leaves? :oops: I just use a rake or broom. I had this same discussion in the snowblower thread.
It all depends on how many leaves (or how much snow) we are talking...
There is no situation where I can see anyone needing a leaf blower over a rake, outside of heavy commercial usage or needs.
I have had the same rake for many years and get free exercise. By the time the gas is poured into your leaf blower and it finally starts, I will have raked all the leaves.
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by riots_rus »

Get the biggest one Stihl makes, should cost you around $600, well worth it.
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Orangutan
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by Orangutan »

riots_rus wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 7:57 pm Get the biggest one Stihl makes, should cost you around $600, well worth it.
Good grief, no. $600 to create wind to blow leaves?
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by mancich »

regularguy455 wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 5:04 pm Strongly recommend a backpack blower if you have to do more than blow off grass clippings from your driveway.
Agree. I have a Stihl backpack blower and love the power.
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by London »

Not nearly enough information to answer this question. How big is your yard? Do you need to eventually bag the leaves? Are you strong and able?

I have all professional equipment because I need it. It would be complete overkill for some. Battery powered stuff works for others and wouldn’t work for me. Context matters.
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by uroflow »

Stihl backpack blower all the way. Not much of an online presence. So, you have to go to a local hardware store or small retailer who sells them. But, these stores will also service and help maintain. Stihl makes great products.
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by angelescrest »

retiredjg wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 4:29 pm I have the EGO battery powered leaf blower. Love it. Would buy another in a minute if I needed to. Very quiet compared to gas powered. It is one of several EGO products I own.

I don't use it a great deal. It lasts several weeks on a charge for my use. I'll edit that. I use it a lot but usually for just a few minutes at at time.
Love our Ego, would never buy anything else. But from our experience, the battery doesn’t last that long for say a short driveway and sidewalks. Usually need to grab the second battery.
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by squirm »

I use the leaf blower to get the burn piles going.
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by EvelynTroy »

I am 74 yr. old female, and highly recommend the Stihl BR200 backpack blower - it is light weight, 12 lbs. and so handy - I use it at least 3 times a week. Blowing out the garage, blowing cob webs down around the house, blowing the dust from windowsills, blowing out junk in doorframes, window wells, gutters, and junk on the roof, blowing out the junk in the car, of course leaves in the fall, and works wonders on light snow.
I do maintain it - starts easily, so comfortable to wear. Plenty of power.

https://www.stihlusa.com/products/blowe ... ers/br200/

Evelyn
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by onourway »

Orangutan wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 7:56 pm
Kenkat wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 7:52 pm
Orangutan wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 7:41 pm Why do you need something expensive to blow leaves? :oops: I just use a rake or broom. I had this same discussion in the snowblower thread.
It all depends on how many leaves (or how much snow) we are talking...
There is no situation where I can see anyone needing a leaf blower over a rake, outside of heavy commercial usage or needs.
I have had the same rake for many years and get free exercise. By the time the gas is poured into your leaf blower and it finally starts, I will have raked all the leaves.
My electric blower is always ready to go at an instant. I mulch 99% of my leaves, but there are always areas where the leaves collect around the foundation, gardens, etc where blowing is way easier and does a much better job than a rake. The rest of the year I can have my driveway, deck, porch, breezeway, garage, etc. cleared of leaves/dirt/debris/pollen/whatever in a few minutes with a blower when it would be a significant job with a broom - and it wouldn’t do near as good a job.
razorbacker
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by razorbacker »

Not sure if you are looking for gas or electric, if interested in gas, any of the Stihl products are top shelf machines. I have their leave blower, string trimmer, chainsaw and hedge trimmer.
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by machineboy »

We have the 80 volt Greenworks and love it. No more mixed gas to deal with and it starts with just the pull of the trigger! So much easier. Lots of power, at least as much as our old gas powered blower. Both Costco and Amazon sell a combo pack with the blower, string trimmer, battery and charger. We picked up an extra battery for convenience.
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Orangutan
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by Orangutan »

onourway wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 8:38 pm
Orangutan wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 7:56 pm
Kenkat wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 7:52 pm
Orangutan wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 7:41 pm Why do you need something expensive to blow leaves? :oops: I just use a rake or broom. I had this same discussion in the snowblower thread.
It all depends on how many leaves (or how much snow) we are talking...
There is no situation where I can see anyone needing a leaf blower over a rake, outside of heavy commercial usage or needs.
I have had the same rake for many years and get free exercise. By the time the gas is poured into your leaf blower and it finally starts, I will have raked all the leaves.
My electric blower is always ready to go at an instant. I mulch 99% of my leaves, but there are always areas where the leaves collect around the foundation, gardens, etc where blowing is way easier and does a much better job than a rake. The rest of the year I can have my driveway, deck, porch, breezeway, garage, etc. cleared of leaves/dirt/debris/pollen/whatever in a few minutes with a blower when it would be a significant job with a broom - and it wouldn’t do near as good a job.
Ok. Where do you blow those leaves? How do the leaves organize? With my rake or broom, they’re moved to one area and put in the trash. Leaf blower seems counterproductive. I would want a leaf sucker if that’s a thing.
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TxAg
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by TxAg »

I use a handheld Echo with TruFuel. It is my favorite tool.
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by seawolf21 »

FB01 wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 3:52 pm Hello,

Can anyone recommend a leaf blower? I am buying for the first time so not sure what to look for. Any recommendations is appreciated.
What’s actual yard (not lot) size? Are you clearing leaves and are leaves carpeting (can’t see any ground underneath) or just some leaves scattered about?

I’ve tried out various blowers from ego handheld to ego backpack as well as gas backpack. It really depends on how much you need clearing.
angelescrest wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 8:17 pm
retiredjg wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 4:29 pm I have the EGO battery powered leaf blower. Love it. Would buy another in a minute if I needed to. Very quiet compared to gas powered. It is one of several EGO products I own.

I don't use it a great deal. It lasts several weeks on a charge for my use. I'll edit that. I use it a lot but usually for just a few minutes at at time.
Love our Ego, would never buy anything else. But from our experience, the battery doesn’t last that long for say a short driveway and sidewalks. Usually need to grab the second battery.
Same here in terms of battery life experience. Wanted to go electric and had the Ego backpack on a 7.5mah. It’s powerful while the battery last and the math makes sense for many small suburban lots.

However if you have >0.25 acre of actual yard and lots of trees, I don’t see the math adding up. With a second 7.5 mah backup, I’m in the top of the line gas blower territory.
Orangutan wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 7:56 pm
Kenkat wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 7:52 pm
Orangutan wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 7:41 pm Why do you need something expensive to blow leaves? :oops: I just use a rake or broom. I had this same discussion in the snowblower thread.
It all depends on how many leaves (or how much snow) we are talking...
There is no situation where I can see anyone needing a leaf blower over a rake, outside of heavy commercial usage or needs.
I have had the same rake for many years and get free exercise. By the time the gas is poured into your leaf blower and it finally starts, I will have raked all the leaves.
It all goes back to Kenkat‘s post. How much leaves?
What you post is true for 3,000 sqft but not 10,000 sqft. Leaf blower done in 2-3 hours. Rake 6-8 hours. And I’m not talking about small amount of leaves scattered around. I’m talking about carpet of leaves where you can not see even a square inch of the ground underneath. Time value of money.

Clearing snow off my driveway. 90 minutes to clear by shovel vs 30 minutes with snow thrower.
Last edited by seawolf21 on Sat May 08, 2021 11:36 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Unchained
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by Unchained »

Last fall I purchased a Stihl BR 800 CE Magnum backpack blower. We have a heavily wooded acre surrounded by other trees and the Stihl does in an hour or two what used to take me 15 hours using a plug in Toro blower and rake. Even if it rains the day before, wet leaves are no match for the Stihl. I’m sure my neighbors prefer a couple of hours of engine noise to hours on end of electric Toro.

One of the best purchases I ever made.
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by onourway »

Orangutan wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 9:30 pm
Ok. Where do you blow those leaves? How do the leaves organize? With my rake or broom, they’re moved to one area and put in the trash. Leaf blower seems counterproductive. I would want a leaf sucker if that’s a thing.
Same place you’d put them if you raked out those areas. For me, I just get them into the grass and then do another pass with the mulching mower - which is exactly the leaf sucker you are after, FWIW, except there is nothing to get rid of. The leaves just get turned into good stuff for your lawn.
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by FIREmeup »

Orangutan wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 7:56 pm
Kenkat wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 7:52 pm
Orangutan wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 7:41 pm Why do you need something expensive to blow leaves? :oops: I just use a rake or broom. I had this same discussion in the snowblower thread.
It all depends on how many leaves (or how much snow) we are talking...
There is no situation where I can see anyone needing a leaf blower over a rake, outside of heavy commercial usage or needs.
I have had the same rake for many years and get free exercise. By the time the gas is poured into your leaf blower and it finally starts, I will have raked all the leaves.
No situation? I enjoy outside work and do all my landscaping and mowing etc, except I hate leaf clean up. By the time I finish each fall weekend...even with the blower, the lawn has already begun to get covered. Maybe your property isn't big...maybe you don't have a lot of big mature trees. I had a Husqvarna gas blower for 12 years. It would take me about 2 hours for half an acre with several big trees to quickly blow the leaves together on a half acre, drag em to the curb, then do a quick mow to mulch the stragglers. The day my husqvarna wouldn't start, I raked. Took me 5 hours. For something I dont enjoy, I certainly don't mine spending $500 for a blower to save me 3.5 hours each weekend over a month and a half.

Bought a Husqvarna 570bts and down to 90 minutes. More important to get a good mulching mower like the Honda HRX so most of the time you can just mulch the leaves. Of course if you have a smaller property then an electric mower can be good.

I use battery power worx trimmer/edger which is awesome with the no maintenance and quick start up. I've seen a neighbor use the ego backpack blower...very quiet...decent power...but it didn't last for the whole half acre. If you have a smaller property definitely look into it. But the electric blowers can't compete on some things. Yet.
Mr. Rumples
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by Mr. Rumples »

I borrow a neighbor's Milwaukee 2724-21HD M18 FUEL Blower ($299 if I am to buy it). I have a large deck, patio and circular driveway - its too much for me to sweep when it needs it between the yard help's visits. I use the blower for that, to blow the leaves out of the shrubs into the yard for mulch mowing and to blow the leaves and clippings out of the drainage pipes under the driveway. (Property is 1/2 acre of gardens and 12 oaks, 3 loblolly pines and a sweetgum.) I find that I last as long as the battery, so its fine for my purposes. Its not too heavy. I like the M18 since it is compatible with the M18 Milwaukee lineup of tools.

I have an older Black and Decker trimmer which is nice, but the battery takes a long time to charge (two hours for 15 minutes - but again, about as long as I last). Perhaps the new regular battery chargers (not the fast chargers) are faster.
"History is the memory of time, the life of the dead and the happiness of the living." Captain John Smith 1580-1631
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Kagord
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by Kagord »

OP needs to post task at hand, lot size, number of trees/leaves (are we talking 20 barrels a leaves a year or 300), driveway size (if snow).
fleckmc
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by fleckmc »

Get a Stihl. Made in USA offer both gas and battery options. Super light weight and lots of power.

Anything beyond a lawnmower I only buy Stihl.
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Kenkat
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by Kenkat »

Orangutan wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 9:30 pm
onourway wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 8:38 pm
Orangutan wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 7:56 pm
Kenkat wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 7:52 pm
Orangutan wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 7:41 pm Why do you need something expensive to blow leaves? :oops: I just use a rake or broom. I had this same discussion in the snowblower thread.
It all depends on how many leaves (or how much snow) we are talking...
There is no situation where I can see anyone needing a leaf blower over a rake, outside of heavy commercial usage or needs.
I have had the same rake for many years and get free exercise. By the time the gas is poured into your leaf blower and it finally starts, I will have raked all the leaves.
My electric blower is always ready to go at an instant. I mulch 99% of my leaves, but there are always areas where the leaves collect around the foundation, gardens, etc where blowing is way easier and does a much better job than a rake. The rest of the year I can have my driveway, deck, porch, breezeway, garage, etc. cleared of leaves/dirt/debris/pollen/whatever in a few minutes with a blower when it would be a significant job with a broom - and it wouldn’t do near as good a job.
Ok. Where do you blow those leaves? How do the leaves organize? With my rake or broom, they’re moved to one area and put in the trash. Leaf blower seems counterproductive. I would want a leaf sucker if that’s a thing.
I try to mulch as many as my leaves as I can with the mower. Sometimes I will use the blower to spread the leaves out so that they can be mulched. I have 5 large trees in my yard (lawn area) and then another 10+ in a small wooded area at the back of the property. Anything that can’t be mulched gets blown into the wooded area to break down.

Sometimes the leaves are so thick that they run over the top of the lawnmower deck like a snowplow.

I would never want to put leaves in the trash and fill up the landfill. It would be a massive quantity of leaves to be picked up and why let all those nutrients leave your yard?

I have a Stihl BG56CE gas powered blower for heavy work and a little 18V Ryobi electric that is good for smaller jobs like blowing off the walks and mower.
Last edited by Kenkat on Sat May 08, 2021 11:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
dukeblue219
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Re: Recommendation for Leaf Blower

Post by dukeblue219 »

Admittedly I forget not everyone lives in an urban environment sometimes. I've never spent more than 30 minutes raking a yard in my life, yet we have some neighbors who still insist on blowing their yards twice a week. Good lord it's irritating to have that sound going right outside the window during a Teams/Zoom meeting.

I suppose if you have a huge yard, like a half acre or more, that it might make sense to have a gas blower.
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