Recommendations for gas handheld blower

[FowVay]

I use the cheapy Husqvarna 125B blowers. They last me about 10 years and parts are very easily acquired when needed. I used to pay $139 for them but over the past two years they've started going up. I think they're up to $169 or $189 depending on where you look.

They're light, cheap, very well made, and are easy to own. They require the routine air filter, fuel filter, and fuel line replacement about every three years but the fuel line comes as as assembly with primer bulb for $10 and the air filters are about $5. I just love them.

 

[wag123]

Take one for the team, buy the Japanese made Maruyama - BL32 and report back with a review.

BL32

BL32

maruyama-us.com

+1
The Maruyama BL32 is hands-down the best gas powered handheld blower currently available. 5 year commercial use warranty, manufactured entirely in Japan, chrome plated 4 bolt cylinder (important in a blower), 2 piston rings, twin ball bearing forged steel crankshaft, Japanese Walbro WYK-242A barrel-valve carburetor. If you want to purchase a blower that you will have for the rest of your life, this is the one. It is going to be hard to find a dealer that sells Maruyama and the blower is not cheap, but it is not "built cheap to sell cheap".

 

[weaponoffreedom]

My 10 year old tiny 23cc Hitachi blower gave up on me yesterday after cleaning up the sidewalk and yard. Shut off fine but when I went to restart it had little compression. I’ll take off the muffler and check the piston soon. But I fear the worst.

I Was looking at the echo and STIHL offerings for gas handheld blowers any suggestions? I already have an ECHo trimmer and like the brand but I am open to others.

ECHO ECHO ECHO. Done, since you already have ECHO, the maintanence item will be the xame, use the same ration fuel ,etc. I cannot express on how much I think echo is superior to most. Home depot carries the stuff all day.

 

[weaponoffreedom]

+1
The Maruyama BL32 is hands-down the best gas powered handheld blower currently available. 5 year commercial use warranty, manufactured in Japan, chrome plated 4 bolt cylinder, 2 piston rings, twin ball bearing forged steel crankshaft, Japanese Walbro WYK-242A barrel-valve carburetor. If you want to purchase a blower that you will have for the rest of your life, this is the one. It is going to be hard to find a dealer that sells Maruyama and the blower is not cheap, but it is not "built cheap to sell cheap".

It seems like many products of this kind and powersports and construction equipment is better made in Japan. Mitsutoyo over Starrett anyday, and so on. I agree that Japanese make some of the best stuff that matters

 

[wag123]

It seems like many products of this kind and powersports and construction equipment is better made in Japan. Mitsutoyo over Starrett anyday, and so on. I agree that Japanese make some of the best stuff that matters

The best and most durable commercial grade handheld blower that Echo ever produced was the PB-210e and it was the last one that was manufactured entirely in Japan.

 

[weaponoffreedom]

+1
The Maruyama BL32 is hands-down the best gas powered handheld blower currently available. 5 year commercial use warranty, manufactured entirely in Japan, chrome plated 4 bolt cylinder (important in a blower), 2 piston rings, twin ball bearing forged steel crankshaft, Japanese Walbro WYK-242A barrel-valve carburetor. If you want to purchase a blower that you will have for the rest of your life, this is the one. It is going to be hard to find a dealer that sells Maruyama and the blower is not cheap, but it is not "built cheap to sell cheap".

do you have one?

 

[weaponoffreedom]

The best and most durable commercial grade handheld blower that Echo ever produced was the PB-210e and it was the last one that was manufactured entirely in Japan.

I have a blower, srm225 trimmer and a cs650 timberwolf chainsaw, and especially the chainsaw is a hoss. I would put echo up against anyone. Most landscaping companies around me use Echo blowers.

 

[Dave9]

Most battery blowers wont get wet grass clippings off sidewalk.. they do fine for dryer or ones that werent run over by lawnmower wheels.

I have the 20v ryobi and it wasnt strong enough to get grass off my tractor mowing deck... its ok for blowing off the backyard patio/deck and grass on concrete that wasnt run over.
The ryobi is the 280cfm 120mph.


Dont expect a battery to last more than 10min on high.

HART 40-Volt Cordless Brushless Turbo Fan Blower Kit, (1) 4.0Ah Lithium-Ion Battery $99​

If you dont have other batteries this might be a good buy if your local walmart still has them in store they were $50 clearance.

Robot or human?

That's a good price on that Hart, 4Ah battery alone probably costs about that. 40V is about the lowest I'd go for a cordless blower, nobody makes an 18V worth trying to use outdoors except for getting dry grass clippings off pavement.

If anyone finds those in-store for $50, they ought to buy two of them to get a second battery and spare parts. It's not going to perform as well as a higher tier gas blower but there is something to be said for the convenience of cordless. I find myself using my (different brand) cordless for things I never would have done with a 2 cycle gas blower, like blowing water off of vehicles after washing them, and indoor use.

 

[wag123]

do you have one?

No, but I have a friend that does. I'm still using an Echo PB-210e that I have had for over 30 years.

 

[weaponoffreedom]

No, but I have a friend that does. I'm still using an Echo PB-210e that I have had for over 30 years.

Wow, an Echo for 30 years, impressive. You know, many maker tout a 5 year commercial warranty like that is a good thing.
I argue that the regular JoeBlow consumer is perhaps more abusive on their stuff than the professional. In terms of using bad gas, letting sit of weeks\month at a time, blablablah. Where as the professional uses the thing everyday, stays in use stays clean and so on. Obviously, you take care of your vECHO.

 

[wpod]

I will have to add a unit purchased at an OPE store is higher quality that one bought at a big box store.

 

[wag123]

Wow, an Echo for 30 years, impressive. You know, many maker tout a 5 year commercial warranty like that is a good thing.
I argue that the regular JoeBlow consumer is perhaps more abusive on their stuff than the professional. In terms of using bad gas, letting sit of weeks\month at a time, blablablah. Where as the professional uses the thing everyday, stays in use stays clean and so on. Obviously, you take care of your vECHO.

It is not as much about the warranty itself, it is about the way that it is engineered and constructed such that it can be run almost continuously and survive for 5 years. Blowers are different than other OPE small engines because they run at full load all of the time, and because of this they run HOT. The engines have to be designed different in order to survive continuous use (that is why I emphasized the 4 bolt cylinder).
As far as "regular JoeBlow consumer being perhaps more abusive on their stuff than the professional" is concerned, I disagree. Many/most commercial users are notoriously bad about taking care of the equipment primarily because most of the users don't actually own the equipment they use. You would be shocked at what I have seen done to some of this equipment.
I have not really done much of anything to my blower over the 30 years that I have had it and I don't really take any special care of it. I just use it and put it in the shed. The Echo PB-210e was actually that good. At one point about 8 years ago I replaced the fuel lines and fuel filter due to deterioration, and I have replaced the plug a couple of times and air filter element maybe once, but that is about it. Most of the time when I saw them in my shop it wasn't because of a mechanical issue, it was because of broken parts due to rough handling and abuse.

 

[redtrucker610]

We sell both Echo and Stihl where I work. The techs would tell you to go with the Echo unless your buying the high end Stihl. We have a lot of lower end Stihl stuff that is only a few years old come in with carb issues.

 

[jeepman3071]

I have an Echo PB255LN for a hand held. Starts first or second pull, on the quieter side for a blower, and fairly light. I'd avoid Stihl equipment. I know I've mentioned that in a few threads on here, but it's so disappointing to me. As a former Stihl owner they used to be high on my list to recommend to people, but now I feel most of their brand is about just resting on their reputation. Some of their top of the line stuff is good, but you will pay way more for it than you would for the same quality from another brand.

 

[jeepman3071]

As far as "regular JoeBlow consumer being perhaps more abusive on their stuff than the professional" is concerned, I disagree. Many/most commercial users are notoriously bad about taking care of the equipment primarily because most of the users don't actually own the equipment they use. You would be shocked at what I have seen done to some of this equipment.

This 100%. I maintain equipment for some local landscape companies. The owners are great guys, but it is obvious a lot of the guys they hire to run the equipment could care less and just run things until they break. One company almost had a brand new zero turn burn to the ground, because the crew member kept running the machine even as it was smoking excessively from a mouse nest in the engine that caught fire. It took 3 other guys from the crew to signal the guy to stop so they could put out the fire.

 

[wag123]

This 100%. I maintain equipment for some local landscape companies. The owners are great guys, but it is obvious a lot of the guys they hire to run the equipment could care less and just run things until they break. One company almost had a brand new zero turn burn to the ground, because the crew member kept running the machine even as it was smoking excessively from a mouse nest in the engine that caught fire. It took 3 other guys from the crew to signal the guy to stop so they could put out the fire.

Or break them on-purpose. In 100 degree heat they will actually try to break the equipment so they can sit in the air conditioned truck.
I had one landscape company whose owner couldn't figure out why one of his crews were blowing-up engines. This crew's equipment would come in with a length of wire or rope tied to the governor and routed up to the handle so that they could pull the throttle wide open for MORE POWER . Gotta love the uneducated Hispanics.

 

[Badgerstate]

My 10 year old tiny 23cc Hitachi blower gave up on me yesterday after cleaning up the sidewalk and yard. Shut off fine but when I went to restart it had little compression. I’ll take off the muffler and check the piston soon. But I fear the worst.

I Was looking at the echo and STIHL offerings for gas handheld blowers any suggestions? I already have an ECHo trimmer and like the brand but I am open to others.

Echo and Stihl are good options. Ive got an Echo and its a beast. Its kind of cold-blooded and you need to let it run for a minute before it really wakes up but once it gets fully warm its awesome.
Stihl makes a good blower too but Im just partial to Echo.

 

[weaponoffreedom]

This 100%. I maintain equipment for some local landscape companies. The owners are great guys, but it is obvious a lot of the guys they hire to run the equipment could care less and just run things until they break. One company almost had a brand new zero turn burn to the ground, because the crew member kept running the machine even as it was smoking excessively from a mouse nest in the engine that caught fire. It took 3 other guys from the crew to signal the guy to stop so they could put out the fire.

Which is better off, a unit used everyday for half a year, or a unit used once, and put up with bad gas in it?

My local small engine guy says every year, and the start of spring, he replaces carbs on countless units because they were put up with regular gas.

I suppose the fuel is the most important factor. I use Trufuel, which is expensive, but the things run like champs, and are cheaper and less aggravating than replcing a carb every year.

If you were to have an "hours of use chart...... professional use vs homeowner use" I would say that the professionals would get more hours before break down than the homeowner.

 

[repairman54]

E10 will store season to season IF a fuel stabilizer is used. Ran ethanol fuels for years until EO was readily available to me.
Only folks here use fuel stabilizer.

 

[Nmr1981]

E10 will store season to season IF a fuel stabilizer is used. Ran ethanol fuels for years until EO was readily available to me.
Only folks here use fuel stabilizer.

I agree I stabilize my regular can and then I pour into 1 gallon can with a tight spout. I use the Husqvarna premix which has stabilizer in it and I never had a dueling issue in 10 +years of use. I also don’t purchase more than 2.5 gallons of fuel at a time.