Handheld blower recommendation

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Feb 19, 2009
Messages
735
Location
Minnesota
I've been stringing along my 8 year old Poulan Pro ppbv25 for a few years. It finally became so hard to start I've given up. It was actually a great blower for the money, albeit heavy and hard to start sometimes. I have to have at least 5-600 hours on it over those years. I use it mainly in the fall to clean up the laves from the 5 big trees on my property and clean the gutters a few times a year.

Last year I purchased a Stihl BG-86CE in the fall when the Poulan started having real issues. I sold it to my neighbor for almost what I got it for after using it for a bit. For how much it cost, I just wasn't impressed with its long warm up times for full power as well as its power once up to full power.

SO, now i'm on the hunt again. my requirements are:

- Ideally Intake on the right side as I'm a righty and can't stand when my pants etc get sucked into the intake. Hated that on my Poulan.
- Cost isn't a huge factor but maybe in/under the $200-250 range.
- No vacuum function needed, I don't think they ever work well.
- Gas powered, takes a hour or two in the fall every weekend to get all the leaves together.

Let the experiences fly!
 
Last edited:
Did you want a gas blower or what about battery power?

I had a blower attachment to my 2 stroke Ryobi weed wacker. Got tired of pulling that cord all the time to get it to start.

Got rid of all that and went with a Dewalt Cordless trimmer and blower.

I don't have a huge yard so it works for me.
 
I've been using Echo for the past decade and they seem to get good reviews. Mine starts with a few pushes of the primer bulb and after 20 seconds idle it's ready to go.
 
Updated the requirements to gas powered. I love Echo equipment, my chainsaw and weed wacker are Echo. Unfortunately all the Echo blowers have the intake on the left which I don't care for.
 
Last edited:
I really like my echo 2620 but it is left side intake and yeah that's somewhat of an annoyance. had a stihl bg56 and that things a joke power wise and same price as echo...tell you what thou the echo starts wonderfully....
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by JTK
For an excellent low cost leaf blower, I would recommend a Hitachi 2-stroke. When my old Echo PB2000 locked up, I mail-ordered one of these Hitachis for under $100 shipped. It was a refurb, but I couldn't tell that it was. It has a lot more power than my Echo had.

https://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-RB24...eaf+blower&qid=1570116937&sr=8-6


Thanks, that is on my list. It seems like a excellent blower, the big downside is the intake is also on the left side.

Anyone have experience with the Husqvarna 125B or the 525bx? The BX seems a bit overkill... The reviews are VERY mixed on the 125B, lots of fueling issues it seems but I don't know if they are using the correct fuel etc.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by Huie83

Thanks, That is on my list. It seems like a excellent blower, the big downside is the intake is also on the left side.


Hold it with your left hand?

Seriously though, you'll love the Hitachi in terms of ergonomics compared to the poulan. I have an old Homelite blower that I keep as a back up. It's like hanging on to an anvil compared to the powerful Hitachi.
 
The money difference between a good name brand blower(Hitachi, Stihl or ECHO) and a not so good brand(Craftsman, Ryobi or BigBoxStore) is actually quite small.
 
Originally Posted by JTK
Originally Posted by Huie83

Thanks, That is on my list. It seems like a excellent blower, the big downside is the intake is also on the left side.


Hold it with your left hand?

Seriously though, you'll love the Hitachi in terms of ergonomics compared to the poulan. I have an old Homelite blower that I keep as a back up. It's like hanging on to an anvil compared to the powerful Hitachi.


I probably could deal with a left side intake again I did for years
smile.gif
, i'd just rather not if I have the choice. Using it to clean my gutters I feel more comfortable balance wise up on the roof using my right hand.
 
Originally Posted by Huie83
Originally Posted by JTK
For an excellent low cost leaf blower, I would recommend a Hitachi 2-stroke. When my old Echo PB2000 locked up, I mail-ordered one of these Hitachis for under $100 shipped. It was a refurb, but I couldn't tell that it was. It has a lot more power than my Echo had.

https://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-RB24...eaf+blower&qid=1570116937&sr=8-6


Thanks, that is on my list. It seems like a excellent blower, the big downside is the intake is also on the left side.

Anyone have experience with the Husqvarna 125B or the 525bx? The BX seems a bit overkill... The reviews are VERY mixed on the 125B, lots of fueling issues it seems but I don't know if they are using the correct fuel etc.


Another vote for the Hitachi. I bought one in August 2014 (from Amazon) and haven't had any issues with it. It gets used heavily in the fall, and sits most of the winter. Mild use the rest of the year.

I'm right handed too and hold it in my right hand. Never had my pants sucked into it, maybe I hold it different than you?
 
Echo! The Echo has a 5 year warranty. I'm constantly switching hands so the left side intake doesn't bother me. My 20 year old Echo blower and trimmer usually start on the first or second pull.
 
Originally Posted by Huie83
I've been stringing along my 8 year old Poulan Pro ppbv25 for a few years. It finally became so hard to start I've given up. It was actually a great blower for the money, albeit heavy and hard to start sometimes. I have to have at least 5-600 hours on it over those years. I use it mainly in the fall to clean up the laves from the 5 big trees on my property and clean the gutters a few times a year.

Last year I purchased a Stihl BG-86CE in the fall when the Poulan started having real issues. I sold it to my neighbor for almost what I got it for after using it for a bit. For how much it cost, I just wasn't impressed with its long warm up times for full power as well as its power once up to full power.

SO, now i'm on the hunt again. my requirements are:

- Ideally Intake on the right side as I'm a righty and can't stand when my pants etc get sucked into the intake. Hated that on my Poulan.
- Cost isn't a huge factor but maybe in/under the $200-250 range.
- No vacuum function needed, I don't think they ever work well.
- Gas powered, takes a hour or two in the fall every weekend to get all the leaves together.

Let the experiences fly!


I would go for a cordless handheld or a gas backpack blower?
 
I am not sure exactly what you are doing with leaves but more and more people are mulching their leaves onto their lawns. It gets rid of leaves and puts the nutrients back into the lawn soil. I even blow the leaves from flower beds back onto the lawn and chop them up.
 
Originally Posted by Bryce
Originally Posted by Huie83
Originally Posted by JTK
For an excellent low cost leaf blower, I would recommend a Hitachi 2-stroke. When my old Echo PB2000 locked up, I mail-ordered one of these Hitachis for under $100 shipped. It was a refurb, but I couldn't tell that it was. It has a lot more power than my Echo had.

https://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-RB24...eaf+blower&qid=1570116937&sr=8-6


Thanks, that is on my list. It seems like a excellent blower, the big downside is the intake is also on the left side.

Anyone have experience with the Husqvarna 125B or the 525bx? The BX seems a bit overkill... The reviews are VERY mixed on the 125B, lots of fueling issues it seems but I don't know if they are using the correct fuel etc.


Another vote for the Hitachi. I bought one in August 2014 (from Amazon) and haven't had any issues with it. It gets used heavily in the fall, and sits most of the winter. Mild use the rest of the year.

I'm right handed too and hold it in my right hand. Never had my pants sucked into it, maybe I hold it different than you?



3rd vote for the Hitachi, i've had one for 4 years or so, very powerful for its size and cost.
 
I also have an Echo PB-2620 and like it a lot. Yeah, intake on the left side but it has a guard which has kept clothing getting sucked in to minimum, to the point I rarely notice it....like maybe once in four or five uses...and even then not a major problem. I got it for $199 at my local small engine shop, Home Depot wants $260...am I reading that right?

Right now I'm using a 15 year old Stihl SH85 which I like best but it won't last forever, so the Echo is in reserve. Do not like the newer Stihls.
 
Originally Posted by Huie83
Anyone have experience with the Husqvarna 125B or the 525bx? The BX seems a bit overkill... The reviews are VERY mixed on the 125B, lots of fueling issues it seems but I don't know if they are using the correct fuel etc.


I have had the 125B for 5 years now and never had an issue. The carbs needed to be tuned when I first got it but I haven't touched a thing since then. I run TruFuel 50:1 premixed.
 
I'm real happy with the Hitachi. The intake is on the left and will grab loose shorts - but there is a guard.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top