Hand held Leaf Blower

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Echo is the best for the dollar.

Other names are good, Stihl, Husqavarna.

Don't buy at Lowe's or Home Depot.

Make sure you can get parts, many times at the box stores you can't.
 
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My Echo is approx. 18 years old and has been incredible: I normally don't winterize it and it just doesn't care. changed the plug once. fwiw, I do use echo oil
 
Originally Posted By: JLawrence08648
Echo is the best for the dollar.

Other names are good, Stihl, Husqavarna.

Don't buy at Lowe's or Home Depot.

Make sure you can get parts, many times at the box stores you can't.


Good advice. Landscaping Power Equipment Dealers will be able to give insight as to which brands hold up the best and which brands are serviceable. The price may be slightly higher, but the return on longevity will be the benefit.
 
Originally Posted By: JLawrence08648
Echo is the best for the dollar.

Other names are good, Stihl, Husqavarna.

Don't buy at Lowe's or Home Depot.

Make sure you can get parts, many times at the box stores you can't.


Home Depot sells Echo as well. And ACE Hardware sells Stihl. Lowe's sells Husqavarna. But like he said, make sure you can get parts for whatever brand you buy.
 
Thanks everyone. I had an Echo SRM 210 trimmer for 14 yrs before I gave it to my grandson and
bought a Maruyama B30L Turbo.
 
I have the Echo one HD sells and am totally happy with it. If you have a ton of leaves in the fall, it get a bit hard to carry, but it'll handle almost any chore. I use it mostly to blow off walks and driveways after mowing, and don't like having to put on a backpack just for that. For me, it's ideal.
 
I don't have a big yard so I've gotten by just fine with a Toro 700 electric blower we bought 25 or more yrs ago. At 140 mph blow speed it has enough power. My neighbor has a big yard and just sucks leaves up with his lawn tractor.

Reliable equipment bought 15-30 yrs ago by the same name mfg's...might not be near as reliable today.
 
Tanaka/Hitachi (same) can't be beat for general home owner use. Blows away my two Echo blowers. Cheaper too, quality appears the same. Really liked Stihl as well, good power.
 
Originally Posted By: JLawrence08648
Echo is the best for the dollar.

Other names are good, Stihl, Husqavarna.

Don't buy at Lowe's or Home Depot.

Make sure you can get parts, many times at the box stores you can't.


At the time I got mine from a local dealer, the same Echo was sold at HD.

Not sure it's still the case.
 
I've switched to a Snapper 82V battery-powered one.
I can also use it for blowing the rinse water off the car.
I don't really care one way or the other about 2-stroke exhaust, but, the Snapper is quieter and there's no 2-stroke exhaust. I find I use it more often because it's easier to use.
 
Tanaka/Hitachi leaf blowers have one of the sturdiest 2-stroke known to mankind, the "Purefire":


This engine is favorite among those who convert bicycles to 2-stroke, because of its legendary sturdiness: https://www.bikeengines.com/shop/32cc-tanaka-purefire-2-stroke-kit-36-spoke/

I've heard of purefire-converted commuter bikes with over 30,000 commute miles on them.
Think about this 23cc 2-stroke pulling a full grown adult up and down the hill for 30,000 miles.

A leaf blower with that engine for $120 is a good deal in my book.
You can also get it refurbished online for around $80.
 
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I suggest a backpack blower. Consider cordless. I am impressed with Milwaukee cordless weedwacker and hedge trimmer. They do not (yet) make a cordless backpack blower. But for now have Husqvarna 2 cycle backpack blower.
 
I've owned an Echo ES210 Shred N' Vac blower for over ten years. I used it year round for blowing grass clippings in the summer, blowing/mulching leaves in the fall and blowing snow of steps etc. in the winter. Got lots of hours on it.

Recently though, it started to have running issues. Starts good but begins to surge and stall once it's warmed up a bit. I suspect it's something to do with the ignition. I've read that the ignition modules can fail in them but they're relatively cheap and readily available.

Plan to replace the ignition module and buy a new carb for it just in case the problem is fuel related. Carbs are very reasonably priced and easy to get.


Been a good machine. I'd buy another one.
 
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