[terry82]

i know its late in the season to talk about leaf blowers [it is below zero out side ]but i wanted to know what blower you would buy .i want a blower that you put on your back .i want one that will last for 5 years and then be able to get parts for it .i dont want to buy the on sale model .what brand has good stuff not the cheap throw away crap.

 

[bec98x]

I work on a lot of blowers at my shop, Echo, Tanaka, Stihl, Redmax. Most of our commercial customers who do not already own Stihl are switching to Stihl when a repair is not worth fixing.

Echo, Stihl, and Redmax seem to be the most popular.
Echo's have several backpack blowers. The cheapest versions use the same handheld motor( throw it on a frame and add straps) Not the best especially when the echo blowers have a tendancy to get carbon buildup in the exhaust port. Even the newer Echo blowers don't seem to hold up as good as their old blowers.

Redmax seems to hold up ok. I replace a lot of crank seals and carbs on these models. Mostly because the fuel these guys use.

Stihl seems to be the easiest to work on for me. The new 4 mix blowers have the problems worked out, they are lighter, faster, larger volume of air, and cheaper to run. Problems are usually things physically breaking(frame, straps, nozzle's) Usually adjusting the valve clearances fixes most of my problems.

 

[terry82]

bec98x thanks ,thats the kind of info i needed.

 

[30yearTech]

I do fleet maintenance for several commercial accounts. Most use Echo blowers and a few use Stihl, Redmax and Shindaiwa. Echo blowers are as good as they come, you won't go wrong with any of these brands, be aware that Shindaiwa is pretty much merging with the Echo line, there should not be any parts issues for the foreseeable future. No matter what anyone say's the four stroke engines require more and frequent maintenance then their 2 cycle counter parts, although they have loads of torque, and are often a little quieter.

Popularity of brands differ from region to region, usually dependent upon distributor support to the dealer. In our area, Echo and Stihl have excellent support and are both popular, although Echo wins out here. I personally am found of Redmax, but they are a small player in this area. My experience with Echo is that their newer greener blowers are very dependable and as good as their older products.

 

[nnyparts.com]

I vote for the stihl only because of its durability. That being said, it depends on just how much you plan on using the blower. If your a homeowner, I really don't see much sense in spending big bucks on a commercial or high end model if your just using it around the house. Contractors of course are in their own category and it pays to pay the bigger monies. For the homeowner...even the poulan from Wal-mart will do the job.

 

[terry82]

i am a home owner with 43 trees.a good leaf blower can save me a lot of time .i like things that can be repaired .the cheap ones dont last and are not worth repairing .

 

[30yearTech]

For the homeowner...even the poulan from Wal-mart will do the job.

Any brand will do the job, as long is it will start and run!

If you want one that's going to last, give less trouble and will not need to be replaced in a short time, stick with a top end unit. Stihl, Echo, Husqvarna, Shindaiwa, Maruyama, Tanaka, Red Max. Anyone of these brands will give excellent service and will last a good long time. They are well worth the extra cost.

 

[nnyparts.com]

I would have to agree to that statement with the older ones...but now a days, most manufactures have gone where they can get their product made and built the cheapest and that would be from China and India. I am seeing a lot of the new Stihl's coming in the shop door to get fixed. Don't get me wrong...I am a die hard Stihl guy and still have my first saw a 041 farm boss that has never let me down and I would put it up against the MS170, MS180, MS210, MS290 and MS310 that we use here on the farm.