Backpack Leaf Blowers

[drinksloe]

Apologies if been done to death but a search never found much.

 

T'is the season and I'm sick of raking leaves already.

 

Wot is the best option's for leaf blowers? Not commercial use but quite a few paths/tracks throu hard woodland so will get a bit of use this time of year.

 

Was thinking about a backpack and most likely a stihl but open to any reccommendations.

 

Having a browse throu stihl site and see there is a new BR450 with an electric start on the handle, when u look at the spec's there doesn't seem an awful lt of difference in power or engine size to the 600.

Thought the electric start would be a really handy thing. Is there any problems with that further down the line?

 

Also it is still a 2mix engine whereas the 500-600's are on the new 4-mix system, the local stockist reckoned the older 2 mix engine are a better less complicated engine (or will take more stick). Does anyone know much about the 2 engine differences?

[wicklamulla]

I was gonna buy a BR450....then i thought Nope oil buy the new BR700 (4Mix) as everyone says bigger is better. Then as i'm a bit of a fan of Echo kit oil buy a PB770 backpack blower. I Had some spare dollar and was about to buy a new one when a fellow arb chap who buys and sells used saws, blowers, mowers etc at auctions or from councils when it came time to upgrade their kit advertised 3 Echo PB770's at £120 each,  I was a bit dubious at first but when i viewed them all the serial numbers were intact and they were all etched up with additional letters and numbers relating to the department to which they had belonged to.  I picked the best one of the 3 and got it for £100 along with a receipt on his headed paper.  Tis the  best money i have spent in a long time.

[Matthew Storrs]

I have a John Deere (actually a Kawasaki) back pack blower which is about a 100 years old and I bought off eBay for £75 about 10 years ago, it looked old even then. I just can’t kill the thing. Do Kawasaki still make back pack blowers? If so maybe a consideration...

[Matthew Storrs]

https://www.abbeygardensales.co.uk/leaf-vacs-blowers/backpack-blowers/showitem-m2-ba650k.aspx

 

 

looks identical to this one, Didn’t pay that much though.

[drinksloe]

Cheers, I was originally looking for a 2nd hand one.

But was looking throu the new blowers to see wot the different models are.

 

Was quoted 450 inc vat, 2 years warranty and I was quite tempted by the thought of the electric start.

Seen a couple of refurbished modles but they weren't that much cheaper, and with no warranty

 

Been a long time since I last used 1.

[Richard 1234]

Cheers, I was originally looking for a 2nd hand one.
But was looking throu the new blowers to see wot the different models are.
 
Was quoted 450 inc vat, 2 years warranty and I was quite tempted by the thought of the electric start.
Seen a couple of refurbished modles but they weren't that much cheaper, and with no warranty
 
Been a long time since I last used 1.

Spend the extra £54 and get the br700.
It’s a beast. No electric start though!

[Commando]

I have an Echo PB500, plenty of puff and reasonable pricing at £370.

[Mick Dempsey]

Agree with above comment.

My 4mix stihl went kaput a while back, I couldn’t bear to part with €800 for a new one so I got an echo backpack one for €500 or so, It’s ok.

 

It’s just a blower after all, 10minutes at the end of a job.

Edited October 31, 2017 by Mick Dempsey

[Tomtop]

Can’t fault stihl, I wouldn’t try anything else. Pick up my new br700 today. Have a br600 great bit of kit. Just need two now and bigger is alway better.

[Marula]

Bought a practically brand new 2015 BR550 for 300 squid off eBay from a chap in Chelsea. He needed a blower to get rid of those pesky leaves in his garden every autumn, being a man who only buys the best he thought he'd go stihl industrial and called up his local dealer for next day delivery. On receiving his new prized leaf slayer he strapped himself up for his first mission and got the missus to pull start his new weapon of choice from behind, with finger on the trigger and at full throttle our loafer wearing friend turned into the best dressed Cathrine wheel the neighbourhood had ever seen. Cue six hours later and it was on eBay being added to the shopping basket of yours truly for a steal.