Newbie: Need advice on a blower?

[MrC]

I have a very small yard (2500 sq feet) but my neighbors and I have a lot of trees with a tremendous amount of leaves and acorns. I have so many acorns that I can fill any where between 6-8 32 gallon bags. Can I get away with very good hand held blower (Redmax, Stihl, Echo, etc.) or should I spend a little more for a decent backpack:
Husqvarna 145BT
Echo PB413
Stihl BR340
Redmax EB4401

If the backpacks can't handle the acorns then I'll just go with the handheld.

Do you prefer the throttle switch on the hip or on the tube? Why?

Thanks!!!

[prostriper]

We have a 4401, its ok for cleanups, but if you can fork it out go for the 8000. The 4401 won't do well with the acorns but it will do better than a handheld.

[DOORZ]

I have the Husqvarna 145BT blower which I bought almost 2-1/2 years ago, and have had no problems with it. It doesn't do a great job with removing acorns in the grassy areas, but I am not sure if any blower will help much with acorns.

A packpack or hand held would depend on how much you plan on using it. I had a handheld when I lived in my old house which had a smaller yard, and it was ok. Once I moved into my bigger house using the handheld to blow the yard off sucked. Buying my backpack blower was one of the best investments I have ever made. I use it all year round to blow the driveway off, grass clipings, deck, etc.

[LarryF]

I have a very small yard (2500 sq feet) but my neighbors and I have a lot of trees with a tremendous amount of leaves and acorns. I have so many acorns that I can fill any where between 6-8 32 gallon bags. Can I get away with very good hand held blower (Redmax, Stihl, Echo, etc.) or should I spend a little more for a decent backpack:
Husqvarna 145BT
Echo PB413
Stihl BR340
Redmax EB4401

If the backpacks can't handle the acorns then I'll just go with the handheld.

Do you prefer the throttle switch on the hip or on the tube? Why?

Thanks!!!


You didn't say how much you are willing to spend. I'd go for the backpack, and it would be the Redmax 7001. Mailorder price is around $400. It'll last you a lifetime and make leaf cleanup a breeze (no pun intended). But since you live in NJ, you may have a lot deer in your yard at times. If so, why don't you leave the acorns on the ground for them. By next year at this time, all of the acorns will be gone, and the heavy acorn crop doesn't happen every year. Not in my yard at least. But if you are really obsessed with picking up every last acorns, you might want to consider a walk-behind lawn vacuum. Since your lot is small, that might be better and easier on you than using a blower.

[MrC]

I'm really starting to lean towards a handheld blower because most blowers in my budget ($300) will not deal with the acorns. I can't seem to decide between the Stihl 85 and Redmax 2600.

[ed2hess]

I'm really starting to lean towards a handheld blower because most blowers in my budget ($300) will not deal with the acorns. I can't seem to decide between the Stihl 85 and Redmax 2600.
You are correct you don't need a big blower...we have the Stihl 85 and it is a very good blower and has a lot of force. It is a little bit better than the Echo I think because it seems better balanced.

[josh1981]

You are correct you don't need a big blower...we have the Stihl 85 and it is a very good blower and has a lot of force. It is a little bit better than the Echo I think because it seems better balanced.

Same here (bg 85) and works great at shredding leaves and blowing. Lots of power.

[LarryF]

I'm really starting to lean towards a handheld blower because most blowers in my budget ($300) will not deal with the acorns. I can't seem to decide between the Stihl 85 and Redmax 2600.

Mrc,

Regarding which handheld blower to get, if you haven't seen it, there's an interesting thread on this topic in the Commercial forum.

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=162022

Both of the ones you mentioned are in those discussions, but there are a few more as well.

[metro36]

Echo 755h is the way to go. Great machine. It will move those acorns for you. It you get a bp blower I would get hip throttle. It has less of a chance of the throttle cable getting ripped or cut.