I need a new leaf blower, which to get?

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by fintstone

I bought a STIHL 800 X MAGNUM backpack 2 cycle last year. They are amazing but pricey. If you have to move massive amounts of wet leaves, this will do it quickly. Knocked my week of backbreaking work twice a year down to one day. It is built in the U.S.A. My chainsaws, weed eaters, etc. are all STIHL.

Yes, and they're light too. Use Moto mix fuel in it and you'll never have a problem with it.

[Baz]

I worked for 10 years as a sales manager for a company that sold private labeled Echo hand held power equipment.

The number of units I personally sold probably eclipses the total number owned by everyone on this forum.

Blowers, string trimmers, edgers, and hedge clippers....plus all the replacement parts.

Here I am in my Fort Myers store holding one of my sales awards. Another year exceeding a million dollars at that location.....



I learned a lot about 2 cycle equipment. I still have a few of those private labeled Echos...they were some good machines!

[KFC911]

What was the private label Baz .... something we've heard of? My two oldest are Echos ... a tiny "baby saw" that my dad used for years, and I have abused it for a few more, and a backpack blower. My others are all Stihls .... made in the USA . FWIW, the pro Stihl saws are made in Germany, built totally different, and BEASTS...

I have one of those.... my last saw purchase

[Baz]

Originally Posted by KC911

What was the private label Baz .... something we've heard of? My two oldest are Echos ... a tiny "baby saw" that my dad used for years, and I have abused it for a few more, and a backpack blower. My others are all Stihls .... made in the USA . FWIW, the pro Stihl saws are made in Germany, built totally different, and BEASTS...

I have one of those.... my last saw purchase

KC.....these were the same exact Echos.....except green.....instead of gray or orange. They had our name on them...Lesco.

I have photos and literature in the back room.

And like I said - I still have some of these stored away. Almost 30 years old now!

Later on Lesco changed to private labeled Kawasaki brand, but that was after I left.

You know, John Deere also had the same arrangement with Echo. They had their label on the same machines....and theirs were yellow!

I actually have one of those - for a particular hand held blower I liked and just wanted it for parts.

I'll post pics when I get a chance.....

[KFC911]

^^^^ Cool .... Lesco eh... the fertilizer company. That's all I know about them... and noticed that pallet full beside you too

[Norm K]

Originally Posted by hbueno

How much run time do yoiu get before having to charge tbe battery? The Wirecutter review said it lasts about 20 minutes.

As with some Porsches, be judicious with turbo usage and your fuel supply will last longer.

I get more like 30 minutes (maybe a shade more) when asking mine to push a moderate-but-effective amount of air. Stay in turbo mode though, and 15-20 minutes is more like it.

_

[Baz]

Originally Posted by KC911

^^^^ Cool .... Lesco eh... the fertilizer company. That's all I know about them... and noticed that pallet full beside you too

Yes. The fertilizer company.

Behind me on the right is a stack of liquid micronutrients we sold in 2 1/2 gal. jugs. Each box there containing 2 jugs. We had 3 different kinds. On top is an electric spreader. To the left is a stack of perennial ryegrass. That Transtar was actually an Intermediate Rye. You can see some bags of fertilizer on the floor and then the aftermarket parts we sold on the wall. Our warehouses were drive-throughs and averaged about 4K SF.

Here's a pic of me at the previous location in Ft Myers before we moved into the new building off Metro Parkway.....about to deliver fertilizer in our Dodge Dakota.......