Yard? Leaf Blower - electric. Which one?

[Craig 930 RS]

Looking for an electric leaf blower - which one is a good recent model for blowing leaves and tree needles?

[Por_sha911]

My experience has been that the electrics just don't cut it. Go for the mack-daddy gas model and you'll be done in half the time. Look for max CFM and not max velocity.

[911boost]

My father has an electric, gas and gas back pack one. The back pack one is great, he uses the gas blower vacuum on the roof to blow out the gutters, and the electric one has about a inch of dust on it.

Bill

[Craig 930 RS]

I SWEAR that Consumer Reports tested those suckers some time back and an electric one was actually pretty good.

Anyone know?

[Bill Verburg]

I have 2 Toros, they work great, 1 for blowing and 1 for sucking(I'm lazy and alternate), but the cords get to be a PIA especially so over ~25'

[911teo]

Went for a Black&Decker cordless from Lowes.
It comes with 2 rechargeable batteries.
It is light (wife can easily hold it so it's not only me).
The batteries last for 7-10 mins. So it is for small areas (patio, drive etc).
We are happy for what it does. For $35 you can't go wrong.
For the big job I have a crew coming every week ($40) and saves me 2-3 hours.

[MBAtarga]

I've got a Toro electric that was great for our previous yard - about 1/3 acre. Probably the same model of Bill's - it's got a vacuum bag attachment. With our new yard ( > 1/2 acre, with mature trees) it just can't handle all the leaves. Bought an Echo gasoline backpack version and use it almost weekly.

[rcecale]

Originally posted by Por_sha911
My experience has been that the electrics just don't cut it. Go for the mack-daddy gas model and you'll be done in half the time. Look for max CFM and not max velocity.

+1

I have a Ryobi gas model I strap to my back that allows me to handle my yard in just a couple of hours. It used to take all day when I used a rake. And the rake seemed to always pull out too much grass.

My electric model sucks at blowing... *cue the rim-shot* In fact, it sucks so much I attached the back to it for vaccuming the leaves out from under the deck and other tight spaces I can't blow them out of.

Randy

[Dan in Pasadena]

I've had both the gas and the electric ones. I prefer the gas until they start getting hard to start, then they're a PITA. Get the Toro.

[Bill Verburg]

I guess that I should add, i only use them on the paved drive and around the pool which is all patio block.

For the lawn I have a 8hp lawn vac,

[billyboy]

We have a Toro electric model with a long cord. It works great on leaves. My wife is a fanatical blower (driveway only, unfortunately ) and uses it constantly.

[RickM]

I have a Stihl backpack and a Toro electric blower/vac. By far the gas unit is better. The vac does come in handy for tough to reach areas though.

Sometimes I wish the Stihl had more power. Especially for those helicopter thingys that fly off the trees. They just don't move easily.

[Bill Verburg]

Especially for those helicopter thingys that fly off the trees

I hate maple trees theya re constantly dropping something, the helicopters being one

[targa911S]

Originally posted by Bill Verburg
I have 2 Toros, they work great, 1 for blowing and 1 for sucking(I'm lazy and alternate), but the cords get to be a PIA especially so over ~25'

Ditto on the Toros. Had mine for 10 years and it finally just gave up. Buy the best one in the line though as I bought the cheap one to replace it and I'm not as satisfied with it as the first one.

[Craig 930 RS]

Wow, thanks all. I have stamped/colored side paths, an aggregate driveway, barked areas and forested sections. And 2 giant cedar trees and 4 Fir trees that make all the mess - !

[kach22i]

I was looking these up recently and read that the 2-stroke back-pack style Husqvarna is supposed to be pretty quiet compared to some of the older stuff. I saw the 45 cc for $300 at Lowes today.

I'm thinking of putting one on my hovercraft as a "bow thruster".

I'd rather pick up something used for half the price, but I don't want to be messing with bad mechanicals when I still have to figure out the linkage controls.

[Schrup]

I bought a Stihl BG 55 Blower & it does a good job. If I had more trees in my yard I would have got a back pack unit, but the hand held works fine for me. All my yard equipment is Stihl except my Cal-trimmer.

[Z-man]

I've got a Toro Electric, and have the attachment that fits over a regular garbage can - far more efficient than the vacum bag attachment.

Works great, but as stated before, the chord does limit the mobility.

-Z-man.

[fastpat]

Originally posted by Craig911
Looking for an electric leaf blower - which one is a good recent model for blowing leaves and tree needles?

I'll second what the others have said. Unless you have a very small yard, like less than 3-4000 square feet, a gas unit is much better.

I have lots of leaves here, and acreage, so I bought a Stihl 550 which does a very good job. The engine is a 4-stroke that burns the oil/gas mixture than most folks use in their weed trimmers and chain saws. Very quiet for the power, and no smoke.

[ken_xman]

I second the vote for the Stihl Backpack. The extra money spent is well worth the less headache. I use mine for the beds and hedge lines bordering property. I also have about 15 mature trees on an acre and need to use the big push blower- Little Wonder 8hp- to move the mass of leaves. My neighbors are amazed that I can bang out the whole yard in about 2hrs, not killing myself in the process. I also finish with the Deere tractor with the bagger on. The lawn looks vacuumed clean afterwards. Funniest part, most of them dont know I used to own a large commercial landscaping company, so it seem like childs play to me.