Look at Echo's backpack blowers. They're in your price range.

Enjoy the journey.

eal51 in western CT

I have a Paramount blower/vacuum which I bought about 30 or so years ago for about $100, with inflation that would be about $700 or more today..

Stihl BG85 is solid with good power..

Not up on prices but my suggestion is probably a bit over your budget. However if you can kick it up a bit I'd suggest the blower that everyone else tries to live up to. Echo's PB-210. It's alittle heavier then newer models and doesn't quite have the air movement of others but this 20 plus year old design is still one of the most popular commercial blowers on the market.

They pay more for them and get a little less performance but get a lot more in return with longevity. Good solid units. Get em while you can because they will be the next to hit the emission chopping block. Unless. Echo tried to dis-continue these things 10 or 12 years ago because they thought they were getting to old. But the flood of complaints from dealers and users about the pending loss made Echo re-think dropping them. I half expect them to find a way to make these thing emissions compliant for the next emission stage but only time will tell.

Mark - i went through the same process a few months ago and ended up with the Stihl BG55. It's a good little blower and pushes everything I have thrown at it (this will be it's first Autumn). Overall, I'm happy with the purchase (think I paid $139 with a $20 rebate). One thing though - comparing the two, my Echo chainsaw is much easier to start (3 pulls versus 10).

Stihl BG85 just over $200. I've had one for a five years now and wouldn't own anything else. Believe me, I've tried quite a few. It has plenty of air velocity/volume for a hand held and is very reliable. Three pulls if it sat for a week or so, Two pulls if it sat for a few hours, one pull if it's been run within the past hour.

hi thanks to all, been a long
day bougth the Stihl BG85. they fired it in the parking lot and it seemed to have no power. I asked the guy if everything was ok with it he said yess i told him my old one at home had mor to it than that and i really did not want the unit. he told me it was not their policy to pusell a unit put gas in iit and take it back

he got the manager/owner that person was not pleased but gave me my money back an i drove across town and bought the echo pb200 and it is nice and more powerfull.. something was not right with the stilh any how [aid 160 dollars and not 220 dollars and it is working well

thanks

what got me was the store owner told me to my face i was very wrong about the stelh but i swear it was not much something was wrong

I just got rid of an echo back pack blower. I got tired of humping that 26lbs running up on my back. I bought a RedMax hand held blower from speedwaysales.com for exactly $200 no shipping charges. It's 8lbs. and you won't believe the power.

All I can tell you, is don't get a Poulan or a Homelite anything.

i bought the echo backpack blower from home depot last year, someone returned it and I saved about $90. Its been good for me. I had to adjust the carb a couple of times but once I did it right, it runs great and starts great. My Toro electric blower has a little more velocity, but I like using the backpack more.

The toro electric may have more velocity but it's CFM is way lower than your echo backpack blower. CFM is much better measure of performance than velocity.

We need a good light weight blower because of my health.
Thank you!

I just used my neighbor's HS55 today. It's a blower, but will also suck them up, shred them, and bag them (advertises 14:1 reduction on dry leaves). Pretty expensive over here, but the stihl USA website says that they are at the 200 buck mark. The HS85 is supposed to be the Cadillac version for about 70 bucks more. Going to have my buddy send me one I think.

Good Luck

Dave

Sorry.............. SH55 and SH85 (HS's are hedge trimmers).

Echo has a new light weight hand held blower out that has something like 400 cfm at the pipe. I think its called a model 251 or a 259. These have been on sale at Home Depot around $160, so Im sure the dealers have them at the same price. With a five year warranty I dont think you can beat the Echo.

Best wishes,
Bob.

I just bought a Shindaiwa EB3410 today for $259, I have not use it yet but it is 34cc 4 Stroke hybrid very easy starting and seems quiet when the sales person did the demo. I notice they have EB2510, 25cc version of the 4 stroke for $219. It weight 11 lb. as light as other with much smaller engines. I am sure 4 cycle smells a lot better and healthier for you while you are using it. Something to consider. If I have new info, I'll write again.

Shindaiwa makes the most powerful blowers on the market. yungman, you made a good choice.

Can't explain what was going on with the BG85 you tried, but having run a PB200, BG55 and BG85 side-by-side, there is no comparison. The Echo is a weakling by comparison to the BG85, and is even outperformed by the BG55.

Hi,

I have a RedMax EBZ 8001. This is a backpack power. So far I tlike it very much. Lost of power and I have seen alot of them used by pro lawn service people.

Best, Mike.

Hi
I use my Shindaiwa EB3410. It works. It is not loud, has a lower tone, not screamming like some of the 2 cycle and I don't smell anything. The smaller version EB2510 is about $219 it is very cheap for a comercial quality.

Don't buy anything made by MTD. They don't support their products. Conntry Side Lawn and Garden by me in Illinois wants a $35.00 deposit just to look at it even know it's still under waranttee. What a joke! Believe me, they will find a way to get that deposit. They told me I had bad gas and they had to clean it out. If that didn't fix it had to be in the carb. and that it would be my expense.
He also stated the machine wasn't worth putting that amount into it! It's been used 1 season!

I agree with some of the others that the Stihl handheld blower is far superior to the Echo.

Here is a link that might be useful: Leaf Blower Reviews