SIGforum
Can someone help me out on leaf blowers?
December 21, 2022, 01:03 PM
jljonesCan someone help me out on leaf blowers?
I am looking at buying a leaf blower to go with my other battery powered implements.
I know nothing about them. They range from 600 CFM to 765 CFM, and between 150 MPH and 195. Will the lower end (cheaper) units still do a good job or should I buy once, cry once and get the turbo charged model?
I have leaves but not tons of leaves like you’d have with a yard full of oak and maple trees.
December 21, 2022, 01:08 PM
BigSwedeI went all battery powered for my yard tools and love them
I wanted a leaf blower because. The electrics just didn't have the power I was looking for
I went with the Husqvarna 570BTS from Lowes, made in USA and I can clear my yard in minutes
https://www.husqvarna.com/us/leaf-blowers/570bts/Engine
570BTS
Art no: 966 62 94‑02
Cylinder displacement 4 cu.inch
Power output 4 hp
Maximum power speed 8,000 rpm
Fuel tank volume 74.4 fl oz
Idling speed 2,000 rpm
Electrode gap 0 in
Fuel consumption 431 g/kWh
Capacity
Air flow in housing 972 cfm
Air flow in pipe 768 cfm
Air speed 236.2 mph
Air speed (flat nozzle) 202 mph
Air speed (round nozzle) 236 mph
Blowing Force 37 N
December 21, 2022, 01:08 PM
MikeGLIWhat battery system are you invested in?
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Steak: Rare. Coffee: Black. Bourbon: Neat. December 21, 2022, 01:12 PM
jljonesEgo
December 21, 2022, 01:19 PM
9x18I have an Ego blower and it works fine. I also have a gutter that is about 16' off the ground .I bought two sets of Ego gutter attachments and I can now clean that gutter from the ground.
Mine isn't the strongest they make but it does have a turbo boost button that really gives it some ooomph.
I also have a Ego chainsaw that is pretty good if I go slow . It bogs down and stops if you go too fast. I use my gas powered Stihl for felling and the battery Ego for trim and some bucking.
December 21, 2022, 01:20 PM
HRKSince you are invested in EGO, stick with EGO, I have the 530 which was top of the line a few years ago, it has plenty of power however I would probably opt for a Higher CFM if buying today, just because....
Neighbor got the 670, it really moves air so anything he needs to move it does easily, as long as you can go non turbo and slow it down when needed or full on boogie when necessary.
The 670 would probably do it all,
December 21, 2022, 01:28 PM
jljonesAight, I’ll go with the 670
December 21, 2022, 01:36 PM
architectI wouldn't put much stock into the "specifications," not all manufacturers use the same methodology for measurement, and there is no standards body (that I know of). Online reviews are, as always, plagued by confirmation bias, but may show some insight.
A probably more important differentiator is the packaging, hand held, backpack, wheeled in increasing order of oomph. There is a reason professional groundskeepers use a combo of backpack and wheeled equipment. If you are trying to blow partially-decomposed wet leaves out of wet grass without an assistant wielding a spring rake in the air stream, none of them are adequate, however even the smallest will easily handle the driveway and patio. Another factor to consider is that the bigger the blower, the bigger the pile you have to move after.
For my part, I am happy with my Ryobi 40V hand held blower, but it is far from a powerhouse. Since you are already invested in Ego, I'd recommend you get the most appealing model in their lineup. A quick scan of Amazon shows this, to my eye anyway, is the LB6300 backpack model, but it's easy to spend someone else's money, and at just shy of $600 (battery and charger included) it may not be a casual purchase.
December 21, 2022, 01:50 PM
joel9507Good call on the turbo Ego. Nice to know you can 'go to 11' when you really need to blow at some distance.
We have one along with various sized batteries, and it's really been great. Started with the leaf blower, expanded to chainsaw, trimmer, etc.
December 21, 2022, 05:23 PM
220-9erIt's hard to have too much (power/cfm) leaf blower.
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December 21, 2022, 05:34 PM
RileyYou’ll be happy with the 670.
I have the Ego 530 with a 2.5ah battery, it works ok but I still break out the Stihl gas occasionally. I occasionally end up using the larger mower battery to get more run time.
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Expectations are premeditated disappointments. December 21, 2022, 05:52 PM
Black92LXquote:
Originally posted by jljones:
Aight, I’ll go with the 670
I have the EGO as well.
Extra batteries!!!
I have 29 Premier Pear trees in my back yard that have thick waxy leaves and don’t fall until late November or early December.
I quit using the blower on them and just mulch them with the mower. Blower is way too much work.
Front yard have 1 huge silver maple and it handles that fine. I blow them into a big pile in the street and scoop them up with the snow shovel.
Blowing grass after morning and drying the trucks after washing them are really all the are good at.
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December 21, 2022, 06:16 PM
bendableLove both of my Toro corded blowers/suckers
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December 21, 2022, 06:49 PM
NavyGuyCordless like the Ego are very convenient but you'll not see yard crews using them. They don't come close to the volume and air speed of even the very least expensive gas powered units. We have an Ego and my wife loves it to clear off the patio, and front walk. Serious leaf blowing needs more power but add the inconvenience of keeping mixed gas around and all that goes with a gas powered engine. I've got both, and the gas unit only comes out when there's a bigger job. I think I paid about $100 for it 3 years ago and it's still easy to start and works well. It is twice the power of the electric and will run for near an hour with the tiny gas tank it has.
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-D.H. Lawrence December 21, 2022, 07:53 PM
BigJoeWent Ego leaf blower and string trimmer. I was so happy with them, I sold my gas configuration.
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December 21, 2022, 07:58 PM
CPD SIGquote:
Originally posted by bendable:
Love both of my Toro corded blowers/suckers
This ^
The "sucker" attachment mulches the leaves. So you have 1 bag of mulched leaves vs 6 bags of stuff you have to rake up and stuff in a bag. Something to think about.
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December 21, 2022, 09:40 PM
dsietsJust don't make a wall of leaves and then stand there w/ your blower still blowing the wall likes it's going to move.
Grab a tarp. Grab a rake. Once the blower doesn't move the leaves anymore, rake the leaves on a tarp and pull them to their final destination.
It drives me nuts watching people too lazy to use a rake but trying to move a pile of leaves that ain't moving anymore when it's too much.
Like trying to blow a pile of bricks and the whole time all you hear is the back pack blower screeeeaming away.
Granted, electric might be a bit quieter but the end result is the same.
And I vote for the turbo charged model, whatever you can get. Just so you can get'er done.
(Wow, I guess I've been harboring that for awhile.

)
December 21, 2022, 09:47 PM
ensigmaticquote:
Originally posted by dsiets:
Just don't make a wall of leaves and then stand there w/ your blower still blowing the wall likes it's going to move.
Big enough blower and they
will move

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"If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher December 21, 2022, 09:52 PM
dsietsquote:
Originally posted by ensigmatic:
quote:
Originally posted by dsiets:
Just don't make a wall of leaves and then stand there w/ your blower still blowing the wall likes it's going to move.
Big enough blower and they
will move
I've used blowers that you ride on. Unless you can get me a jet engine that will also set them on fire, there's always that point where anymore time trying to blow them is futile.
But yeah, the mother of invention is always working on it.