# Lightweight Gas Powered Leaf Blower ~ recommendations needed



## Melensdad

My wife would like a leaf blower.

Because of the size of our property we need a gas powered leaf blower.  So since this is tool for my wife (her request) it must be a light weight unit.

Does anyone make a LIGHT but HIGH QUALITY leaf blower?

I'm not looking for a big commercial unit, but I would prefer a commercial quality unit.


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## jpr62902

Gas driven, light weight and high powered?  Sounds like you need to pick 2 out of 3, to me.  I've had a Stihl for some time that is pretty dern powerful and with a 2 cycle engine.  It seems light to me, but I'm a dude.


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## Melensdad

Doesn't have to be *high powered*.

Does have to be *high quality*.

Stihl is a great brand.  MTD not so much.  I'd prefer to spend a bit more money to get something that is durable and reliable.


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## loboloco

No reason for a gas powered blower.
Instead, when your wife is outside, ask her the following question:
"Dear, what have I done lately you don't like."
As she begins to speak, point her in the direction of the leaves.


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## XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq

I burned through a Poulan pretty quickly.  The Troy-bilt one has been pretty good for the last 3-4 years.


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## Adillo303

Just a thought.

This is light and on wheels, she would not have to pick it up at all.

Another thought

I have one of these. It pulls itself around and does a a pretty good job.

The large green spiral hose is a hand operated vacuum wand for tight places.

Hope this helps.

Andy


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## tsaw

The Stihl BG 55 is awesome.
Check it out:

http://www.stihlusa.com/blowers/BG55.html


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## bczoom

I'll pile on about the Stihl BG 55.  Nice for medium sized jobs.  Obviously not as powerful as it's bigger brothers so it won't work as well on wet, matted leaves or in extremely large areas but it sounds like what you need.

On a quasi-related note, if you take the larger Stihl backpack blowers and point the nozzle upward and hit the trigger, you can get it to hover a basketball in the air in front of the nozzle.


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## Melensdad

tsaw said:


> The Stihl BG 55 is awesome.
> Check it out:
> 
> http://www.stihlusa.com/blowers/BG55.html



That one looks ideal.  And the local John Deere dealership carries them for $149.  So it looks like a winner.


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## joec

We use  Poulan here they both are leaf blowers or a vac if needed. We have two of them now for about 6 years with no problem. One thing to pay attention to with them is the air filters. After a few months of constant use they should be removed and soaked in some 2 cycle oil then replaced. Typical 2 cycle engine that even my wife can start and operate with no assistance.


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## Dargo

Melensdad said:


> That one looks ideal.  And the local John Deere dealership carries them for $149.  So it looks like a winner.



I'm a Stihl sort of guy after years of using all sorts. Have 3 Poulans I'll give you free. Just come pick them up. Two don't work and the one that still runs has been on fire twice. 

Anyway, that Stihl model has replaced the broom in my barn. Stihl backpack for outdoors. Husqvarna also makes good backpack units. Stihl for hand held.


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## bczoom

You don't use your backpack in the barn?  I find mine very handy for clearing shelves.


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## mak2

I have a sthil backpack and hand blower.  Best I ever used, but I had to change a fuel line on the backpack blower last year.


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## Kwiens

I have the Echo version of Tsaw's, the PB 200.  Light and easy to handle yetmoves a lot of air/leaves, grass clippings/rocks/stuff.

K


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## Melensdad

Just an update, for Mothers Day my wife got this one, it is not the bottom of the line, but it is clearly near the bottom.  In looking over their line-up, this one has has their 'ez start' system with a semi-automatic (wife approved) choke system.  I used it to 'sweep' the garage and was pretty impressed.  Light weight, not much vibration, enough power to blow the gunk that was stuck on the garage floor off the floor and out the door.  


> BG 56 C-E Handheld Blower
> Occasional User
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Don’t let yard work be hard work. Ideal for cleaning up leaves and debris on walkways or driveways around the home, the new powerful, low emissions BG 56 C-E handheld gas leaf blower features the STIHL Easy2Start™ system, making starting virtually effortless. Designed with a specialized stop switch and semi-automatic choke lever, the blower automatically resets itself to the run position while helping prevent accidental flooding for smooth starts.
> 
> 
> 
> Standard Features:
> 
> Powerful and fuel-efficient, low-emission STIHL HomeScaper Series™ engine
> Easy2Start™ system
> Semi-automatic choke lever for smooth starts
> Stop switch - automatically returns to start position
> Two-ringed piston for extended life


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## tsaw

Please be careful with that blower

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO-CBLbNwQA"]YouTube- funny STIHL Leaf Blower[/ame]


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## Snowtrac Nome

for your use you did not go wrong stihl they make high quality products and have been leaders in vibration isolation tech for years also there easy start is good for the females women don't want to feel like they have wresteled with a jond deer tractor all day they like things mor civilized thats why they have heated seats power steering and climate control not solar a/c and armstrong power steering like my jeep.


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## Dargo

bczoom said:


> You don't use your backpack in the barn?  I find mine very handy for clearing shelves.



LOL, yes, they will clear off shelves of about everything but buckets of chain, anvils and larger pieces of scrap iron.  On a funny note, I just got back yesterday and my German Shepherds looked awful because they are still shedding their thick under coat of hair as they always do in the spring.  Generally about once a week I'll brush them and fill a trash can full of hair by the time I've brushed both (really freaks out the trash man when he sees that).  Anyway, I hadn't brushed them before I left and they looked terrible when they ran out to greet me.

Figuring that at least Bruno will do about anything I ask, I told him to "sit" and "stay".  I then fired up the Stihl BR600 backpack blower and turned it on him.  At first he wanted to bite the stream of air, like he loves to do with the hose, but stopped when I asked.  It looked really weird seeing him sitting there with a slipstream of thick dog fur blowing off of him.  It seemed to help a lot.  I would have plugged the shop vac many times over doing the same thing.  

Bruno has more hair than any 3 dogs should have anyway.  On the coldest nights when it snows he'll sleep right out in the yard and the snow doesn't melt anywhere on him except on his nose and right in front of his nose.  Kind of freaky to see, but I figure not much body heat is escaping.


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