What's the best backpack blower on the market?

[blsnelling]

I'm in the market for a new backpack blower. I know the Stihl 600 is very popular, but would rather stay away from the 4-mix engine. I also see that there are a few strato blowers coming out. Here are a few I'm looking at

1. Stihl BR600 - LINK
2. Echo PB-770 - LINK
3. Shindaiwa EB802 - LINK
4. Shindaiwa EB8520 - LINK
5. Redmax EBZ8050 - LINK
6. Kawasaki KRB750B - LINK

 

[greg986547]

I'm in the market for a new backpack blower. I know the Stihl 600 is very popular, but would rather stay away from the 4-mix engine. I also see that there are a few strato blowers coming out. Here are a few I'm looking at

1. Stihl BR600 - LINK
2. Echo PB-770 - LINK
3. Shindaiwa EB802 - LINK
4. Shindaiwa EB8520 - LINK
5. Redmax EBZ8050 - LINK

Hey Brad... I really like the BR 380's and 420's traded my 380 for a BR 550 and miss it...I liked the two stroke engine and lighter weight..

 

[blsnelling]

Hey Brad... I really like the BR 380's and 420's traded my 380 for a BR 550 and miss it...I liked the two stroke engine and lighter weight..

I have a BR400 I'm selling. I'm looking for more CFMs. I've used a BR600 and love the air it moves. The weight doesn't concern me so much. I won't be using it for long periods of time.

 

[greg986547]

I have a BR400 I'm selling. I'm looking for more CFMs. I've used a BR600 and love the air it moves. The weight doesn't concern me so much. I won't be using it for long periods of time.

makes sense....the 600 is top of the heap (i think) when it comes to moving air...to bad it has valves!

 

[54stude]

I have a br400 also, and I like it a lot, but I can see you wanting a little more CFM.

You ever ported a backpack blower? If you bump the RPM on your old one up 20% I bet that BR400 would be really nice!

 

[Work Saw Collector]

I have the 600 and love it, my BR600 does not say mag like the new ones not sure if there is a difference.

 

[CentaurG2]

I have the redmax ebz8001. It is very strong. It will easily push a brick across your lawn, deadhead spring flowers, strip paint off your siding. It is very heavy. With a full clip of fuel, it feels just like 4 cinderblocks on your back. It is also very cumbersome to store. Just plain drinks fuel but it does make spring/fall clean up a snap. If you go redmax, get the model that has the throttle on the separate arm. It is more durable than having the throttle on the tube and I think more comfortable to use.

 

[Work Saw Collector]

I forgot a pic you can also clear a walkway with them or a vehicle.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/supercabs78/5432835695/" title="snow 026 by supercabs78, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/5432835695_0e72696fef.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="snow 026" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/supercabs78/5433448694/" title="snow 030 by supercabs78, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5253/5433448694_f30244bd96.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="snow 030" /></a>

 

[jus2fat]

I think you should definitely buy the Echo and take pics of you wearing it!!!
Maybe even better than you riding....what was it..a Dolmar or something??
Just messin' with ya...sorry couldn't help it...LOL

J2F

 

[epicklein22]

I have a BR600 and it is a nice machine (especially for 50 bucks :msp_flapper, but I have a love/hate relationship with the 4-mix engines. They are awesome when working well, but seem to be quirky all the time.

If it was my money, I would go with a Redmax. I've tried one and it seemed more powerful than my BR600.

 

[Swamp Yankee]

BR600

Had mine for about 7 years. Other than a plug and air filter as required, just put pre-mix in, pull the cord and it goes. The harness is pretty comfortable which to me is important as during the annual rearranging of the leaves I may have it on for 6 hours a day. I generally put 75 hours or so a year on mine as I have just about all side hill and can't vacuum nor push a Billy Goat up the hills. Let's face it a lot of landscapers swear by them and they put more hours on in a month than most people do in a lifetime.

The BR 600 works well on moving pine needles and pine cones something I've never seem any other blower other than a wheeled unit do. My neighbor's Echo backpack blower won't budge them. They are fantastic and fast for light snow cleanups. You know the 1 to 3 inches of powder that you really don't want to mess with but have to.

Take Care

 

[mtnwalker1]

I would go with the BR600. I work for a Stihl dealer and those are the biggest seller we have to contractors and landscapers. The feedback I have got from customers is saying they are the best. Also we are an equipment rental and that is what we use in our rental fleet and if the can take the abuse of rental they are good.

 

[BloodOnTheIce]

The BR600 is the only backpack we stock, it sells like hotcakes. From a service end of things, all the problems people talk about having issues with them I haven't run into. I've never had one broken valve, or cam gear issues, the only thing that goes on them is coils and your coil is covered for 5 years. And if you have to replace it after that it's a 55$ part. But they have been very reliable, even when abused by landscapers.

 

[blsnelling]

Thanks for the input guys. I just got home from the dealer. I can get the the Shiny 802 for $475 and the Echo 770 for $465. What I find interesting is that the Echo only has a 63cc engine, where as the others are 79cc, but is rated at more CFM and velocity.

 

[blsnelling]

Here's another one to consider.

Kawasaki KRB750B - LINK

 

[oscar4883]

That 8520 Shindaiwa rips pretty good. A customer I did a job for had just gotten one a brought it out for me to try. Just about knocked my stump grinder over LOL.

 

[blsnelling]

Specs

Stihl BR600
CFM - 712 cfm
Velocity - 201 mph
Weight - 21.6 lbs
Displacement - 64.8 cc

Kawasaki KRB750B
CFM - 720 cfm
Velocity - 200 mph
Weight - 20.7 lbs
Displacement - 64.7 cc

Echo PB-770T
CFM - 765 cfm
Velocity - 204 mph
Weight - 23.8 lbs
Displacement - 63.3 cc

Shindaiwa EB802RT
CFM - 730 cfm
Velocity - 191 mph
Weight - 22.9 lbs
Displacement - 79.2 cc

Shindaiwa EB8520
CFM - 760 cfm
Velocity - 201 mph
Weight - 25.6 lbs
Displacement - 79.7 cc

Redmax EBZ 8050
CFM - 685 cfm
Velocity - 201 mph
Weight - 27.7 lbs
Displacement - 71.9 cc

 

[blsnelling]

I'm liking the looks of the Kawasaki a lot. It's not only the most powerful, it's also the lightest.

 

[Knuckles]

Why don't you like the 4 mix? You of all people shouldn't be concerned lol.

I don't know what kind of Kawasaki dealer you have, but I've heard their new OPE is supposed to be the witch's tits. There's not one near me or I'd me snooping around them too.

 

[blsnelling]

Why don't you like the 4 mix? You of all people shouldn't be concerned lol.

I just like to keep it simple. I hear the bugs have been worked out of the BR600, but I also hear that Stihl is doing away with their 4-mix trimmers and going to a strato engine.