What handheld blower/vac

[Stoneguy]

William,

Thank you for all your thoughtful insights on the merits of the 125 series blower you purchased.
You could be an excellent paid spokesman for Husqvarna.
Seriously, your comments here had me virtually convinced to follow your lead and buy the same blower.
That would have been quite a leap for me, as I believe my brand loyalty is pretty clear.

I ended up buying the Stihl BG86 this morning. I'm quite impressed with the unit. I did not get the EasyStart model, as I prefer the KISS way of thinking. This new unit is much smoother than the BG85, and starts very easily. The power seem just about the same, and I really like the throttle arrangement and action.
And I got a four year warranty as well

Happy tree work and or landscape/gardening to you,

David

 

[Hustihler]

William,

Thank you for all your thoughtful insights on the merits of the 125 series blower you purchased.
You could be an excellent paid spokesman for Husqvarna.
Seriously, your comments here had me virtually convinced to follow your lead and buy the same blower.
That would have been quite a leap for me, as I believe my brand loyalty is pretty clear.

I ended up buying the Stihl BG86 this morning. I'm quite impressed with the unit. I did not get the EasyStart model, as I prefer the KISS way of thinking. This new unit is much smoother than the BG85, and starts very easily. The power seem just about the same, and I really like the throttle arrangement and action.
And I got a four year warranty as well

Happy tree work and or landscape/gardening to you,

David

Congratulations, I think you made a great choice, while I still believe the 125 is the best value on the market, I also strongly believe that the Stihl BG 86 is the best handheld blower on the market and it seems like it fits your bill to a tee. In the end, we all have to make the choices that properly fit our needs, wants, and budget. What works for one person doesn't always have to work for another. I started out a hardcore Stihl guy, until I went looking for a new 50cc saw to replace an old worn out 024 Super. After months of reading/researching on this site I got convinced on taking a chance on a Husqvarna 346xp and I haven't looked back since. Slowly but surely just about all my OPE is becoming Husqvarna, I still think Stihl makes some awesome, well-built stuff(I still own a 261, 009L, FS 80, FS 90, and a BR 600), but the ergonomics and innovation of the Huskys are making me a firm believer. I wish I did work for Husqvarna, then maybe I could get some freebies or corporate discounts[emoji4]
Again, congrats to you on your new purchase, and I think you made a very wise choice and I know that BG86 will serve you well for years to come.

William

 

[ANewSawyer]

I have been thinking about getting a gas blower and had wondered about the Husqvarna. This thread answered my question. I use an electric leaf blower to rake my yard but I think the Husqvarna would do just fine. And I wouldn't have to tug that annoying cord around. Thanks!

 

[PLMCRZY]

I have a craftsman cordless. It does decent but the battery doesnt last. I won it at a fundraiser.

Im considering the bg56 or bg86 cant really decide. Im just a homeowner, but that av would be nice.

Im kinda partial to stihl now. Since i bought my new saw im extremely impressed. Also my fs55r trimmer sat for 2 yrs i started it a few weeks ago with the old gas and it ran great. Love stihl products.

 

[ANewSawyer]

You guys are a bad influence. I bought the 125B today. I found a $10 off coupon for the big blue home improvement store. What can I say? $10 is $10.

 

[Stoneguy]

PLMCRZY, I am very happy with the BG86 after one month of use. It fires right up on first or second pull every time. The vibration is dramatically reduced from the BG85 I used for many years.
Not knowing what you need the blower for, it's hard to say which Stihl blower is better for you. I'm a believer in "bigger is better" for most things.

 

[Gonzoso]

I am on the fence too about this. I am kind of a hardcore Stihl guy but try to keep an open mind. We have a Redmax version of the Husqvarna 125 bvx and it has been beaten and abused for years even before I took over the landscaping department where I work. It is used to suck A LOT of leaves out of ornate beds around a large spa resort, for an unknown number of years.

It starts every time and has some broken fins inside on the plastic fan/flywheel thingy but still does a decent job.

I'm looking to build up my own personal tool collection to do side work and will be leaning towards the 125 bvx. A few things I like about it over the Stihl
1. It seems a little lighter(just looked it up, the Husqvarna is almost 3 pounds lighter)
2. The at nozzle CFM is almost the same.
3. The Husqvarna bag/blower attachment is more durable IMHO. It is attached using tension from a wing nut. The Stihl uses a funky ratcheting thing with a tab you would need a tool to remove it with. Frequently when sucking up leaves I will get a jam in the blower tube and have to remove the bag and clear it, the Husqvarna is easier to do and the Stihl looks less durable.
4. The easy 2 start system adds some more complicated parts and is probably responsible for some of the weight. It's a 28 cc motor, it's not hard to start and I don't like complicated.
5. It's $100 cheaper. Seriously it's 2/3 the price. I'm sure it will last nearly as long.

I use this blower as a tool to clean out leaves in sensitive beds where I don't want to blast air all over and make a mess of mulch, damage plants etc. It excels at that. I also use it to clean up little messes left from doing work where a backpack blower would just be overkill and a pain to put on, be too loud, a hassle to get out of the truck, etc. It's also great to blow out the truck bed real quick and just a handy little blower. I'd rather put the $100 towards another tool like a big blower or trimmer or something.

 

[ANewSawyer]

Hmm, husqy has a new handheld blower 525BX: http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/leaf-blowers/525bx/967284202/