About 2 years ago I sold my Troy-bilt walk behind leaf blower when I upgraded to a new Echo 60+CC backpack leaf blower. I sold the troy-bilt machine mostly because it always disappointed me, my dad had a 5hp Giant Vac that in my memory really pushed the leaves. My troy-bilt, while having a 6.5hp motor seemed to really create very little wind pressure, no matter what I did to it. While I love my Echo backpack blower, I have always kept 1/2 an eye open on Facebook Marketplace for used Giant Vacs, recently I noticed several of them online at $100-$200. The larger models go new for sometimes over $1,000. While I am a big advocate for large and small chainsaws for different purposes, leaf blowers I am much of the mind to own only one and the biggest you can afford. I am assuming the reason so many are available currently, is its mostly homeowners shifting to backpack blowers and trying to declutter garages. Yesterday I managed to catch a lightly used 9HP giant vac for $150 and pulled the trigger. So one more toy in the garage, but the leaves and tree debris are no match for the Echo / Giant Vac duo at my house!
Leaf blowers are getting the stink eye from every community. Probably the next thing banned, and not just in California. They are loud, it's just inherent in their design. It doesn't matter of it's electric, 2 stroke or 4 stroke.
I had a Little Wonder walk behind years back and man could that thing move the leaves. Currently I have the PB8010 Echo and while it can't do quite what the LW did, my legs appreciate not pushing that heavy sucker up hills. I think that was the only thing I didn't like about it... the weight...
I remember the walk behind blowers. Never used one, however. I use a Toro plug-in blower/mulcher. It does the job for me.
200+MPH and 600+ CFM from the better backpack blowers (Starting at around $500) killed the 5/6HP homeowner wheel blowers. The backpacks are way more versatile as well. They're still available, just not in high demand. Doesn't help that they are simple machines that tend to last decades given reasonable care. Some of y'all will be happy to know that self-propelled versions of wheel blowers are available too, but a spendy option if purchasing just for personal use. The more recent non-SP designs from Billy Goat or Little Wonder are MUCH lighter to push than the older units that were constructed with armor plate impellers.
A buddy of mine recently bought a self propelled Billy Goat (I think...) unit. He's pretty impressed! I think that's the only way I'd go if I bought one again with how hilly my yard is....
The BR600 still does a better job than the big self propelled billy goat, but many folks prefer to ride.
I prefer the control of a backpack as well. Self propelled is all well and good if you want a walk behind but you still have to turn it around and things blow the wrong direction when you do so. Throttling down a backpack is almost instant but the inertia of a walk behind takes a little longer to slow.
We had a Billy Goat for a while. Spent too much time emptying the bag. I've seen gas stations use them to vacuum their lots. Traded that in on a bigger Toro that also mulched and chipped. It had flails and really pulverized the oak leaves into tiny bits. Great for the compost pile. Actually did a good job, but it was too big for repeatedly criss-crossing the yard. Like some snow blowers it was a bear to turn around, and forget using it without the self-propel. It's buried in the back of the garage. Used a leaf blower for a while just using a tarp to slide a load across the lawn and now I just use the riding mower and its bagging system. It does fill up kinda fast but riding back and forth isn't so bad.
I got one at the flea market a couple years ago for $50, all it needed was a new wheel. I can't remember what kind it is, but runs like a top. I was thinking about figuring out a way to make a pallet for it that I could carry it around with the tractor forks to blow off all the roads at the property. Have not done it yet though. But you are correct these things will really move the leaves.
I have a Little Wonder vacuum. It sucks up and shreds everything in its path, leaves sticks even a pop can. I bought it used and the linkage for the hydro drive was removed. I found a parts list and fabricated a new assembly. Shreds the whole property down to fitting in one dump trailer load. The lawn looks like a vacuumed carpet when done. Best $500 I have spent.
I've never used any of the vacs you guys are posting. Only blowers. However, my family did have a Cyclone rake for a long time. That thing was amazing at keeping the parents place like a golf course in the fall...
Somebody needs to make a leaf blower / snow blower combo unit...different head for each application, but the chassis remains the same. Snow blower is geared about perfect for leaf blowing application.
That's an awesome deal. Those were a LOT more than $500 new and the S/P models are a game-changer vs the push.
The long-forgotten front mount mowers category could swap from mowing, to leaf blowing, to snowblowing and do a great job at all of them. Little pricier than what you have in mind though.
I mean, if y'all are tired of fartin' around and have some serious ground to cover, it's hard to beat a turbine blower. You guys with tractors can skip to about 1:20 in.
I’ve got a Billy Goat with a 7hp Subaru that I bought about 15 years ago? It moves some leaves. I use an Echo 50cc backpack for general after mowing clean up and light leaf work. Billy Goat does the heavier stuff. If you go used, look for something with the poly impeller/fan. The old metal ones would cause a slight wobble over time and that didn’t play nice with the crank. I had two old ones like that and they eventually cooked the engines.
