I have the Stihl now for several years. It has held up well and does an excellant job. I don't think you will be disappointed with the Stihl.

I love my Echo equipment but my Redmax backpack blower is really nice. It probably is the most used backpack blower by the lawn guys. I read a lot about various ones in lawnsite.com. Great site visited by the pros.

paulk,

I have a Husqvarna 4.2 HP 165T that blows up to 180 MPH. I have about 40 large (100 ft) oaks that spew stuff from now til December on my lawn. It takes care of them pretty good. I use my tractor with powerflow/bagger for the lite stuff. I use Mobil 1 2T 2-stroke oil in it at 40:1. Also use it to blow off the tractor and/or chipper after use. Make sure that you get one powerful enough to blow leaves caught up in the thick shrubs.

Highly recommended.

-greenhobby

Thanks for information guys. I have not heard of the Redmax brand. Is this new? I will certainly look
into all of your suggestions. Thanks again.

Paulk
The two current top commercial back pack blowers are the Sthil 4 mix BR600 and the Redmax Stratocharged 8000. You will pay somewhere around 460 to 500 us dollars for them but they will push leaves very well and with 3 acres you want something that will do the job. The Sthil is a 4 cycle engine that still uses oil/fuel mix to lube engine and the Redmax Stratocharged 8000 is uses a 2 port carb setup to eliminate using fuel/air mix to scavenge spent exhaust from chamber. Both technologies offer improved fuel economy and lower emissions over convential 2 cycle engines. I have the Redmax 8000 and it will make you smile in a pile of leaves as they get blasted into the woods. Additionally the oil Greenhobby uses, Mobil 1 synthetic Racing 2T is very good oil. Good luck in your choice.

I haven't heard of the Redmax until this forum. I did some searching I see some great reviews. Have they been around long? I will have to see if Maryland has a dealer.

I've had a Stihl BR400 for about 5 years and it's the worst piece of power equipment I own. All the other Stihl tools are great but this one has been a constant battle to get it started & keep it running since the day I brought it home. Today it's heading for the trash heap and I'm heading for a different brand.

Just about every lawn company in NY uses Redmax, they are all over the place. A good indication that they stand up to constant daily use and abuse. Most likely much more machine than a homeowner needs but if you need a great backpack blower look at them

I was surprised to read the negative post about the Stihl BR400. Before I purchased my BR420C I checked with the professionals in my area, and found the BR400 was the most common one used by them. A few used Echos. My 420C runs great. The only complaint I have is that it may take 4 or 5 pulls to start if it has not been run for several days, but once it starts, it runs fine. I have not seen any Redmax units in my area. (Glastonbury, CT)

Redmax, Redmax, Redmax. Trust me. Buy commercial grade and you won't be sorry.

had my poulan bp400 backpack blower for 5 years----use it very heavy all year long----never had a bit of trouble with it. i even use it to blow up to an inch of snow off of my 1/10 of a mile driveway. they say it has 210 mph wind speed and 490cfm air volume cost between $300.---$379. if anything goes wrong with this one I'll get another.
2 minor things could improve it----it needs a trigger handle(you have to hold onto the tube) and the choke lever vibrates up after running it a while.

Redmax is dominant with professionals in my area, and for good reason. I got mine about 5 years ago (the 62cc model), and it's very solid and very powerful. When I was shopping I asked the dealers (who were pushing Stihl of course) how solid the internals were, as between Stihl and Redmax - and one said that Stihl was made to be rebuilt, but Redmax was made solidly enough to be rebuilt four or five times. The parent company of Redmax is Komatsu, who is the worldwide leader in quality bulldozers (second only to Cat, and that's if you ask a Cat dealer).

Here is a link that might be useful: Redmax's site

Just bought a Redmax EBZ8000 today. I was considering that and a Stihl BR600. My local dealer told me the Redmax would blow the Stihl away (he sells both). Haven't used it yet, but I'm anxious to. Had to bring it home in the trunk of the car, so I asked them not to fuel it up (didn't want it to spill in the car). I've got the utmost faith that it'll fire right up.

This one is replacing a "Homelite Backpacker" I bought a couple of years ago (on a tight budget), and have longed for a more powerful unit ever since I first used it. I can't even find the specs on that unit. Their website reports a "page not found" error, and the specs aren't even in the printed manual! I guess the manufacturer isn't very proud of them. I was told (by the dealer) that the Homelite would seem like a hair dryer next to the Redmax. Spent a few dollars - 550 with tax. Was told by my neighbor across the street (who owns a landscaping company) that I definately wouldn't be disappointed with the new Redmax. I got jealous from watching the landscapers by my office building move a pile of leaves from 25 feet away, and my POS (piece of sh#%) Homelite would need to get practically on top of them and I'd have to take baby steps to move a pile (if they moved at all). Wet leaves? HAH! The Homelite was utterly useless in that department.

I'll report back after I get a chance to fire the new one up this weekend... I'll probably dream about it tonight... :-)

Be well,
Jim

I ended up purchasing the Redmax EBZ8000. What a nice piece of equipment. We finally got some rain in Maryland, but unfortunately it caused the leaves to get matted. The blower had no problem moving wet large oak leaves, as well as sticks and walnuts. I used to rent a 5 hp push blower and I feel this Redmax is just as powerful.
The only thing I can recommend is not to purchase Redmax through ebay. Redmax has a disclaimor (which I couldn't find on their web page) stating it won't warrant their products sold through ebay or any other non registered dealers. Even though it was new, Redmax considers items sold by any method other than a licensed dealer to be second hand. Just a heads up.

Ok ok ok This morning im goin out to buy a blower..I shopped yesterday and found a Stihl 550 for 399.99 I was going to make that my "Final Answer" until I read about the Redmax. The dealer has a EB7001RH...What to do...What to do...My yard isn't huge but I have a ton of trees and the luxury to blow into the woods...HELP :)

The Stihl 4-mix blowers are very smooth, powerful and dependable. Watch out for the weight, for instance the Echo PB651, which is a very good unit, is 24.5 lbs versus 20.5 for the Stihl. Four pounds makes a big difference for operator comfort.
Predator mentioned the cfm and air speed both of which are important. 210 MPH sounds great but it comes at a price. The nozzle size hence volume is reduced to get it. You want volume and speed, you need power.
Redmax is excellent product but virtually unheard of here because there are few dealers. The distributor does a poor job of supporting them. FWIW, the brand was recently purchased by Husqvarna so that may change.

Since I started this thread last year I thought I would chime in. I have used the Red Max 8000 for two seasons. I am more than happy with it. Highly recommended!

OK,,,I went and did it...Picked up a Stihl 550 today. I am one sore puppy!! lol It performed awesome!! After 5 hours it was feeling a lil heavy but the machine had enough power to blow the largest of piles into the woods.

I was apprehensive, almost got the Redmax but went with weight difference.

Couldnt be happier and after wife saw all the leaves gone so quickly she didnt even give me a hard time about the 400.00. :)

Thanks for the thread!

I had thought of upgrading my STIHL BR420C to the newer BR600 with the 4 mix engine for more blowing power. Have any of you that have the BR600 had any problems with maintaining them? I know it is recommended that the valves be adjusted at 139 hrs, and cleaning out carbon every 150 hours. Has anyone done these maintenance procedures on their STIHL blowers with the 4 mix engine? If so, how did you clean out the carbon? Charles Ranheim

Considering the EBZ8000. Does it make a big difference if the speed control is on the second lever or if it is on the blower tube? Is there a Red Max version on the blower tube? and one final question, am I correct in understanding that the EBZ 8000 is NOT on the recall list for Red max and therefore I should not have any problem with a muffler created fire?

Don't forget to check out these brands - Maruyama, Solo, and Tanaka. Generally considered to be the real 'top shelf' in terms of quality and reliability. You can find decent deals if you look around too. Shouldn't have to pay more than for a RMax or Stihl.

I want a comp

@benfishin
You asked
"Considering the EBZ8000. Does it make a big difference if the speed control is on the second lever or if it is on the blower tube? Is there a Red Max version on the blower tube? and one final question, am I correct in understanding that the EBZ 8000 is NOT on the recall list for Red max and therefore I should not have any problem with a muffler created fire?"

I own the 7001RH for two years now and couldn't be happier.
Always starts on the 1st or 2nd pull and performs well.
I prefer to have the throttle control on the tube, nice for giving it short bursts when doing beds and other delicate spots, in my opinion you get a better feel of how much to throttle.

Not sure of what you mean by 'Is there a Red Max version on the blower tube". If you mean is the model indicated on the tube itself, E.G. 8000 or 8000RH I would have to say no. There is no model listed on my 7001RH.

As for recalls the 8000 or 8000RH is not on the recall list only these models:
EB6200, EB7000, and EB7001 produced from 1999 to present.

Hope this information helps you.

I am looking for a comparison between the Stihl BR600 and the Redmax EBZ7001. I'm looking for a relatively quiet, lightweight, powerful (moves lots of leaves), and usable at a pace just below "commercial." Any reply will be appreciated.

Has anyone use a 4 cycle backpack blower and how do they measure up? Home Depot carries a Cub Cadet model and Lowes carries a Troy-Bilt. Has anyone tried any of these? I found the 2 cycle engine too messy. Any reply will be appreciated.

I am a die hard 4 cycle. It does not smell as bad, it is a lot heathier for me. It is not as loud.
I just bought a Shindaiwa C3410 36cc 4 cycle hand held blower for $259. I like it a lot. I don't have a very big yard, I don't find it hard to use. I try back pack, it is too troublesome to put on and off for the amount of blowing I have to do.

I did look at the Troy Bilt in Lowes, they are $259?? Troy Bilt engine rated moderate which is the shortest. Other bigger commercial are much more. People trash Troy Bilt. I have good experience on the Troy Bilt TB475 4 cycle trimmer. The fact you look at the consummer type make me assume you don't use it extensively like me, I'll go for the best 4 cycle hand held. Home Depot also sell Makita 4 cycle ( hand held?) I heard they are made by Robin which is suppose to be very good.

I am a die hard 4 cycle too, 2 Cycle generates too much fume and gives me headaches. If the mixture is off, it will generate more pollution and shorten the engine life. The Troy Bilt at Lowes is selling for $239. I have an electric hand held blower and my hands tired easily and the cord is annoying , that's why I'm going for the backpack style. I am a retired, small guy weighing only 130 lbs. You're right that I don't use it extensively, only about 10 times a year. May be the Troy-Bilt is a good fit for me.
thanks

I have had my STIHL BR 600 for about a year. The more I use it, the better I like it. I gave my old BR 420C to my daughter, and it is still running great. I found the BR 600 has much more blowing power, with about the same weight. I decided to use the STIHL Ultra full synthetic 2 cycle oil after reading the results of the test conducted by STIHL. They used a BR600 and ran it for 500 hrs using three different oils, one of them being the Ultra oil. Charles Ranheim

I realize this is an older thread but figured for anyone just now tuning in I would also give my thoughts. i have owned a few blowers in the past and the one I have now is the ECHO PB-755 S and all i have is great things to say about it. Do some reading up and you will find that there are several split choices among the pro's on which is better between the Redmax and the Echo.

I owned a STIHL BR550 and almost a week after having it the darn thing starting coming apart and sent fragments out the tube. I checked some boards only to find that there was recalls on the unit for this very reason. Not a big fan of Stihl blowers as they are junk in my opinion based on owning more than my share of them. i would say ride with the ECHO's

Hi Quinnow1
I heard enough bad things about the 4Mix also, valve problems are major thing.

I am in the market of a quiet blower. I notice all the real quiet 65dB ones are weak except Solo 471KAT. Problem is I only saw ONE review and NO MORE!!!

I am looking at Maruyama BL8100 which is the same as Kawasaki KBR750, Echo PB620 and Husqvarna 150BT which is the same as Redmax EBZ5100.

Any opinion would be helpful.

do not get a stihl the power does not compare to the echo. get the 755 the best of the best. i paied 430 for it and got a 5 year customer warrenty

also do not get a red max. they are not bad but they are louder/ only 2 year warrenty and almost all of there blowers are a hip throttle some may like it but i do not. get an echo for 430$(cash only for the price.) plus why pay 500 for a red max when you can lastly if the echo breaks (which takes more than 5 years) there are many more ways to jurry rig it then the red max

I since change my mind completely. I just bought a Maruyama BL8100 with is Kawasaki KRB750 64.7cc 2 cycle blower. Read too much problems with the hybrid 4 cycle type of blowers.

I rule out Echo and Redmax because they are known to be very loud. Maruyama has 5 years warrante, $389, It uses a Kawasaki engine which supposed to make dependable engine. It is even a little lighter than Stihl BR600. Spec at 720cfm and 200mph at the end of the tube.....Take it as a grain of salt!!!

Maruyama are good blowers but they have a smaller air filter and you will run into problems because the air filter should be bigger due to the power

I bought a Stihl BR600 this fall and I love it! Look for my earlier post with BR600 in the title. As someone noted, the BR600 has the throttle control on the blower, so you use the same arm/hand to control the blower and the throttle, which feels perfect for me. Lots of power, not too heavy and very comfortable. I'm sure Echo and RedMax are great also, but I have other Stihl equipment and it has always held up perfectly over the years.

Hi Echo16
What problem will I run into due to small air filter on the Maruyama BL8100?

I think he means you may not get the optimal amount of air to the engine and/or it will clog easier. If those are the only problems, maybe an aftermarket filter would improve the power/performance.

I am looking for a backpack blower. I have a Sthil, in the shop, and looking for a replacement. I have seen nothing of Husqvarna. the 150 or the 350. Among other things they are in the $300 range or less. I don't have a big yard, 1 acre, but I use it all the time. A redman(sp?) sounds like a great unit but at $600 is too much.

Sthil has some lower end units.

I would love some comments on this with some info behind the comments.

I've used Echo blowers always. I'm considering changing brands. My research is leading to the RedMax Blowers. The reason I'm changing is My Echo Blower (PB 751) seems to only last approx. 3 yrs. I'm on my 3 blower in the last 7 yrs of business. I believe that as homeowner one should get the biggest blower financially possiable. A blower like the echo (PB 751) is perfect for someone with 3 Acres. As a lawn guy I need something that could last more then 3 yrs.

I've been in the lawn and landscape business for over 10 years and the best backpack leaf blower I have used is a Stihl backpack blower. However, if you aren't looking to spend that much, I also have used the Husqvarna 350BT, and it does a great job and it's not as expensive.

Here is a link that might be useful: Leaf Blower Ratings

Stihl doubles warranty if you buy a 6-pack of their synthetic oil.

http://www.stihldealer.net/company/WebContent/Content/FileLibrary/POWE6619_UltWarranty.htmlhttp://www.stihldealer.net/company/WebContent/Content/FileLibrary/POWE6619_UltWarranty.html

Heres a good review of Tanakas back pack blower:

23 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Earning Respect, January 1, 2010
By Alan E. Schmidt "Monkey head" (Las Vegas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: Tanaka Commercial Grade Gas Powered Large Backpack Blower Side-Mounted Throttle 65cc 4.3 HP 2-Stroke (CARB Compliant) TBL-7800 (Lawn & Patio)
In one word "DOMINATING". The Tanaka 65cc TBL-7800 has made me king of the cul-de-sac. They now call me the blow king.

Autumn. 2009. My Tanaka 65cc TBL-7800 arrived late in the afternoon. 4:16 p.m. A quick scan of the yards in the cul-de-sac revealed that the trees had left an abundance of prey all over. My adversaries, or as you would call them, my neighbors, were also surveying the battlefield. I locked eyes with my neighbor, Francis, I lowered my brow and gave him a "whats up" head nod. He returned my head nod with a demonic smile. Stupid french. It was on now. Oh Yeah. See you on the battlefield Saturday morning. What do the French know about blowing anyway.

Saturday morning. 6:55 a.m. Garages opened. The gladiators took the field. We sized each other up. Jaws dropped when I turned to the side and they saw the Tanaka 65cc TBL-7800 strapped to my back. Thats right boys. Drink it in. I just brought a semi truck to a demolition derby full of Hyundais. We all spotted the new guy at the same time and smiled. He wore sunglasses instead of ski goggles. HA HA, hope he likes watery eyes.... amateur.

7:00 a.m. Let the battle begin. City ordinance says no blowers before 7. It was like the gates opening at the Kentucky derby. The action started quickly.
New Guy - The TBL-7800 blew the sunglasses clean off his head. As he ran away I blew one of his flip flops off also. Like I said, amateur... Don't come into the wolf den wearing deer antlers, idiot. I took the sunglasses as a trophy. The flip flop ended up on the roof. He can kiss that one goodbye.
Francis - The leaves were flying, hot air burned my skin. I sacked up and plowed forward. I knew he was limited by his extension cord. The end came quickly. He surrendered in less than 2 minutes. Imagine that, the French surrendering quickly. Who would have thought.
I stood in the middle of my leaf free yard like a King. My scepter was the Tanaka 65cc TBL-7800. They lined up to kiss my ring and acknowledge the blow king. All except the new guy. We may have put him in therapy for awhile.

The Tanaka TBL-7800 slayed them all that day. Hands down, the clear winner. I did get a little hot on the back. Wear a good shirt. I wore cut off jeans, tank top, knee high moccasins, and ski goggles. Wanted to look respectful when sporting the TBL-7800. No doubt I did it justice.

Like others, I am a Stihl user, chainsaws, wackers, I need to get a new blower. I am looking at the BR-200 Model. Does anyone have one and would provide your experience? I just junked a Sears Blower that was about 21 years old....never seen a shop, and worked great. But now I want to keep everything under the Stihl Brand. Thanks, Ron.

Stihl is definitely the most wished for backpack blower thanks to its use of brutal power in doing the job. But I believe Makita 4-stroke leaf blower also deserves to be considered as an option, given that it is the quietest backpack leaf blower IâÂÂve come across. Leaf blowers are despised in some ways because they are laud and polluting and Makita offers at least a partial solution. Needless to say that we donâÂÂt see many 4-stroke leaf blowers. It is another candidate for the best backpack leaf blower.