Exploring Leaf Blower Types
In this video and blog post, exploring leaf blower types, I want to explain the types of leaf blowers available. So, let’s look into the various different types of leaf blowers and collectors available. There is a range of different types of leaf blowers to choose from, each with its own unique features and benefits. In this post, we’ll explore these various types to help you make an informed decision for your garden care needs.
Petrol Leaf Blowers
Petrol leaf blowers are highly versatile due to their lack of limitations from cables or batteries. They run on two-stroke fuel, which is readily available. The price range can vary, with the cheapest models starting at £119. While budget constraints are a factor, investing in a quality product can be cost-effective in the long run. For example, the Stihl BG86 is a well-balanced, durable blower often used by professionals.
I use a Stihl BG86 leaf blower regularly, I have been using the same blower for around ten years, and it still works perfectly. I appreciate the price is considerably more than some models, but I still believe it works out cheaper in the long run. The cost of the Stihl BG 86 leaf blower is £360, considerably more than the cheapest budget model. However, I believe that you have a quality product that is long-lasting, and pleasant to use. In other words, it has minimal vibrations and good blowing power and is very easy to use.
I would say that this Stihl BG 86 leaf blower is the most popular leaf blower that is used by professionals, by a long way. I don’t know the exact figures, but being a professional user and working with professional users, it is certainly a very popular leaf blower.
Some of the petrol models have a bag for collecting small amounts of material. Personally, I find these types of applications much more efficient for blowing rather than vacuuming. They may be okay for vacuuming a patio, but I wouldn’t recommend it for cleaning up a garden. It’s often easier to blow leaves and debris into a heap and barrow the debris away.
Electric Leaf Blowers
Electric leaf blowers certainly offer value for money; you can create a lot of wind without it breaking your wallet! However, the downside is that you have a trailing electricity cable, which is likely to be caught up on every conceivable object! You’re also limited in the fact that you need a power supply nearby unless you have plenty of extension leads.
Corded models are cost-effective and provide instant power. Prices start at £45, and some come with collector bags. If you have a small garden and are not too concerned about the trailing cable, then an electric blower can be a good option. Electric leaf blowers are also available with collection bags; however, these are only really suitable for perhaps vacuuming a patio or something similar. You wouldn’t want to use a collection bag for clearing the whole garden of leaves.
Backpack Petrol Blowers
If you have a lot of leaves to clear up or you are a contractor who needs a leaf blower that can clear areas quickly. Then a petrol backpack blower is ideal. The only thing that is really against them is that they are quite bulky to cart around. Whereas, the handheld petrol blowers take up far less space but obviously have less power.
Hyundai make a budget leaf blower that comes with a three-year warranty for domestic use or a year warranty for commercial use. The Hyundai HYB 5200 is available for just £149, which does offer fantastic value for money. However, I’m sure a machine of this cost does not have the finesse of many of the more expensive backpack blowers. I’m also guessing there would probably be quite a lot of vibration.
The backpack blower that I have been using for the past seven years is a Stihl BR 600 leaf blower. If I were replacing this blower, I would go for the larger Stihl BR800 leaf blower model. When I purchased my Stihl BR 600 leaf blower, it was the largest model available. However, literally the next day, the Stihl BR 700 model came out and then the larger Stihl BR 800 model.
The great thing is with backpack blowers, they generally have plenty of power and the weight is on your back rather than your arms. The downside is that they are rather bulky to carry around, hence why I would go for the most powerful Stihl model. As they still take up the same amount of space. The Stihl BR 600 backpack blower is available for £696.60. It’s not cheap, but you do have a quality piece of engineering which should give you many years of good service.
Battery Leaf Blowers
Battery leaf blowers appear to be very popular at the moment. The cheapest model on the website is just £24.95. However, you need to purchase the battery and charger separately, although, some models have the same battery.
You need to take a huge amount of care when purchasing battery products, as many of the domestic products can have a very short battery life between charges. The budget Ozito does not tell me the battery life in the specification, which suggests it would be very low.
Recently, I was speaking to a customer who had purchased a battery mower. I asked them if their mother had broken down as they had only cut one-third of their lawn. It was only a small lawn; however, the battery mower they had purchased could not cope with even a small lawn. They were on to the third charge and not even halfway through cutting their lawn! This could be very frustrating, hence my caution regarding battery products, especially with domestic products.
Makita have always made good products and they also make a garden leaf blower, which is available for £234.95. I have a few Makita rechargeable tools, they are very good, but under load, a battery can soon drain.
My advice would be to take extreme care when purchasing battery items. Some manufacturers have batteries that fit various machines and makes. This is definitely worth checking out if you are thinking of purchasing a leaf blower, it could save you money if you can use the same batteries.
Leaf Sweepers
Leaf sweepers are a traditional way to pick up leaves, with tow-behind and push-behind options. They work well, even on wet leaves, but the bags can fill up quickly as the leaves aren’t particularly compressed in the bag or carrier.
The cheapest 26 inch Cobra lawn sweeper at £119.99 does offer good value for money. It’s not a huge outlay. On the other end of the scale, I would say something like a handheld petrol blower offers much more versatility.
Wheeled Garden Vacuums
Wheeled garden vacuums come in different types, including wheel-driven and bag-equipped models. They are excellent for picking up leaves on driveways or lawns, with the added advantage of attachments for getting into tight spaces.
Popular models are the range of Billy Goat wheeled vacuums. Prices for a Billy Goat garden vacuum start at £1099 and go up to £5930.40 for the top of the range model.
The cheaper models are push models and larger models have powered driving wheels and come complete with a large vacuum hose. The hose is like having a giant vacuum cleaner, which enables you to get between shrubs and plants and into awkward places.
Walk-Behind Blowers
Walk-behind blowers are powerful tools for professionals or large garden owners. They can quickly clear leaves and debris but come with varying price tags.
The smallest Billy Goat F1302H petrol wheeled blower is powered by a 13 hp Honda engine and is priced at £1969.99. Our largest model is the Billy Goat F1802 SPV self-propelled force blower. It’s powered by a Briggs & Stratton Vanguard commercial engine, which develops 18 hp.
To Conclude
In conclusion, the choice of the right leaf blower type depends on your specific needs and budget. While handheld petrol leaf blowers are a versatile and straightforward choice, backpack petrol models offer a balance between power and price. Electric and battery-powered options are convenient but come with their own limitations. Leaf sweepers and wheeled garden vacuums are simpler alternatives for specific needs. The wheeled blowers are great for large-scale gardens and professional use. They really can move a lot of leaves quickly.
My personal preference is for petrol handheld leaf blowers due to their versatility and ease of use. Backpack petrol models are also great if you need more power. Battery-powered blowers can be convenient, but be cautious about battery life.
If you have any questions or need more information, please feel free to leave a comment on the YouTube video. I’ll do my best to respond to your questions and comments. Thank you for watching!
