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  Paul McNulty September 15, 2015 at 5:22pm

  Noisy, with very high vibes, would be my guess? A Stihl handheld is only a whisker over £200, so this at £150 doesn't seem that cheap?
  
  Main thing is what do you do when it breaks? I can't imagine any local repairer carrying spares, and if you didn't buy from them you'll not get a fast service.
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    Richard Gadsby > Paul McNulty September 15, 2015 at 5:31pm

    Same thoughts here I've just looked at the backpack blower on Amazon and somewhere else for £150 it's just too cheap in my opinion.
    You would be better off with a stihl or husky or echo handheld blower.
    Like Paul says spare parts will be a nightmare to get hold of.
    If it's just for use in your own garden it's one thing for having a reliable tool for work I would steer clear myself. I've been down the cheap tool road myself and it just does not pay in the end
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      Jeff Mennell > Richard Gadsby September 15, 2015 at 5:44pm

      I know, I know.......it's just that I read that Stihl are now manufacturing in different countries and this may be affecting the quality of their products? Also, one comment about the husky was that the fuel lines cannot cope with the ethanol that is present in petrol and tend to degrade very quickly with the result that debris ruins the engine rendering it unrepairable. 

      Thanks for the info,

      Jeff
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        Gary RK > Jeff Mennell September 15, 2015 at 5:59pm

        Is that only if you use E10 Unleaded Fuel which has the higher ethonal content ?

        I would really keep away from that type of equipment unless you can find a 'dealer' who will handle warranty/subsequent repairs.

        Yes, Stihl quality in some areas has reduced, but (..unfortunately..?) are still one of the best makes. If they could resolve some of silly faults then they'd be back as the best.
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        Richard Gadsby > Jeff Mennell September 15, 2015 at 6:00pm

        To be honest I've not got a husky blower most of my stuff Is stihl I was trying to get across that the better the brand the better it will be in terms of reliability. Tananka is worth a look at as they have some pro and semi pro stuff which is priced quite well
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        Seth Burgess > Jeff Mennell September 15, 2015 at 7:26pm

        Just because its made in Britain doesn't mean its top quality. Flymo's are made in Britain but Weibang mowers are made in China (including the Honda GX engine). Would much rather use a Weibang than a Flymo
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  Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd September 15, 2015 at 7:26pm

  Stihl make the best blowers. A BG86 is around £175 plus VAT.

  Hardly any vibes and significantly more powerful than any other handheld on the market.

  The only gripe is that the on/off cable wears out and requires replacement about once a year (with daily use). Costs around £6 to fix at our machinery dealership and 5 minutes labour. 
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  DigBandit September 15, 2015 at 7:57pm

  I got a Makita BHX2501 ( not a backpack mind )  - 4 stroke - really lovely piece of kit - only use Aspen fuel in it, nice and quiet ( for a blower I guess - but I am pretty deaf anyway, so....) - could use it all day,  about £174 
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    Jeff Mennell > DigBandit September 15, 2015 at 8:58pm

    ok, I have just bought a Stihl!

    Many thanks

    Jeff
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      Richard Gadsby > Jeff Mennell September 15, 2015 at 10:03pm

      You won't regret it as you may have done with the other one.