What is the best commercial leaf blower? {4 Competitors, One Victor}

Discover the ultimate leaf blower for your lawn care business

Look, having the best commercial equipment for your lawn care company is a must, and this includes selecting the best commercial backpack leaf blower.After all, equipment isn’t cheap, and ideally, you want it to last for years of frequent use. 

Therefore getting the top of the line equipment is simply a part of good business operations. 

So what commercial backpack leaf blower is the best of the best?

Well, we did A LOT of research to get to the bottom of this one.

Let's find out which commercial backpack leaf blower blows away the competition!

What commercial leaf blower did the lawn care pros say was best?

In my experience, the best place to go when searching for the best lawn care equipment is the lawn care pros themselves.

Here is what they had to say about their favorite commercial leaf blower…

When we conducted a survey among the lawn care pros in the landscaping community, we identified 4 commercial backpack blowers that stood above the rest. 

So once you have set pricing for your lawn care services, take a look at this list

 #1 Top-Rated Leaf Blower Echo 9010T 

The #1 ranked commercial backpack blower among the lawn care pros that we polled is the Echo 9010T.  

Get this, this is the second win for Echo’s commercial line according to lawn care professionals. Echo is also the number one choice for lawn care pros when it comes to a commercial weed eater. 

Over 33% of the lawn care pros that responded to our survey said that the Echo 9010 was their number one choice when it comes to choosing a backpack leaf blower. 

This is crazy, but there is a lot more to this leaf blower than first meets the eyes. But we will get to that in a moment. 

Echo 9010T Specifications:

What Are the Key Features of the Echo 9010T Leaf Blower?

The Echo 9010T boasts features like a 79.9cc engine, 48 Newtons of power, air volume of 1,110 CFM, airspeed of 220 MPH, and a weight of 26.7 lbs. Its balance of power and efficiency makes it a favorite among lawn care professionals.

 #2 Top-Rated Leaf Blower Redmax 8560 (Replacement for the 8550) 

While no longer in production, Redmax’s 8550 was still the second most recommended leaf blower among the lawn care pros we polled. But as it is out of production, we replaced it with it’s new version the 8560. 

The Redmax 8560 is slightly more powerful, and in fact, may now be the most powerful leaf blower on this list.

But more on that later…

Here are the specs for each of Redmax's blowers. 

The New Redmax 8560 Specifications:

Redmax 8550 Specifications:

 #3 Top-Rated Leaf Blower Stihl BR 800 

Next on our list is the Stihl BR 800 which is tied with Redmax’s 8550 and was nominated by 26.1% of the lawn care pros we spoke with. 

The Stihl BR800 was more powerful than Redmax’s 8550, but takes a backseat to Redmax’s new and improved 8560. 

Stihl’s BR 800 ties with Echo’s 9010 in engine size, and boasts the fastest air speed at 239 MPH. Further, it is the quietest blower on the list. 

Which may make it the top choice for lawn care pros that operate in suburban areas. 

Stihl BR 800 Specifications:

Why Is the Stihl BR 800 a Preferred Choice in Suburban Areas?

The Stihl BR 800 is favored in suburban areas due to its combination of power and quieter operation. With a 79.9cc engine, it boasts the fastest airspeed of 239 MPH while being the quietest blower on the list, making it ideal for noise-sensitive environments.

 #4 Top-Rated Leaf Blower Husqvarna 580bt Mark II 

Finally, in at #4 with 13% of the votes for the best backpack leaf blower is Husqvarna’s 580bt Mark II. 

While it’s not necessarily the best in any one aspect, the Mark II is still an overall good machine and is sure to outshine any non-commercial models offered by other competitors. 

For those that brand loyalty is their primary driver in selecting new equipment, the Mark II is an acceptable choice. But Husqvarna really should step up their game on this one, as they are falling behind the rest of the competitors when it comes to a commercial backpack blower. 

Husqvarna 580bt Mark II Specifications:

There is a lot to look for in a leaf blower. 

For example, weight, power, speed, engine size, and gas tank capacity. But what do lawn cares say their most important considerations are when it comes to selecting a leaf blower?

Well, as usual, when we don’t have the answer we turn to the pros, and here is what they had to say.

Power Is the Number 1 Concern 

An overwhelming majority, 71.1% of the lawn care pros that responded to our poll said that POWER was the number 1 concern when it came to choosing a leaf blower. 

And that makes sense, after all, the more air the leaf blower can move the faster you can move the landscape debris you need to. 

And when it comes to power, the Echo and the Stihl are tied in engine size with each having a 79.9 cc engine. 

However, what was not expected when reviewing the specifications of the top-rated leaf blowers was that the Sthil appears to have more power than the Echo. 

For example, the max speed of the Echo is only 220 MPH, and the top speed of the Sthil is 239 mph. 

Well, things aren't too clear when it comes to specifications. Echo’s max speed of 220 MPH is how fast the air is moving when it leaves the tube. Stihl does not state where their 239 MPH top speed is located. 

Additionally, speed does not equal force or power. For example, higher speeds out of a narrower tub does not mean more power. 

So…

How can a leaf blower's power be measured?

Youtuber Copper Creek Lawn Care conducted a  test measuring the power of Stihl vs. Echo as well as the other competitors mentioned on this list. 

How did Copper Creek measure each blower's power?

Copper Creek used a tool to measure the force produced by a leaf blower in newtons. 

What is a Newton?

In layman's terms, a newton is a unit of measurement that can be used to measure the force of an object. Which makes it a useful measurement for measuring the force and power of a leaf blower. 

In a nutshell a newton “is equal to the force that would give a mass of one kilogram an acceleration of one meter per second per second”.

YES! “Per second per second” or per second squared. Makes no sense to me, but that's why I stick to cutting grass. 

Which leaf blower has the most power?

Ok, all 3 leaf blowers tested happened to be on this list which lawn care pros voted on. 

According to his test Echo’s 9010 is by far the most powerful backpack leaf blower on the market. It overpowered the competition, including Sthil’s BR 800.

However, there’s a catch. Since his test, Redmax released the 8560, and it boasts much more power than its predecessor, but still takes a backseat to Echo.

Below are each leaf blowers power as measured in newtons of force:

So you can see that what Copper Creek’s test shows is that Echos IS the most powerful leaf blower. In fact, Echo’s blower is 20% more powerful than Stihl’s according to these measurements. 

Which means more leaves moved FASTER! And that is what lawn care pros told us they wanted, and that just so happens to line up with the separate poll we conducted to ask lawn care pros which was their favorite backpack leaf blower. 

Meaning that Echo’s 9010 is easily the best backpack leaf blower on the market. And NO Echo did not sponsor this article. The facts are the facts. 

Further, Redmax’s 8560 is certainly a VERY VERY close second. Only time will tell what Stihl and Husvarna come out with next.

Dealer Support is the Second Biggest Concern for Lawn Care Pros

Look, it wasn’t all about power, a large minority of the lawn care pros we spoke with said that it was actually dealer support that mattered most to them. 

For example, having a dealership nearby where they can get equipment replaced or repaired as soon as possible so they can stay out in the field.

So access to dealer support is a huge consideration lawn care pros have when selecting a leaf blower. And it's likely safe to assume that this trait is something that a lawn care pro will seek for in any lawn care equipment they select. 

What lawn care professionals do not look for in a leaf blower is:

• Affordability,

• Comfort, 

• And Brand.

Each of which received 0 votes in our poll. Unlike when it comes to selecting the best boot for landscaping. where comfort was the #1 concern for 67% of lawn care pros. Comfort was not a concern when selecting the best leaf blower.

On a final note, 7.9% of the landscaping pros we interviewed said that reliability was their primary concern. 

Selecting a Leaf Blower At the End of the Day

Here’s the deal, at the end of the day, the main thing to consider when purchasing a leaf blower is power, and Echo has that game on lock!

Beyond the power of the machine, you also want to consider the availability of support in your area, as well as the reliability of the machine. 

If you are a lawn care pro, then the choice is pretty clear, and there really aren’t many options to choose from when it comes to a commercial backpack leaf blower. And choosing the right one is an important part of improving your lawn care company's operations.
Quick Summary: Top Commercial Backpack Leaf Blowers 

Looking for more information on commercial equipment? Check out our blog for lawn care professionals! We have tons of great content for you to learn about the lawn care business.  

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