Recently somone asked me, "What is the Florida state bird?" The correct answer would be mockingbird. But after my 4 short years in Florida - I answered, "the Yardblower."
Everywhere you look in Florida you see them - hear them and smell them. I swear if they didn't make so much noise - no one would ever use them. It is almost as much fun as using the garden hose - but that costs too much money and political correctness.
Nothing gives you more pleasure in Florida than getting out the old yard blower after a hard afternoon of cutting grass - trimming trees - bagging debris - and edging. It is a great feeling knowing that you have relief from yard work for at least a week. Folks up north have to pick up leaves once a year - but in Florida - leaves fall all year around. Still it is better than shoveling snow.
I have tried all sorts of lawn blowers - electrics with a cord - electrics with a battery - some with bags on - others without. But they all do basically the same thing - blow yard clippings and dirt from your place into your neighbors yard. Only kidding.
I have been searching for the perfect yard blower. For the last year or so I have been using a Stihl BG55. Today - I bought what I am hoping is the best of the best. We will see.
I purchase John Deere BH25LE. It is a little pricey about $200. I am using it to replace my Stihl BG55 - which I bought a year or so ago for $140. Consumer Guide picks the Stihl as a "best buy" - then why am I replacing it?
I will start my review with the Stihl. This blower has performed very well for me. It starts every time - provides a lot of a movement - about 400 cubic feet of air per minute. It measures 140 miles per hour at the nozzle. Not bad numbers. What would cause me to replace it? 1. noise 2. stinkey smell 3. pollution 4. mess.
The Stihl is a 2 cycle (2 stroke) engine. That means that you must mix oil and gasoline to fuel it. It also means that it pollutes 80 times the amount of the average car. Yes - 80 times! After you are done using it - you smell like you spent the night at a BP refinery. Also I have had a hearing problem all my life - and I can't hear anything above the drone of this 2 cycle engine.
Green versus green. I considering myself a "Green" environmentalist - that is with a capital G. Conservation makes sense to me when you save money. I do not do it to be fashionable like many folks that spend an extra $5000 on a Prius that will save them $1000 in gasoline over the life of the car. That being said I did not buy the John Deere because it pollutes 1/80 that of a Stihl - I bought it because it is so darn quiet.
The John Deere has a 4 cycle (4 stroke) engine. When I went to the dealer to buy it- the salesmen insisted that no one makes a 4 stroke yard blower - even when I was pointing to the label on the blower. I took my Stihl yard blower along to the dealer to do a comparison. Not only is the John Deere so much quieter - it runs so much smoother - at idle the vibrations are almost completely gone - like a car idling. The John Deere moves about 300 cubic feet per minute of air - and has the same 140 mile per hour nozzle speed.
Of course - this review is biased - I already dropped my money on the new yard blower. The used Stihl will be for sale on craigslist before the sun goes down. I think it is an old Jewish custom to bury someone by sundown - and that is what I will do with the old blower.
A year ago I sold a Vespa 50 that was a 2 cycle to buy a Vespa 150 that was a 4 cycle - so I see a pattern here.
Bear in mind - the reviews rate the Stihl at 5 out of 5 - and give the John Deere only 4 out of 5. It depends on what you want.
Here are the reviews by someone less prejudiced than I am -
http://products.howstuffworks.com/john-deere-bh25le-gas-powered-blower-vac-review.htm
http://products.howstuffworks.com/stihl-bg-55-gas-blower-review.htm
My conclusion - if you want a loud - smelly - polluting blower that does a great job - is dependable - and costs a little less money - get the Stihl BG55. If you want a quiet - smooth - easy to start - non-messy - blower that will "save the planet" - get the John Deere. Did I say that it was QUIET?
Your mileage my vary.
Do I get to wear one of those cutsey little green and yellow hats now that all the guys wear around here?
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