Walk behind leaf blower?

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btuser

Minister of Fire
Jan 15, 2009
2,069
Principality of Pontinha
Anybody have one of these? After 8 hours with a pretty powerful backpack blower I'm starting to think I could justify using one of these 2-4 times per year. I just tried a friends 5hp and it was marginally better than the backpack blower I own. I'm thinking I have to go bigger, like get engine big so I can just point it at the trees and knock the leaves right off the trees so I don't have to wait. My budget is $500 (sold some junk) and would like to stretch it by buying a used commercial unit. Little Wonder seems pretty popular if you can get 'em.

Is this just a piece of equipment I'm going to regret, or am I going to tear up and cry about all the wasted years I never had one?
 
I have a Billy Goat 10 hp blower, money ($1000) well spent. It has an adjustable discharge that works through a paddle on the handle, much nicer design than the Little Wonder, IMO.
 
I used my tractor with grass catcher this fall to pick up the leaves. Works great and no extra stuff to buy. Though I have to say picking up leaves is a distant memory, I did that in early September.
 
I've got a mower with bagger but its asleep for the season. It can do a pretty good job when the leaves aren't bedded into the turf but this time of year after snow/frost/rain its not the solution I'm looking for.

I guess I'll start looking.
 
A riding mower isn't in the picture. I'm going to try and find something with the same engine as the snowblower and pressure washer to keep the parts simple.

I can't believe how heavy the big units are. I have pretty uneven ground so weight is an issue, which makes the Billy Goat models interesting. I wish they had a unit with a nozzle that turned like a snowblower but I understand how it would screw with the air flow. Having to drag backwards seems like it would be a pain. I guess you can split it in 1/2 then push the pile or whatever.
 
Maybe a little off the subject but I like this. My father showed me this one.
 

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Little Wonder W/B blowers let you switch from side to front discharge. Handier than you might think. Or you could pick up one of these, we have on on a golf course, would make short work of your lawn! :lol:

 
I have a Billy Goat 190cc to clean up a large area that gets tons of leaves every day and I really can't complain about the power it outputs. Never had a Little Wonder, but I do know they're powerful. This review does a pretty decent job at getting the Little Wonder's main features. Hope it helps!
 
i found with the backpack units unless you get a contractor grade they don't blow hard enough due to the long tube. I had a backpack and it worked but i switched over to a hand model with lower cc and cfm and it did a far better job. Im tall and also had the issue of not being able to get the tip closer to the ground.
 
Little Wonder W/B blowers let you switch from side to front discharge. Handier than you might think. Or you could pick up one of these, we have on on a golf course, would make short work of your lawn! :lol:

Billygoat does have a slip in 90* elbow that lets you blow forward. It will give you a workout pushing against a 100 mph headwind.