Stihl vs. Echo: Blower/Vacs

[smitts961]

What is in your opinion better, the Stihl SH 56 C-E or the Echo ES-250? Does anyone have experience with these two models? A comparison would be great. Thanks in advance.

 

[Ric]

What is in your opinion better, the Stihl SH 56 C-E or the Echo ES-250? Does anyone have experience with these two models? A comparison would be great. Thanks in advance.

The Stihl has a 27.2cc engine and has 418CFM in vac mode as well as Volume with the 143mph at the tube. The Echo is a 25.4cc engine and has 391 cfm with 165mph at the pipe so you wont get nearly the same output of air velocity or volume at the tube as the Stihl. The Stihl is the better unit by far.

 

[NadRash]

Mph doesn't matter... It's all about the CFM! Check out the Hasqvana 150BT.. 299.99

 

[Ric]

Mph doesn't matter... It's all about the CFM! Check out the Hasqvana 150BT.. 299.99

The problem with buying blowers is there are to many company's that mis-represent there figures to the public and the 150BT is just one example. Husqvarna claims 710 cfm and 251 mph for there 150BT and they may not be lying, it's just to bad those figures are taken in the housing or as some manufacturers say the pipe and not the tube. In reality at the tube it's only about 500cfm and somewhere around 175 to 180 mph range. Echo does the same thing with there blowers, it's all a gimmick to get people to buy there product.

You are right though Air Velocity doesn't really matter all that much, your decision on a blower should be based on CFM (Cubic Feet Per Minute ) of air flow or the volume of air at the end of the tube, that's what moves debris not mph.

 

[Kodie's Lawn Service]

The Stihl has a 27.2cc engine and has 418CFM in vac mode as well as Volume with the 143mph at the tube. The Echo is a 25.4cc engine and has 391 cfm with 165mph at the pipe so you wont get nearly the same output of air velocity or volume at the tube as the Stihl. The Stihl is the better unit by far.

I give to him the sh86 is the best buy with metal blades an high powered motor :thumbsup:

 

[djdicetn]

The Stihl has a 27.2cc engine and has 418CFM in vac mode as well as Volume with the 143mph at the tube. The Echo is a 25.4cc engine and has 391 cfm with 165mph at the pipe so you wont get nearly the same output of air velocity or volume at the tube as the Stihl. The Stihl is the better unit by far.

Ric,

Well....I was on the way to my Gravely dealer Saturday to order my Gravely Hex Striper kit(he is also a Stihl dealer) and intended on getting the BR-200 you & I discussed(really light backpack blower at 12 lbs!!!). But on the way, I stopped at Home Depot to look at the Echos and Lowes to look at the Troy-Bilt(the only "4-cycle" backpack blower I can find..really like not having to mix the oil with the gas...and I have a 4-stroke Troy-Bilt gas trimmer that has performed very well). Well I was looking at the Echos and the guy told me "if you like that Echo PB-250LN hand-held blower we've got a reconditioned one at a big discount". It has that same 25.4cc engine you mentioned, with the 391cfm(the Stihl BR-200 is rated at 406cfm), so I walked with him over to the refurb and it was $74.75(the new one was $169). He said Home Depot gives a 1-year warranty and Echo will honor what is left on the original owner's 5-year Residential Warranty. Needelss to say, the deal was too good for me to leave the store without buying(I figured if I got to my Gravely dealer and changed my mind I could return the Echo unopened and get my money back). Well, I decided to keep it(the main reason is Home Depot can order me a gutter kit for $43, which is a VERY important feature to me). The Stihl gutter kit ONLY fits their hand-helds and can NOT be used on the BR-200. So last night I went to the Echo website to register the Warranty, expecting to have to enter the "Recon Serial# that Echo engraved on the blower when they re-conditioned it. Just for grins, I entered the original product Model#/Serial# and it said...."you have successfully activated your 5-year Residential Warranty". Obviously, the original purchaser that brought it back....never registered the warrenty.

Soooooo, all that being said....Whew:0)
I think I got a good deal for what I need it for(it only weighs 8.8lbs...my wife didn't care if it was a hand-held or backpack for cleaning the grass clippings off the driveway & sidewalks...it started right up and worked great blowing off my Gravely after I was finished mowing....and, I can get a gutter kit and come out spending $117.75 plus tax total when the new blower alone usually costs $169 plus tax. Watcha think????

 

[Ric]

Ric,

Well....I was on the way to my Gravely dealer Saturday to order my Gravely Hex Striper kit(he is also a Stihl dealer) and intended on getting the BR-200 you & I discussed(really light backpack blower at 12 lbs!!!). But on the way, I stopped at Home Depot to look at the Echos and Lowes to look at the Troy-Bilt(the only "4-cycle" backpack blower I can find..really like not having to mix the oil with the gas...and I have a 4-stroke Troy-Bilt gas trimmer that has performed very well). Well I was looking at the Echos and the guy told me "if you like that Echo PB-250LN hand-held blower we've got a reconditioned one at a big discount". It has that same 25.4cc engine you mentioned, with the 391cfm(the Stihl BR-200 is rated at 406cfm), so I walked with him over to the refurb and it was $74.75(the new one was $169). He said Home Depot gives a 1-year warranty and Echo will honor what is left on the original owner's 5-year Residential Warranty. Needelss to say, the deal was too good for me to leave the store without buying(I figured if I got to my Gravely dealer and changed my mind I could return the Echo unopened and get my money back). Well, I decided to keep it(the main reason is Home Depot can order me a gutter kit for $43, which is a VERY important feature to me). The Stihl gutter kit ONLY fits their hand-helds and can NOT be used on the BR-200. So last night I went to the Echo website to register the Warranty, expecting to have to enter the "Recon Serial# that Echo engraved on the blower when they re-conditioned it. Just for grins, I entered the original product Model#/Serial# and it said...."you have successfully activated your 5-year Residential Warranty". Obviously, the original purchaser that brought it back....never registered the warrenty.

Soooooo, all that being said....Whew:0)
I think I got a good deal for what I need it for(it only weighs 8.8lbs...my wife didn't care if it was a hand-held or backpack for cleaning the grass clippings off the driveway & sidewalks...it started right up and worked great blowing off my Gravely after I was finished mowing....and, I can get a gutter kit and come out spending $117.75 plus tax total when the new blower alone usually costs $169 plus tax. Watcha think????

I told someone else about the reconditioned stuff at home depot, I've seen all kinds of echo stuff, homelite, basically anything they sell there at one time or another and if your willing to take a chance you can save a lot of money and it sounds like you got a deal.:thumbsup:

 

[lawn mower fanatic]

Ric,

Well....I was on the way to my Gravely dealer Saturday to order my Gravely Hex Striper kit(he is also a Stihl dealer) and intended on getting the BR-200 you & I discussed(really light backpack blower at 12 lbs!!!). But on the way, I stopped at Home Depot to look at the Echos and Lowes to look at the Troy-Bilt(the only "4-cycle" backpack blower I can find..really like not having to mix the oil with the gas...and I have a 4-stroke Troy-Bilt gas trimmer that has performed very well). Well I was looking at the Echos and the guy told me "if you like that Echo PB-250LN hand-held blower we've got a reconditioned one at a big discount". It has that same 25.4cc engine you mentioned, with the 391cfm(the Stihl BR-200 is rated at 406cfm), so I walked with him over to the refurb and it was $74.75(the new one was $169). He said Home Depot gives a 1-year warranty and Echo will honor what is left on the original owner's 5-year Residential Warranty. Needelss to say, the deal was too good for me to leave the store without buying(I figured if I got to my Gravely dealer and changed my mind I could return the Echo unopened and get my money back). Well, I decided to keep it(the main reason is Home Depot can order me a gutter kit for $43, which is a VERY important feature to me). The Stihl gutter kit ONLY fits their hand-helds and can NOT be used on the BR-200. So last night I went to the Echo website to register the Warranty, expecting to have to enter the "Recon Serial# that Echo engraved on the blower when they re-conditioned it. Just for grins, I entered the original product Model#/Serial# and it said...."you have successfully activated your 5-year Residential Warranty". Obviously, the original purchaser that brought it back....never registered the warrenty.

Soooooo, all that being said....Whew:0)
I think I got a good deal for what I need it for(it only weighs 8.8lbs...my wife didn't care if it was a hand-held or backpack for cleaning the grass clippings off the driveway & sidewalks...it started right up and worked great blowing off my Gravely after I was finished mowing....and, I can get a gutter kit and come out spending $117.75 plus tax total when the new blower alone usually costs $169 plus tax. Watcha think????

I think it will do all you want it to do! I would love to see pics of the gutter kit installed (once you get it).

 

[djdicetn]

I think it will do all you want it to do! I would love to see pics of the gutter kit installed (once you get it).

Will do, and talking about a good day for deals......I got to my Gravely dealer and the Sales Manager that sold me my Pro-Turn was working the parts counter. I asked him if he was going to give me the same deal on the Hex Striper kit that he would give to one of his commercial customers and he gave it to me for $199(regular price was $238). He ordered it and I should have it for next weekend(I am anxious to try it out:0)
They sold me the Gravely mulch kit a few weeks ago at the 2012 price he quoted me last fall and saved me about $35 on that. Like is always said here, when you find a good dealer you are much better off doing all your business there(I ain't told him about the Echo blower yet, but I don't think he'll blame me for passing up on the $279 Stihl BR-200 and scooping that Echo up for 75 bucks:0)

 

[lawn mower fanatic]

Will do, and talking about a good day for deals......I got to my Gravely dealer and the Sales Manager that sold me my Pro-Turn was working the parts counter. I asked him if he was going to give me the same deal on the Hex Striper kit that he would give to one of his commercial customers and he gave it to me for $199(regular price was $238). He ordered it and I should have it for next weekend(I am anxious to try it out:0)
They sold me the Gravely mulch kit a few weeks ago at the 2012 price he quoted me last fall and saved me about $35 on that. Like is always said here, when you find a good dealer you are much better off doing all your business there(I ain't told him about the Echo blower yet, but I don't think he'll blame me for passing up on the $279 Stihl BR-200 and scooping that Echo up for 75 bucks:0)

Good deal! :thumbsup: