Echo has put a lot of hard work into designing and producing a range of less noisier gas blowers. I was inspired with the noise levels made by the 260 models employing a 25.4 cc power plant. However, I am stunned that they have been able to do it again with this much more powerful version of their backpack blowers. In fact the PB 460 Echo backpack blower only produces 65db of sound using a 44 cc engine and for this reason it has got to be the quietest on the block. This is exactly the same level as the less powerful 260 version. The PB 460 uses particular noise attenuation technology to lower the noise down to this remarkable level. Even at full throttle it still makes only the same level of sound. It makes this blower very suitable for neighborhoods where keeping the noise down is very desirable. Even so, you should still check your local lesgislation to make sure that this machine agrees with the law.
As for capability: the 44 cc 2 stroke engine produces an air speed of 175 MPH. This is comparable to the STIHL 420 blower which produces roughly the same air peed but with a much larger 56.5 cc engine. Air speed is important if you want to be able to blow heavier pieces of debris or break up matted sticky, damp leaves and piles of damp grass cuttings. The volume of air moved is 380 CFM. This is measured at the end of the tube. This quantity of air is less than the STIHL 380 model which comes in at 465 CFM. However, the engine in the Echo is smaller than the 56.5cc of the STIHL version. One should therefore expect it to be less able to maintain the debris moving and a bit harder to deal with further way leaves that need clearing up.
As with all Echo tools this blower uses the easy start pro fire ignition system. There is a cold start position on the choke mechanism and a pump primer bulb to get the fuel flowing. It should start within 5 short pulls of the recoil starter handle. The electronic ignition system makes starting this tool very easy. It has a 1.9 Liter transparent fuel tank which uses a standard Fifty to One 2 stroke mixture of gas and oil. It has a heavy duty automotive type air filter which is easy to replace and prevents dirt and air debris from getting into the engine.
As far as ergonomics, this blower has a padded backrest and shoulder straps that are simple to adjust. The design of the frame also aids with comfort, as it is actually a light weight roll cage which is made from durable high impact plastic. This also makes servicing the machine easier as getting to the main parts is easy compared to other backpack blowers. The overall weight of the tool is 26.4 lbs which means that it could start to feel a little heavy if you use it for long periods of time. There is a hip mounted throttle control for easy and easy to get to operation.
This is a professional level backpack leaf blower that has a low weight and quiet design. It has a reduced noise output and produces a fast air speed that will easily cope with most leaf and grass blowing jobs. If you are searching for a blower that is comfortable to work with and has the power to do most jobs then you absolutely should think about the PB 460.
