Manufacturers of leaf blowers have had to take into consideration the new laws relating to noise and air pollution output from gas driven power tools. Out of all of these tools the gas blower has had the worst record in creating large amounts of noise pollution. Echo have responded to these requirements by producing machines that both meet these needs and still produce the power we need to get the yard jobs done. They have also managed to develop some nice features in the process.

 

With a maximum air speed of 145 mph the Echo PB 251 hand held blower is easily able to cope with clearing decent sized yards. The speed of the air gets the leaves and debris moving and then the 390 CFM air volume generated makes sure that it keeps moving. It is powered by a 25.4 cc power boost vortex engine. It definitely packs a punch. Although it isn’t as powerful as back pack models it still manages to cope with most jobs and you haven’t got all the problems of having to get strapped in.  Despite the power generated, the amount of noise produced has been kept down to 65db, which should meet the regulation needs in most areas. There is some debate about the design of the engine as far as the number of piston rings is concerned. This engine has one piston ring where as other designs have 2 rings. There have been no problems reported about this, as far as I know.

 

One of the most important features of a good power tool is its ability to start quickly and easily. The PB 251 cranks very easily and there is no need to prime the fuel every time. When the weather is hot and you need to blow your yard and sidewalks off, you want something that is going to start quickly and finish off your yard as soon as possible. This Echo machine does just that. It also has no problems starting when the engine is hot. Some people have complained about its ability to start, but this just seems to be a small minority. It is thought that the need for lean mixtures to meet emissions laws might be responsible for some problems in these kinds of machines. You need to make sure you use the correct grades of gas and oil in the fuel mixture.

 

A number of features make this gas powered leaf blower easy to use. With a weight of only 9.9lbs this is a light machine which helps a lot when it comes to using it for longer periods of time. It has two handles making it easy to hold and the top handle has three positions to help in directional operation. It uses rotation control technology to stop the force of the air coming out of the blower from trying to twist the machine out of your hands. There is also a useful trigger lock. As well as being very quiet the machine doesn’t suffer very much from vibrations. 

 

The reliability and standard of manufacture of garden power tools varies greatly but this blower is definitely on the quality side of the spectrum. It has a good amount of power and will take care of anything for the average home. It will blow light to moderate piles of lawn clippings and leaves with no effort at all. It is a great machine for a reasonable price with a fantastic 5 year warranty.