Stihl vs. Husqvarna Hand held blowers

[KirkD]

I am looking for a hand held blower to use around the sawmill. I have found a clean used Stihl BG86 for $100 but a new Husqvarna 125b is only $146 online. Opinions?

[sawguy21]

They offer similar performance, I have used the Stihl and liked the results. Warranty on the new one is a moot point buying online.

[caveman]

Someone gave me a Husqvarna handheld blower that did not run.  I bought a carburetor, filter, bulb and fuel lines off of ebay for less than $15 and it has run reliably ever since.  It gets used several times a week and is also used to clean off the mill when we have the opportunity to saw.

[realzed]

I had a Stihl SH56 blower/shredder which is the same as a BG56 without a collection bag and it worked very well at least to blow stuff away - vacuuming and shredding, not so much. 
I decided that since I had so much of an area to maintain and so many trees that dropped a lot of leaves, that I needed something bigger so I sold it - amazing quickly (guess Stihl stuff is always in demand even used) considering how new it still (Stihl) looked and ran, and I bought a backpack BR800X blower instead.
Big difference obviously in size, weight, portability, and capacity for air movement - but often I wished I had kept the 56 as well, since it got into tight spaces a lot better than the 800!  
An 86 is basically exactly the same with just a smidge more blowing speed and air movement capacity - great tools - nicely designed and easy to use and move around with!
The handhelds won't move wet stuff be it leaves or sawdust or sand and gravel, like a bigger blowers will - my 800 will darn near lift chunks of grass right out if I'm not careful where I aim it.. but they do a great job when used as intended.
My neighbor has an Echo handheld version and another a Husky, and they both are louder than my backpack and far louder then my 56 ever was!    

[KirkD]

I got the used Stihl for $70 because it would not rev up. It took me longer to get the stuff moved and cobwebs of my welding tanks to fire it up and clean the buildup off the spark arrestor than to fix it. Runs great and looks like new. 8)

[Al_Smith]

I've got two Stihl blowers .A BR 400 which is a back pack and a BG 85 hand held .The later was given to me after  loosing a fight with a 7000 pound brush chipper ,I landed another from e bay with a bad engine and changed it out .Both do very well .

[Fishnuts2]

I had a new BG56 for quite a few years before I came across a Husqvarna 125B that needed a carb kit.  Later I found an ES-255 Echo blower/vac combo that I got running easily.  On the criteria of starting easy, vibration, weight, and noise, the BG56 got sold easily and I still have the other two.  125B is the one I grab first for most jobs.  If I only had one, it would be my choice.

[Banjo picker]

Which ever one you get, keep in mind that volume of air produced is more important than the velocity.  Especially if trying to move sawdust.  Could be compared with hunting an elephant.  Would you prefer a fast moving 17 cal. Or a big slower moving magnum.  Banjo

[Al_Smith]

Being a junk collector and dumpster diver I have several blowers and weed wackers that all ran at one time .What happens is they sit more times than they run and the carbs get funky,need a rebuild .Rather than that people just buy a new one . I just have not taken the time to repair them .Those I did I gave away ,passed it  forward so to speak . A blower no matter who made it is a far better alternative than a leaf rake,broom or snow shovel in my opinion .

[gspren]

I have the Stihl BG86 and it works fine but I actually like the blower attachment for my Stihl Combi motor better. I have the bigger Combi and the blower works so well that if I'd have got it first the hand held wouldn't have been purchased.