ayoungtexan
I tell a lot of lies
- Local time
- 5:43 AM
- User ID
- 12269
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2020
- Messages
- 3,077
- Reaction score
- 14,366
- Location
- Dallas, Texas
I was so happy with my Stihl KM91R, that I ended up buying a Stihl BR450 blower from the same Stihl dealer on the 28th of April. Like the 91, it has gotten used in very tough conditions for a leaf blower. I use the same gas, which is 93 octane ethanol-free mixed at 32:1 Red Armor. It has mainly been used for blowing off grass clippings after mowing and other debris. However, I did give it a heavy workout on Monday in the form on cleaning out the heavy, packed down leaves that have been accumulating for approximately 7 or 8 years. It handled that very well, way better than I expected it to do. Just like my review of the 91, I’ll be going over the pros, cons, and a comparison to my old BR430.
Pros:
1. I was taken aback by the power of this. I could immediately tell a difference between this and my old 430. The specs are rated at 220mph and 642cfm, however I feel like those numbers are off. I was able to use my neighbors BR600 and the 450 felt noticeably more powerful in moving leaves. I presume this is because of the wider opening at the end of the tube.
2. Adjustable tube and throttle handle. All I have to do is loosen the collar, set the tube to where I want it, and go to work. I also could see this making storage a breeze.
3. Easy to start- Usually 2-3 pulls and it fires right up. This was about the same as my old 430.
4. The padded straps and back plate make this very comfortable on my back. My neighbors 600 does have better straps, but the 450 is plenty fine for me.
5. The cruise control is very easy to set to the desired throttle setting. My neighbors 600 had the older style cruise control, which was something that I didn’t like about it.
6. The automatic stop switch and choke are very similar to my 91. I find this to be a nice feature on the 450.
Cons:
1. The only con I can think of is that is takes a bit of time to warm up. This can be easily remedied by setting the choke to half. Doing this locks the throttle in part way so it warms up much faster
Overall Rating: 9.5/10. I would strongly recommend this blower for any sorts of leaves you may have to clear. Now it won’t match a Redmax 8500 or Echo 8010, but it should stay right with an Echo 770. I did notice that the 450 and the 770 sound the same and have the same engine displacement. I have a theory that the 450 and 770 are using the same engine.
Pros:
1. I was taken aback by the power of this. I could immediately tell a difference between this and my old 430. The specs are rated at 220mph and 642cfm, however I feel like those numbers are off. I was able to use my neighbors BR600 and the 450 felt noticeably more powerful in moving leaves. I presume this is because of the wider opening at the end of the tube.
2. Adjustable tube and throttle handle. All I have to do is loosen the collar, set the tube to where I want it, and go to work. I also could see this making storage a breeze.
3. Easy to start- Usually 2-3 pulls and it fires right up. This was about the same as my old 430.
4. The padded straps and back plate make this very comfortable on my back. My neighbors 600 does have better straps, but the 450 is plenty fine for me.
5. The cruise control is very easy to set to the desired throttle setting. My neighbors 600 had the older style cruise control, which was something that I didn’t like about it.
6. The automatic stop switch and choke are very similar to my 91. I find this to be a nice feature on the 450.
Cons:
1. The only con I can think of is that is takes a bit of time to warm up. This can be easily remedied by setting the choke to half. Doing this locks the throttle in part way so it warms up much faster
Overall Rating: 9.5/10. I would strongly recommend this blower for any sorts of leaves you may have to clear. Now it won’t match a Redmax 8500 or Echo 8010, but it should stay right with an Echo 770. I did notice that the 450 and the 770 sound the same and have the same engine displacement. I have a theory that the 450 and 770 are using the same engine.
