Which to get, the Husqvarna or Stihl backpack leaf blower? The Husqvarna 360BT has a fuel-efficient engine and a bigger fuel tank. The Stihl BR 600 has higher CFM and is less noisy. No matter which one you get, you are guaranteed to get quality!
Tired of raking leaves by hand? Would you like to buy yourself a leaf blower? Can’t decide which one to get – the Husqvarna vs Stihl backpack leaf blower?
First of all, you are on the right track! You can’t go wrong with Husqvarna or Stihl. They are two of the best brands in the outdoor equipment industry, so you are guaranteed to get a good blower.
But which is better? The Husqvarna or Stihl backpack leaf blower?
To determine which is better, I first need to compare two of their most popular models, the Husqvarna 360BT and the Stihl BR 600.
My conclusion? The Husqvarna 360BT is overall better for people with standard-sized yards. The Stihl BR 600 is better for covering large areas.
Keep on reading! You can find a complete comparison below!
Contents
The Husqvarna Vs Stihl Backpack Leaf Blower – Up Close
Husqvarna Backpack Leaf Blower: Review
Husqvarna is a company that doesn’t need a detailed introduction. Their outdoor-powered tools are so popular they have made their way into many homes across the globe. You may even have one or two of their tools in your garage.
They make all kinds of outdoor power tools and equipment, but today I will focus on their backpack leaf blower, the 360BT. Let’s take a look at some of its features.
Design & Ease Of Use
If you are used to getting hand fatigue while working with a handheld model, you can finally take a breather with this one. The Husqvarna 360BT is a backpack leaf blower that will free your hands of most of the work. It makes your back do the hard part of carrying the machine!
This is just one of the perks of owning a backpack leaf blower over a handheld.
Thankfully, the Husqvarna 360BT feels comfortable on the back. It has an adjustable support harness that conforms to any body type and height and it’s made of breathable material that feels pleasant in the heat.
The harness has another important role. It evenly distributes the weight of the machine across your back, as well. Carrying 23.15 lbs would be difficult without this feature.
On the topic of comfort, I can’t go on without mentioning the ergonomic handle located on the tube. It has rubber inserts and can be adjusted to achieve a good grip.
Husqvarna backpack leaf blowers have a tube-mounted control handle, just like Stihl blowers. It lets you fully operate the machine with only one hand. Having all controls in one place is a huge advantage and a relief.
The feature I particularly like on Husqvarna backpack leaf blowers is the cruise control. It lets you set the blowing speed, so you don’t have to maintain it manually. This way, your hands won’t feel sore after extended work.
Another feature that ensures comfortability is the anti-vibration system. It dampens the shaking of the engine, which certainly isn’t healthy for your body.
The dampeners also help lower the noise of the machine. The Husqvarna 360BT produces 97 dB of sound, slightly more than its competitor. I recommend you wear earmuffs with any loud tool you are working with.
Engine Specs
The Husqvarna 360BT features a reliable gas-powered 2-cycle engine called the X-Torq®. The engine has a displacement of 65.6 ccs and a power output of 3.81 horsepower. This engine can handle long and tough cleanup jobs, without a doubt.
Still, Husqvarna’s X-Torq® engines are best known for being environmentally friendly. The X-Torq® design reduces harmful exhaust emissions by up to 60%. It is also up to 20% more fuel-efficient than standard engines seen on leaf blowers.
Last but not least, I have to point out the size of the fuel tank. It can store up to 74 fl oz of gasoline — way more than the Stihl backpack leaf blower.
Blowing Power
Husqvarna backpack leaf blowers are suited for home and professional use. They have the strength and power to move large piles of leaves. Let’s see how well the Husqvarna 360BT does its job, in particular.
The Husqvarna 360BT puts out 631 CFM. CFM means cubic feet of air per minute and it is a measurement of air volume. It tells you how many cubic feet of air comes out of the nozzle every minute.
You also have to look at the speed of air coming out of the leaf blower. The blow coming out of the Husqvarna 360BT reaches a max of 232 MPH. This should be enough for yards one acre in size and bigger.
Click here to find out if this is a good CFM for a leaf blower! If the Husqvarna 360BT is not enough, you can buy its stronger brothers, the Husqvarna 570BTS or the Husqvarna 580BTS.
Find out how well Husqvarna 360BT performs:
Pros
- Strong, reliable X-Torq® engine
- Fewer exhaust emissions in general
- Fuel efficient
- Ergonomic control handle
- Adjustable harness
- Vibration reduction system
- Bigger fuel tank
- Cheaper than the Stihl BR 600
- 2-year standard warranty
Cons
- Lower CFM than the Stihl model
- Less MPH than the Stihl
- Heavier than the Stihl
- Noisier than the Stihl
Stihl Backpack Leaf Blower: Review
You have probably heard of the Stihl brand. Stihl is one of the leading brands in the outdoor power tool and equipment industry. They have been around for quite some time. It is a German company founded in 1926, but they have a major global headquarters in Virginia, employing more than 1,900 locals.
Besides leaf blowers, Stihl also manufactures chainsaws, tillers, garden shredders, trimmers, and the list goes on.
Today, I will focus on the Stihl BR 600 backpack leaf blower. I chose this model because it is very similar to the Husqvarna 360BT. This way, the comparison will be fair and square.
Let’s take a closer look at some of its features.
Design & Ease Of Use
Stihl is known for making backpack leaf blowers that feel good to use. That’s exactly what you want in your leaf blower. You will be wearing your backpack blower for an extended time, so you want a unit that feels comfortable on your back.
The Stihl BR 600 is roughly 2 pounds lighter than the Husqvarna 360BT. It weighs 21.6 lbs. This unit is easier to carry, which is a big plus.
Thankfully, all Stihl backpack blowers and sprayers have an adjustable support harness that distributes weight across the back and shoulders, so you will feel comfortable wearing your machine. Those 21.6 pounds would feel heavy without a proper support system.
The Stihl BR 600 is also comfortable to operate, thanks to the multi-function control handle located on the tube. This means that all controls are located on a single handle.
The control throttle also has a cruise control feature, just like the Husqvarna leaf blower, which lets you set the speed to achieve consistent air blow. Your hand won’t get fatigued while maintaining the desired speed. Operating a blower has never been easier.
Another design quality that you will appreciate is the anti-vibration system. It reduces the vibration of the gas engine when fully operating. This ensures a comfortable and safe working experience.
The Stihl BR 600 is also less noisy than the Husqvarna model. It produces 75 dB of noise, which is comparable to the sound of a vacuum cleaner. Luckily, this unit won’t hurt your ears, but it is still recommended you wear earmuffs when working for an extended time.
Watch this complete review of the Stihl BR 600:
Engine Specs
The Stihl BR 600 is a gas-powered leaf blower. The machine requires a combination of fuel and oil to operate, just like the Husqvarna gas-powered units.
It is equipped with a 4-stroke engine with a displacement of 64.8 ccs and a strength of 3.8 horsepower, so you can rely on it to get you through some rough cleaning jobs.
The Stihl BR 600 starts quickly, thanks to the purge pump primer. You can’t flood the engine, even if you push the primer button one too many times. It only takes one to two pulls to fire up the engine.
This leaf blower also has a built-in stop switch. You only have to press the button once to completely stop the machine. This is a great safety feature. The blower automatically returns to the start setting and is ready for the next use.
I must mention, though, that the Stihl BR 600 has a significantly smaller fuel tank than the Husqvarna model I’ve reviewed here. It stores just 47.3 fl oz of gas, so you may have to refill more often, depending on the size of your yard.
Blowing Power
All Stihl backpack leaf blowers are well known for their performance. The Stihl BR 600 puts out 677 CFM and blows at a maximum speed of 238 MPH.
The Stihl BR 600 has the power to move large piles of leaves and possibly even small sticks and rocks. It can be turned into a gutter cleaner and used for snow removal too! No wonder why this model, in particular, is so popular amongst homeowners.
Not sure what’s the difference between CFM vs MPH? Click here to find out!
Watch this video to see the Stihl BR 600 in action:
Pros
- Strong and reliable engine
- Higher CFM than Husqvarna
- Higher MPH than Husqvarna
- Multi-function control handle
- Anti-vibration system
- Adjustable support harness
- Lighter than Husqvarna
- Less noisy
- 2 year limited warranty
Cons
- Smaller fuel tank than the Husqvarna model
- More expensive
Husqvarna Vs Stihl: Features Face To Face
Blowing Performance (CFM/MPH)
What’s a leaf blower worth if it can’t blow? Hardly anything! That’s why blowing performance, measured in CFM and MPH, may be the most important thing to look for in a leaf blower.
Let’s compare the blowing power of the Husqvarna vs Stihl backpack leaf blower.
The Stihl BR 600 has a higher CFM and MPH. It puts out 677 cubic feet of air per minute and blows at the maximum speed of 238 miles per hour. The Husqvarna 360BT blows at the rate of 517 CFM and the speed of 216 MPH.
The clear winner of this round is the Stihl BR 600. It has a stronger and faster blow.
Winner: Stihl
Engine Power
The Husqvarna and Stihl backpack leaf blowers are almost even when it comes to engine power. The Husqvarna 360BT features a 2-cycle engine with a slightly better displacement of 65.5 ccs. The Stihl BR has a 4-stroke engine with a displacement of 64.8 ccs.
2-cycle engines are more powerful than 4-stroke engines, but they tend to wear out faster. 4-stroke engines are typically more durable, but also more costly to repair since they have a more complicated build.
Despite all that, the power of the Husqvarna and Stihl engine is practically the same. The Stihl has a strength of 3.81 horsepower and the Husqvarna 3.8 horsepower.
Determining which engine is better is, in this case, difficult. They are similar in many ways.
I have to point out, though, that Stihl’s engine power translates into a better blowing performance. We have seen in the comparison above that the Stihl backpack leaf blower has a higher CFM and MPH.
There isn’t a clear winner in this battle. It is a tie! The Husqvarna and Stihl both have amazing engines.
Winner: Tie
Fuel Tank Size
People often forget to check the size of the fuel tank when buying a leaf blower. You don’t want to buy a unit that can barely hold any gas or your blower will die on you before you are halfway done cleaning your yard. The photo above is courtesy of Marcus Balcher.
You definitely won’t run into this problem if you buy the Husqvarna 360BT. It has a huge fuel tank that can store 74.4 fl oz of gasoline.
The Stihl BR 600 has a decently sized fuel tank measuring 47.3 fl oz. You will have to make more stops for gas refills if you use a Stihl blower on a big yard.
The clear winner of this versus battle is the Husqvarna 360BT. It has a bigger fuel tank that supports longer clean-up jobs.
Winner: Husqvarna
FAQs
Are Husqvarna backpack blowers any good?
Husqvarna backpack blowers are good because of their high quality and performance. They can be used for home and professional use. They have a powerful blow, are comfortable, and easy to operate.
Husqvarna Or Stihl? Both Are Amazing
Husqvarna vs Stihl backpack leaf blower? You can’t go wrong with buying either of these backpack leaf blowers. It is even difficult to say which one is better since both leaf blowers offer quality in their performance and design. They each have their strengths that you should choose based on your needs.
If you still can’t decide between the Husqvarna vs Stihl backpack leaf blower, follow these last guidelines:
Buy the Husqvarna 360BT if:
- You don’t need to clear large amounts of leaves.
- You don’t like making stops for gas refills.
- You want an environmentally responsible machine.
- You want a cheaper blower.
Buy the Stihl BR 600 if:
- You have lots of trees in your yard.
- You need a stronger leaf blower.
- You don’t want to disturb your neighbors.
- You can afford it.
About The Authors
Last update on 2024-04-19 at 14:41 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API