Echo vs Stihl Backpack Blowers is like comparing Ferraris vs Lamborghinis. They’re both crazy good options that are elite blowers in the landscaping world.
I have a personal vendetta against backpack blowers because my nextdoor neighbor insists on using them as alarm clocks on the weekends, but I can’t deny how great of a tool they are.
When we first used the Stihl BR600 backpack blower, it felt like a bazooka was strapped to our back. But then we tried the ECHO. Then tried the Stihl again. And honestly, I felt like we had to go write this post to detail our experience.
These are two of the top backpack leaf blowers in the game – so let’s see how they stack up in every category. We chose the Stihl BR 600 to compare to the ECHO PB-770H as they are two of the most popular backpack blowers and the top of the line option from both brands.
Jump ahead:
- Backpack Blowers 101
- Power comparison
- Usability head-to-head
- Reliability
- ECHO vs Stihl blower cost
- The winner: ECHO vs Stihl blower
Want to see a comparison to battery powered backpack blowers?
Why we review lawn tools
The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.
As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something.
What to look for in a backpack blower
Backpack blowers come in a bunch of shapes and sizes but there are three basic things you need to understand:
CFMs on blowers
Cubic feet per minute. This is a measure of air output on the blower. Higher CFM = more power, but not necessarily more miles per hour. High CFM with a wide nozzle = lower MPH. High CFM with a narrow nozzle = high miles per hour. Ideally, you want both a high CFM with a narrow to medium nozzle for most residential jobs.
Usability
What is the point of having a blower if it is hard to use? Have to get one that is lightweight, easy to start, and has some functions that make your life easier. One thing I look for here is how the weight is distributed. I also look for things like variable speed control, sound, and how easy it is to reach or change controls like cruise control.
Reliability
It’s important to have reliable equipment – hands down. For homeowners, having a backpack blower that can easily start and requires minimal maintenance is key. The engine doesn’t get as much use as a professional landscaper, so hopefully doesn’t require the same maintenance schedule. For professional landscapers, you need to have a blower that starts quickly and isn’t a headache requiring frequent tinkering and minor replacements.
ECHO PB-770H vs Stihl BR 600 Backpack Blower
Now that we know what we are looking for in a backpack blower, we can see how both the ECHO and Stihl blowers stack up. Both brands are known for making super strong products that landscapers and homeowners love, but only one can truly come out on top.
Let’s get started!
Power comparison
When it comes to backpack blowers, power is everything. Power is extremely important to be able to move large quantities of leaves under a quick timeline. Leaf blower power is measured in both CFMs and MPH. With backpack blowers, you really want high CFMs AND high MPH.
With high CFMs, you can ensure that there is a significant volume of air coming out of the tip of the blower. This usually is the “punch” that the blower provides and helps you cover large quantities at a time. MPH gives you the speed to make sure the large burst of air is coming out quickly. Without both, you either get a wimpy but large burst of air OR a small jet stream that doesn’t help move big piles.
The ECHO PB-770H boasts a huge 756 CFMs and 234 MPH air speed. The Stihl BR 600 clocks in at 677 CFM and 238 MPH. These are really close figures, despite having some differences at CFM. Since they are nearly the same air speed, the ECHO must have a slightly larger opening and burst of air. Although most folks won’t recognize a difference in power, the ECHO PB-770H has a slight advantage in overall power output.
Despite the minor power output differences, these have nearly the same engine displacement at both around 64 ccs.
This one is so close because the engines are just about identical. Stihl has slightly more speed, but ECHO has slightly more air output. As much as I’d like to call it a tie, I actually believe ECHO’s CFM advantage puts this one as the definitive winner of the head-to-head power assessment.
Winner: ECHO PB-770H Backpack Blower
Usability features
When I’m looking at usability, the real test begins at about 15 minutes into using the blower. At that point, I’m wondering if I feel like I have complete control over the tool or if I am having to wrestle with it to get the job done.
In particular, I’m gauging how my shoulder feels and whether or not my hand has started cramping due to the trigger placement and other control features.
Whereas the Stihl and ECHO blowers were super similar in power, they are much different in usability. Most backpack blowers operate by having a little handle at the midway point of the blower nozzle that allows you to control the direction of airflow.
Stihl and ECHO have major differences in the functionality of that handle. With the Stihl BR 600, the handle that controls the direction of airflow (the steering handle) also has the throttle trigger and setting lever embedded on it. This is super helpful and convenient as it gives you total control of the blower without having to mess with other portions of the blower.
On the other hand, the ECHO PB-770H has a separate lever that controls the throttle and speed. While it is something you can get used to after a couple tries, it will never be as comfortable as the Stihl BR 600. ECHO does allow you to purchase the PB-770T, a surprisingly less popular version that has a cord that wraps around and allows you to mount the throttle on the blower nozzle.
The winner of the usability competition: Stihl BR 600.
Reliability
When I evaluate a backpack blower for reliability, there are a few things I look for. The first is how difficult the blower is to start. Nothing is more frustrating than cranking the pull cord over and over without the dang blower starting.
The Stihl BR 600 has a purge pump primer, which allows you to prime the carburetor without flooding the engine. Basically, it limits the amount of times the carburetor can be primed, therefore limiting the number of times you pull the cord before it starts. This is a huge advantage because I just know I have flooded my engine a dozen times.
The ECHO PB-770H does not have any specific function that protects the operator from making honest mistakes. Anecdotally, this is the blower my neighbor has and I swear I watched her crank it close to 50 times in a row the other day before it started.
The maintenance schedules on both the Stihl BR 600 and ECHO PB-770H blowers is straightforward. The classic spark plug and air filter replacement as needed and the occasional service.
Reputationally, the BR 600 from Stihl is one I’ve seen completely beaten down, scraped up, and continues to run and start super easily. I own this one and while it takes a dozen pulls, it has a nice foot plate that makes it really effortless to get started around the 10th crank or so.
Winner: Stihl BR 600.
Price comparison
Oddly enough, the Stihl BR 600 and the ECHO PB-770H come in at exactly the same price: $529.99. Wish I could pick a winner here, but they are exactly the same.
Our winner: Stihl BR 600 vs ECHO PB-770H Backpack Blower
After it is all said and done, this is a really tough battle. These things are super easily matched and even cost the exact same.
But for this battle, there has to be one winner: the Stihl BR 600.
We chose the Stihl BR 600 because it is simply easier to use and more trustworthy than the ECHO PB-700H. The features that come with the BR 600 make it easier to start and easier to control. Plus, not only do we see this every time we walk into our garage, but just about every landscaper in the country has one of these. They are the Ford F150 of the landscaping game because you just can’t go wrong with one.
They sell these at Ace Hardware or you can buy them pre-owned for a few hundred dollars cheaper.
Interested in other ECHO and Stihl products? Check out our comparison of ECHO and Stihl Weed Eaters.
