Choosing the Right Walk-Behind Blower

I'm an avid lawn and garden tools lover. I have quite the collection in my garage and feel like I know what I'm talking about when it comes to equipment and heavy tools. If you're looking for a walk behind blower, take this article to heart before making a purchase.

Walk Behind Blower Options

I looked at several leaf blowers before making a purchase. The Little Wonder by Schiller-Pfeiffer looked good but was relatively small for the job I had in mind. I did a lot of research and decided it was not the right blower for me. I do like the idea of a deflector that eliminates blow-back but without trying it out, I can't say if that works as well as intended.

Another leaf blower I gave serious consideration was the TB 672 Jet Sweep Wheeled Leaf Blower. Sticking to Troy Bilt's standard look, this machine is nice to look at and has several options. I didn't try it out before purchasing my Force 13 by Billy Goat. I do own other Troy Bilt equipment and should have stuck with a brand I trusted more.

Most of the walk behind blowers I looked at didn't appear to have the push I was looking for. I needed something that blew the competition out of the water so to speak. Unfortunately I may have passed over some of the better machines for the one I got.

My Poor Purchase

As you can see, before I purchased by walk behind blower I did a ton of research. I even spoke with most of the manufacturers directly in addition to speaking with local dealers and lawn equipment repair shops. After a year of research I decided to buy the Billy Goat Force F1300 or better known as the Force 13 by Billy Goat.

First of all let me say that it took everything I had to buy something from Billy Goat because everyone I spoke with at this company in Missouri was beyond rude and not very helpful. I lived in Sedalia Missouri for half a year so I was familiar with this attitude.

Not everyone was like this but I was an outsider and this was not uncommon. After a few more meetings the barriers were broken down but that was not case with the folks over at Billy Goat Industries. Here is my opinion of the new Billy Goat Force 13.

Fuel Efficiency: Not good! I don't know if this is an issue with the Honda Engine or with the way blower was designed by Billy Goat industries. This thing is about as green as a monster truck with no exhaust system.

Quality of manufacturing: Fair. The machine feels very strong and stable but they failed miserably with the aim and shoot lever and cable. This lever and cable feel as about as solid as a cheap bicycle brake found on a new, cheaply made bicycle that cost $10. It is also in a horrible location and does not feel very ergonomic.

Blowing Power: If you live on flat property or need this thing for parking lots that are flat it is a gift from heaven because it has all the power you need to clear debris and surface dirt. If you are like the rest of us and you do not have flat property than this thing can be a beast to move around. I strongly suggest testing this machine on your property before turning it on because the Force 13 is very heavy.

Sound: I am looking at the Billy Goat brochure as I write this and it reads: "Far Quieter than the Competition - 3 dBA less and pleasant to operate without irritating the neighborhood." That is the furthest from the truth in my opinion. Maybe this is true for the smaller machines, but I will tell you that this is the loudest machine in my garage. You do not want to run this blower without ear protection. For fairness to Billy Goat I will say that I do not own another push blower so it is possible the others are extremely loud and this one is just loud.

Size: This machine is big and bulky. It is worth it to me because I have a specific job for the blower. If you just need a machine for leaves and you need to save space then you need to drop down to one of the smaller machines or look at other blowers.

Plastic Housing: This in my opinion is a huge benefit over the competition. The plastic housing seems like it would last longer than a steel housing. It seems very durable.

Accessories: Lock Down Kit - If you are a contractor this seems like an amazing device that will save lots of time.

Accessories: Parking Break - I am beyond annoyed that this is an option. Even on the slightest of slopes this machine will run away from you if left unattended without something under the tires.