Little mixed up. Wife, as usual, has changed her mind about Christmas presents and I have all of a sudden been tasked with buying a present for son-in-law. Worked with him on a project a month or so ago. He had a bag of Milwaukee "M" tools. Not sure what #, but could find out. But pretty sure he has all the hand tools he needs. However, he borrowed my little handheld Greenworks battery leaf blower about a month ago and is still using it...not a big deal, I have a Stihl that works. Thinking about Christmas. Milwaukee has a blower, but what I've read seems to indicate it is so/so in power. But it fits his battery system...maybe....as I say not sure which Milwaukee he has. The Ego 765 gets great reviews, but it is yet another battery system (yes, I would include battery and charger). Any thoughts? Anyone used either of these? Personally I have Ego, Greenworks, Bauer, B&D, Ryobi and while sort of a pain, not that big of deal.
I personally prefer plug-in or gas powered gardening equipment. The battery powered ones I've tried was lacking a key ingredient, power. The battery electric pruner is fine, but something that needs to spin a motor really fast, tends to also chew up the battery. there's nothing more frustrating that having to stop, because you've drained all your batteries. If he's going to use the tool for small, light duty, touch jobs - the Milwaukee will work great, larger jobs will require more batteries at the ready.
One of the primary jobs would be three times a year (?) on top of a two-story house. In addition to ground work in a yard with a fair amount of oak and maple. While corded is arguably O.K., cordless is safer and the same with a gas blower. I would never take my backpack blower up on a roof. The smaller gas blowers? Eh, still messing with pulling a cord on rooftop, not usually a problem, but who wants to fall if the gas machine is being tempermental? I find my Greenworks 60v battery machine on par with small gas blowers and less hassle than 50-1 mix.
I'm better with brooms and rakes than most anyone because I've spent 35 years refusing to use a blower in all my jobs... So much more rewarding to get exercise, fresh air and minimal dust!
I have both the M18 Milwaukee and the Ryobi 40 volt blowers. I've used the Milwaukee for 6 years and aquire the Ryobi a year ago. I still poo refer the Milwaukee as the Ryobi is bully, awkward and heavy. Just make sure you get the5 Amp hour battery. The 6 year old battery is still charging and retains its full strength. I have no experience with the EGO.
Your braver than me. I only go on my roof with simple hand tools or a garden hose. I'd occasionally use a broom to clear the roof valleys. Using a garden hose up there makes it easy to find leaks.
I have a series of Ego tools. Makes a nice blower. Used it today and with multiple batteries, used it 2 weeks ago to blow pine needles off a 1 mile street...both sides. 50 year old lady next door does her roof with one too. Not a tall house.
Long ago, when I actually had hair and it wasn't white, I was a firefighter. Or, as was accepted in those days, a fireman. Lucky me. I fell off a roof and "broke my neck." Did not all our moms warn us about breaking our necks...Luckily, a top neurosurgeon took me on and I did not end up paralyzed from the neck down. One of the things I had to learn was to face my "new" fears. So, yes, I do climb ladders and go on roofs, despite a bit of terror. But, I am extremely careful and I assure anyone with me is also cautious. Think I am going to pull the trigger on the Ego 670. Not the tops in power, but good enough. Oh, guess my climbing days may be over. As detailed in my post in the "just need to vent" thread, at the end of October, I had atrial flutter, which is a heart condition, somewhat like "a-fib," but flutter can be and was cured in my case. Still wifey got the doctor to tell me "no ladders." Hmph. He tells that to all the older guys, I bet. We shall see.
The EGO gear is brilliant. We have a big hedge across the front of the workshop yard. The Still hedge trimmer needed to be revved till it screamed and still bogged down, the EGO didn't think twice about it, even attacked the cyclone fence by accident and cut through that as well. The brush cutter, the same, unstoppable, chainsaw makes light work of anything I point it at ..... never owned a leaf blower, had a few garden vacs, all plug in, lost them in the house fire, the best one had a wide front nozzle and you wheeled it around, that worked well, the others ..... I doubt if I'll replace them, they were that under whelming, couldn't find an EGO one out here, only blowers and they just move a mess from one place to another T1 Terry
@ your OP. This is a no brainer. If you SIL has a bunch of Milw batteries - get him THAT blower plus a gift receipt from whatever store you get it from. -done
Well, despite fact Milwaukee seemed the most intelligent choice; power vs cost means Ego won out at $212 at local hardware store. Model: LB6703
