Are you looking for a professional-grade backpack blower? The Husqvarna 580BTS is a powerful backpack blower engineered for any heavy-duty task.
A backpack blower needs to blow hard and fast to move litter and snow. But it also needs to be designed with the operator in mind and built to last the distance. The 580BTS cuts the mark in terms of airflow and power, but can it satisfy all the needs of a serious user?
Why Is This a Good Blower?
The Husqvarna 580BTS Backpack Blower is a well-designed backyard tool suitable for the most demanding tasks. It produces heavy airflow and high airspeed with an efficient fan driven by Husqvarna’s remarkable X-Torq engine.
It has a pro-grade air filter that allows a long operating time and will ensure trouble-free use if you keep it clean. And with the wide shoulder straps on the harness, it feels very comfortable, even after extended sessions.
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We picked this model because Husqvarna sells these widely in professional circles. And, being extremely powerful, it can clean up large volumes of leaves without much effort.
How Powerful Is the Husqvarna 580BTS Really?
With Husqvarna’s patented X-Torq engine, the 75.6 CC engine puts out 4.3 HP. You’ll find it’s still quite manageable to operate, even if it weighs 25.8 pounds without fuel, thanks to its effective shoulder-straps and waist belt.
With this power, the engine produces an air volume of 908 CFM at an air-speed of 206 mph, with a force of 38.2 newtons. Let’s break that down.
Air Speed: Like a Hurricane
Airspeed measures how fast a blower pushes air out of its tube. For this backpack, winds from the blower reach 206 MPH.
To put that into perspective: on October 23, 2015, Hurricane Patricia became the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded anywhere on Earth, with winds of 200 mph.
Air Volume: By the Truckload
The volume of air the 580BTS produces at wide-open throttle is 908 cubic feet per minute — CFM. The only blower we know that rivals that amount of air is a RedMax, which is an equipment manufacturer also owned by Husqvarna.
To help you visualize that, imagine filling a concrete mixer truck about two-and-a-half times with air, every minute.
Force: Just Don’t Stand in the Way
One Newton is defined as the amount of force required to accelerate 1 kg of mass at 1 meter per second. So, 38 of those punches at once is like a pineapple blown away at over 80 mph.
Whatever you do, don’t stand in the way!
How Good Is the Engine Performance?
That question was really answered by the mind-boggling volume, speed and force of the air that the blower pushes out.
The engine design ensures fuel efficiency and reduced emissions. The technology used for the 75.6 cc 2-cycle engine allows the manufacturers to claim a 20 percent increased fuel efficiency gain over other engines of the same size. And the same X-Torq technology is also responsible for reducing harmful emissions by around 60 percent.
What Can It Do?
So what is all this power good for? Imagine you’re clearing a light layer of sand or snow of a smooth asphalt surface. The swath that this blower can clear at a time is 6 square feet ahead of you. Just keep walking and multiply your walking speed by this number to work out how long it will take you to clear a football pitch — 45 minutes, in case you’re interested.
The Husqvarna 580BTS model is described by users as the best money can buy, and is unrivaled by any other model. This shows that you can get a high-spec leaf blower for a reasonable price.
You need this kind of blower to keep your lawn clean and well-maintained throughout the year if you have anything bigger than a small backyard. Having the right equipment to hand makes that possible.
How Comfortable Is It?
The 580BTS performs well and is comfortable to wear for hours without issues.
When you’re carrying nearly 30 pounds on your back for a lengthy job, ergonomics does matter. Most blowers will come with thick, padded and adjustable holsters, but the Husqvarna 580BTS backpack blower excels by also featuring a waist and chest strap.
The 580BTS is designed like a good backpack, balancing the weight across the hips and lower back. When the blower is strapped on properly, it’ll protect your back and make longer sessions less strenuous.
The ergonomic handle is positioned well for comfortable operation and has an easily adjustable soft-grip. This design means the unit can be operated for longer periods before fatigue kicks in.
Having an engine mounted on your back is less bothersome with the Husqvarna thanks to built-in dampeners, which reduce vibrations transferring from the engine to the back-mounted chassis.
A special bonus is that it has a built-in active cooling system. A fan blows air across the user’s back, leaving you cool on the job.
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Is It Easy to Start?
It sure is! An air purge removes air from the fuel system and carburetor, and brings fuel from the tank and connecting line into the carburetor for easier starting. This ensures it’ll take no more than two pulls to fire up the 2-stroke engine.
How Loud Is It?
The hefty engine and fans do make quite a bit of noise, however. The leaf blower is rated at 100 decibels at the operator’s ear. That counts as ‘very loud’ — which means louder than a lawnmower or blender — according to the American Academy of Audiology.
Since that level over an extended period can cause hearing loss, you should always wear hearing protection.
Is It Well Built?
You’ll hear Husqvarna’s products spoken of highly in any store — we hear the build quality and durability remarked on a lot. It feels sturdy to handle and can survive being dropped without much concern.
The ergonomic design of the harness and handle add to the quality noticeable by professional users. It just feels good to handle: put it on cruise control and let it blow.
It has excellent attention to detail, like how the air filter is placed on top of the blower to avoid sucking in too much dust. As a result, you can be sure that it’ll have a longer service life with less regular cleaning needed.
Will It Clear Snow?
If you want to clear light, fluffy snow, then go right ahead and start up the leaf blower!
Excellent Air-Cleaning System
Not surprisingly, if you blow up a lot of litter, you’re going to have a lot of dust in the air. The Husqvarna leaf blower uses an air-injection system that removes larger debris and dust particles before the air reaches the air filter. This then results in less air filter changes and improved engine life in the long run.
What Warranty Comes With This Model?
The Husqvarna 580BTS comes with a standard two-year limited warranty covering all necessary repairs and replacement parts at an authorized workshop. You’re advised to register your product online to ensure proof of purchase.
Husqvarna Extended Warranty
To extend your warranty by a period of 1 further year for a total of 3 years, you need to purchase, at the same time as purchasing the tool, a minimum of 6 bottles of Husqvarna’s own brand of 2 cycle oil. Note that both purchases need to be on the same invoice and the product must be registered online which you can do here.
To extend your warranty by a further 3 years for a total of 5 years, you need to purchase a minimum of 96 fl.oz of Husqvarna’s own brand of pre mixed fuel at the same time as purchasing the tool. As above, note that both these purchases must appear on the same invoice and you must register online which you can do here.
Is This Model Good for Beginners?
While this is an easy machine to use, as it’s a premium model, you want to be sure you can handle it without risking damage. If you’ve owned a leaf blower before, you aren’t technically a beginner anymore and will feel confident to learn how to set up and use this equipment properly.
What Are Other Uses for This Blower?
There’s no doubt that anyone will find this a useful tool to clear away leaves and lawn trimmings, but that isn’t where it ends. Leaf blowers, in general, are very useful on firelines and cleaning up after a prescribed burn.
Other potential uses this Husqvarna blower is capable of, include:
- Blowing dust and gravel off driveways and decks.
- Clearing pine needles.
- Drying a washed car or truck.
- Chasing rodents out of crevices.
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How Large Is the Gas Tank?
The tank on this blower is big enough — 87.9 oz — to run for well over an hour before it runs out.
How Many Tubes Come With This and How Are They Fixed?
The blower comes with three long tubes in the package. One is a plastic elbow, plus two more tubes are held on by a twist-lock system.
What Gas Does It Need?
Any regular gas mixed to a 50:1 ratio with two-stroke oil will do.
Can You Adjust the Airspeed If You Don’t Need Full Power?
The airspeed is adjusted with a manual trigger throttle, giving you finer control to direct leaves and debris to where you want it to go. There’s also a ‘cruise control’ to fix a constant speed when you’re working your way through larger spaces.
Is It Easy to Assemble?
There are a couple of parts to assemble before first use.
First, the control pipe is connected to the main body with a flexible hose that’s fixed with clamps at either end. The user manual advises that lubricating the individual parts will make the job easier.
The second part that needs attaching is the handle holder, which is fixed to the control pipe. There’s a knob on the holder that needs to be tightened here, and the cabling from the knob to the engine should be clamped down, too.
In addition, the pipe end that needs attaching to the control pipe, but you can replace that with the included flat nozzle for higher airspeed.
Another accessory that can be added optionally is the handlebar. The steel pipe inserts into a holder pipe to allow two-handed operation of the blower.
And that’s it, just remember to add premixed fuel. There’s no need to add oil separately. Easy, right?
What Maintenance Is Required?
Taking care of your Husqvarna blower is a breeze. Daily checks are really part of regular safety checks by making sure all the controls operate as they should. This includes the stop switch and that no bolt or nut is coming loose.
Other checks listed in the user manual are due weekly if used regularly, such as cleaning the cooling system and checking the spark plug.
The monthly checks — like examining all cables and cleaning the exterior — are all light chores that aren’t hard to take care of as you prepare the blower for a job.
How Does It Compare to Other Leaf Blowers?
There are other choices for leaf blowers on the market. However, the Husqvarna 580BTS is unmatched in power and so compares well with other blowers in the same category.
Husqvarna produces other blowers also that have respectable specifications. And if you have a smaller back yard or the amounts of debris you have to deal with are lighter, then a unit with less power may well be worth considering.
The Husqvarna 130BT or the 350BT, for instance, can blow 360 and 631 cubic feet per minute, respectively. They’re also much lighter to carry, weighing 14.55 and 23.2 pounds. But they aren’t in the same category as the 380BT, which blows them away with 908 CFM.
Beyond the fan-favorite Husky gear, it would be fairer to compare the 580BTS with the Poulan Pro PR48BT. That blower also gets up to 200 mph, but only with about half the volume of air — 475 CFM. The Makita EB7660TH has a similar-sized 75.6 CC engine and is 4-stroke, but at 3.8 HP, it has half a horsepower less output and only reaches 706 CFM.
In terms of ergonomics, the 580BTS stands up well, having a full harness backpack, back cooling system, and an adjustable handle giving a good grip. However, make no mistake; this is a heavy-duty machine that needs these well-designed comfort fittings to let users work for long periods without undue strain.
The Poulan and the Makita hold their own for ergonomics but don’t need to deliver the same level of power nor carry the same weight that the Husqvarna manages, without compromising on comfort.
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Can You Recommend Husqvarna?
Go anywhere power equipment is heavily used, and you will find fans of ‘Husky’ gear. We echo those sentiments in saying that their equipment can be highly recommended for its quality, durability, and utility.
As a brand, the former Swedish artillery manufacturer has always been at the forefront of equipment engineering. Without a doubt, any of the Husqvarna power equipment will be sure to impress users as much as they impress us.
What Do Other Users Say?
The consensus is that the model is ideal for professionals and anyone willing to pay a little more for quality machinery. It works and performs well, although that doesn’t stop many from wishing the price was a little lower. This is particularly the case for semi-professionals and hobbyists.
This blower is recommended for any commercial landscaper or those who have a large lot with lots of trees and who want a powerful and reliable leaf blower.
People say that it will move mountains of leaves effortlessly and that, thanks to the clever designers at Husqvarna, it’s very comfortable to wear.
For owners of a smaller yard, it can be too much power, but for others, it’ll reduce the time spent clearing leaves by a factor of ten.
Stats
- Max Air Volume: 907 CFM
- Max Air Speed: 179 MPH
- Force: 38.2 Newtons
- Weight: 26.4 pounds
- dB(A) @ ear: 101
- Power Type: Gas
- Displacement: 75.6 CC
- Power Output: 4.3 HP
- Tank Runtime: 1 hr 14 min
- Fuel tank volume: 87.9 fl. oz.
- Fuel consumption: 440g/kwh
Pros
- Very powerful.
- Will shift just about anything not tied down.
- Starts easily.
- Excellent build.
- Durable.
- Ergonomically-designed.
- Very comfortable straps and back padding make up for the weight.
- Chest and waist straps help it sit well.
- Air-ventilated back.
- Big gas tank, which is see-through.
- Easy to maintain and get parts for.
- Will save you time.
- Good value for money.
Cons
- Not lightweight and compact.
- So powerful it might pull you around!
- Not very fuel-efficient.
- Noisy.
- Not cheap.
Conclusion
It’s clear that the 580BTS will move leaves by the barrow load, even if wet. Wade in knee-high, or even waist-deep, and the piles of leaves will get out of the way ahead of the blower as you walk. Watch out, because it’ll also blow rocks, wood, and any yard debris in the way.
If you have a large yard with trees and loads of leaf litter, then this blower will save you a LOT of time this fall.
With such a positive product review, it’ll be no surprise that our verdict comes out resoundingly in favor of the Husqvarna 580BTS Backpack Blower. We looked at build quality, power, value, ergonomics, and feature sets to make this a strong recommendation.
The fact is, the 580 BTS is easy to maintain, easy to start and easy to use. And, being a Husqvarna, we know it’s well-built and that it is also easy to get replacement parts for.
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Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
