Poulan Pro PR48BT Review

This black and orange Poulan Pro PR48BT Backpack Blower is comfortable, powerful and fit for most jobs. With its cruise control throttle and adjustable straps, the struggle is a thing of the past. Fuel and fire it up, and you’re ready to take on the world.

So, are you in the market for a comfortable leaf blower with a lot of oomph? Well, this is the tool for the job. With speeds of 200 mph and CFM (cubic feet per minute) of 475, you’ll be glad it’s strapped to your back and not handheld.

What Type of Power Does It Have?

The Poulan Pro has a 48 cc 2-stroke motor. It’ll make quick work of leaves, debris and anything else you need out of your way. It has a variable speed throttle that lets you go all the way up to 200 mph, and all the way down to simple speeds for easy jobs.

With this leaf blower, you become your own personal hurricane, ready to unleash your wrath on the world. Then you can turn into a gentle breeze, tickling leaves out of your garden with beauty and grace. You’ll be a force of nature with the Poulan Pro; fantastic for taking those heavy-duty jobs head-on.

Is It Comfortable?

The Poulan Pro is lightweight, weighing in at only 22 pounds, meaning you’ll be able to move around freely with it strapped to your back. It’s equipped for optimal fit, superior comfort and minimal strain. You’ll be comfortable in this one, whether you’re the size of a mighty oak or a stray branch in someone’s garden.

This backpack is light and secure enough to be used for hours without discomfort. Most of the weight is taken by the shoulders, saving your lower back from pain. There’ll be no sagging with this backpack, so if you’re having horrible flashbacks of your heavy school backpack, worry no more.

The shoulder straps are padded and adjustable for your protection and pleasure. Fatigue, straps digging in and the backpack slipping off are all worries of the past. You get to toy with this backpack until it works best for you.

Is It Hard to Control?

The ergonomics here are on top of their game. They’re as good a companion for you as your own hands are.

Maintaining a consistent blowing speed with those variable throttle controls across different blowers can be hellish. There’s no issue of that with the Poulan Pro since it comes with cruise control, so you don’t have to struggle to keep that speed going manually.

This blower does all the work for you, letting you concentrate on blowing away the debris.

Is It Easy to Start?

It’s a bit of a process to get it started, but once you see its power, you won’t care! Here’s how you do it:

1. Tank filled, press the primer bulb 10 times to fill the bulb up with fuel.
2. Push the blue choke level up, flip the on switch on the handle to “on.”
3. Put your left hand on top of the unit — right over the spark plug is best.
4. Then pull the cord and repeat until it starts. It takes a few back-to-back pulls to get it started.
5. Once it takes, leave it alone for 30 seconds. After this, move the blue lever back down. Now you’re ready for action.

Once you’re in the game, you can crank this baby up to its top speed with no worries. There’s no waiting around for it to gather speed like a car slowly. It goes all-in, all at once, so make sure you’ve got a solid stance going on.

Can You Use Pre-Mixed Oil?

As long as the pre-mix oil is the correct ratio of 50:1, then go ahead.

Never use oil intended for water-cooled outboard engines or oil for 4-stroke engines — you can damage the motor doing this. Always look for high-quality, unleaded fuel. TruFuel is a good one to use.

Several home equipment suppliers supply branded fuels for their tools. They should all be compatible, even cross-brands — this Husqvarna oil is very good.

Will the Poulan Pro Work on Snow?

The Poulan Pro will work for light, easy snow, but not so much for the wet, heavy stuff like sludge. It’s good for blowing the snow off your car, but not clearing the packed snow out of the driveaway.

Speaking of cars, this leaf blower can also dry your car after rain or melted snow and ice. The pressure may even be enough to melt ice on your car, but it doesn’t blow that hot. Try it, see if your ice is breakable with the power of air.

Can It Clear Rocks?

Rocks, you say? No leaf blower can do that! Well, you’re wrong, because this versatile beauty can. Besides the aforementioned soggy snow, it really can clear almost anything.

Try not to use your new rock-blowing power for evil, though. Just use it for getting those little, or not so little, pebbles off your lawn. In summer, you don’t want a barefooted kid stepping on one of them.

If it’s rock-like things you’re worried about, the Poulan Pro will also clear away nuts. If the naughty squirrels or trees are making a mess, get your blowing revenge!

Can It Blow Sand?

Dry sand, yes. For wet sand, you’d have to break it up with a shovel first. Once it’s not in one clump, blow that sloshy sand away.

If your kids have trekked sand from the beach into your garden, this leaf blower will come to your rescue. If you live near the beach and sand keeps blowing onto your deck, you’re in luck again.

Is It Easy to Assemble?

Sadly, no. Assembling the Poulan Pro will probably confuse you. But don’t worry, this doesn’t take away from its great design and long list of benefits. The assembly is the main downside, really. But once you figure it out, you’re ready to go in minutes.

Once assembled, you’ll notice that it has a sturdy feel, and the leaf blower won’t come off the backpack easily. The hose is screwed on tight and won’t act like most other less-reliable leaf blowers.

Is It Reliable?

Reliability with small 2-stroke motors is often a concern. They overheat and overexert themselves, but not this one. The Poulan Pro will fire up every time you need it to, without a problem. Just remember the start-up instructions, and perform proper maintenance checks such as:

• Fuel: Make sure the fuel is still fresh enough to use.
• Regular checks: Take note that none of the parts are damaged, and if they are, get them fixed or replaced immediately.
• Backpack: Make sure the backpack still fits well for stability.

Does It Suck?

In both senses of the word, no. It’s both very good and only a leaf blower. You won’t be able to collect leaves, only blow them away or into piles.

Does It Come With Extensions or Extras?

The Poulan Pro doesn’t come with any extensions. What you see is what you get. You can buy extensions elsewhere, but make sure they’re compatible with your leaf blower! If you’re in the market, there are some great gutter cleaning kits out there. It’s not just your lawn that needs leaf-free TLC.

Is It Loud?

The Poulan Pro isn’t overly loud but is still average. It has a noise rating of 96.7dB, so it’s not the worst, but you’ll need some quality ear protection.

Is There a Warranty?

Yes, the Poulan Pro comes with a 2-year warranty. Contact the manufacturer or the site you purchased it through regarding this.

How Does It Compare to Other Leaf Blowers?

The Poulan Pro is average when it comes to a lot of leaf blowers. The speed, noise level and fuel tank capacity are nothing too special. What you should know, though, is that this is a high-end, commercial-grade leaf blower.

There’s only one leaf blower that goes higher than the Poulan Pro in terms of blow speed. Even then, that leaf blower made by Husqvarna only beats the Poulan Pro by 25 percent.

When it comes to the cubic feet per minute, the Poulan Pro is on the low end. The biggest air volume for a gas-powered backpack leaf blower is 1,071 CFM, a title belonging to the Echo PB-8010H Backpack Blower. The Poulan Pro’s is 475, so it somewhat lacks there.

Bear in mind, the average or below specs for this leaf blower don’t reflect its performance. You could probably blow away a small child with this thing if you try hard enough.

Stats

*Engine: 48cc 2-stroke engine

*Carburetor: Rotary valve style

*Fuel Ratio: 50:1

*Fuel Tank Capacity: 49.3 fluid ounces

*Max Speed: 200 mph

*CFM: 475

*Pipe Length: 3 feet

*Warranty: 2 years

Pros

• Lightweight, but-heavy duty
• Reliable
• Efficient
• High-speed
• Comes with some fuel
• Clears almost anything with ease

Cons

The confusing setup is the main downside to this model. Another would be that the startup requires some effort on your part. If you’re not prepared for that, you won’t have much luck with it.

Conclusion

This is an incredible little leaf blower that packs more punch than you’d think it would. This is a must-buy for anyone in the market for a new, powerful, commercial-grade backpack leaf blower.

If you’re looking for a reasonably priced, high-performing backpack blower, the Poulan Pro PR48BT Backpack Blower is clearly incredibly capable. Strap yourself in tightly, because this leaf blower will blow you away.

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API