The two best gas handheld blowers you can buy — 456 CFM / 15.8 N of raw force against 190 MPH velocity and Easy2Start convenience. Compared spec-by-spec, with a clear pick for each buyer.
| Spec | ECHO PB-2620 | STIHL BG 86 C-E | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| BlowingYards Score | 8.7 / 10 | 8.6 / 10 | ECHO |
| Engine | 25.4cc 2-stroke | 27.2cc 2-MIX | Context |
| Air Volume | 456 CFM | 444 CFMround / 365 flat | ECHO |
| Air Speed (peak) | 172 MPH | 190 MPHflat / 154 round | STIHL |
| Blowing Force | 15.8 N | 15 N | ECHO |
| Fuel Tank | 20.3 oz | 14.9 oz | ECHO |
| Weight (dry) | 9.8 lbs | 9.7 lbs | STIHL |
| Start System | Standard recoil | Easy2Start™ | STIHL |
| Noise | 70 dB(A) | 70 dB(A) | Tie |
| Fuel Mix | 50:1 | 50:1 | Tie |
| Warranty | 5-yr consumer | 2-yr | ECHO |
| CARB / CA-legal | Yes — all 50 states | Not sold in CA | ECHO |
| Est. Price | ~$260–330 | ~$249 | STIHL |
| Vacuum Mode | Blower only | Blower onlySH 86 C-E is the vac | Tie |
Note on engine size: the STIHL runs a larger 27.2cc displacement, but the ECHO’s 25.4cc chrome-cylinder engine produces higher measured blowing force — so displacement alone doesn’t decide it. The STIHL’s two figures reflect its two included nozzles: the flat nozzle maximises MPH, the round nozzle maximises CFM.
These are the five categories both reviews score in common, drawn straight from each blower’s BlowingYards review. Each machine also carries one category unique to its own review — shown separately below rather than compared head-to-head, since they measure different things.
⚡ More raw clearing power. At 15.8 N and 456 CFM, the PB-2620 out-forces and out-volumes the STIHL. It moves more material per pass — the difference you feel most on big dry leaf piles and open cleanup.
⛽ 36% more fuel on board. The 20.3 oz tank runs roughly 80–90 minutes of active use versus the STIHL’s ~60 — often the difference between finishing a large lot in one go or stopping to refuel.
🛡️ The longest warranty in the class. Five years of consumer coverage against STIHL’s two. For a seasonally used tool, that’s real peace of mind the STIHL can’t match on paper.
🇺🇸 Legal in all 50 states. The PB-2620 meets CARB and EPA Tier III standards — so it’s available in California, where the STIHL BG 86 C-E simply isn’t sold.
🔧 Easy2Start™ — the best start in the class. A spring stores the energy so a slow, gentle pull fires the engine every time. The ECHO’s standard recoil can feel stiff cold, especially through break-in. This is the STIHL’s clearest advantage.
🌀 Higher top-end air speed. The flat nozzle hits 190 MPH versus the ECHO’s 172 — better for dislodging wet, compacted leaves and debris stuck to pavement, where velocity matters more than volume.
🔄 Two nozzles, two jobs. Swap the flat nozzle (speed) for the round nozzle (444 CFM volume) to match the task — versatility the single-configuration ECHO doesn’t offer out of the box.
💰 Lower sticker price & deep dealer network. At ~$249 it typically undercuts the ECHO, and STIHL’s dealer service and genuine-parts availability are among the strongest in outdoor power equipment.
The cleanest way to read this matchup: the ECHO wins the volume-and-force game, the STIHL wins the velocity game. Newton force (15.8 vs 15 N) and CFM (456 vs 444) both favour the ECHO — those are the numbers that determine how much material you move per pass, which is what matters for large dry leaf loads and general open-area cleanup.
Air speed (190 vs 172 MPH) favours the STIHL, and it isn’t a throwaway spec. MPH is what breaks the surface grip of wet, matted leaves and debris stuck to pavement or lodged in cracks. If most of your work is heavy, damp, stuck-down material, the STIHL’s flat-nozzle velocity is the more useful edge. If it’s big volumes of loose, dry debris, the ECHO’s force and CFM win out.
If there’s one thing that flips buyers to the STIHL, it’s Easy2Start. The “C-E” suffix adds a spring between the crankshaft and the recoil rope: it stores energy from a slow pull and releases it to turn the engine through compression, so the machine fires without the sharp, forceful jerk a conventional starter needs. Reviewers routinely describe a two-finger pull starting it.
The ECHO uses a standard recoil pull. Broken in, it starts reliably — but owners consistently note it can feel stiff cold, particularly through the first 5–10 hours. This is reflected in the scores: the STIHL takes Ease of Start 9.0 to the ECHO’s 7.5, the widest single-category gap between the two. If you pull a cord many times a day, or anyone in the household finds gas blowers hard to start, the STIHL’s advantage here is worth real money.
For a large share of buyers, this decides it before any spec does. The STIHL BG 86 C-E does not meet California Air Resources Board Tier III standards and is not sold or shipped to California. The ECHO PB-2620 is CARB and EPA Tier III compliant and available in all 50 states.
If you’re in California, the comparison is effectively over — the ECHO wins by default (or you move to a cordless handheld). Everywhere else, CARB compliance is still a mild point in the ECHO’s favour for resale and future-proofing, but it won’t override the STIHL’s start-system and velocity advantages if those matter more to you.
On the sticker, the STIHL is usually the cheaper buy at ~$249 against the ECHO’s ~$260–330. Over the life of the tool, the gap narrows: the ECHO’s 5-year consumer warranty is more than double the STIHL’s 2 years, and its larger fuel tank means fewer interruptions. The STIHL counters with a 2-MIX engine that delivers up to 20% lower fuel consumption than a conventional 2-stroke, plus a dealer network that makes parts and service easy to get for years.
Neither is the “cheap” choice — both are premium tools built to last a decade with care. The honest read: the STIHL costs less up front and sips fuel; the ECHO covers you longer and runs longer between fill-ups.
There’s no wrong answer here — these are the two best gas handheld blowers we’ve tested, and only a tenth of a point separates them. The ECHO PB-2620 takes the overall edge on power, runtime, warranty, and nationwide availability. The STIHL BG 86 C-E earns its place with the easiest start in the category, the highest top-end velocity, and a lower price. Match the machine to how you actually work.