Review of the Makita 4-Stroke Engine Blower
As of this writing, there are 866 customer comments and 98 common questions for the Makita 4-Stroke Engine Blower. I have read the customer feedback and then condensed the results into this review. I hope this review helps you when shopping for the best leaf blower to maintain your yard.
Best Features
- Weighs 9.8 pounds
- The dual stage air filter is replaceable and easily accessible
- Large capacity muffler ensures quieter operation
- Cruise control lever reduces operator fatigue
- Meets or exceeds EPA and CARB exhaust and evaporative emissions regulations
Item Specifics
The Makita Blower has a powerful and fuel efficient 24.5 ccs 4-stroke commercial duty engine. The crankcase capacity is 2.7 ounces. This leaf blower meets or exceeds EPA and CARB exhaust and evaporative emissions regulations. The fuel tank capacity is 17.7 ounces. It features a Mechanical Automatic Engine Decompression for quicker, easier starts. The large capacity muffler ensures quieter operation. Featuring a compact design, this leaf blower weighs 9.8 pounds. The dual stage air filter is replaceable and easily accessible. Another nice feature is the cruise control lever for reduced operator fatigue. The Makita Blower is backed up by a 2-year warranty on emissions-related parts and a 1-year warranty on all other components.
May Heat up and Stop on You
Some gas-powered machines like this leaf blower may heat up on you and stop. I personally know from running gas-powered chainsaws that it can happen more often on hot days than cooler days. And it will happen sooner at altitude than sea level on hot days. If at all possible try to keep it out of the sun until you are ready to use it. Also, if possible use it at cooler times of the day. One customer shared this, “Motor stops running after about 15-20 minutes of continuous use due to vapor lock, I learned this the second time I used it for any period of time when the motor started to stumble and lose power, I thought I would refuel since it seemed like fuel starvation. I unscrewed the fuel cap and got a bath of pressure and boiling fuel, the remaining gas about a third of a tank was boiling in the tank, after cooling for a while I refueled and the motor started once again and ran fine until the fuel heated up again and it quit. I have more than one acre and find it most annoying to have to keep stopping for the unit and fuel to cool off.”
This 4 Cycle Engine Better Than 2 Cycle
The Makita Blower is a 4 cycle engine which is a big improvement over a 2 cycle engine. It will be easier to maintain than a 2 cycle and also runs quieter. A customer shared this, “I bought this blower a year ago, replacing a Ryobi 2 cycle. Wow, I should have bought this Makita a long time ago. The 4 stroke engine makes a huge difference. Quieter and easier to maintain. I rarely have to squeeze the trigger….. running at idle produces more than enough air to blow most of the debris. When my arm gets tired, I switch to the other arm and continue effortlessly. From cold, it starts up on the first or second pull. Anytime I switch it off, leave it for a few minutes, and start it back up…. all it takes is one pull, every time I highly recommend this unit. A little more expensive than the others, especially 2 cycles, but definitely worth it. If their power tools are anything to judge by, I think this blower will last a very long time. I replace the oil, air element and spark plug, like I do for all my gasoline gardening tools every year.”
Runs Quiet
If you have close neighbors or maybe just don’t want to have to wear earplugs due to a loud motor, you may want to know that The Makita Blower runs quietly. Much of this has to do with the muffler. Having a quiet machine will enable you to run it at any hour of the day, without worry of waking or upsetting neighbors or family members. A customer shared, “I have owned 3 of this brand of 4cycle blower before, I specifically ordered the California model due to the emissions restrictions on products used in that state, it is very skimpy on fuel usage, the muffler is very quiet, for a 4 cycle it is lightweight, and I like not having to mix gas & oil. My neighbor says he can hardly hear me using it because of how quiet it runs, compared to the 2 cycle models I have owned.”
High Price but Worth It
If you can swing paying more for a leaf blower, you may be very satisfied with how much nicer this unit is than cheaper leaf blowers. You really do get what you pay for, and yes, you will pay more for this unit than you will for most electric or battery-operated leaf blowers. A customer commented this about the price, “I am writing this review to share with everyone who might still have their reluctance of getting it or not want it due to its high-cost price tag compared to other low-end blowers normally seen for sale in Home Depot or in other local stores. After going through my frustration with those bad blowers, now it’s come to a point that I appreciate Makita for making such a great product that helps reduce my level of stress and frustration that I once had with those cheap blowers.”
Powerful
If you want to get a job done quickly, get a powerful leaf blower like this Makita Blower. It is going to be heavier than most battery-operated or electric leaf blowers but actually for the amount of power you are getting, the trade-off of weight is good. And this actually is very lightweight compared to some other gas-powered leaf blowers with similar power output. The weight is 9.8 pounds compared to some other gas-powered leaf blowers that are over 20 pounds. So, think about how valuable your time is when shopping for a leaf blower. If you’d like to get a job done in half the time or less than a less powerful leaf blower, seriously consider this Makita Leaf Blower.
A customer commented this about the power, “I have always loved Makita products, and this one is no exception. It’s powerful and feels like a solid piece of machinery in your hand. I’ve only used it a few times and its great! Easy to check and change oil and its nice to just add regular gas instead of mixing. My only complaint is that I personally would not recommend this to anyone who works with this daily or uses it for more than an hour. It’s just too heavy for that in my opinion and I’m not a weak person. It seems they could have made it a little lighter and it would be perfect. Go with the lighter 2 stroke for long period of uses. I personally like the 4 stroke for it’s power, and considering I’m not using this for more than an hour once a week give or take this is perfect for me.”
Pros
- 4 cycle engine
- Powerful
- Runs quiet
Cons
- May heat up and stop on you, especially on hot days
- Higher price
- Heavier than electric or battery-operated leaf blowers
Makita 4-Stroke Engine Blower Conclusion
The Makita Blower has a 4-stroke commercial duty engine. The crankcase capacity is 2.7 ounces. This leaf blower meets or exceeds EPA and CARB exhaust and evaporative emissions regulations. The fuel tank capacity is 17.7 ounces. One of the features is a Mechanical Automatic Engine Decompression for quicker, easier starts. The large capacity muffler ensures quieter operation. Featuring a compact design, this leaf blower weighs 9.8 pounds. Even though this is a lot heavier than most electric or battery powered leaf blowers, it is lightweight for a gas-powered leaf blower with this much power. The dual stage air filter is replaceable and easily accessible. There is a cruise control lever for reduced operator fatigue. The Makita Blower is backed up by a 2-year warranty on emissions-related parts and a 1-year warranty on all other components. The price is higher than what you’ll pay for an electric or battery-operated leaf blower, but for a gas-powered leaf blower, this is a good price.
Common Questions
Here are some top questions that I found for people considering buying the Makita 4-Stroke Engine Blower. I hope that these questions may answer some questions that you also have about The Makita Blower.
- Is a vacuum attachment included with the Makita Blower? No, the vacuum attachment is not included. You would have to buy that separately. You can purchase the vacuum kit on Amazon by typing in “Makita 195282-8”.
- Where is the Makita Blower made? The Makita Blower is assembled in the USA. It is unknown where it is made, but some customers thought that the engine may be made in China.
- Does it have speed control? Yes, the trigger is variable speed.
Related Article: Best Leaf Blower Options to Help Keep Your Yard Well Maintained
