Husqvarna 360BT Review – Quality Backpack Leaf Blowers

It’s 2019; Welcome to our Husqvarna 360BT Review — a commercial-grade backpack leaf blower, engineered to handle the day-to-day use expected from a professional operator. Built for your comfort, with an ergonomic harness and handles — will efficiently move leaves and other debris around as fast as possible with its 65cc X-Torq engine.

We also compare it to the Husqvarna 350BT and the 4-stroke Makita EB5300TH blower to give you some points of reference. Which blower is right for you? We help you choose wisely.

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Intro — Husqvarna 360BT

Husqvarna manufactures homeowner leaf blowers for occasional use and commercial leaf blowers that are powerful and designed for demanding tasks. In the commercial range of backpack leaf blowers, they have two models using a 50.2 cc engine, the 350BT, and 350BF. The Husqvarna 360, 560 and 570 range all use a 65.6 cc engine.

The commercial models use more effective fan designs that produce high airflow and airspeed, coupled with more powerful engines than the homeowner range. A commercial grade air filter maximizes the commercial blower’s working hours. The homeowner models are lightweight and well balanced for cleaning up around the garden.

What is CFM?

The commercial models have airflow capacities in the blowpipe ranging from 459 CFM to 908 CFM. The air speeds at the end of the pipe range from 180 mph to 236.2 mph.

CFM is an abbreviation of “cubic feet per minute”. It is a measure of airflow, more specifically the volume of air delivered in a minute. Miles per hour is the speed at which the air moves and both play a role in clearing debris, grass clippings and leaves. Understanding how the two affect your work will help you choose the model that fits your specific needs.

VIDEO | A Closer Look at the 360BT Gas Blower

So, what are the airspeed and CFM ratings all about? The answers are a lot simpler than most of us realize. If you want to blow debris out of little crevices in the pavement or your driveway you need airspeed, not so much volume. To explain the two in extreme examples I’m about to compare compressed air from a compressor to a high volume of air at low speed.

Air Speed

As an example of high air-speed, we use an air blow gun with a small opening and a 5/16-inch hose with compressed air. What you deliver is airspeed under high pressure, but a small volume of air will exit the hose. Yet, it is extremely effective when you use it to remove debris out of crevices. If you aim that same air flow at a small fan it will spin extremely fast and may sound like a high-pitched siren. It indicates that the airspeed is very high and we know the volume is low because of the small nozzle clearing.

Next, we point that compressed air nozzle to a heap of leaves and we will find it has very little effect on them. Even getting up close does not help much. Then a wind comes up, doing about 40 mph. The little fan will spin, but much slower and not make any noise. Yet the wind will blow the leaves all over the place. The difference is in the volume of air the wind is carrying. Should the wind increase to 60 mph it will clear the heap of leaves in one swoop. But it will do nothing to the debris in the cracks of the paving. This is an extreme example, but hopefully, it explains why we use airspeed and CFM figures and how to interpret them.

Hurricanes and Air Speeds

One last thought. Hurricane Katrina was an extremely destructive and deadly Category 5 hurricane that reached air-speeds of 174 mph. The Husqvarna 350BT has an airspeed of 180mph and I can safely assure you that it will not uproot your trees. It simply does not move that huge volume of air that nature can.

I’m reviewing three commercial-grade back-pack leaf blowers, the Husqvarna 350BT, Husqvarna 360BT, and the Makita EB5300TH. The Husqvarna blowers use two-stroke engines and the Makita a four-stroke engine. Stihl is another brand that deviated a bit from 2-stroke engines. But the Stihl 4-mix engine is a modified two-stroke engine with valves and it still uses a two-stroke mix.

I think our selection makes an interesting comparison; we compare two-stroke to four-stroke engines and weigh up two respectable brands. Husqvarna originates from Europe, one of the oldest power tool manufacturers in the world. They started as a musket factory in 1689 and now Husqvarna produces a vast range of branded outdoor power products. It manufactures a wide range of outdoor power products that include robotic lawn mowers, garden tractors, chainsaws, and trimmers. Husqvarna has 21 factories across the world, which includes six factories in the USA.

Makita Corporation was established in Nagoya, Japan, as a repair shop for electric tools and equipment. Today it is the leading manufacturer in the Japanese power tool market. It’s a global brand in over 40 countries. They manufacture best-in-class products at 10 plants operating in 9 countries including the USA and Canada.

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Husqvarna 360BT Review

Best backpack leaf blower if you’re a professional or have a large yard to keep clean. A powerful blower such as this will dramatically speed up your cleaning time, making it worth the extra money.

Comfortable, wide shoulder straps and adjustable handle with cruise control.Specs : 631 cfm, 232 mph, 23.2 lbs., X-Torq engine (65.6 cc), LowVib (Anti-Vibration), adjustable handles and cruise control.

Features:

• High blowing capacity : The powerful and easy to start X-Torq® engine in combination with efficient fan design delivers high air speed and air flow.
• Load-reducing harness : Comfortable, ventilated and load-reducing harness with wide shoulder straps.
• Utilize full blow force with minimal arm strain : The offset handle makes the blow forces easier to control by preventing the arm from being pulled downwards
• Air Purge : Removes air from carburetor and fuel system for easy starting.
• Adjustable handles for superior comfort.
• Comfortable, wide shoulder straps
• Weight : 23.2 lbs
• Cylinder displacement : 65.6 cc
• Power output : 3.81 hp
• Maximum power speed : 8100 rpm
• Fuel tank volume : 74.4 fl oz
• Idling speed : 2000 rpm
• Air flow in housing : 890 cfm
• Air flow in pipe : 631 cfm
• Air speed : 232 mph
• Air speed (round nozzle) : 104 mph
• Blowing Force : 30 Newton

✓ View or download the MANUAL for the Husqvarna 360BT

Overview

The Husqvarna 360BT is part of the commercial range of backpack leaf blowers from this Swedish manufacturer. Its airspeed is 232 mph with a tapered blower nozzle, with the standard nozzle it delivers 632 cfm air flow. This is a powerful blower. The Husqvarna 360BT is the most powerful blower of the three, although all three are powerful backpack leaf blowers that work up a storm. They will do an exceptional job of cleaning any driveway and will effortlessly move the leaves, even wet ones. They will blow away mulch and fallen twigs and even gravel. You must be very careful not to strip the flowers when blowing near flower beds.

All the Husqvarna models use Husqvarna X-Torq two-stroke engines. The Husqvarna 360BT has a bigger engine (65.6cc) than the 350BT with its 50.2cc. The engine on the Makita EB5300TH is a 52.5cc four-stroke engine. We know both engines to be reliable and efficient.

VIDEO | Maintenance Instructions for Husqvarna Blowers

The only drawback of the two-stroke engines is the need to first mix fuel and oil before you can use it. Combined with that are the oil burning smell and higher pollution levels. All these small portable engines are also not fully compatible with fuels containing ethanol, even though many manufacturers approve using E10. Two-stroke engines are more affected by the tendency of ethanol fuels to absorb water and to separate from the fuel and oil mixture. When separated like this you must shake the mixture vigorously to get a more homogeneous solution of water, fuel, and oil. If you do not use ethanol fuels, you will not have the problem, the fuel will remain bonded with the oil. The result is better lubrication, less smoke, extended engine life, and better performance.

Therefore, Husqvarna approves E10 fuels for their blowers, but they recommend using high-quality ethanol-free fuels.

The Husqvarna 360BT weighs 23.2 pounds. Easy enough to pick up and put on your back but that weight may tire you during a day’s work. Therefore, they use wide, padded shoulder straps shaped to fit comfortably on your shoulders to make wearing the 360BT as comfortable as possible. The padded part of the frame against your back includes air vents in the design. When the fan is in use, it draws air in through the vents and cools down your back.

The frame of the Husqvarna 360BT fit the contours of your back and it is blow molded from impact resistant plastic to make it tough and light. The blower mounts to the frame on flexible rubber mounts to reduce the vibrations carried through to your body. The flexible mounts do a good job damping the vibrations. Feedback from users is positive, and most report no fatigue after prolonged use.

The air from the blower exits the shroud on your right-hand side and you control the blower tube with the tube mounted handle. The way you mount the handle to the tube makes it possible to position the handle so it easily fits into your hand. You can slide it up and down the tube before you fasten it within comfortable reach and you can adjust the angle of the handle.

The work position of the handle is next to the tube and to the outside, away from your body. Because you can adjust the handle pitch, you can easily set it for a comfortable feel whether your blow angle is pointing down or up. Husqvarna explains their offset positioning of the control handle as making it easier to prevent the blow forces from pulling your arm downwards.

Husqvarna integrated the stop switch of the 360BT with the throttle control, you push the switch to the stop position. You regulate the speed of the air jet by controlling the engine speed with the throttle trigger or the throttle control. By using the throttle control/stop switch to set the speed, you eliminate the need to hold on to the trigger all the time. Husqvarna refers to this as their Cruise Control.

The engine of this model is a Husqvarna X-Torq two-stroke engine. It develops a maximum of 2.84 kW at 8100 rpm measured according to ISO 8893 standards, that’s 3.81 horsepower. Because it is a two-stroke engine, they do not fit a catalytic converter to the exhaust system. To reduce emissions to the minimum, the speed of the engine determines the ignition system spark advance for best combustion. A spark arrestor in the exhaust muffler prevents sparks, making the blower safe in the conditions you will use it.

To make the Husqvarna 360BT easier to start when first starting it, an air purge bulb is fitted close to the carburetor. It is a soft transparent bulb you press a couple of times to purge air from the system. Because it is close to the carburetor, you can see when there is no more air in the circuit.

The starter handle and cord are easy to replace when it becomes necessary. You only remove four screws and screw in the new unit, removing no covers. It’s as easy to remove the spark plug for cleaning or adjusting it. Husqvarna provide a combination spark plug tool and screwdriver with the blower for this purpose.

The fuel tank capacity is 4.6 US pints, and it uses 422 g/kWh. So how long will it work on a full tank till the next fuel stop? Apart from the 422 g/kWh. I could not find any meaningful fuel consumption figures for this backpack blower. I wanted to know how long the blower will run on a full tank when used at full power. Something like minutes/tank at full power. All I found is a test by another group which gave me an indication. They tested a selection of the biggest backpack blowers from several brands and ran all of them on a full tank at top speed until empty. All the blowers ran for more than an hour, giving me the feeling that the manufacturers aim for a minimum of one hour.

The Husqvarna 360BT is noisy, at your ears the noise level is deafening and you must wear the best hearing protection you can find. Its equivalent sound pressure level at your ear, measured according to EN15503 standard is 95 dB(A). It is loud enough to damage your ears if exposed to it for 8 hours.

A blower works in a dusty environment. You must clean the filter often to avoid carburetor malfunctions, starting problems, and unnecessary wear to engine parts. It’s best to do it every 40 hours and Husqvarna made it easy to remove the filter for this purpose. You wash it clean in warm, soapy water, rinse in warm water and let it dry before you replace it.

VIDEO | Starting your Husqvarna 360BT Leaf Blower

Although some websites claim the blowing tube length on the Husqvarna 360BT is adjustable, their operator manual does not show it. You will also not find it on the Husqvarna websites. Some models have an extendable blow pipe but this one looks different. I may be wrong but I do not believe it has an adjustable tube length.

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Husqvarna 350BT

Best all-around backpack leaf blower if you’re going to be using it for a significant part of your day. The extra power and comfort will make a big difference to you over time. Don’t skimp on features if you’re a professional.

Features :

• X-Torq engine design reduces harmful exhaust emissions by up to 60% and increases fuel efficiency by up to 20%.
• Air Purge : Removes air from carburetor and fuel system for easy starting.
• Utilize full blow force with minimal arm strain : The offset handle makes the blow forces easier to control by preventing the arm from being pulled downwards
• Adjustable handles for superior comfort.
• Anti-Vibration : Dampeners between the engine and chassis effectively reduce vibrations.
• Ergonomic harness system : Padded harness and hipbelt is shaped to fit the contours of the operator
• Cruise control : Fan speed can be set for easier handling.
• High blowing capacity : The powerful and easy to start X-Torq engine in combination with efficient fan design delivers high air speed and air flow.
• Ergonomic handle : The handle can be adjusted to fit the operator and has rubber inserts for a comfortable grip.

✓ View or download the MANUAL for the Husqvarna 350BT.

Overview

The Husqvarna 350BT is the smaller brother of the 360BT. It is also part of the commercial range of backpack leaf blowers from Husqvarna. The 350BT X-Torq two-stroke engine size is smaller, 50.2cc and it delivers 2.1 hp. Its airspeed is therefore lower. It achieves 180 mph at the blower nozzle tip and with its standard nozzle, it delivers 494 cfm air flow.

Husqvarna approves using E10 ethanol fuels, but they recommend using high-quality lead-free fuels with no ethanol added. If you use the 350BT with ethanol free fuel you will have better lubrication, less smoke, better performance, and lower fuel consumption.

VIDEO | Features Overview — Husqvarna 350BT

The engine of this model is a Husqvarna X-Torq two-stroke engine. It develops its maximum power at 7500 rpm. For the same reasons as with the 360BT, Husqvarna does not fit a catalytic converter to the exhaust system. It uses the same engine speed control for the ignition system to reduce emissions to the minimum. As you can expect, Husqvarna fitted the exhaust muffler with a spark arrestor to prevent any sparks from igniting leaves.

The Husqvarna 350BT is as easy to start as the 360BT. Its engine design is the same and it uses the same air purge bulb fitted close to the carburetor. It is easy to find at the end of the bright yellow tube near the carburetor. It is transparent so you can see when there is no more air in the circuit.

The fuel tank capacity is smaller than the one on the 360BT, it only takes 2.6 US pints to fill it., and it uses 455 g/kWh. Yes, I know it does not show how long it will work on a full tank till the next fuel stop. I could not find any meaningful fuel consumption figures for any of the Husqvarna leaf blowers. I suspect that the manufacturers aim for a minimum of one hour based on the test I saw. Therefore, I predict it will run for an hour too.

The Husqvarna 350BT is as noisy as the 360BT, the noise level at your ear is 96 dB(A). One decibel up on the 360BT. It does not matter much to the one operating the backpack blower, you must wear good hearing protection, anyway. It’s your neighbor or the person passing by who minds.

A backpack blower of this size is powerful enough to work up a dust storm. At the same time, it is sucking in air for the fan and the engine is consuming air too. It makes sense that you must clean the air cleaner filter on the engine often to avoid carburetor malfunctions. At the same time, you should also clean the air intake to the fan regularly. A screen protects it from leaves entering the shroud, but leaves can accumulate on the screen and choke the air intake. You must be observant and keep the screen free of leaves.

Even though the 350BT engine is smaller, it is a powerful blower. It is not as powerful as the 360BT, and the Makita EB5300TH is also stronger. But all three are powerful backpack leaf blowers that work up a storm. All user feedback states that it does an exceptional job of cleaning any driveway and it effortlessly moves wet leaves. It is also capable enough to blow away mulch and fallen twigs and even gravel.

The Husqvarna 350BT weighs 22.5 pounds. It is lighter than the 360BT by 0.7 pounds and practically the same as the Makita EB5300TH. It uses the same wide, padded shoulder straps shaped to fit comfortably on your shoulders to make wearing the 350BT as comfortable as possible. The padded part of the frame is against your back is also vented with air drawn in by the fan.

The frame of the Husqvarna 350BT is the same unit, blow molded from impact-resistant plastic, as used on the 360BT. It fits the contours of your back and it is comfortable to wear. The blower and engine combination mounts to the frame on the same flexible rubber mounts as the 360BT. The latter has fewer vibrations coming through because of the bigger engine. Feedback from users is that it does not affect you after long hours of use.

The air from the blower also exits the shroud on your right-hand side. On the 350BT you use the same control mounted to the blower tube as the 360BT. The ergonomic design easily fits into your hand. You can adjust its position on the tube within comfortable reach and you can adjust the angle of the handle. Because you can adjust the handle pitch, you can easily set it for a comfortable feel whether your blow angle is pointing down or up. Husqvarna explains their offset positioning of the control handle as making it easier to prevent the blow forces from pulling your arm downwards.

You regulate engine and airspeed in the same manner, controlling the engine speed with the throttle trigger or the throttle control. The starter handle and cord on the 350BT is as easy to replace as the one on the 360BT. Even the sparkplug mounting and the surrounding bodywork is the same. Husqvarna provide a combination sparkplug tool and screwdriver with the blower for this purpose.

Although some websites will lead you to think the blowing tube length on the Husqvarna 350BT is adjustable, they show a different model. You will also not find any reference to it on the Husqvarna websites.

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Makita EB5300TH — 4-Stroke Blower

 Quieter than traditional 2-stroke blowers thanks to its fuel-efficient 4-stroke engine (no fuel mixing), which also makes it quieter. This is a commercial-grade leaf blower.

Features :

• Mechanical automatic engine decompression for quick and easy starts
• Shoulder straps engineered with multiple adjustments for improved fit
• Tool-less handle adjustment for quick positioning of handle
• Powerful fuel efficient 52.5 cc (2.5 HP) MM4® commercial duty engine
• Large capacity air filter is replaceable and easily accessible
• Padded back panel is ventilated for improved operator comfort
• Heavy duty anti-vibration mounts between frame and engine for improved operator comfort
• Adjustable tube easily adjusts to desired length
• Large grip positioned at optimum center of gravity for easier transport
• Large capacity muffler ensures quieter operation (70 dBA)
• Padded shoulder straps retain their shape for easier re-shouldering

✓  View or download the MANUAL for the Makita EB5300TH.

Overview

The Makita EB5300TH is the only backpack leaf blower in this group with a four-stroke engine. It’s only 52.5cc, barely bigger than the Husqvarna 350BT engine and it develops 2.5 HP compared to 2.1 HP for the 350BT. Four-stroke engines of this size are not rare and have been with us for a long time. Traditionally these engines are heavier because of the additional valve gear and therefore not favored for portable equipment. The compression stroke traditionally made it difficult to start these engines. But they have overcome those problems with modern technology. Now, these engines have automatic decompression valves that makes them easy to start. Combined with that you get to use unleaded gas without an oil mix, in a clean-burning commercial-duty four-stroke engine. It’s a lot quieter in operation and it does not smell like an oil burner.

The air filter used by Makita is a large capacity paper filter that you replace when it becomes too dirty. You do not have to remove body panels to service the air cleaner. You only undo two screws to remove the cover, making it convenient to service. Makita mounted the clearly marked choke right next to the air filter and the primer bulb is also close by.

An interesting addition is the Anti icing lever that you use when the environmental temperature is low and humidity is high. That is when water vapor may freeze inside the carburetor, causing the engine to stall and refusing to start. It is not unique to four-stroke air-cooled engines, and it only happens when you use the blower below 50°F. When you use the engine in these conditions you rotate the anti-icing lever to prevent icing in the carburetor.

The fuel tank on this model holds 3.8 US pints. Once again there is no indication of how long the blower will run on a full tank. One user estimates it will run an hour at least; which seems to be an average for backpack leaf blowers. Many customers commented that they enjoy not having to mix oil with the fuel and that the blower is less smelly.

The dry weight of the blower is between 21.7 to 22.2 pounds, depending on the accessories fitted to the tube. It is a little lighter than the other two backpack leaf blowers in our group, but the difference is so small it is barely noticeable. Makita engineer the shoulder straps of the EB5300TH with multiple adjustments so you can adjust it to exactly fit your body. To make it effortless to swing onto your back it has a large grip positioned at the optimum center-of-gravity point. It also aids in carrying the machine around. The padded shoulder straps adjust to your shoulders and retain their shape for easier re-shouldering. From user feedback, it is a comfortable backpack leaf blower to use.

The Makita uses the same vibration dampening as the Husqvarna backpack blowers, but with a difference. Instead of using rubber mounts, the Makita uses strong flexible springs to absorb the vibrations. The heavy-duty spring mounts should last longer than the rubber mounts and ensures optimal operator comfort. Makita mounts the blower and engine assembly to a padded back panel to further absorb engine vibrations. The padded back panel is ventilated for improved operator comfort and the air intake to the fan also circulates air to cool your back.

Makita placed the control handle on top of the blower tube and not next to it like the two Husqvarna models. You need no tools to adjust it up or down the tube to fit your arm which is convenient when taking over from someone else.

The Makita engine is quiet compared to many other leaf blowers; they rate it for 70 dB(A) per ANSI B175.2 standard. You will still have to wear hearing protection but everyone around you will appreciate the lower noise levels.

Maximum air volume on this Makita with the short blower pipe is 516 CFM and then the airspeed is 184 mph. With the long blower, pipe fitted the air flow is 512 CFM, and the airspeed is 182 mph. The Makita EB5300TH is not the strongest blower in the group but it is just as powerful as the 350BT from Husqvarna. I will find it hard to choose between the two backpack leaf blowers. But I think the four-stroke engine will let me favor the Makita. However, both brands are capable leaf blowers and I will be proud to own any of the two brands.

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