Your on a less than .25 lot with 3 oaks. What model is your echo blower? The echo's are ok, but there certainly are bigger badder backpack blowers out there. My guess is you have a ~500cfm blower. A huge difference when you step up to a 700cfm machine.

I don't see how you could justify a $1k plus machine, but if you have the spare change, why not?

I'd take a look at the Redmax and Stihl's. Shindaiwa is supposed to have a decent blower also.

I live on a .20 acre lot and have four very large oak trees each 3'+ in diameter. The amount of leaves in the fall is just insane.

I went the wheeled blower route and got a 5hp Little Wonder used off craigslist. It is the new, modern design with the large drum. I paid about $300 and it was in very, very good condition.

Especially for homeowner use, the little wonder is a superior machine. The little wonder has a larger drum and a more efficient impeller. Any little wonder with the same engine as the equivalent Fradan will put out more air. You can look at various tests, on the little wonder website, etc. The Drum on the fradan just seems too small.

I actually live about 30 minutes away from the Fradan headquarters. The reason pro's love Fradans is because they are very durable, and can get beat around on the trailer with no damage. A little wonder's front wheel is easily bent, the handle starts to bend and detach, etc. The Fradan's are also lighter and are easier to lift into and out of a truck.

If it's just for you, I'd go with a little wonder. I'm friends with the landscaper who does several neighbor's properties. He has a 14hp Fradan, and to be quite honest, it doesn't even do that much more than my 5hp little wonder. A much larger engine with a fixed maximum speed and a small impeller can only do so much.

That said, I bought a redmax ebz 7001 last year, as I grew tired of trying to get the little wonder into bamboo and pachysandra areas. These are easily done with a rake, but I kind of have no limits when it comes to buying power equipment, so I currently have both. If my brother or father and I work together, we can have the whole yard done very, very quickly.

While the 5hp little wonder does put out quite a bit more than the redmax, I certainly could get by with the redmax. If I have to do the leaves myself, and they're not too bad that week, I'll just throw on the redmax and cover the big areas with it as well.

Where are you located?

MGF

The Hondas are generally regarded as better engines. I say that this comes into play when you are using them commercially, and a briggs is perfectly fine for homeowner use.

Manufacturers claim that posted cfms are inconsistent because their is a lack of standards for testing in the industry. Your best bet then is to watch manufacturer's tests online. The problem then is that each manufacturer chooses a test that proves their machine favorable. For example, the Billy Goats have a more narrow, direct outlet. The machines exceed in their tests of moving bricks and concrete blocks. The little wonder has a flatter ,broader outlet, which is better for pushing their broad sided, weighted carts.

I haven't seen fradan do much in the way of testing. they sell on their durability and compact frame.

Here is a link that might be useful: little wonder comparison in leaf image

Sorry to keep posting, but with regard to the durability of little wonder's--

When I said the front wheel mount was easily bent, I meant to say when on an overloaded trailer filled with other equipment when the blower is completely unsecured and moves all over the place when the landscaper stops at traffic lights, etc. I find that generally the less responsible landscapers, and those who aren't owner supervised run the fradan as they will hold up better to commercial abuse.

I know a few guys who are owner-run and owner operated and they prefer the little wonder.