Stihl SHE 71 Blower/Vacuum Review & Demo
Posted by Katy | Toolstop on 18th Jul 2022
Test out the Stihl SHE 71 vacuum/blower with us. Will it make light work of tough garden clearups?
Putting the Stihl SHE 71 Blower/Vacuum to the test
Being a supplier of professional tools, it's not often that we actually get to test them out for ourselves, but today was different! We got our hands on the Stihl SHE 71 Electric Blower/Vacuum/Shredder and put it through its paces to give you an honest review on its performance and whether or not it lives up to the task.
Keep reading for exclusive video content and our final verdict.
Stihl are the world's number 1 chainsaw manufacturer! So we wanted to see if their other garden products lived up to the same name, starting with the SHE 71.
The SHE 71 is a leaf blower, vacuum and shredder in one. As it sucks up leaves, it shreds them into tiny pieces and collects them into the catcher bag which can be easily emptied, saving you much more space in your garden waste bin and less dump trips. With the blower function, it is extremely easy to blow leaves and other debris into 1 pile. Then simply switch over to vacuum mode to get rid of the debris for good.
Stihl claim that it will:
- Shred dry leaves to 1/12 their original volume
- Quiet yet powerful operation
- It can pick up debris from the tiniest cracks and spaces in your garden
We put these 3 claims and more to the test. Here's how we got on:
First up, here's what you need to know:
- Voltage: 240V
- Power output: 1.1kW
- Weight: 4.1kg
- Sound pressure level: 85 dB(A)
- Air flow rate: 320 cf/min
- Collection bag volume: 45L
- Sound power level: 100 dB(A)
We tested this blower/vacuum out on a mid-sized garden, overlooked by trees and that hadn't been touched all season. This meant lots of leaves and debris build-up.
The first main benefit we found was the cord. Whilst cordless tools are great, for the amount clean up this garden required, the electric motor was a godsend. With a suitable extension cable, we could cover the full area with ease and without worrying about running out of battery life mid-job.
The blower function was extremely powerful. There had been a lot of debris build up on the astroturf that had fallen from the trees above. Recent neglection and adverse weather had meant that this had all stuck onto the turf. But, not a problem for the SHE 71! The blower, with its 320 cf/min air flow rate, lifted the debris immediately and we were able to guide it into one pile for vacuuming. We could even get into hard to reach areas with the nozzle which made life a lot easier.
See here:
So, what's the verdict? 🤔
Having tested this machine out on 2 seperate occasions, we can honestly say that we are more than impressed with its performance, and what a difference it has made in such a short period of time!
We used it to blow debris and rotten leaves off of old astroturf (extremely handy being able to blow all of this into the 1 pile and then sook it up at once), to sook up excess grass clippings after mowing, to blow off debris and cobwebs from window sills and loads more in order to prepare the garden for pressure washing.
It done each job with ease, and whilst it is an extremely powerful machine, it didn't actually sook up the chuckies which is a bonus in our eyes because firstly, if it were to sook these up, it could damage and potentially even break the machine, but it allowed us to vacuum up debris that had fallen onto the chuckies rather than the tedious job of doing so by hand. They look brand new again!
Regular garden upkeep with this blower/vacuum is going to have it in its best condition ever.
Also available for this model is a gutter cleaning attachment, which we're keen to get our hands on and also review for you guys.
So, what do you think? Is it worth the hype?