Kombi-type power broom/sweep?

[STL]

Does anyone have one of these?

I'm going to be picking up a multi-tool system for use around my ~0.5 acre property. Which one I go with depends on whether the power paddle broom or bristle brush is worth the spendy ~$300.

I've read reviews of folks using them for cleaning gravel out of lawns, spring clean up on hard surfaces and turf, light de-thatching, and light snow moving.

What do you use yours for? How often? Is it worth the money to you?

[j4c11]

I have no feedback on the broom itself, I don't own one. It seems very pricey to me for what it is. But I do have some feedback on two of the common power heads if you decide to go with something other than the Kombi system.

I currently own an Echo PAS-225 with the string trimmer, edger, bush trimmer and brush cutter attachments. A power sweep attachment is available. The unit is very well built and I expect it to last a lifetime. The attachments are commercial grade and also very solid. Echo does not make "homeowner grade" stuff, it's all commercial grade, so what you get at Home Depot is what you get at a dealer. Echo is on par with Stihl, with the added benefit parts are readily available online. With Stihl you have to go through a dealer to get anything done, though I hear their service is excellent.

I also had the Husqvarna 128LD for a short period of time. This unit has the advantage that it is compatible with universal attachments, as opposed to Echo and Stihl. However, the 128LD is not a true Husqvarna made trimmer, it is a rebranded Poulan Pro. You can pull up the part diagram of the two products and they're identical. Thus the build quality is poor, not what you would typically expect from a Husqvarna product.

[STL]

I was looking at the Husky too, but you you confirmed my thoughts on its build quality. Thanks for the feedback.

The Echo PAS 225 is on my short list, especially if I can catch the trimmer/edger combo on sale. It seems to be a better value compared to most price wise. Hows the power of that unit?

[j4c11]

The Echo PAS 225 is on my short list, especially if I can catch the trimmer/edger combo on sale. It seems to be a better value compared to most price wise. Hows the power of that unit?

It's the smallest PAS power head but it's got more than enough power for typical homeowner use. I've never seen any sign of bogging down even in the thickest of tall grass, it will plow through like it's not there. Same for the edger, trimmer and brush cutter. I'll put it this way, I never said to myself "I should have bought the bigger one".

I think it's fundamentally capable of additional torque if you could richen the mixture slightly, but of course the EPA says you're not allowed. That may change in the near future.

[simpson]

I have the sthil kombi system. I do not have the brush yet but probably will get it. I have seen guys clean snow also with it.

I have the biggest unit. The extra power is great for the attachemts. The pole saw cuts like butter and the hedge trimmers do not miss a beat. But with every pro comes a con. It has to much power for the string trimmer. Brakes sting very easy and i have tried them all. I found the echo speedfeed head to work the best so far.

[Mightyquinn]

I have the Stihl Power Sweep(Rubber Paddles) and it is awesome for cleaning up the lawn of any debris. I will say that it is quite heavy but once you learn to let the tool do the work and try not to fight the tool, it works fairly easy.

From what I have read and seen, the paddles are more for the lawn, where it won't tear up the grass and the bristles are more for hard pavement. The paddles "will" work on pavement but just not as effectively as the bristles will and they will wear out faster too.

[j4c11]

I have the Stihl Power Sweep(Rubber Paddles) and it is awesome for cleaning up the lawn of any debris.

What kind of debris do you use it to clean? I've always wondered what the use case for that paddle sweeper is, the only kind of debris I get on my lawn is leaves and I just mow those in. Is it something you use once in a blue moon?

[Mightyquinn]

I've used it to move the trimmings from the bushes and clean up debris from the Spring scalp and dethatching and to move the cores around after aeration. I mainly use it during spring cleanup time. I've also used it to remove light snow too.

[j4c11]

I've used it to move the trimmings from the bushes and clean up debris from the Spring scalp and dethatching and to move the cores around after aeration. I mainly use it during spring cleanup time. I've also used it to remove light snow too.

Got it. I use a pull behind sweeper for all those things.

[STL]

A Stihl dealer told me that you can flip the gear box around on the bristle brush so you work it by pulling rather than pushing. He said pulling it doesn't make it dig in, allowing you to use it really well on grass without damaging it.

It also looks like the Stihl tiller gear box is the same as the yard boss. I've read of people using the yard boss bristles or paddles on their Stihl kombi. I haven't confirmed this yet though and I'm not sure if you can do this with Echo. Echo doesn't seem to advertise just the bristles/paddles like Stihl does with their yard boss replacement set.

I'm considering it mainly for piling up pine straw, cleaning a patio, and spring clean up, possibly light snow too. All of those are a few times a year at most and my existing tools work fine for that. If I had to clean out a long ditch, push gravel out of my lawn and back on the driveway, or had a lot of acorns to clean up, I'd be all over it.

[Mightyquinn]

I can confirm that you can flip it around and use it in a pulling position but it tends to fling crap all over you