Husqvarna 560BTS Backpack Blower review

A substantial gas backpack, but the lower-output member of this family

The Husqvarna 560BTS is a two-stroke gasoline backpack blower for users who want a harness-supported machine and do not mind mixing fuel or maintaining an engine. The current U.S. product listing identifies article 966 63 11-02. Husqvarna lists a 65.6 cc engine, 3.81 hp, a 2.2 L tank, a standard round nozzle, integrated harness, 30 N maximum blow force, 631 CFM and 232 mph. The last three numbers are manufacturer specifications, not measured performance in a yard. The airflow and speed refer to the standard-nozzle setup; they do not promise a particular clearing time on wet grass, gravel or a windy driveway.

The 560BTS is not a small handheld alternative just because it is below the 570 models in airflow. It remains a backpack engine blower with fuel, recoil starting and hearing-protection requirements. Its useful role is a buyer who wants the harness and gas operation but does not need the higher published output of the 570BTS/570BFS. If the actual job is a modest patio, steps or a few short paths, compare a battery handheld before accepting the weight, engine noise and recurring fuel routine of a backpack.

What changes against the 570BTS and 570BFS

The closely related 570BTS and 570BFS use the same listed 65.6 cc engine displacement and 2.2 L fuel capacity, but Husqvarna gives them 37 N, 768 CFM at the pipe (972 CFM in the housing) and 236 mph with the standard nozzle. The 560BTS is listed at 30 N, 631 CFM at the nozzle and 232 mph. That is a meaningful difference in published force and airflow, not simply a different control arrangement. The 570BTS has a right-hand tube throttle; the 570BFS moves the throttle to the left side of the backpack frame. The 560BTS also uses tube control, so a buyer choosing between the 560 and 570BTS is mainly deciding how much published output matters, while the BTS/BFS choice is more directly about where the throttle sits.

Husqvarna lists the 560BTS at 23.15 lb excluding fuel. The shared manual lists 23.2 lb but its technical-data row does not specify a fuel basis. Those figures are close, yet they should not be converted into a full-fuel carry weight: the tank holds 2.2 L and fuel adds mass. This is still a significant pack to put on and carry. Its padded harness and waist support spread the load, but do not erase it. Test the harness adjustment and control reach in person if fit is important, and do not treat the listed empty/without-fuel number as a complete working setup.

Fuel, starting and safe use are part of the purchase decision

The manual describes a 50:1 gasoline-to-two-stroke-oil mixture and specifies at least 87 AKI gasoline with less than 10% ethanol; it also cautions against preparing more than a 30-day supply of mixed fuel. The starting procedure uses the air-purge bulb, a start button and a recoil pull. That button is not an electric starter. Expect fuel preparation, storage, filter and engine care, and follow the manual's cold- and warm-start instructions rather than treating a gas blower like a push-button battery tool.

Husqvarna lists a round nozzle as standard and a harness with the machine. The manual also describes a flat nozzle as an accessory, not part of the standard package. No vacuum, mulch or collection bag is supplied; leaves are moved, not gathered. The manual calls for hearing and eye protection and keeping people and animals at least 15 m away while operating. If a quieter routine, no fuel mixing, one-handed use or leaf collection is essential, a different tool family is a better fit.

How questionnaire choices change the answer

A gasoline, backpack and round-nozzle request maps to the 560BTS operating plan, but this profile is reference-only, not a purchase recommendation. Exact-model safety eligibility has not been established; this is not a recall finding or a claim that the machine is clear. A 30 N floor is supported by the published maximum. On the published bare-weight basis, the 23.15 lb product FAQ figure explicitly excludes fuel and is below a 25 lb bare-tool ceiling. The manual rounds the value to 23.2 lb but does not state its basis. Neither figure establishes the complete fuel-ready carry weight, and the unresolved reference-only status still prevents this from becoming a purchase recommendation. For battery power and a lighter handheld body, compare the reviewed EGO LB8803-2; it is not a backpack equivalent. If collecting leaves into a bag is the real requirement, EGO LV5000/LV5005 are separate vacuum/mulcher configurations with a 40 L listed bag, not accessories for this Husqvarna.

Before treating any figure as decisive, decide whether your constraint is minimum airflow, maximum bare-tool weight, or total carrying weight. Unknown total weight cannot satisfy a hard total-mass requirement. If gasoline itself is essential, a no-result shortlist is safer than silently substituting a battery tool or allowing an unresolved reference into the buying list.

Official source trail

Identity, article number and current product specifications come from Husqvarna's U.S. 560BTS product page and support page. Safety, fuel mixture, starting and nozzle/setup instructions are in Husqvarna's shared 560BTS/570BTS/570BFS operator manual, revision 2507-002 dated 2025-02. The manual's performance table uses the standard nozzle and rounds the 560BTS weight to 23.2 lb.