I like the little featherlites for quick jobs I do myself(they are light and cheap), but my husband perfers the Stihl backpack, all Gas powered!
The pros are they are much better than sweeping, the better brands like Stihl and Craftsman have more power, but you can make due with any. The cons are noise and vibration of handhelds, and the backpacks can be a little heavy.
I recommend brands like Craftsman, Stihl, Husquavarna.