A portable handheld apparatus such as a brushcutter, blower or the like has a drive motor and a throttle lever (2). The throttle lever (2) is pivotally journalled about a rotational axis (3). The throttle lever (2) acts on an actuating device for controlling the drive motor. In order to make possible a simple adjustment of the actuating device, it is provided that the throttle lever (2) has an operator-controlled lever (6) and an actuating lever (5). The operator-controlled lever (6) can be actuated by the operator. The actuating lever (5) acts on the actuating device. The relative position of the actuating lever (5) relative to the operator-controlled lever (6) is adjustable.