Leaf Blower Reviews

Leaf Blower Buying Guide

Leaf blowers are a very helpful tool with Fall clean up, as well as general home and yard maintenance. Whether it’s blowing leaves, clearing sidewalks/driveways, or cleaning gutters, a good leaf blower can make normally difficult tasks much easier and complete them in a fraction of the time. Blowers come in a wide variety of styles and sizes, so finding the one with the right features for your intended use takes some research. In this guide we will go into detail about the features that are the most important to help you find the leaf blower that best suits your needs. Also be sure to check out the features comparison chart for all of the top models, and our in-depth reviews for each one.

Click the images on each product to go to the review page where you will find the best and worst features of each leaf blower, so you can choose the one that is perfect for your home. There are also price comparisons at the bottom of the review pages to help you find the best price across the web. 

Top Leaf Blowers Comparison

Blower Model	Hitachi RB24EAP	Makita BHX2500CA	Husqvarna 350BT	GreenWorks 24252
Product Image
Max Wind Speed	170 MPH	145 MPH	180 MPH	150 MPH
Motor Size	23.9 CC	24.5 CC	50.2 CC	40-V
Engine Type	2-Stroke Gasoline	4-Stroke Gasoline	2-Stroke Gasoline	40-V Battery Powered
Weight	8.6 Pounds	9.8 Pounds	22.5 Pounds	3.3 Pounds
Warranty	7 Years	2 Years	2 Years	4 Years
Max Air Volume	441 CFM	358 CFM	692 CFM	135 CFM
Cruise Control	NO	Yes	Yes	Yes (Speed Settings)
Price	$$	$$	$$$	$$
Rating	4.5	4.4	4.5	3.8
In-Depth Review	Read Full Review	Read Full Review	Read Full Review	Read Full Review

Power Source

The power source of the leaf blower is one of the most important features you must decide on. The three main types are battery, gasoline, and electric. Depending on which one you choose there will be differences in weight, run time, noise, and ease of use.

Battery

Battery powered leaf blowers are the lightest of all three types, with some weighing as little as 3 or 4 pounds. They also produce the least amount of noise, and are easy to start with just the push of a button. The run time that you get with each charge varies by model but averages 15-35 minutes, so they may not be the best option for extended use jobs, unless you have extra batteries. The Lithium-Ion or Ni-Cad batteries used are included with many models, but buying extra batteries of this size can be costly. Battery powered blowers are great for light duty jobs such as blowing grass off driveways after mowing or blowing leaves off of driveways, sidewalks, decks, and patios during Fall. Although they are very light, quiet, and easy to use, battery powered models do have their limitations as they are the least powerful type in terms of air speed/volume. This means they are not the best with heavy duty jobs such as piles of leaves and wet grass.

Electric

Electric leaf blowers are probably one of the most common types used in homes everywhere. They are very easy to use, just plug it into an outlet, turn it on, and get to the task at hand. Some of the cheaper models are underpowered, but the mid to high level electric leaf blowers have plenty of power for all of the heavy duty jobs such as blowing leaves into piles, and cleaning out gutters. The electric blower models come with the cheapest price point of the three types, and are also the cheapest to operate without the need for gasoline, oil, or batteries. They are also very lightweight and perfect if you’re looking for more air speed/volume than battery powered versions without a lot of added weight. Great for anyone without a lot of arm strength. The drawback for electric power is the need to drag around an extension cord wherever you go. This is really a big issue if you have long driveways/sidewalks, because there is nothing more frustrating than a long, tangled up extension cord while trying to finish a job. If you don’t mind the extension cords, electric leaf blowers are a solid, affordable, easy to use choice for a variety of tasks around the home and in the yard.

Gasoline

Gas powered leaf blowers are the type used by most commercial lawn care and landscaping businesses for a reason. They are the most powerful, and highly portable. Fill the tank with fuel and you can take these blowers anywhere. They come in 2-cycle and 4-cycle varieties. The 2-cycle engines are more powerful, and lightweight than 4-cycle, but require you to mix oil and gas at a certain ratio to add to the tank. The 4-cycle engines are much more fuel efficient, and have the convenience of a separate tank for gas and oil, but at the cost of added weight. Gas powered blowers are perfect for large pieces of land where portability for extended use jobs is a must. Most models hold enough fuel to allow them to run multiple hours before refueling. These gasoline engines provide the highest wind speed and air volume of all the types, so they work the best on the heavy duty jobs like wet leaves, wet grass, and even pine cones or tree nuts. Gasoline models are both powerful and portable, but do come with some drawbacks. The gas powered blowers are heavier than other types due to the larger engines, and range from 8 pounds all the way up to 20+ pounds. If you don’t have a lot of arm strength, fatigue could become an issue with extended use. The gas engines will also be harder to start than the electric or battery versions. It’s as simple as priming the fuel line, tuning on the choke, and pulling the start cord a few times, but definitely not as easy as pushing a button. If you need a leaf blower that can tackle large heavy-duty jobs, and you can handle the added weight and slightly more difficult operation, then the gas powered blower might be your best option.

Handheld or Backpack Blower?

Handheld blowers are by far the most commonly used type, and are suitable for most homes with small to medium yards. They come in a variety of sizes and power levels, so it’s easy to find one that is just right for your needs. Handheld blowers are available with battery powered, electric, or gasoline engines. While these work great for most small to medium jobs , if you have a large piece of land or tasks that will require lots of extended use of the blower, you may want to consider a backpack blower.

Backpack blower models are extremely powerful, and are only available with gasoline engines. They come equipped with a backpack style harness that evenly distributes weight across your shoulders, making them an ideal choice for tasks that require a lot of time to complete, such as clearing leaves from large yards. They are the heaviest type of blower due to their larger size, but the backpack harness prevents fatigue even with heavy use. The backpack blowers also have large sized fuel tanks that allow for hours of use before needing to refill. They are the most expensive of all the blower types, but if you have large, heavy-duty jobs and don’t want to worry about the arm fatigue associated with handheld blowers, then a backpack blower is a good choice.

Speed Control

Sometimes you need more or less power depending on the task at hand. For example, if you’re just blowing out some dust from the garage or are around sensitive areas of the yard, you may not want full power. On the other hand if you’re trying to blow wet leaves or grass from the driveway you’ll need all the air speed you can get. As you can see, being able to control the air speed can be a very useful feature. Some of the more basic battery powered and electric models only have one speed and that works fine for many people, but if you want to have more control over the air speed/volume of the blower there are several features that make it possible.

Many of the battery and electric models include dial controls with variable speed selections, so with just a turn of the dial you can get the right speed for a variety of tasks.

Gas powered leaf blowers feature a variable speed pressure trigger, so as you press the trigger harder, air speed increases and vice-versa. This method provides the greatest control over airflow, and works great when working in areas that are sensitive to blowers such as flowerbeds and gravel surfaces.

Some blower models achieve their stated maximum air speed by using different tip attachments on the end of the plastic blower tube. A more enclosed end of the blower tube focuses all of the air volume to a smaller area which will create a much higher air speed than one that is open. Using this method, even with the same amount of air volume produced, you can get a much higher air speed for the tasks that require it.

One more feature that is very helpful is a speed lock or cruise control. When using a leaf blower for extended amounts of time, such as on long driveways or blowing leaves into piles, a cruise control lever or switch allows you to maintain a consistent speed without having to constantly hold the trigger down. This can really reduce the amount of stress on your arms, especially with the bigger tasks.

How Much Blower Air Speed/Volume Do I Need?

Depending on what you plan to use your leaf blower for, you may require a higher or lower amount of air to get the job done. First, a little bit about what air speed and air volume mean in terms of blowers.

Air volume is simply the total amount of air that is produced by the leaf blower motor and is measured in Cubic Feet Per Minute or CFM for short. The CFM rating of the leaf blower is the biggest factor in how far and fast it can move material.

Air speed refers to the how fast the air is moving when it leaves the end of the blower tube and is measured in Miles Per Hour. This can be manipulated by having by having a more enclosed end on the blower tube which focus the air volume to a smaller area and will increase the max air speed.

Many models have different attachments for the blower tube to achieve higher air speeds, and this is why a higher max air speed does not always mean a higher max air volume rating. The general rule is, as the max air volume increases, so will the effectiveness of the blower. A higher air speed helps in moving heavier material such as pine cones, and stuck on material like wet leaves or grass, but is not the best measure of performance for leaf blowers. Going by the CFM rating is much more reliable, and below is a quick guide for some common uses.

100-275 CFM- Light-duty tasks– clearing dirt/dust, dried leaves/grass from hard surfaces like sidewalks, decks, and patios. Mainly for replacing sweeping.

276-400 CFM- Medium-duty tasks– Blowing leaves and other material from grassy areas and flower beds.

400+ CFM- Heavy-duty tasks– Blowing wet leaves/grass, large area coverage, and blowing Fall leaves into piles for clean up.

Some features may be more important to some than others. You should pick out the features that you think will be the most important for your intended use and try to find the model that most closely matches that. Hopefully this guide has been useful in helping you make that decision, and you’ll have a leaf blower that will make your outdoor chores a breeze for years to come.

Top Leaf Blowers Comparison

Blower Model	Hitachi RB24EAP	Makita BHX2500CA	Husqvarna 350BT	GreenWorks 24252
Product Image
Max Wind Speed	170 MPH	145 MPH	180 MPH	150 MPH
Motor Size	23.9 CC	24.5 CC	50.2 CC	40-V
Engine Type	2-Stroke Gasoline	4-Stroke Gasoline	2-Stroke Gasoline	40-V Battery Powered
Weight	8.6 Pounds	9.8 Pounds	22.5 Pounds	3.3 Pounds
Warranty	7 Years	2 Years	2 Years	4 Years
Max Air Volume	441 CFM	358 CFM	692 CFM	135 CFM
Cruise Control	NO	Yes	Yes	Yes (Speed Settings)
Price	$$	$$	$$$	$$
Rating	4.5	4.4	4.5	3.8
In-Depth Review	Read Full Review	Read Full Review	Read Full Review	Read Full Review