Leaf blowers can come with a battery, an electrical cord, or a gas-powered motor and which type you choose will completely depend on the level of convenience you want. Many on the market today also have additional features such as a vacuum mode and multiple speeds to put you in full control of how much power is being used. But how do you decide which one is the best for you? By checking out our list of the top ten leaf blowers available today.
Black & Decker LSWV36 – $149.99
You’ll get just about all the convenience you could ask for with this Black & Decker model, with the exception of a battery-run motor that doesn’t have a very long charge. With a powerful motor that will have leaves blowing across your yard at up to 120 miles per hour, the battery remains charged for only 10-15 minutes when the highest settings are used, and only half an hour when low settings are used. That speed does come with very little noise though, and the vacuuming mode will suck up any leaves or debris, making cleanup that much faster and easier. What might be nicest about this blower is that it weighs just over 4 pounds, making it easy to tote around with you, and the soft non-slip handle will ensure it never drops from your hands while working. It comes at a great price, and is ideally suited for those who have small yards or can make quick work of cleaning up the leaves and debris in the yard.
Craftsman 25cc Gas Blower – $123.49
This Craftsman is a gas leaf blower, which is great for those that don’t want to be tied to a cord, or need to recharge their batteries regularly. But don’t worry about needing to continuous pulling while it’s trying to start; thanks to the Sim-Pull technology, this blower allows for super easy starts all the time. The motor is an extremely powerful 25cc, two-cycle engine that can blow at a speed of 210 miles per hour, and cover up to 450 cubic feet every minute. You’ll also only see that power without having to feel it, due to the anti-vibration handles. There are multiple speed options, all of which are easily switched to with the finger trigger; and it also has the vacuum mode that makes this blower even more convenient. The only drawback to it is that it weighs a hefty 16.5 pounds, so carrying it around for a long period of time will definitely add to the chore.
Echo PB-265LN – $249.00
What do you get with this leaf blower that justifies that high price? Just about everything and yes, all the features do make sense when you take the price into consideration. With an average speed of 131 miles per hour, it can reach up to 158, and the cruise control option allows you to pick a speed and forget about it while cleaning up your yard. What’s really unique about this blower though is the backpack design. Not only does that help you carry the 13.3 pounds around on even the longest day of work, and the padded shoulder straps and backrest make it even more comfortable. Also included in the backpack is the fuel tank with a capacity of 21 fluid ounces; and you can see through it so you’ll always know how much gas you have left in the tank. The low noise system comes in at just 64 decibels too, so you don’t have to worry about the entire neighborhood knowing what you’re up to. And if you’re worried about the price, just take peace of mind knowing that it also includes a 5-year warranty.
Greenworks 40-Volt Blower – $179.00
If you’re looking for a small blower that will be easy to carry around your yard and that gives you a long charge from its battery, the Greenworks 40-Volt blower might be for you. Coming in at under four pounds, it still has a power 40-volt rechargeable LI-ION battery. That battery also won’t sputter or slow down while it’s on its last legs; it will just give you full power until it’s time to be recharged. It will also last for 70 minutes before you’ll have to do that, and in the meanwhile it will give you a speed up to 100 miles per hour that will cover 80 cubic feet per minute. Giving you even more control is the two-piece blow tube which is adjustable, allowing you to decide where you want the air to go. It also has rubber non-slip grips on the handles, and a fairly good warranty of four years.
Hitachi RB24EAP – $129.99
With a weight of only 8.9 pounds, you might think that this Hitachi blower won’t give you the power you need for your large yard; but you’d be wrong. With one of the most powerful engines in its class (23.9cc, 1.13 horsepower two-stroke) this gas-fueled engine can blow up to 170 miles per hour with an air volume to clear up to 441 cubic feet per minute. And if you’re worried about what all that power is doing to the air around you, you needn’t be. With Pure Fire II low-emission engine technology, this blower protects the environment while you’re working. The two-finger throttle is large enough to keep you comfortable, and might make up for the fact that there’s no rubber grip on the handle. It’s also missing the vacuuming mode that can make cleaning up even easier. It does however, have variable speed options as well as an incredibly long seven-year warranty.
Husqvarna 125BVx – $199.95
At first glance, it may seem as though the powerful 28cc, 1.1 horsepower engine that’s the best thing about this blower. And that’s partially true, considering it will work at up to 170 miles per hour and provide an airflow of 470 cubic feet per minute. But it also has a vacuuming mode, and unlike the other top models on our list, this vacuuming mode also includes a mulching function. That will shred the debris as it’s vacuumed up, leaving you even more room in that container that holds up to 17 gallons of debris. The gas tank holds up to 16.9 fluid ounces, which is plenty to cover a large area on one tank. The handle has a rubber grip for safety and convenience, and the design is fairly light at just 9.6 pounds, and the nozzle is adjustable to make it even easier. So are there any problems with this blower? It is one of the louder blowers in our top ten, with a sound level of 107 decibels, so you may want to save your cleaning up for early afternoon instead of early morning.
Poulan Pro BVM210VS – $124.20
You won’t be able to mulch with this device, but it does have a vacuum mode that can help you pick up the pile of leaves afterwards. Unfortunately, in order to switch between those two modes you’ll need to physically change the setup of the device, and this can be complicated. It’s also pretty heavy, as the 25cc engine and ability to blow up to 460 cubic feet per minute carries some weight to it. But the handle does come with a rubber grip that will keep it from slipping out of your hands, and it also comes with an anti-vibration handle, which also helps make carrying it around easier. There are multiple speeds, and the ability to set cruise control so you don’t have to worry about keeping your finger on the trigger, but the warranty on the device is only for two years.
Tanaka TRB24EAP – $149.99
The motor on this blower is powerful with a 23.9cc two-cycle engine, and the ability to blow air up to 170 miles per hour, and with an air volume of 441 cubic feet per minute. However, with only one speed setting it greatly takes away from the control you have when cleaning up to the full acre this blower will allow. It does have a recoil start for convenience, and a gas tank that will hold up to 0.18 gallons. The fact that it weighs just 8.6 pounds will make the task easier, but you’ll have to clean up that pile of leaves yourself as it does not have a vacuum feature. If it ever breaks down though, you will have the advantage of a long seven-year warranty.
Troy-Bilt TB180B – $32.98
Undeniably, the best thing about this blower is the extremely low price — the lowest of all of our top ten. But keep in mind that sometimes, you get what you pay for. This blower is electric, with no fiddling with pull starts or recharging batteries, and it has an extension cord retainer to keep it out of your way while you work. Of course, for this price it’s only going to blow air and not vacuum anything up; and it also only comes with one speed. Still, the power is decent with a 7.5 amp electric motor, and an air blowing capacity of 150 miles per hour, which will clear up to 180 cubic feet per minute. Because it’s made from molded plastic it only weighs 5.5 pounds, which contributes to the convenience of this model.
Worx Trivac – $84.99
Coming in at such a low price you might think it’s missing a vacuum and mulching feature; but those are both there. And they can be used with just a flick of a switch. This blower is also powerful, giving an airflow of up to 210 miles per hour and an air volume of up to 350 cubic feet per minute. It weighs only 8.4 pounds and even has a quick release button if you ever need to do light maintenance on the device. The only real drawback is that it’s electric, so you’ll have to make sure you’re near an outlet the entire time.
