The Ultimate Guide to The Best Leaf Blower 2019
We all love Autumn. Cool breeze, a little bit of relaxation after the jam-packed summer, but the leaves! Those are enough to completely kill your mood when you find them taking over your yard. That’s why we’ve stepped in with a little list to help you find the best leaf blower of 2018.
When should I choose an electric, gas-powered, or cordless leaf blower?
Knowing how you plan to use your chainsaw will help you decide what type of chainsaw to use. Do you just plan on doing a little pruning in your yard or do you have intentions of cutting down a lot of good-sized trees? Consider the type of projects you have planned to do in your yard and then look at the models that that are appropriate for these tasks.
Gas chainsaws are the most powerful and fastest chainsaw options, so if you plan on doing heavy-duty cutting jobs, gas-powered is your best bet.
What are the advantages of using a leaf blower?
A rake and broom can do the same amount of work that a leaf blower can. So, why buy a leaf blower if you can spend a lovely afternoon with the family raking leaves away? Here’s why:
It saves on time
Using blowers is much faster than raking. A lot of manpower, time and sweat goes into raking to do something that a blower would have done quicker.
It can reach leaves in the tightest of spaces
Raking the leaves does no guarantee you'll get the leaves in all the spots. Some areas are difficult to reach with a rake, but that's not difficult for a leaf blower. From the corners of a fenced yard to inconvenient spaces, a leaf blower ensures that fallen leaves are not a problem.
It’s easy to use
Let's face it, extended hours and hours raking couldn't possibly be good for your back. It's exhausting, to say the least. Using the leaf blower is much easier and gives you the peace of mind you deserve when looking out into your yard. Could also be a great chore for the kids.
It’s powerful
Whether gas powered, electric corded or electric cordless, you get to do so much more than you would when doing it manually. Using a blower will give you the opportunity to focus on other things.
How to Select a Leaf Blower
To use a gas blower or not? That is the question. To come up with an answer, it's best to make a decision based on yard size and surrounding.
1. Big yard
A gas-powered blower will do the trick in a large space. First of all, neighbors aren’t close by, so it’s up to you and your family to make peace with the noise. A gas powered backpack or a gas-powered wheeled blower will give you the intended results quicker. Pay close attention to the Miles per Hour (MPH) and the Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM). MPH determines the machine's speed, and CFM determines the volume of air that can be blown in a minute. The higher these two are, the better.
For large yards, you might better buy a walk behind leaf blower.
2. Medium-sized yard
A handheld blower or a gas powered one will do for a medium-sized yard. An electric blower could also work in this case as long as the cord is long enough and it won't slow you down. If it is your preference to go with a cordless one, then it should be a good quality high powered one that has enough charge to last the whole job. If not, prepare to get comfortable as you wait for the battery to charge halfway through the job.
3. Small yard
Electric, electric, electric. There's no doubt about it. An electric handheld blower will work excellently in a small space. Even the cordless ones will manage to keep up with the size. The neighbors will definitely not appreciate the ruckus that the gas powered blower comes with, and maintenance on your part greatly reduces if you compare with a gas blower.
An electric blower is quick, lightweight and will do a great job in your small yard, as long as you choose a quality blower.
How to use a leaf blower
Here’s a video that will help with just that:
Top Five Leaf Blowers
Here’s a quick list of leaf blower reviews that will help you if you’re still trying to figure out what to buy:
Toro Ultra plus leaf blower and vacuum
The UltraPlus is a little heavy but doesn’t really feel like it because of the weight distribution making it the best leaf vacuum. You can even use it with one hand.
If you prefer using it with both hands, it has knobs, both at the front and back, for ease of use. It has variable speed control, which lets you use a light flow of air to blow out lightweight debris from the flower bed and full power air that can blast through wet leaves.
PROS
- Covers large areas quickly
- Speed is easily adjustable
- Chain does not dull quickly
CONS
- It weighs 9 pounds
- Extension cord limits movements
The UltraPlus has a variable knob that lets you change airflow from a light breeze all the way to 250mph/350cfm at full throttle. It has a good fit and finish. The parts come together easily and can also come apart easily. There is no looseness in the parts.
There is an oscillating nozzle that forces air from side to side using differential air pressure, without moving parts. The fanned nozzle provides an angle for the air both to the left and right of what would have primarily been a centered air stream. This means that you can clear a wider path of fallen leaves especially on a hard and dry surface such as a driveway.
It is less effective, however, on wet leaves or longer grass debris. It also has an unusual vibration when it's used for full airflow. This isn't a point of worry but just a result of air oscillation in the nozzle.
The Hitachi RB24EAP is a gas-powered leaf blower that's compact and has a lot of power. It helps that it has a 7-year warranty. It is compact, yet it can blow debris 18ft in less than 17 seconds.
It pushes 441 cubic ft of air through its nozzle at 170mph. It weighs 8.6 pounds making it relatively light enough for people to use it around the yard, along walkways or on a driveway.
PROS
- Operation and startup are very straightforward
- Powerful, yet fuel-efficient
- Less environmental impact than most gas blowers
- Built with high-quality parts
CONS
- It does not have mulching or vacuum utilities
- It’s a bit expensive
- No throttle lock
At 96.6 decibels, it is pretty loud, so it's advisable to have ear protection on when using this leaf blower. It has easy handling attributed to its lightweight body. In case you want to put the blower down for some reason, the Hitachi has an auto-return switch, which resets the power-on button so that it can quickly restart when you come back.It has a low-emission engine with a 17.6-ounce fuel tank capacity.
Just like similar gas-powered leaf blowers, the Hitachi RB24EAP has specific needs for its fuel type. Before you run the machine, you should have used a 50:1 ratio of gasoline to oil. It is recommended to use 8-octane gasoline. It's rather compact and easy to carry. It is, however, quite noisy but because it blows away leaves, debris and dirt so fast, the noise is but a small price to pay. It works well in a small-medium sized yard.
The Greenworks 24012 is one of the best electric leaf blower options. It is affordable and has a four-year warranty with up to 160 mph speed. It works well blowing off patios, driveways, flowerbeds or blowing off leaves from your lawn.
If you have a small lawn and don't require much power, then there's no point of buying an expensive blower.
PROS
- It’s lightweight
- It’s affordable
- It's convenient
- It’s quiet
CONS
- Extension cord limits mobility
- Not good for large areas
It works well and can stay in good condition way past its warranty period. Not much maintenance is required, so it's a plug-and-go machine. It's eco-friendly as well because it doesn't release any harmful emissions into the air. The neighbors will also love it because of the noise, or lack thereof. It's great to have if your lawn is small or medium sized and doesn't require much heavy lifting. No wonder it’s a favorite in the electric leaf blower reviews
The LSW20 is the best cordless leaf blower and is the best battery leaf blower. It’s a lightweight leaf blower that clears debris and leaves from around the home.
It only weighs 3.7 pounds, which makes it extremely portable and makes you do the work without harming your back. It is powered by a 20V MAX lithium-ion battery. This means that your movement is not limited.
PROS
- Easy to handle and use.
- Convenient: no cord or gas engine
- No harmful emissions
- Works well for small jobs
- It's lightweight
- Comfortable, nice, and makes minimal noise
CONS
- Battery only lasts 15 minutes
- Takes a long time to recharge
There are also no emissions to the environment. The battery is interchangeable with any other B&D tool, which shares the system. It is relatively quiet and you can easily pick it up whenever you need it. All cordless leaf blower reviews recommend that you buy an extra battery so that you don't run out of power when working.
It is a great leaf blower for homeowners because it combines so many useful features such as: easy to use, ergonomic design, lightweight, powerful and quiet. All that for under $100 is quite the bargain.
Backpack leaf blower reviews are still new because the backup leaf blowers are relatively new in the market. They have, however, quickly become a number one stop shop for lawn care professionals.
The gasoline versions are far more powerful than the electric ones. Leaf blowers like the Husqvarna 965877502 are now being made for residential use.
PROS
- It is light, making it the best backpack leaf blower
- More power, better fuel economy, and reduced emissions with X-Torque engine
- Comfortable load-reducing harness with hip belt and wide shoulder straps.
- Comes with three 32-ounce cans of pre-mix fuel.
CONS
- Engine must be emptied completely before storing
- Owner's manual doesn't provide clear instructions
The Husqvarna is designed specifically for large lawns. It has a highly capable Torque motor that produces expanded force and fewer emanations, which results in better efficiency. The fan speed is adjustable, and throttle controls are mounted on a tube providing for easier access. The saddle and controls have been designed specifically to offer superb usability.
It comes with a 2-year warranty, which protects it from material and workmanship defects. If you buy the product online, the warranty is extended to 4 years from 2 years. A purchase of this model comes with three, 32ounce cans of pre-mix fuel.
Further considerations when choosing a leaf blower
How do I collect the leaves? When should I use a vacuum?
There are many tools that you can use to collect leaves from your lawn. The cheapest leaf collector is a rake. Rakes are inexpensive and good for collecting leaves in grassy areas. If you use a rake regularly to rake your lawn, it will be too harsh and damage your lawn. It is also physically demanding to use a rake if you have a large lawn.
The alternative for people who prefer less and more efficient work, a leaf blower is a great choice. Blowers collect leaves by blowing the leaves and debris into piles and then giving the users a chance to pick up the leaves from one location and disposing of them.
How to use a blower
This is a chainsaw for those that want to do more than occasional pruning, but want to cut down good-sized trees, cut firewood, or work on woodland regularly. This is also a well-balanced machine that is easy to start and simple to maintain with plenty of safety features that you would come to expect in a high-quality chainsaw. Hands down, the winner of the roundup is the Husqvarna 460 Rancher 2-Stoke X-Torq Gas Powered Chain Saw.
- Start from the far left-hand corner of the lawn. Then blow the most of the leaves on a tarp into a pile.
- You don’t have to round up every last leaf. Most is good enough.
- Once you have blown the most of the leaves into a pile in one corner of the lawn, fold the tarp over the debris. Drag the tarp away to remove the pile.
- Get an enclosure and dump the leaves into it. They can be composted there or later added to a compost bin.
- Proceed in the same manner as you move on to other lawn corners.
- Do the same with the center of the lawn
A vacuum is convenient because it saves you on time and effort. If you use a blower without a vacuum, then you would have to manually collect the debris. The best yard vacuum helps you finish the whole process faster especially if you have a small lawn.
Power considerations
When shopping for a leaf blower, consider that there are light, medium and heavy-duty blowers. Heavy duty blowers are larger in size and have a greater performance rate. They do so much more than just clear out your driveway because of the power that comes along with them. They, however, cost so much more than the lighter duty models, require more maintenance and cost you a lot of gasoline to operate. It is important to understand the power levels and use enough to suit your surroundings.
The leaf blowers are either electric or gas powered. If you have a small lawn and your cleaning tasks aren’t heavy, a cordless electric blower would be ideal. It can clear out your patio, driveway, and deck easily. If your yard is slightly larger than an electric blower that has a cord would be ideal, because it does not need to be recharged and it can clear a large yard at a go. A gas-powered blower does not consume electricity and is more flexible than an electric blower that has a cord. It is a high performer but is also very noisy.
Before deciding on a blower, weigh the different power options and make a choice according to your needs and preferences. It also helps to ask yourself: what is the best gas leaf blower for the money I have?
Are Leaf Blowers Noisy?
Leaf blowers are loud. Even the quietest of leaf blowers will still come off as loud. Before purchasing a blower, browse through the labels and compare the different machines’ decibels. In some areas, you are prohibited from using a leaf blower at certain times. In other places, leaf blowers are restricted altogether, even if they are quiet.
Always check with the town regulations or visit the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse, which has a list of guidelines for the whole country. Some models which appear quiet may actually be deafening up close.
When dealing with the blowers, follow these precautions to protect yourself and those around you:
- Always wear hearing protection. Some blowers may appear to be soft, but they are in fact dangerous for the human ear.
- Wear a dust mask and goggles.
- Keep pets and other people away when you’re clearing.
- Do not run a blower very early or very late in the day.
What Does CFM And MPH Mean and why does it matter?
MPH: This stands for miles per hour; it represents how many miles air would have to travel in one hour if the velocity of the air exiting remained the same. Many manufacturers use this measurement as the benchmark of power for their blowers. However, using this measurement alone does little to give more insight on the power. An example to make it clearer is if we have a little breeze of air that’s been blown at 180mph.
That does little in making any progress with the leaves.CFM: It stands for Cubic Feet per Meter. This should be the figure you pay close attention to. It is the measure of the air volume velocity that moves through the blower in one minute, regardless of its density. A leaf blower engine powers an impeller in the casing that draws air to one side and forces it through another end.
The volume of air that leaves the tube of a particular model determines the CFM. The air that moves through the machine is directly proportional to the volume. It is, however, pointless to have a lot of air moving very slowly, so for this reason, mph is equally important.
Techniques to get the most out of your leaf blower
Starting on one end of the lawn and making it through to another end seems to make a lot of sense. However, you’ll find yourself tackling a large mountain of leaves. You should instead use the divide and conquer rule. Divide your lawn into patches blowing the leaves onto a tarp/ drop cloth. Once the cloth is full, dispose of the load where you will be collecting leaves.In order to reduce the noise levels, begin with low speed.
Only beef up the speed when it’s needed.If the leaves are too clumped together, you could use a broom or rake to loosen them a bit before you begin.Direct airflow away from animals, people, glass or walls, keeping them from flying debris. Always start at the corner and work your way out if starting from a corner. This will keep the leaves from piling up in a corner and flying back towards you.
Conclusion
Choosing the best leaf blower of 2018 for your lawn could actually be a simple task if you go through our list of considerations. There isn’t a clear winner in our list because each blower serves a different purpose and they are all top rated leaf blowers. If you have a large lawn, it wouldn’t make sense to get a cordless electric blower even though it is light and portable.
All the blowers in our list are very good, therefore, it is up to you to decide which one fits your environment.Gas Leaf Blowers Vs Electric Leaf Blowers: A gas-powered machine has more power but an electrically powered leaf blower would work better in neighborhoods. They are better for the environment but have the cord length limitation. Cordless ones drain very fast, so it wouldn’t make sense to use it on a large lawn.
Pay attention to runtime, battery life, cost and different models as you shop or prepare to shop. Weigh your different options to make an informed decision and don’t make too much noise for the neighbors!