Kobalt’s 24V cordless blower is a really nice blower for the average homeowner. I got my hands on this Kobalt blower for some serious testing and have to say – it is super lightweight.
I’ve tested a few Kobalt products in my day and also own the Kobalt 80V blower. I am always impressed by the build quality of Kobalt products, but they are a company that truly flies under the radar.
Bottom Line: The Kobalt 24V blower isn’t super powerful but it is powerful enough for most homeowners to clean off their porch or driveway without a problem. You can grab it for a really nice price over on Amazon.
Right after I picked up my Kobalt 24V blower I took it home and put it through the ringer. Here are some of my observations.
The Kobalt 24V blower isn’t that powerful
Don’t get me wrong, the Kobalt 24V is fine from a power perspective, but compared to some others out there it isn’t very powerful. If you don’t know what CFMs and MPH are, read here.
If you do, the Kobalt 24V blower has up to 500 CFMs and 120 MPH. Mind you, these two specifications are fully maxed out using the Turbo button. Without the turbo button, you’re likely in the 375-400 CFM range and around 100 MPH. This is much more than a light breeze but if you check out some of the more powerful battery powered leaf blowers, you’ll see that there are better options.
The Kobalt 24V blower is perfect for around-the-house activities: blowing off the driveway, back porch, and even moving some smaller piles of leaves. It is not a substitute for a larger backpack blower, however.
Kobalt’s 24V Max Blower is super easy to use
What the Kobalt 24V Max blower lacks in extreme power it makes up for in extreme ease of use. I think this is why Kobalt’s blower is so darn popular – it is super intuitive and can be used by literally anyone with thumbs.
Once you pop on the 24V Max battery, you simply pull the trigger and you’re ready to blow. No maintenance or prep work is required to use this blower. It also has a nice variable speed trigger so you can have complete control over the speed.
What is not missing from the Kobalt 24V Max blower is the cruise control function. Since I didn’t use this for long and probably wouldn’t use it for a long, intense leaf cleaning – it really doesn’t matter. It is there if you want it.
Lastly, this blower comes in at just over 5 lbs. This makes using the Kobalt 24V blower super easy, from directing it wherever you want with ease, to making your shoulder feel normal again.
The Kobalt 24V Max Blower has a durable brushless motor
One thing I love about Kobalt is that they tend to make a bunch of quality products and hardly skimp on the necessities. The brushless motor on the Kobalt 24V Max blower means that the motor has a longer run-time, a cooler running motor, and will last for years longer than a traditional brushed motor.
The Kobalt 24V Max battery line
Kobalt’s 24V Max battery line is extensive. In addition to this blower, I’ve also used the Kobalt 24V string trimmer which was super powerful and an amazing tool in my arsenal.
And if you haven’t watched my video test of the Kobalt 80V blower yet – you’ll find out that Kobalt has crazy run-times on their products. Like truly absurdly long run times.
My review: Kobalt 24V Max Blower
While I can’t say the Kobalt 24V leaf blower is right for everyone, it is right for most homeowners. This cordless blower is easy to use, lightweight, and affordable. If you need more power or have a larger yard, I would look elsewhere.
I tested this Kobalt blower by taking it home, putting it together (took two seconds), and then walking around my yard with the blower on full speed + turbo. I used the Kobalt 24V blower on mulch, grass clippings, leaves, small sticks, and small rocks.
Why we review leaf blowers
Sounds weird, right? But we got burned dozens of times buying crappy lawn tools with impressive sounding specifications. After that happened enough times, I got serious and started to really study electric and battery powered lawn tools. Once I got wise, I started The Lawn Review to help others find lawn tools that are actually good (or bad) and give my honest, unbiased opinion of any tool I come across.
The Enhulk 58V 930 CFM blower is a freak of nature. I have had the opportunity to use and review dozens of battery powered leaf blowers and this takes the cake.
Here’s exactly why I think this Enhulk 58V blower is a beast:
It has a sweet brushless motor which allows for more torque and a cooler running motor.
At 930 CFMs, this Enhulk blower pushes out more air than any other cordless blower I’ve seen.
I’ve used this five or six times already and have never needed the turbo button.
This blower is surprisingly lightweight and easy to hold.
When I first got the opportunity to test out this blower, I didn’t care that it was made by a company called Enhulk. All I saw was that the blower boasted 930 CFMs and 200 MPH. For those without context, those are extremely impressive metrics.
A breakdown of the power on this Enhulk 58V blower
At 930 CFMs, the Enhulk is almost unrealistically strong. Even most backpack leaf blowers don’t get up to this level of air volume, so to see this in a handheld blower is absolutely insane. When I first turned this on, I couldn’t believe how much resistance it gave me. The blower launched my arm backwards with power – something I have learned to tame and control.
The funny part about this blower is that it weighs about 5 lbs but when you have the speed fully engaged, it feels like 2 or 3 lbs because of how much air is coming out.
The Enhulk 58V blower has a digital display that highlights whether or not you have activated the turbo button and another that allows you to select cruise control.
Comparing this with other handheld blowers, this Enhulk blower is way more advanced. Most other blowers have a thumb control that pulls the trigger in place for cruise control. They might also have a turbo button that you can hold down to control. None of them have digital displays that electronically do both.
The Enhulk’s digital interface is a luxurious addition that, alongside the absurd power, helps separate it from the rest of the pack as an amazing blower.
The nozzle attachments on the Enhulk blower
As if the 930 CFMs and 200 MPH weren’t enough for you, Enhulk included three attachments:
A wide mouth nozzle that can help boost the air width when it leaves the nozzle
A tapered, concentrated nozzle that will boost the speed of the air coming out
A flattened nozzle for stuck, wet leaves
Testing the blower’s flattened nozzle tip
I took the flattened nozzle for a spin after I cut the grass to see how it would do with wet grass clippings stuck on my driveway. The Enhulk and the tapered nozzle made quick work of literally 100% of the wet grass.
I called my wife out into the driveway afterwards to explain how crazy it was that this handheld blower got rid of all the grass and was met with a warm eye roll.
The battery on the Enhulk 58V blower
The 58V battery and charger are similar to the blower – both are state of the art and have lit displays that show how much battery is left or how much has been charged.
I found the battery really quick to recharge, although I didn’t time it myself. Perhaps the only downside to this blower is that the 58V battery series from Enhulk doesn’t have many tools.
If you compare the Enhulk 58V series, which has a few tools, to someone like Ryobi’s 40V series – you miss out on being able to use the one battery for hundreds of different tools.
Would I still buy the Enhulk 58V blower over others?
Yes. As odd as it is, I would take this blower over the EGO 56V 765 CFM blower and I wouldn’t think twice. Before I knew about this blower’s existence, those words would have never left my mouth.
Now that I’ve experienced the absolute power I could NEVER go back.
Comments? Questions? Reach out to us on Youtube or comment below.
Greenworks’ 60V 610 CFM cordless blower is a freak of nature. If you don’t read any further – this is the best blower for the price on the market – hands down.
Bottom Line: I had the opportunity to give this battery powered blower a try. I’m a notoriously tough critic when it comes to blowers because frankly – many of them are not very good. But Greenworks knocked it out of the park with this one. You can grab it on Amazon for a great price or from Greenworks’ website directly.
This blower isn’t a super abnormal blower. It doesn’t have any features that make it particularly crazy or unique. But my goodness does it have all the good ones and a great price point. Let’s break it down.
Power output on the Greenworks 60V blower
While the Greenworks 60V blower isn’t the most powerful Greenworks blower on the market, this thing still pushes serious air. It’s like watching the presidential debates.
But more seriously, it puts out about 610 CFMs of air at around 130 MPH. If you want to better understand the difference between CFMs and MPH then follow this link. It really means that this blower can move decent piles of leaves at a relatively high speed. Best of both worlds.
Compared to some other handheld blowers, even the gas-powered Stihl BG 86 C, this blower is going to be relatively similar in terms of power. While there are more powerful blowers on the market like the EGO 765 CFM blower, this one is at a much better price (more on that later).
I’ve used some dinky blowers in my days and this one has noticeable power and speed that is good for just about every single homeowner with a ½ acre or less. If you have TONS of trees that dump leaves on you in the Fall, you may want to get a bigger backpack blower but otherwise you should be pretty dang good.
One thing I absolutely love about Greenworks is that the people that test their blowers actually seem to use them often. They are built with serious comfort and they pay attention to small things.
Some small details I loved on this blower:
A concentrator nozzle that you can pop on the end and have a more focused jet stream of air (this is great for wet grass or leaves)
Cruise control and variable speed trigger. I turn the cruise control on whenever I know I’m going to be blowing at the same speed for more than a minute or so.
A little stand that allows you to set the blower down or store it flat without it rolling over (this is extremely underrated)
As compared to gas blowers, electric blowers have the major benefit of being extremely easy to start, require little-to-no maintenance, and don’t make you smell bad. Oh, and they are much quieter.
This one also felt really lightweight. Maybe because it has a smaller battery or overall just isn’t that big, but it was super easy to be agile with and didn’t strain my wrist with sudden movements.
Battery life: Greenworks 60V
Here is where I have a bit of a bone to pick with Greenworks, although it is very minimal. Run times are always super difficult to measure on blowers like these. The suggested times are never right. The area is always overestimated and the recharge time is not right either. Never in the zillions of tests that I’ve done on blowers have these come through with the correct times.
Which is why I always test it myself. With an advertised run time of 50 minutes on low, you can actually expect to get much more – depending on how low you go. This isn’t a great indicator because not many people use blowers on low. The turbo button is a much better indicator. The advertised run time on full turbo is about 10 minutes. In actual conditions, you may get a solid 7-8 minutes. Not bad, not good.
But really the major call-out here is that it says it is advertised for ⅔ acre. I would go a good bit less than that. If I had nearly an acre I would go up to a higher Amp-hour battery blower or to a backpack leaf blower – especially if you want to do it all in one trip.
Cost and value
The cost and particularly the value of this blower are what truly separate it from the rest of the pack. Right now, this puppy is on sale for an outrageous price on Amazon. But even when it isn’t on sale and you get the full kit and kaboodle for under $200 – that is an absolutely insane price.
I can’t find another electric blower out there with the power, functionality, and quality of the Greenworks 60V Blower that comes near that price.
Greenworks 60V Blower Comparison to the 80V blower
If you’re choosing between the 60V or the 80V Greenworks blower – don’t overthink it. If you already have either of these batteries, go ahead and get the blower that aligns with that battery and save a ton of money on the tool-only version.
The main difference between the 60V and the 80V blower is the power. They have identical functionality, but the 80V has about 15% more power and speed than the 60V. It is a bit more expensive, but if you have a larger yard or a ton of trees – the 80V can be worth it.
I’ve used both extensively and think the 60V is the better buy for the money, but you really can’t go wrong with either.
Final Review: Greenworks 60V Handheld Electric Blower
If you didn’t read anything I wrote and skipped down to the bottom, this may be news to you – but I absolutely recommend the Greenworks 60V Blower. For homeowners with small to medium sized yards, this is a perfect amount of power, size, ease of use, and cost to make you want to pull the trigger (pun intended).
You can grab this blower on Amazon or at a few other places like Tractor Supply Co. online.
What to look for in a battery powered blower
Cordless blowers come in a bunch of shapes and sizes but there are three basic things you need to understand:
CFM
Cubic feet per minute. This is a measure of air output on the blower. Higher CFM = more power, but not necessarily more miles per hour. High CFM with a wide nozzle = lower MPH. High CFM with a narrow nozzle = high miles per hour. Ideally, you want both a high CFM with a narrow to medium nozzle for most residential jobs.
Usability
What is the point of having a blower if it is hard to use? Have to get one that is lightweight, easy to start, and has some functions that make your life easier.
Motor type
Brushless motors reign supreme. Cooler running motors with more torque, a longer run-time, and last many more years. Brushless is a no brainer when picking a blower.
These are three things you need to pay attention to when looking through the specifications.
Why we review lawn tools
The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.
As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something.
My experience with handheld electric blowers
I’ve had the good pleasure of using dozens of handheld electric blowers. If you go over to my Youtube channel, you’ll see that I have done blower face-offs (literally on my face) and several other video reviews that go super in-depth on a bunch of different battery-powered blowers.
Outside of those reviews, I’ve also done a ton of other blower reviews, like these most recent ones:
Needless to say, I am one of the few nerds on the planet that actually really cares about this stuff. With the Greenworks 60V blower, I was able to use this one side-by-side with a ton of other blowers to see just how well it performed. Here are my thoughts.
Greenworks’ 80V Backpack Leaf Blower is a super interesting tool. These suckers are going to be the next big thing for homeowners and I can’t wait to tell you why.
Bottom Line: While just about any gas powered backpack blower is more powerful, the Greenworks 80V backpack blower is quiet, convenient, odorless, and pretty inexpensive. You can check the price here on Amazon.
My first time using this was an eye opening experience. For starters, I have a Stihl BR600 – one of the most powerful gas backpack blowers on the planet. While this isn’t quite the same amount of power, it is the right amount of power, cost, and ease of use.
But without a doubt – this is the most puzzling and interesting one I have owned. I’m bullish on the battery powered backpack leaf blower market because they are going to become less expensive, last a really long time, and are SO DANG EASY to use. Don’t believe me – check out my experience with this Greenworks 80V backpack blower.
Greenworks 80V Backpack Leaf Blower Breakdown and Review
I was so excited to use this because this was my first electric backpack blower. I took it for a test ride over the course of a couple weeks and jotted down some notes about what it felt like. Here are my thoughts on this blower.
Greenworks backpack leaf blower Power
If you’ve ever used a backpack blower, then you know these suckers are built for absolute power and speed when moving from jobsite to jobsite. I don’t want to frame this blower up as a weakling, but to be honest – most homeowners just don’t need power like that.
At 610 CFMs and 180 MPH, the Greenworks 80V backpack blower is on the lower end for a backpack blower. But in relation to all blowers, this is definitely in the top 10-15%. That is some serious power and airspeed that will blast your leaves across the yard without much problem.
Since I tested this one out mostly on grass clippings, many of which were still wet, I was able to get a good feel for how it did with sticky, wet debris. It crushed it without a problem.
Is it the most powerful thing in the world? No. Will it get the job done for a homeowner? Yes.
This blower is easy to use
When it comes to actually strapping this thing on and getting started, there couldn’t be a better experience. And when compared to gas (both handheld and backpack) – there really isn’t any competition.
Given the fact that I unboxed this, strapped it on, and was blowing around my yard all within five minutes should be a testament to how easy it was to get started.
It has really great adjustable straps, comes with a longer blowing tube add-on, and uses a handheld joystick just like any other backpack blower. With the joystick, you can control the speed of the blower perfectly and aim it all around. It also has a cool turbo button that pumps you up to the maximum amount of CFMs and MPHs for when you need the extra boost.
Compared to gas, this sucker is really light. Eerily light. But that also makes the job slightly more pleasant. Lastly, this blower had a very distinct noise to it. I wouldn’t say it was pleasant, but it was definitely much quieter than a gas-powered blower. With a sleeping baby at home I was very, very happy.
A quick comment on battery life
The most common complaint I get about battery powered tools is the run time. While I agree that battery technology has a long way to go before it can be used for commercial applications, I think it is in a great spot for homeowners.
With this Greenworks battery powered backpack blower, you’ll get about 20-25 minutes of run time with the lowest 2.0 Ah battery. If you want it to go for a full hour, you can upgrade to the 5.0 Ah battery. These also have rapid chargers that get you back to 100% pretty quickly.
Battery backpack blower comparison to gas backpack blowers
Other than looking kind of similar and blowing some air, these two machines couldn’t be more different. Gas backpack blowers are definitely more powerful. They’re heavier, loud as all get out, and can run all day as long as you gas them up.
And honestly – they’re overkill for homeowners. Cool toys, no doubt – but not necessary unless you have multiple acres. They’re also a pain in the butt to maintain and extremely loud.
The Greenworks 80V Backpack Blower is “just right” for the average homeowner with a slightly larger yard or just looking for some comfort and convenience. I’ll always remember when I used to wake up and sit on my front porch (before I had kids). One morning at probably 6 AM on a normal day of the week, my neighbor was out in her front yard using her backpack blower. I about went and slashed her tires…but I didn’t.
Battery backpack comparison to the handheld 80V Blower
I’ve obviously used my Greenworks handheld 80V leaf blower a TON and even made a really long Youtube video about it. The thing is a beast. A freak of nature. And a really good price. They also have a great 60V Blower.
But if you are out blowing your yard for any extended period of time, it is REALLY nice to have a backpack blower that can allow you to just “chill”. As far as power goes, there isn’t a huge difference between the two. This one is just slightly more comfortable and much more fun to play with.
Cost and where to buy the Greenworks 80V Backpack Blower
The Greenworks 80V Backpack Battery Leaf Blower MSRPs for about $350. Right now, it is on an insane sale on Amazon that seems to come and go.
My recommendation would be to grab it on Amazon. If you already have the battery, you can get it for an absolutely crazy price that is totally justifiable to your wife (like under $200) by grabbing the tool-only version.
My recommendation and review: Greenworks 80V Backpack Blower
Is this going to replace your gas powered backpack blower? Maybe. It you’re a homeowner and yours is requiring a lot of maintenance and is mostly overkill – then sure it can. But if you are a pro landscaper – I’d pass on this.
For me, this will be my go-to leaf blower for this Fall. It is super easy and I’d rather it take a little longer or require recharging the battery than have to deal with the headache of a gas-powered blower.
What to look for in a battery powered backpack blower
Cordless blowers come in a bunch of shapes and sizes but there are three basic things you need to understand:
CFM
Cubic feet per minute. This is a measure of air output on the blower. Higher CFM = more power, but not necessarily more miles per hour. High CFM with a wide nozzle = lower MPH. High CFM with a narrow nozzle = high miles per hour. Ideally, you want both a high CFM with a narrow to medium nozzle for most residential jobs.
Usability
What is the point of having a blower if it is hard to use? Have to get one that is lightweight, easy to start, and has some functions that make your life easier.
Motor type
Brushless motors reign supreme. Cooler running motors with more torque, a longer run-time, and last many more years. Brushless is a no brainer when picking a blower.
These are three things you need to pay attention to when looking through the specifications.
Why we review lawn tools
The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.
As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something.
Battery-powered backpack blowers are new on the block. They are not the most popular lawn tools, but it feels like every major brand is trying to sell them right now. But are they any good?
Can they keep up with the gas blowers?
Today, we will use our years of experience using battery-powered lawn tools to break down what makes a good blower, list out our favorite backpack leaf blowers and give our final word on whether or not we recommend battery-powered backpack blowers.
Let’s get started. Here’s our ranking of best battery backpack blowers:
I’ve always been a gas leaf blower fan – and I still own two. I own the jetpack AKA Stihl BR 600 backpack blower and the an old Stihl handheld gas blower. Despite being really powerful and always getting the job done, I got sick of the maintenance schedule and the smell. After I had my first baby, the noise became unbearable as well – trying to use the blower around nap schedules.
All of that stopped when I got a battery-powered blower. My first battery-powered blower was the Ryobi 40V blower, which quickly changed my perspective. The truth is, a lot of these electric blowers are super powerful – even more so compared to handheld gas blowers. I’ll walk you through my favorites below.
Battery-powered backpack leaf blowers: Ranked
Each of these made the list – so they are good blowers. But I’m trying to take everything into account here: power, price, comfort, and usability. We should jump right into our number one blower.
Ryobi 40V HP Brushless Whisper Battery Powered Backpack Blower
The Ryobi backpack blower has a lot of great qualities – ones you don’t even find on gas powered backpack blowers. For starters, this blower comes with two 6.0 Ah batteries, which means these puppies last. Especially if you swap them out and use them on any of your other Ryobi 40V tools.
Next up, the power on this is pretty impressive. At 730 CFMs and 165 MPH of speed, this blower has almost the exact same specifications of their handheld Ryobi 40V Whisper blower. This is really powerful and is better on your back, arms, and shoulders than lugging around the handheld blower.
As part of the Whisper series of tools from Ryobi, this backpack blower comes in at 59 dB – which is actually pretty quiet considering how big of a machine it is. For comparison’ sake, this is about ½ the noise levels of a gas-powered blower. Lastly – this has really cool features like a turbo button that jacks up the power to big time levels, adjustable speed on the handle, and different nozzle tips for wet leaves, big piles, or really anything else.
Greenworks puts out some pretty sweet products, so it was no surprise to me when they put out this 80V backpack blower. It isn’t quite as powerful as the Ryobi above, but boy does it have some speed. At 180 MPH, it is better suited for stubborn grass clippings and wet leaves than the Ryobi – but can still handle big piles of leaves decently well.
What I love about Greenworks’ backpack blower is that they are super committed to quality. They make great brushless motors in almost all of their equipment and truly nerd out on the engineering side of the house. I’ve used their 80V handheld blower and it was also pretty powerful.
One recommendation I have for this blower is to buy a higher Ah battery for it. It comes with a 2.5 Ah battery, but I would buy it tool-only, then buy a separate Greenworks 80V battery that’s at least 4 Ah. You’ll get much more run time out of it.
EGO’s LB6000 backpack blower is a little bit of a mystery to me. Despite being one of my favorite lawn tool brands, they missed a real opportunity here. This blower was truly designed for a normal homeowner who wants a good blower but more importantly wants a backpack blower.
Why do I say this?
Well, it isn’t quite as powerful as some of their handheld blowers, like the 650 and 765 CFM versions we’ve tested. So, what’s the point? Basically as far as I can tell, it is a comfort thing. The tool itself is really high quality and centered around convenience. Here are a few of my favorite things:
Variable speed control trigger
Adjustable tube length
Not super loud
5 year tool warranty
This battery backpack blower from EGO was truly designed for comfort and usability. I don’t blame anyone for buying it, but just know that there are more options out there that can provide more power if you’re looking for a true beast of a blower.
All-in-all, this is a great option for many and EGO keeps putting out hits. You can grab the LB6000 from Amazon for a really good price (and it is also on sale right now).
Makita ConnectX Battery Powered Backpack Blower
Makita came out of nowhere with their new battery powered backpack leaf blower – the ConnectX. It has a really good combination of power and speed, with 160 MPH and 670 CFMs. Makita is known for making super high quality tools – like their sweet Makita weed eaters and their awesome mowers.
They’ve been masters in the battery game for a long time and this backpack blower of theirs is nothing short of a beast. Here’s how you know: the motor produces as much power as a 64 cc gas backpack blower. BIG TIME.
I also love the other cool features this has, like:
Four hours of runtime with the portable power supply (that’s insane)
60 dB of sound, about half of a gas blower
A telescoping nozzle that can be used for big piles of leaves or wet grass
Power button on control handle (meaning you can turn it on while wearing it, not cranking it while it is on the ground)
The EGO LBPX8004 is illegal in nine countries. Just kidding. But its power is unmatched. Seriously.
At 800 CFMs, it is basically the most powerful electric blower I think I have ever seen. For a backpack blower, it is going to be right on par with a gas-powered blower – or better. One other thing this blower has is really cool digital controls that let you turn on turbo, a battery life indicator, and speed control. Just about everything on this blower is adjustable as well. It is the top of the line battery powered backpack blower.
At only $700, it isn’t all that bad if you grab it at Ace Hardware (or wherever else you can find it).
Cordless blowers come in a bunch of shapes and sizes but there are three basic things you need to understand:
CFM
Cubic feet per minute. This is a measure of air output on the blower. Higher CFM = more power, but not necessarily more miles per hour. High CFM with a wide nozzle = lower MPH. High CFM with a narrow nozzle = high miles per hour. Ideally, you want both a high CFM with a narrow to medium nozzle for most residential jobs.
Usability
What is the point of having a blower if it is hard to use? Have to get one that is lightweight, easy to start, and has some functions that make your life easier.
Motor type
Brushless motors reign supreme. Cooler running motors with more torque, a longer run-time, and last many more years. Brushless is a no brainer when picking a blower.
These are three things you need to pay attention to when looking through the specifications.
Why we review lawn tools
The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.
As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something.
Leaf blower nozzles are game changing add-ons to the tip of your blower that will boost the performance of any blower. Cleaning up the debris and leaves in your yard and garden can be a back breaking task if you do it by hand.
A leaf blower can make this tough task substantially easier. If you use the right nozzle at the right time, you’ll get the job done in record time – which means you get back inside faster and have a better looking yard. But, leaf blowers aren’t just good for the yard. You can also employ your leaf blower to help with other tasks you need to get done, like drying a car. This guide will help you decide which blower nozzle to use for each type of situation you encounter.
Types of Leaf Blower Nozzles and Their Uses
Leaf blowers are among the most useful and versatile tools a homeowner can have. They’re incredibly useful for yard work, but that’s hardly all. By simply changing the nozzle, you can accomplish a wide variety of tasks such as cleaning out your gutters and even drying your car.
Flat Blower Nozzles
During late fall the leaves from your trees pile up. Winter snow and spring rain saturate them, making them extremely difficult to move, especially with a rake or other hand tool. But, you can’t leave them or the grass under it will die. Simply attach the flat nozzle to your leaf blower and you’ll have no trouble getting them cleared up so your lawn can grow.
The flat blower nozzle attachment is basically like a little spatula for your blower. All the stuff that gets stuck and left behind from mowing, or the old wet leaves that seem to have become one with your driveway are easily flipped with a flat blower nozzle.
Big, beautiful shade trees add comfort and curb appeal to your home and yard. But, those huge piles of leaves aren’t always the easiest to deal with. Raking and moving them is physically demanding and time-consuming. Cleanup can be quick and easy with your leaf blower. Just switch to a wide nozzle and you’ll be able to relocate that massive pile of leaves in no time.
Most backpack leaf blowers have really wide nozzles that deliver a huge volume of air that just absolutely pushes piles. While you will notice a decrease in speed using a wide nozzle, you will have much more of a “shotgun” approach to cleaning up the lawn.
Narrow Blower Nozzles
Regular mowing is essential for your lawn’s health. Clearing grass clippings, leaves and other debris from the edges of your sidewalk and driveway adds that finishing touch after mowing and trimming. You’ll also want to clear away the debris from around your house, garage, or other buildings. For these tasks, grab your narrow leaf blower nozzle.
Narrow nozzles are awesome for being really precise with blowing. I use narrow nozzles on my driveway to make sure I get grass clippings and leaves off – each and every one. Narrow blower nozzles produce higher speed streams that blast away debris, but takes much longer with big piles. If the wide-mouthed nozzle is a shotgun, then this is a rifle.
Some blowers, like the Greenworks 60V blower, comes with a nice concentrator nozzle tip you can take on and off.
Pro tip:
Your narrow leaf blower nozzle can also be used to clear debris and leaves from your home’s gutters.This will ensure the water flows properly and doesn’t damage your roof or foundation. If you do use this method of cleaning your gutters take precautions to ensure you’re safe as you climb the ladder and work the blower.
Another essential task that your leaf blower can help with is drying your vehicle after it’s been washed. By attaching the stubby nozzle you can get rid of water spots that dull your car’s finish. Plus, it’s much faster and easier on you to blow the water off rather than wiping it away.
A lot of folks ask me which stubby blower nozzle works the best. The consensus is that the EGO 650 or 765 CFM blower is the best choice for car drying, with a nice stubby nozzle attachment like this one from Amazon.
Put Your Leaf Blower to Work This Spring
As you can see, your leaf blower can help you accomplish more than just moving a few leaves around. It’s actually one of the most useful tools you can own. So, next time you’re heading out to do some yard work, home maintenance, or to wash your car, grab that leaf blower and put it to work.
What to look for in a battery powered blower
Cordless blowers come in a bunch of shapes and sizes but there are three basic things you need to understand:
CFM
Cubic feet per minute. This is a measure of air output on the blower. Higher CFM = more power, but not necessarily more miles per hour. High CFM with a wide nozzle = lower MPH. High CFM with a narrow nozzle = high miles per hour. Ideally, you want both a high CFM with a narrow to medium nozzle for most residential jobs.
Usability
What is the point of having a blower if it is hard to use? Have to get one that is lightweight, easy to start, and has some functions that make your life easier.
Motor type
Brushless motors reign supreme. Cooler running motors with more torque, a longer run-time, and last many more years. Brushless is a no brainer when picking a blower.
These are three things you need to pay attention to when looking through the specifications.
Why we review lawn tools
The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.
As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something.
CFMs and MPHs explained
CFM, or cubic feet per minute, is a measurement of the volume of air. This answers the question: how much air is moving through the leaf blower? While that seems like a weird question, it is super important for understanding the power of a blower. More on that in a second.
MPH, or miles per hour, is a measurement of speed. This answers the question: how fast does the air move through the blower?
CFM and MPH are related – generally the higher the CFM, the higher the MPH.
My experience with leaf blower nozzles
I’ve been using leaf blowers for decades. I used to toss the extra nozzles out every time I got a new blower, but have since grown wiser. Now I use my flat nozzle after cutting the grass, stubby nozzle after a nice car wash with my pressure washer, and my wide–mouthed nozzle whenever my trees decide to dump leaves.
Using these nozzles has seriously upped my leaf blowing game. You know what they say: “If you only have a hammer, everything is a nail”. Having a leaf blower nozzle turned my blower into a swiss army knife lawn tool that leaves my lawn looking way better and keeps my mood at all time highs (just ask my wife).
Corded and cordless leaf blowers are two often-overlooked blower types that are frankly…underrated. Gas powered blowers are the incumbent and most people still seem to prefer them. I prefer cordless blowers but my heart will always have a spot for corded leaf blowers.
But just like with cars, electric motor technology has evolved significantly – and it is catching up. I’m not saying it is all the way there, but some battery powered blowers and even some corded blowers are there.
Corded leaf blowers have a number of benefits. In fact, they are extremely underrated. Here are a few things to consider before being all judgmental about corded blowers:
They’re extremely light. No batteries and no gas means you can take a few pounds off. After a while of blowing off a large yard, it can make a huge difference on your shoulder and back.
No maintenance! These don’t require any of the standard maintenance required of gas powered blowers, like mixing oil, changing filters, and replacing spark plugs.
Unlimited run-time. These bad boys don’t have batteries that die or gas that runs out. As long as you pay your electric bill, you’re fine!
They are extremely inexpensive. My favorite corded blower is less than $100. You can’t get a high quality battery powered or gas blower for anywhere near that price.
Battery powered leaf blowers have huge advantages. They have all the same advantages that corded electric leaf blowers have – like no maintenance and no fumes, but also the ability to be much more portable than corded electric blowers.
I like my battery powered leaf blower because I can take it way out into my yard and get the same performance as my gas powered blower. They also tend to have more bells and whistles, like cruise control, turbo buttons, and more. Additionally, the same battery I use with my blower I can also use with a ton of other lawn tools.
Which is better: corded or cordless blowers?
It is hard to say which is better, so I’ll put it into the perspective of who should use which one. I think if you are a new homeowner or have a small yard, corded electric blowers are the way to go. They’re great for those on a budget or for those that just don’t have much space to worry about. The extension cord is all you need to get the job done without worrying about any maintenance or batteries.
If you have a medium to large yard or just love having the best of everything, battery powered blowers are way better than corded blowers. They can give you more power, more reach, and fit into your arsenal of battery powered lawn tools quite nicely.
My favorite corded blowers
So I actually have two corded electric blowers that are tied for my favorite – and they are both made by Toro.
Toro PowerJet F700 corded electric blower
The Toro PowerJet is exactly that – a jet of freaking power. At 700 CFMs, this thing HAULS big piles of leaves. Here is why it made our list of favorites:
700 CFMs mean big piles of leaves get yeet-ed
Adjustable speed knob lets you control how fast you’re blowing
Has a nice little spot to hang up the cord so you don’t pull it out when you’re blowing
My first blower, I couldn’t not put it on this list. For starters, I’ve had it for almost 10 years and it was old when I bought it. But it just won’t quit.
It isn’t the strongest blower in the world and it might not have any bells or whistles (outside of a 1-2 speed switch), but my word it may be the least expensive. When I spent ALL of my money putting down the down payment for my first house, I didn’t leave any money for other things.
Enter the PowerSweep. It was extremely inexpensive at the time and just like the Costco hot dog – it is somehow resistant to inflation. For anyone in the same situation as me, you can grab a newer version of this one at Home Depot for a really good price.
I write about the EGO 765 CFM blower all the time. I’m obsessed with it. Mainly because the first time I pressed the turbo button this blower actually pushed my arm back, causing me to fight against it. Never had a blower do that before.
At 765 CFMs and well over 200 MPH, this thing is more powerful than my gas blower. It is my favorite blower I’ve ever used and is absolutely my go-to blower. It’s a freaking cannon strapped to your arm and you won’t regret buying it – I didn’t.
The Ryobi 40V Whisper Series blower is a close second place. It’s called the Whisper series because, well, it’s quiet. Makes sense, right?
It has almost as much CFMs and MPH as the EGO blower above, but is slightly weaker. I will say if you already have a Ryobi 40V battery, this is the best blower you can buy. Because you can get the tool-only version without the batteries for a way cheaper price.
Cordless blowers come in a bunch of shapes and sizes but there are three basic things you need to understand:
CFMs and MPH on blowers
Cubic feet per minute. This is a measure of air output on the blower. Higher CFM = more power, but not necessarily more miles per hour. High CFM with a wide nozzle = lower MPH. High CFM with a narrow nozzle = high miles per hour. Ideally, you want both a high CFM with a narrow to medium nozzle for most residential jobs.
Usability
What is the point of having a blower if it is hard to use? Have to get one that is lightweight, easy to start, and has some functions that make your life easier.
Motor type
Brushless motors reign supreme. Cooler running motors with more torque, a longer run-time, and last many more years. Brushless is a no brainer when picking a blower.
These are three things you need to pay attention to when looking through the specifications.
Why we review lawn tools
The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.
reviewing lawn tools
As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something.
Gas and battery powered leaf blowers used to not even be remotely comparable. Now…I’m not so sure. I’ve used both types for decades and have come to change my mind on which is better.
Hint, hint.
You see advancements in modern technology (Teslas, etc.) have made battery powered lawn tools really competitive. But there’s still something just flat out reliable about the power and experience you get with a gas-powered leaf blower.
Today – I am here to not necessarily settle the debate, but tell you about my experience using and testing dozens of different leaf blowers. You can check out many of these on my Youtube channel.
My experience testing gas and battery powered leaf blowers
Needless to say, they’ve been hard to give up. But one year for Christmas my mom got me this tiny handheld Kimo blower – which was battery-powered. I didn’t understand when or how I would use it, but then became addicted. It was great for quickly blowing off my walkway and porch before guests came over – without smelling like gas.
Needless to say, I’ve made the switch. And the nicest part? Never smelling like gas, never having to do maintenance, and never having to pull another cord.
Gas is notoriously more powerful
Okay – so I just mentioned that I had two battery powered leaf blowers that had equal power to most gas blowers. But here’s the simple truth: they are about the only ones with that much power.
Most battery powered leaf blowers fall in the 150 MPH range of air speed without about 300-400 CFMs. When it comes to gas blowers, especially backpack gas blowers, CFMs are the true metric to look at. CFMs are a better indicator of air volume and dictate the size of the air funnel. So while some backpack blowers have similar air speeds, they have CFMs well above 700 that push leaves like crazy.
Below is a cool chart that highlights the power differences among gas powered blowers. As you can see, backpack blowers have higher CFMs and MPH but are heavier, louder and more expensive.
Battery powered blowers actually have similar specifications. Although I’d say the median battery-powered blower is weaker than the median gas-powered blower. Battery blowers have a humongous range in CFM and MPH because they can either be really cheaply made or extremely nice.
Battery backpack blowers are much less common and in my opinion, not very advanced. In fact, I don’t really get the point of a lot of them – they look just like regular battery powered blowers and perform about the same.
When it comes to comfort and usability for battery and gas powered leaf blowers, I am a huge fan of battery-powered. There are a few things I really like about them that differentiate them from gas.
For starters, both gas and electric have variable speed triggers, cruise control, and just about every bell and whistle that is the same. But battery-powered blowers are so much easier to start and require no maintenance. For me, walking out to the shed and simply sliding in the battery to get started is way better than ensuring proper fuel mixture and cranking the cord.
On the other hand, some of these new battery leaf blowers are HEAVY. My EGO blower is about 3 lbs heavier than my Stihl blower and both have similar power profiles and are handheld. That isn’t the case with all battery powered blowers, but the new super powerful ones all have a big motor and heavy batteries.
As far as user experience goes, the last piece I will harp on is how nice it is to have a blower that doesn’t put out any fumes. I don’t mind gasoline and I’m one of those people that likes how gas smells
Battery and gas leaf blowers cost about the same
Comparing costs across different blower types is a little tough. Battery powered blowers have a lot of variation in cost because some are cheap and weak and others are super strong.
For a comparable cost evaluation, you want to find two blowers that have somewhat equal power. In the handheld blower world, I suggest the EGO 765 CFM battery powered blower. From the gas powered world, I think the Stihl BG 86 C is a great comparison. I happen to own both.
Gas powered blowers require something that battery powered blowers don’t: gas (duh). While they don’t take a ton of gas, they do require occasional refills and mixing with oil. You also have to replace filters and spark plugs.
These require a lot of maintenance.
These costs aren’t significant, but compared with battery powered blowers, can add up over time.
Leaf blower noise level comparison: Gas vs Electric
Lastly – let’s compare the noise level on both gas and electric blowers.
Gas blowers are known for being super loud and obnoxious. I always knew this but learned it the hard way when my neighbor took out her backpack blower at 6am and woke one of my toddlers up.
Handheld gas blowers put out about 70 dB of noise and backpack blowers are closer to 100 dB of noise. At 100 dB of noise, a comparable sound is a subway train. That’s loud.
Battery powered blowers are certainly quieter, measuring in at about 50-60 dB. Now I know that isn’t as loud, but it isn’t pleasant either. Some battery powered blowers have a much higher pitch noise that is equally aggravating.
I think neighbors definitely appreciate battery powered blowers more than gas, but I would still wear ear protection with both.
CFMs and MPHs explained
CFM, or cubic feet per minute, is a measurement of the volume of air. This answers the question: how much air is moving through the leaf blower? While that seems like a weird question, it is super important for understanding the power of a blower. More on that in a second.
MPH, or miles per hour, is a measurement of speed. This answers the question: how fast does the air move through the blower?
CFM and MPH are related – generally the higher the CFM, the higher the MPH.
What to look for in a blower
Cordless blowers come in a bunch of shapes and sizes but there are three basic things you need to understand:
CFM
Cubic feet per minute. This is a measure of air output on the blower. Higher CFM = more power, but not necessarily more miles per hour. High CFM with a wide nozzle = lower MPH. High CFM with a narrow nozzle = high miles per hour. Ideally, you want both a high CFM with a narrow to medium nozzle for most residential jobs.
Usability
What is the point of having a blower if it is hard to use? Have to get one that is lightweight, easy to start, and has some functions that make your life easier.
Motor type
Brushless motors reign supreme. Cooler running motors with more torque, a longer run-time, and last many more years. Brushless is a no brainer when picking a blower.
These are three things you need to pay attention to when looking through the specifications.
Why I review lawn tools
The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.
Reviewing lawn tools with our faces.
As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something.
Common questions I get
Is gas or electric better for leaf blowers?
Gas leaf blowers tend to be better for commercial work whereas electric and battery leaf blowers are better for home use.
What are the cons of a gas powered leaf blower?
Cons of gas powered leaf blowers include high noise levels, fumes, and maintenance schedules that make them much more complicated.
How long do batteries last on an electric leaf blower?
Batteries on electric leaf blowers generally last from 30 minutes to an hour depending on what speed you are running your blower. It also depends on the Amp-hours of the batteries.
Are electric leaf blowers less powerful?
Generally, electric leaf blowers are less powerful than gas. There are exceptions where a few electric blowers can go toe-to-toe with gas.
Is an electric leaf blower worth it?
Electric leaf blowers are worth their lower price if you are a homeowner and don’t want fumes or costly maintenance for your leaf blower.
What MPH is best for a leaf blower?
The ideal MPH for a leaf blower is generally above 140 MPH for home use and above 180 MPH for commercial use.
The most powerful electric blower for your large yard is the EGO 765 CFM leaf blower. Electric leaf blowers can be great for large yards. Most folks think you can’t move big leaf piles with an electric blower, but they are simply wrong.
If you have a large yard, you can benefit from no fumes, a quieter blower, and no maintenance – then electric might just be the option. Let me break down why I switch from gas to electric then list out some of my favorite electric blowers I’ve used over the years.
Let’s get started! Here are the best electric blowers for large yards according to our thorough testing:
There are hundreds of electric leaf blowers on the market, both battery-powered and corded electric. A bunch of them absolutely suck. So we’ve decided to give you the ones we know are absolute beasts when it comes to your large yard.
EGO 765 CFM Leaf Blower
Hands down, I have not found a better electric blower for large yards than the EGO 765 CFM blower. It is an absolute cannon in your hand with extreme power and usability that surpassed my experience with a popular handheld gas blower.
At 765 CFMs, this is best-in-class in the battery-powered blower world. This kind of air volume can move massive piles of leaves across large areas – quickly. With unmatched CFMs and a tremendous combination of MPH, this blower is built for large yards.
That’s an extreme combination of speed and power. When I first used this, it was a powerful blower, then I pushed the turbo button and I had to literally (yes, literally) fight against it because of how powerful it is. It has a brushless motor, is a part of EGO’s extensive 56V battery series, and is durable as heck.
If you’re still with me after my gas blower comment, then I might finally lose you here. But yes – this is a corded electric blower – and it costs less than $100.
You don’t need all the flashy cool features and expensive batteries to put out a freakishly solid blower. This corded blower has 700 CFMs and a super wide nozzle, making light work of massive piles of leaves. This one was built for maximizing air volume, making it great for moving piles of leaves across large yards.
The only downside here is that you will be limited in a large yard by the length of the extension cord. But if you have easy electrical access and a great extension cord, this is the most budget friendly option – by a LONG SHOT.
I put Makita’s 40V Max blower on here because it is one of the best ones they have for large yards.
Here’s the simple truth about Makita: their tools are extremely high quality but also pretty expensive. When it comes to Makita tools, they have a bunch of really good power tools and have dominated the electric hand tool space for a long time.
Their 36V blower here is pretty powerful as well
So it was a no brainer when they jumped over to lawn tools. I love their 40V max blower for a few reasons:
A sweet brushless motor
A 40V battery that can span a bunch of their tools
It has more power than a lot of gas blowers
When “turbo” mode is engaged it has 565 CFMs – nice!
Their XGT battery series is supposed to be a “smart” battery that helps with overheating and delivers a better run time
A telescoping nozzle – lets you pick different lengths – pretty cool
The reason this one is lower on the list is that after I tested this one over the course of a few weeks, it started to develop a high-pitched squealing sound. For larger yards, this would result in a spectacular headache and angry neighbors. If you’re looking for power and quality – this blower has it. If you’re looking for a peaceful noise, this one does not.
All-in-all, this was a great blower and we spent a ton of time making a video review for it before the sound got all weird. You can watch the full video review here.
While they aren’t the leaders in electric tools yet, they did put out a really impressive blower that is great for large yards.
This blower has a few really great specifications:
A brushless motor
A whopping 650 CFMs
A wide mouth nozzle which delivers large volume of air at 136 MPH
One downside to this blower is that Husqvarna doesn’t have a huge 40V battery line yet, so you don’t quite get the economies of scale you would get from EGO’s 56V battery line, for example.
One thing I will give it credit for is digital controls for cruise control and a really nice grip that feels just like a power drill. It is well-balanced, futuristic and nice.
I imagine Husqvarna will have many good products to come in the future, but for right now they are still immature.
This is a great blower for those looking for a one-off blower and not a full suite of battery powered products. You can grab it on Amazon for a decent price with the battery.
What to look for in a battery powered blower
Cordless blowers come in a bunch of shapes and sizes but there are three basic things you need to understand:
CFM
Cubic feet per minute. This is a measure of air output on the blower. Higher CFM = more power, but not necessarily more miles per hour. High CFM with a wide nozzle = lower MPH. High CFM with a narrow nozzle = high miles per hour. Ideally, you want both a high CFM with a narrow to medium nozzle for most residential jobs.
Usability
What is the point of having a blower if it is hard to use? Have to get one that is lightweight, easy to start, and has some functions that make your life easier.
Motor type
Brushless motors reign supreme. Cooler running motors with more torque, a longer run-time, and last many more years. Brushless is a no brainer when picking a blower.
These are three things you need to pay attention to when looking through the specifications.
Why we review lawn tools
The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.
reviewing lawn tools – with my face
As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something.
Why I switched from gas to electric blowers
I’ve always been a gas leaf blower fan – and I still own two. I own the Stihl BR 600 backpack blower and the Stihl BG 86 C handheld gas blower. Despite being really powerful and always getting the job done, I got sick of the maintenance schedule and the smell. After I had my first baby, the noise became unbearable as well – trying to use the blower around nap schedules.
All of that stopped when I got a battery-powered blower. My first battery-powered blower was the Ryobi 40V blower, which quickly changed my perspective. The truth is, a lot of these electric blowers are super powerful – even more so compared to handheld gas blowers. I’ll walk you through my favorites below.
How I tested these electric blowers
I’ve tested these electric blowers using personal experience with all of them. I’ve written extensive reviews of each of them and put them through the ringer.
That’s a zip tied trigger!
For starters, I tested out their run times compared to the advertised run time. I did this by zip-tying down the trigger and seeing how long it goes for before dying. I also did some side-by-side comparisons to a handheld gas blower. I also compare the noise levels then the other bells and whistles, like turbo buttons.
CFM and MPH are often used acronyms to describe power on a leaf blower. These often get confused and I’ve seen too many get bamboozled, so I thought I would break it down.
CFMs and MPH tend to vary wildly between types of blowers and even in each category. Today I’ll also break down some of the best blowers in the corded electric blower, battery-powered blower, and gas-powered blower categories.
Let’s jump right in! What is better in a leaf blower: CFM or MPH?
Leaf blower CFMs vs MPH: Explained
CFM, or cubic feet per minute, is a measurement of the volume of air. This answers the question: how much air is moving through the leaf blower? While that seems like a weird question, it is super important for understanding the power of a blower. More on that in a second.
MPH, or miles per hour, is a measurement of speed. This answers the question: how fast does the air move through the blower?
CFM and MPH are related – generally the higher the CFM, the higher the MPH.
Leaf blower nozzle impact on CFM and MPH
I just said CFMs and MPH are related – but their relationship is impacted heavily by how wide the blower nozzle tip is.
The wider the nozzle, the lower the air speed. That’s why you will see some blowers with high CFMs but low MPH (relatively). These blowers have high CFMs but a very wide opening. Blowers with high CFMs and wide openings move a lot of air, but not all that fast. This is a great blower for moving big piles of dry leaves across the yard.
The more narrow the nozzle, the higher the air speed. You will also see blowers with low CFMs but super high MPH. These are really good for smaller projects like cleaning up a woodworking station, cleaning out your garage, or getting wet leaves or grass clippings off of surfaces.
Other times you will see blowers with high CFMs and high MPH – this is common and means it has both volume AND speed. This combination is the sweet spot for power.
What is better in a leaf blower: CFM or MPH?
When it comes to picking out a blower – you’ll see both CFMs and MPH listed at the top. So, which is better?
The short answer is: it depends. If you are moving big piles of leaves, having high CFMs is better. If you are moving wet leaves or grass clippings, high MPH is better.
Leaf blowers with both high CFMs and MPH.
If you want to move big piles of wet leaves and are looking for raw power, having high CFMs and high MPH is better – but it will cost you.
The best leaf blowers in each category
Remember how I said it would cost you to have high CFM and high MPH? Well it can, but you can also get really good combinations of CFM and MPH in backpack leaf blowers, battery-powered leaf blowers, and corded electric leaf blowers. And boy – are you about to be surprised.
Best backpack leaf blowers
Backpack leaf blowers are essentially jet packs of air that are extremely loud, but extremely powerful. They are often used by commercial landscapers – which means they’re built to get the job done quickly and effectively.
Backpack blowers are really good options for those with large yards. I have used quite a few in my time and always come back to my favorite: the Sthil BR 600 backpack blower. I’ve owned the Stihl BR 600 for a few years and it was actually a gift from my mom.
This blower is great because it is the ultimate combination of extreme power and comfort. I see this blower strapped to all of the landscaping trailers that drive around my part of town – meaning it is the preferred option for professional landscapers
It also puts out nearly 700 CFMs and over 230 MPH of air. WOW. We did a full review of the BR600 on our Youtube channel where you can see us do some serious testing.
Anyways, battery leaf blowers have a lot of benefits – including great run times, super high power, and the ability to use the batteries across a bunch of other different tools. They tend to be pretty pricey, but the price can come down a TON if you buy the tool-only version. You can get the tool-only version of any battery-compatible tool from that brand once you already own the battery, which generates HUGE savings.
But our favorite battery-powered leaf blower continues to be EGO’s 765 CFM leaf blower. This is a mega powerful handheld leaf blower that is absolutely absurd. We filmed an awesome video that highlights how this one compares to the Ryobi 40V blower, another great battery powered blower (our #2).
The EGO 765 CFM blower has 765 CFM (obviously), which is higher than the gas-powered backpack blower above. With this kind of air output, you can see speeds well over 200 MPH. For an electric tool, that is some serious leaf blowing.
All-in-all, this leaf blower is a bit on the expensive side, but you get to use the EGO 56V battery with a TON of other tools in the EGO 56V battery line-up, like their EGO mowers.
Don’t sleep on corded electric leaf blowers! I sure did. They seem cheap, old school, and out of touch. But so am I.
Corded blowers to me.
Anyways, my mind was blown when I saw the Toro PowerJet corded leaf blower. This bad boy has 725 CFMs and a decently high MPH. For reference, the EGO blower I referenced above, which is one of the strongest on the planet, has 765 CFMs. Needless to say, this blower kicks some serious butt.
But what sticks out about the Toro corded electric blower is that it is freakishly inexpensive. All the power of the EGO, but just has a cord attached. The thing is absolutely unreal and can be found at Home Depot for a super low price.
What I look for in a leaf blower
Leaf lowers come in a bunch of shapes and sizes but there are three basic things you need to understand:
CFM
Cubic feet per minute. This is a measure of air output on the blower. Higher CFM = more power, but not necessarily more miles per hour. High CFM with a wide nozzle = lower MPH. High CFM with a narrow nozzle = high miles per hour. Ideally, you want both a high CFM with a narrow to medium nozzle for most residential jobs.
Usability
What is the point of having a blower if it is hard to use? Have to get one that is lightweight, easy to start, and has some functions that make your life easier.
Motor type
Brushless motors reign supreme if you are going with electric. Cooler running motors with more torque, a longer run-time, and last many more years. Brushless is a no brainer when picking a blower.
These are three things you need to pay attention to when looking through the specifications.
Why I review lawn tools
The reason we started The Lawn Review in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.
As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something.
