
Are you looking for the best cordless garden leaf blower? Today I will explain how to choose it and I will show you the best performing models.
A battery-powered leaf blower is a very convenient power tool, especially for those who want to quickly sweep foliage from the garden, driveway or yard. It lends itself to many different uses, since it is quite versatile, but at the same time it does not have a prohibitive price. Of course there are several models available, some of which with a double or even triple function since, in addition to blowing, they vacuum and grind the leaves. You don’t have to worry, because in this article I will explain every detail about these appliances.
Table of Contents
How a battery operated leaf blower works
Battery blowers are very simple tools to understand. In summary, they are composed of a sort of stick or spear, connected to a motor body equipped with an often ergonomic handle. Near the handle are the controls, easy to reach for the user, which allow for example to set the speed of the air jet (measured in kilometers per hour) or to select an extra function such as suction, if present. In summary:
- Air flow speed adjustment: the best models of garden blowers allow you to choose between many levels, up to a maximum of 6. By adjusting the power of the air jet, you can adapt the tool to every possible purpose, from mild use to more massive use and “violent”, if the debris to be swept is heavy (such as wet leaves).
- Selection of the suction / grinding mode: some models also work as leaf aspirators. If this function is present, you can select the chosen mode using a knob, passing from blowing to suction and shredding of the foliage. I will go into this detail later.
The lance of these appliances almost always has a flat and thin nozzle, since this particular shape allows to optimize the outflow of air. The power of a battery blower, while not comparable to models with internal combustion engine, enough and advances to sweep away the leaves and waste in general from the lawn, from the garden, from the paths, from the road and from under the hedges. This is what makes it extremely versatile, both in the home and professional.
Being battery powered and not cable powered, a leaf blower in this category has obviously limited autonomy. The duration can vary from 5 to 60 minutes, depending on the quality of the product and the mode you have set. To give you a practical example, if you use it at minimum power it will last you longer than when you set the engine to maximum. It therefore depends on how you will manage it and on your goals.
The absence of the cable in a battery blower allows you to obtain absolute freedom of maneuver and movement, as long as you remember that the battery has a limited life. Finally, these are not very heavy and rather handy tools, therefore perfect for use especially in the home and hobby. To give you another example, they are great for sweeping away shavings in home improvement workshops.
Best battery operated leaf blowers
1. Einhell 3433533 Wireless Leaf Blower 2.0 Ah
In the end I opted for this Einhell model, and after months I can tell myself more than satisfied. Since I didn’t need a professional model, I decided to save something but without sacrificing quality, and Einhell from this point of view is always a guarantee. Features? The ability to adjust 6 levels of jet speed, and the equipment that includes battery and charger.
- Battery (2 Ah) and charger included
- Power regulation: 6 levels
- Maximum power: 210 kilometers per hour
- Battery life: about 25 minutes
- Charging time: about 65 minutes
- Weight: 1.7 kilograms
- LED to indicate the state of charge
Consider that unfortunately many models force you to buy batteries separately, but with this Einhell leaf blower you will not have problems, and you will not have to make other purchases. In fact, the package includes a 2 Ah battery, with an autonomy of about 20-30 minutes. If you need longer life, you can replace it by buying a more powerful battery separately.
Charging takes place in 65 minutes, while the power of the airflow reaches a maximum of 210 kilometers per hour (a very good level at this price). The weight is quite light, given that it slightly exceeds 1.7 kilograms, and there is also a triple LED indicator for signaling the state of charge. In addition, this leaf blower is handy and easy to use, and has a very comfortable ergonomic and non-slip handle.
Although very compact, the performance is excellent and the duration is excellent: I use it with the 2 Ah battery at power level 5, and thus it lasts about 20-25 minutes. Also consider that it is quieter than other battery blowers, and that you can also buy the battery-free version, if you already have a compatible one.
PRO
- Excellent value for money
- Battery and charger included
- Possibility to adjust 6 power levels
- Good durability at high power level
- Compact and light leaf blower
AGAINST
- For intensive use, a more powerful battery is better
2. Makita DUB362Z Wireless Leaf Blower (No Batteries)
If you are looking for a truly professional garden blower, and you have the right budget to take it home, then I recommend this model from Makita. In fact, it has a very high power, so much so that it even manages to move the stones, but know that it requires the use of 2 batteries and that the latter are not included, so you will have to buy them separately (if you don’t already have them). For the rest, it is a practically perfect tool.
- Does not include batteries (need 2)
- Power regulation: 6 levels
- Battery autonomy: about 25 minutes
- Weight: 3.9 kilograms
- LED to indicate the state of charge
- Shoulder strap supplied
The Makita requires the use of 2 batteries, which are necessary to support the power of the motor. The overall duration is not much, considering that with 2 5 Ah batteries it lasts about 25 minutes at maximum power, but it easily reaches 60 minutes at minimum. Know that this is completely normal: the higher the power, the more energy the blowers consume, but the Makita still offers a good compromise between the two values.
The performance of the battery blower is ensured by a brushless motor with 6 levels of air jet speed adjustment. It is not afraid of even the heaviest debris such as stones and wet soil, as at most it can sweep anything away. It is not light, since it weighs about 4 kilograms, but it is still quite easy to use and quite handy, also thanks to the ergonomic and non-slip handle.
Other interesting info? It has LEDs to check the battery charge status, has a sturdy and well balanced construction, and is equipped with a shoulder strap. The latter is very convenient when you use it at maximum power, because in that case you will find yourself having to manage the backlash given by the particularly violent jet of air. In summary, this way you won’t tire your arm too much.
PRO
- Record-breaking power
- 6 adjustable speed levels
- Shoulder strap supplied
- Charging status LED
- Good compromise between durability and power
- It even moves the stones
AGAINST
- It has a high price
- Does not include batteries (need 2)
3. BLACK+ DECKER GWC1820PC-QW Blower 18 V
Here’s another really great leaf blower, especially if you don’t need a professional appliance. It is in fact a tool designed especially for hobby use, but very effective in sweeping away the leaves, twigs and pine needles from the garden. The price is great, considering that it includes both the 18 V battery and the charger, and has a maximum blowing speed of 209 kilometers per hour.
- Battery and charger included
- Power Boost function for extra power
- Maximum power: 209 kilometers per hour
- Battery autonomy: about 20 minutes
- Charging time: 4 hours
- Weight: 1.7 kilograms
One of its most important features is the presence of Power Command function, which adds extra power to the jet of air. Although not able to move the stones, it still manages to guarantee excellent performance. Furthermore, we are faced with a very compact and light device, weighing only 1.7 kilograms, and with a comfortable ergonomic handle.
Secondly, it produces little noise and is therefore less annoying at the acoustic level, when compared with other models of the same power range. It is clear that some compromises need to be made, such as recharging the battery, which takes 4 hours to complete. Furthermore, the duration of the charge (about 20 minutes) tends inexorably to decrease, if you use the Power Boost function often. On the other hand, if used at minimum power, it can last up to 30 minutes.
Not being a professional product, I recommend it especially for hobby use, where its power (however moderate) shows its best. In terms of the relationship between quality and price, however, it is really difficult to find better.
PRO
- Convenient price
- The package includes battery and charger
- Power Boost function for extra power
- Good performance in the hobby sector
- Practical, versatile and light
AGAINST
- Best to use it just for sweeping leaves
- At maximum power, the autonomy drops
4. TECCPO 18V 2.0 Ah Double Battery and Charger
In my opinion one of the best battery-powered blowers, both for the overall cost and for the performance and the supply of accessories. In fact, the TECCPO includes 2 batteries and the battery charger, and also stands out not so much for the speed of the air flow, but rather for the volume of the jet (air flow). If compared with other models of the same range, from this point of view it is unrivaled.
- 2 batteries and charger included
- 2 adjustable speed levels
- Maximum power: 180 kilometers per hour
- Air volume: 530 cubic meters per hour
- Battery autonomy: 10-30 minutes
- Charging time: 30 minutes
- Weight: 1.7 kilograms
The volume is measured in cubic meters and it is important that it is high, finding a good compromise also in terms of jet speed. These two values perform at their best only when they are well balanced, without exceeding in one sense or another, just as happens with the TECCPO. I had the opportunity to try it personally and I struggle to find a fault, also because the 2 batteries allow you to immediately insert the spare one, when the first one runs out.
The power is excellent, always if you stay in the field of non-professional tools, and the same goes for the design (really “bad”), as well as for the weight and handling. Then it produces little noise, and this is an advantage that I advise you to always keep in mind. Secondly, it has 2 selectable speeds and a fast battery charging time, which is around 30-40 minutes.
It is true that it has a slightly lower air jet speed than average (180 km / h), but I remind you that the TECPPO “shoots” a volume of air 3 times higher than other blowers in this price range. And in fact it manages to sweep away leaves even from larger and more complex surfaces, such as non-smooth ones, which often put other leaf-blowing models in difficulty.
PRO
- Top-of-the-range performance
- Super affordable price
- 2 batteries and charger included
- Volume of the upper jet
- Quiet, light and practical
- Good battery life
AGAINST
- Only 2 adjustable speeds
- First level of inefficient speed
How to choose the battery operated leaf blower
If you’ve read my reviews carefully, at this point you should be clear about all the most important factors to take into consideration before making your choice. But I want to deepen some details, so as to clear the field of any doubts.
1. Flow rate and volume of air
As I have already explained to you, on the one hand it is important to purchase a leaf blower with a high and adjustable flow rate. But on the other hand, you must never forget the importance of a second element, that is the quantity of air volume (flow rate) emitted by the appliance and measured in cubic meters per hour.
This value depends on the size of the motor fan, to be exact on its diameter: the higher the measurement, the more the volume of air “shot” by the fan increases at each revolution. To summarize, if this measure is high, the leaf blower proves to be even more efficient than normal, especially when it has to sweep important debris on difficult surfaces, such as non-smooth ones.
In reality it is always good to buy a model with balanced values: that is a product with a good flow rate and at the same time a good air emission speed. Finally, you can often select the speed of the airflow, so as to adapt it to different occasions.
2. Battery life
It is essential to remember that the autonomy of a blower of this type is not infinite, and always depends on the battery. The average duration is around 20-25 minutes, but there are models that (at least on paper) can even reach 2 hours. In reality, you will almost never get there, because you should use the tool at minimum power and intermittently.
If, on the other hand, you use it to the maximum, and continuously, you will hardly be able to exceed 20 minutes. The cheaper models with less performing batteries do not exceed, in this state, even 10 minutes. On the other hand, you can replace the 2 Ah battery with a more powerful one (3 Ah or 5 Ah, for example), and thus extend the autonomy of the garden blower. It is clear, however, that these batteries cost and represent an extra expense.
I would also like to point out that the battery is not always included in the package. In some cases you will still have to buy it separately, making sure it is compatible. If you are a fan of a certain brand, chances are you won’t have to: if you have a Makita power tool, for example, you can use its battery and mount it on the blower.
3. Accessory functions
In this guide I have not told you about the blower models that suck and shred the leaves, for a very specific reason: I have dedicated a separate article to these products (the link can be found at the beginning of the text). Here, however, I would still like to explain in general what they are and how they work.
In practice, a battery-powered blower vacuum is identical to the models I told you about today, but with some differences. First of all, the structure has a nozzle to which you can connect a nylon bag, which has the purpose of containing the leaves that you will be vacuuming. To reverse the air flow, passing from blowing to suction, just use the control located on the machine body of the device.
Not all models do this, but in most cases they chop the freshly sucked leaves, so as to compact them and make the most of the capacity of the bag. This happens thanks to a fan equipped with blades, which acts as a real mincer. Finally, all vacuum cleaners also blow, but not all blowers vacuum and chop.
4. Dimensions, weight and structure
Battery operated leaf blowers are never very heavy, but there are lighter models (around 1.8 kilos) and others approaching 3 kilos. It can depend on many things, such as the power of the motor, the size of the fan, the number of batteries mounted on the machine body, the quality of the materials and the dimensions.
A lightweight tool is easier to use and won’t tire your arm, but will likely be less powerful. A heavier device, on the other hand, will offer superior performance but will be slightly more tiring to manage. There is no a priori right choice: it always depends on your needs.
If that model is heavy, make sure there is a shoulder strap included in the package. It is an accessory that facilitates its use, as it ensures a better balance of the battery blower when you hold it.