In use we’ve learned that it’s rare to continuously hold down the turbo button, or even the trigger. While the run time may seem short, bear in mind that’s on the turbo setting. Our sawdust test revealed a focused air stream, with sharp edges, extending beyond the end of our test area. Stepping forward while sweeping back and forth cleared the area in seconds. We measured airspeed at 134 mph and found, combined with the volume of air (650 cfm, claimed), that it easily blasted leaves from our test area when we were standing still. This cordless leaf blower is a case in point. More and more, we’re seeing battery-powered equipment that rivals or exceeds the performance of their gas-powered counterparts. After all that, the electric leaf blowers below came out on top. We taped off a large area of pavement and covered it with a thin layer of sawdust, then blew the leaf blowers horizontally over the pavement, leaving an impression of the shape of the air stream. Our last evaluation, the sawdust erosion test, was perhaps the most telling. We also measured sound levels right at the operator’s position and 75 feet away. Then came our air-speed test we used a MGL Avionics Stratomaster Vega air-speed indicator (anemometer) for an airplane and built our own testing apparatus, gauging the air speed 6 inches from the tip of each blower tube. Next, we measured continuous run time with the machines set to maximum power. To put these cordless blowers through the gauntlet, we blew leaves and hay off of grass (employing a small gas-engine leaf blower for comparison). But if your property measures in acres instead of square feet, you’ll probably be better served by the oomph of a gas engine. Outfit yourself with two batteries and consider a third for really tough conditions.

Some of these machines can go through a couple of batteries in a morning’s work, depending on the size of your yard and the leaf cover. For anything deeper, or if you’re frequently contending with wet or semi-frozen leaves, prioritize higher air speed and volume (cubic feet per minute). For ankle-deep piles and damp leaves, or to move lawn debris like twigs and nuts, choose one with more voltage and air speed.

Light but Powerful: Greenworks BL80L2510 Cordless Leaf BlowerĮlectric leaf blowers will remove a scattering of light leaves from normal-height grass and sweep pavement of grass clippings.

Quietest: Ryobi 404100 Cordless Leaf Blower.

Best Overall: Ego Power+ LB6504 Cordless Leaf Blower.

Read on for some quick info on the tops models, followed by buying advice and in-depth reviews. We know how important these tools have become to lighten your autumn workload, so we put a range through our testing process to find out which are the best. Furthermore, these battery blowers are indispensable in the summer for clearing grass clippings. And, next spring, you’ll be glad that you bought one of these power tools when it’s time to whisk buds and winter-deposited debris off of sidewalks, decks, patios, and driveways. And many cordless leaf blowers are small and light, which makes them especially well-suited for leaf removal on small yards where one battery charge will probably be enough to see you through the job. You don’t come in from a morning’s work smelling like burned gasoline. They make little noise and certainly don’t spew out exhaust fumes.

There’s no preparation such as mixing or pouring fuel-and no hassle trying to start a machine that hasn’t been used in 12 months. Really, nothing makes short work of autumn leaf removal the way a battery leaf blower does. But, even then, battery-powered leaf blowers are catching up to some gas-engine models. And we love gas-engine blowers when you need the power required to remove a thick layer of damp or frozen leaves from tall grass. They are quiet and provide you with some great exercise. Just slide in the battery and pull the trigger. Although there are many ways to remove leaves from a lawn, the quickest, quietest, and cleanest way is to use a cordless leaf blower.

Home depot power sweeper