Looking to invest in a leaf blower but not sure what suits you? Do you want to know what you need to look out for when buying a leaf blower? We will take you through what to look for when buying a leaf blower and the best brands that you can rely on.
Different Types of Leaf Blowers
When investing in garden equipment it’s important to think about what job you need it for and if it has enough power to carry out that job. For example, if you have a big lawn to cut you shouldn’t invest in a corded electric lawnmower. Here we will take a look at the different types of leaf blowers and if they would suit your needs.
Cordless Leaf Blowers
Cordless power tools & gardening equipment are getting more and more popular due to the increased performance of batteries and the power of the tools being made by leading brands. The power of certain battery-powered leaf blowers isn’t too far off that of a petrol-powered leaf blower. Battery-powered leaf blowers are a lot more mobile than corded leaf blowers which makes them suited for medium/large size yards.
You have no cable to worry about, but it’s important to have your battery fully charged before use. Depending on the size of the job you might need more than one battery but the more popular cordless brands offer long-lasting batteries and quick charge chargers.
Most of the brands have compatible batteries so you can use the same battery on all your items. For example, you can own a Milwaukee, hedge trimmer, strimmer, and leaf bower and you can use the same battery on all three. The battery does add a significant amount of weight to the leaf blower similar to a petrol-powered leaf blower so it’s important to keep that in mind, you don’t want to buy a leaf blower that you struggle to hold. The weight of the battery does depend on the size(power) of the battery you get.
The battery-powered leaf blowers are a lot less noisy than petrol-powered leaf blowers. This could suit commercial businesses if they are working in built-up areas, on hospital grounds, schools, etc. The interchangeable batteries for garden equipment could make it a good option for small business owners starting out.
Recommended Cordless Leaf Blowers
1) MILWAUKEE M18 FUEL LEAF BLOWER M18FBL-0
Up to 12.74 m³/min of air volume at 193 km/h to clear debris. Variable trigger and speed lock for full power control. Ergonomic inline design clears debris and dirt in tight spaces. Lock-on switch. Flexible battery system: works with all Milwaukee® M18™batteries.
2) MAKITA 36V CORDLESS LEAF BLOWER / VACUUM DUB363ZV
Battery leaf blower LXT 2x18V 13.4 m³ / min (without batteries nor charger). XPT (eXtreme Protection Technology): Various construction details guarantee the best dust and water resistance on the market. Steplessly adjustable airspeed with cruise control (maintaining the selected speed). Powerful 2 x 18V leaf blower with a telescopic blowpipe. Shredding knives in the suction tube reduce the collected volume, which increases the collection capacity.
3) Milwaukee M12 Brushless Leaf Blower M12BBL-0
A powerful motor can generate up to 4.81 m³/min of air volume at 177 km/h for fast cleaning of the Jobsite, garden, or patio. Lightweight, compact body – clears dirt and debris in tight spaces. Perfect control of the power with the 2-speed adjustable trigger. Versatile attachments like the nozzle extension (25.5 cm) and a tip tube for accurate working are included. Removable nozzle for easy, convenient storage. Axial fan design. Flexible battery system: works with all Milwaukee M12th batteries
Electric Leaf Blowers
Electrical leaf blowers are usually a lot more lightweight than petrol-powered leaf blowers. They’re also a lot less powerful than petrol left blowers so if you have a large garden or use it for commercial use it will struggle. Electrical leaf blowers are suited to small gardens. You will struggle to find a lead big enough to cover all of the gardens. But if you have a small garden and not a large amount of debris to clear then an electric leaf blower is the cheapest and most affordable option. You don’t want to invest in a large leaf blower for a small garden and you will also need to think about storage. If you have a small garden and live in a built-up area an electric leaf blower is less nosey than a petrol one as leaf blowers are renowned for that ‘whiney, noise. Electric blowers require little maintenance. Simply wipe them down and watch out for dirt build-up on the air intake
Recommended Electric Leaf Blower
DRAPER GARDEN TIDY VACUUM/BLOWER 93165
This draper Garden Tidy Features: 3 in 1 Vacuum, Blower, Mulcher, Metal blade 15: 1 shredding/mulching, 45L collection bag, Variable Speed, Easily convertible – blower to vacuum, Powerful 3200W motor, Convenient main power switch and variable speed dial with two safety switches, Two-piece vacuum/blower tube with support wheel for easy maneuverability
Petrol Leaf Blowers
If you need a leaf blower for heavy-duty work then the petrol-powered leaf blower is the way to go. It is the mainstay of leaf blowers and gets the job done the quickest due to the amount of power it has. For any large lawns or commercial use, the petrol-powered leaf blower is definitely your best option. The petrol leaf blower is brilliant at moving the heavy wet leaves and debris that a cordless or electric wouldn’t have the power for.
There are concerns when using a petrol-powered leaf blower, It’s a lot noisier than an electric or cordless blower, it’s not very environmentally friendly and it’s way heavier than an electric blower. Petrol leaf blowers are the most expensive of the leaf blowers to buy and also to maintain. Even though the petrol leaf blowers are the best performing of all the leaf blowers you should really think of the size of the area you need a leaf blower for, there is no need to invest heavily on expensive petrol-powered leaf blower for only a small-sized area.
Recommended Petrol Leaf Blowers
1) MAKITA 4-STROKE PETROL BACKPACK BLOWER EB5300TH
52.2cc 4-Stroke Petrol Engine. 4-Stroke MM4 engine for lower emissions and greater fuel economy. 218 MPH Air Speed with 512 CFM Volume. 4 damper springs mounted between the engine and the backpack frame reduce the vibration on the back of the operator even during long hours. Cushioned back padding and shoulder straps, in addition to being well-ventilated, aid in effective sweat evaporation and provide more operator comfort.
2) DRAPER PETROL GARDEN VACUUM LEAF BLOWER 32301
Features: 2-stroke petrol engine, Easy push and fit tubes, Adjustable shoulder strap, 30L collection bag, Engine capacity 25.4cc – 2 stroke, Engine, Speed 7500r/min max. Collection bag capacity 30L, Fuel tank capacity 0.65L, Weight (inc. nozzles) 5.8kg
3) MAKITA 4-STROKE PETROL LEAF BLOWER BHX2501
4-Stroke 24.5cc Engine, Airflow Speed: 144mph, Anti-Vibration System, 10.1 m³/min Airflow, Clean Exhaust Emissions & Low Fuel Consumption, Electronic Ignition, Easy Recoil, Weight 4.5kg, 1 Year Guarantee
Leaf Blower Features
After deciding on what powered leaf blower you want to purchase you also should decide if you want a vacuum leaf blower or do you need a handheld or backpack blower.
Leaf Blower & Leaf Vacuum
When choosing the leaf blower you want, you can go for the standard leaf blower or you can go with the option of a leaf vacuum. A leaf vacuum collects the leaves up in a bag attached to the blower. Blower Vacuums have an integrated blade that mulches the leaves into fine debris as they are collected. This enables the leaves to be easily compacted down and accelerates their rate of decomposition for use as compost. If you are interested in a leaf vacuum you must check the size of the bag on the blower. If you have a large lawn you don’t want to be emptying the bag every few minutes. A bigger bag means you can get the job done quicker. Another thing to take into account if you buy a leaf vacuum is the storage space. You know have the add-on of the leaf blower.
If you don’t have much of a fall of leaves in your garden then you might just want to invest in a leaf blower. You can just blow the leaves away from the pathway or to the side of the garden. Standard leaf blowers are more lightweight than leaf vacuums and are also easier to store and you don’t need to worry about the extra cost of the vacuum.
Handheld & Backpack Blowers
When it comes to the more heavy-duty petrol-powered leaf blowers it’s important to take into account if you have the option to carry it on your back. The petrol leaf blower is a lot heavier than the electric option so it’s important that when using it you are comfortable while holding it. Most petrol blowers come in a backpack because of the weight of the engine. You would carry the engine on your back and have the nozzle in your hand to collect the leaves. It’s important when getting a backpack blower that you make sure that the harness is comfortable to wear and also that you have the power and stamina to carry the blower. Most of the leaf vacuum blowers are backpack blowers due to them being a lot bulkier than your standard leaf blower and the vacuum add-ons also add more weight to the overall product.
Electric and the vast majority of battery-powered leaf blowers are handhelds, this is to do with them already being lightweight and less bulky than a petrol-powered blower.
When working with leaf blowers it is important to wear the appropriate eye protection for flying debris and also ear protection for that loud noise.
