What is the Right Leaf Blower For You?

September is coming, and the leaves will soon begin to fall. Many of us will be heading outdoors with our jackets to clean off the yards filled with leaves. Many methods can be used to rid the yard of leaves whether it is raking, using a lawnmower, or my personal favorite, using a leaf blower. The leaf blower is what I believe to be the most effective and cleanest method of yard cleanup, but picking the right blower can be quite the challenge.

Leaf blowers vary in power, design, and price, but depending on what you need the type of leaf blower you need can change. When it comes to price, leaf blowers can vary from $20 to around $620. This is a large price gap, so finding the right blower for yourself can come down to how much you want to spend. 

Starting at the low end we have corded leaf blowers. These are blowers that have a cord and require direct power from an outlet to use. These may be the cheapest but can provide what some people need at a practical price. Some pros of corded leaf blowers are affordability, limitless run time, lightweight, and a very easy startup. These factors allow you to plug in and blow easily, clearing off a smaller lawn in a short amount of time. The cord does prohibit you from traveling larger distances, which could be a pain for larger yards. Corded leaf blowers are also not as powerful as gas blowers, which could limit your ability to blow a large number of leaves. However, according to bob vila, these blowers are perfect for smaller areas as long as you have access to an outlet. 

One of the better corded blowers is the Worx WG520. This blower has a 4.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon, and reviewer Anthony says, “I’m greatly impressed with the power of the air that comes out of it.” This blower has a low price tag of $52.32 and is a great tool for anyone in the market for a corded blower because of its longer battery life and strong wind speeds.                    

In the middle of the pack, we have battery-powered blowers. These blowers are typically more expensive than corded blowers and cheaper than gas-powered models which provides a good middle ground if you are unsure of what you need. The battery blowers have many of the same pros as corded blowers. However, they are cordless making it easier to travel the yard and are typically better quality than corded blowers. Unfortunately, they still do not have the same power as gas blowers. The battery life of blowers does vary from 15 to 60 minutes. These blowers are great for small to medium-sized yards especially if you do not have access to outlets. When buying these blowers, something to consider is the brand. If you have other power tools of that brand, the batteries can be shared across tools which can be very helpful.

The most expensive blowers are gas-powered blowers. While these blowers make up for everything the other two lack, they may be difficult to start, they are noisy, require more maintenance, and are heavier than the other two options. However, for larger surface areas these are clearly the blowers to obtain. They have greater power, unrestricted mobility, and can last longer times than electric blowers. Gas-powered leaf blowers are usually the most time-efficient blowers. Once they are filled with gas their high wind speeds will clear a yard in a matter of seconds.

One of the best blowers,  the Stihl br600 magnum is clearly a good option for many people trying to clear large surfaces quickly. According to Stihl, this blower has wind speeds of up to 238 miles per hour, which is quite impressive. An owner of this blower, Sam Sczapa, loves it and enjoys putting in the earbuds and jamming out to Michael Jackson while he clears his 1 to a 2-acre yard in a matter of 45 minutes to an hour. He says “Wow, this thing really blows.” When he was asked about the other types of blowers he responded “the battery and corded blowers simply don’t have enough blow.” he would never go back to a different kind of blower.

Each type of blower has its own pros and cons and has a niche in its own situation. Determining what type of blower is optimal for you can be hard, but by examining your circumstance you can decide what’s right for you.