The 7 Best Leaf Blowers for Yards of Every Size
By Corrie Pelc
The changing fall leaves are beautiful on the trees in your yard—until they fall to the ground. Then they’re just a colorful mess. If you’re tired of raking, it may be time to invest in a leaf blower.
Despite their name, leaf blowers do more than just...well, blow leaves around. Throughout the year, they're a great way to do quick clean-ups of your yard and driveway from lawn clippings and random dirt and debris. And some of today's leaf blowers do double or even triple duty as other tools such as snow blowers and vacuuming up loose garden materials.
If you don’t have a leaf blower yet in your shed, now’s the time to get one! We’ve rounded up the best leaf blowers on the market.
Top Picks
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Best Overall Leaf Blower: WORX WG520 Turbine 600 Corded Electric Leaf BlowerOur top pick for the best leaf blower you can buy right now.
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Best Gas-Powered Leaf Blower: Husqvarna 965877502 350BT 2-Cycle Gas Backpack BlowerA traditional gas-powered leaf blower that blows away any gardening debris it comes in contact with.
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Best Corded Electric Leaf Blower: Toro 51621 UltraPlus Leaf Blower VacuumWhy purchase just a standard leaf blower when you can have one that vacuums and mulches leaves, as well?
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Best Cordless Electric Leaf Blower: EGO Power+ LB6504 Cordless Leaf BlowerA powerful and practical cordless leaf blower for all your landscaping jobs.
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Best Budget Leaf Blower: Sun Joe SBJ597E-SJB Electric Leaf BlowerA corded electric leaf blower capable of tackling small home yard jobs at only $25.
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Best Backpack Leaf Blower: Greenworks Pro 80V Cordless Backpack Leaf BlowerA battery-operated backpack leaf blower perfect for smaller landscaping jobs.
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Best Walk-Behind Leaf Blower: Southland SWB163150E Leaf BlowerBlasts leaves and other gardening debris with 1,200 cfm of airpower.
How to Buy a Leaf Blower
When looking to purchase a leaf blower, there are a few details to consider:
- How to Hold It. Leaf blowers generally come in three handling types. Like the name implies, handheld leaf blowers are held in your hands to operate. A backpack leaf blower has the motor in a harness that you put on your back, and you hold and operate the blower in your hands. Walk-behind leaf blowers look kind of like lawn mowers, except they are leaf blowers. These tend to look like a rather large fan on a set of wheels and you push it with a handlebar.
- How to Power It. Leaf blowers are usually either gas-powered or electric-powered. Generally, gas-powered leaf blowers are a bit more powerful than electric leaf blowers. However, there's the gas to deal with and they're generally pretty noisy. On the other hand, electric leaf blowers are quieter and there are no fumes, but in cordless versions, you'll have to deal with a battery pack that needs recharging.
Test Factors We Considered When Picking the Best Leaf Blowers
Let’s break down the test factors we used to determine the best leaf blowers for 2022:
- Price: Leaf blowers are available at many price points—it all depends on the user’s budget.
- Type: Is the leaf blower a handheld, backpack, or walk-behind model?
- Power: Is the leaf blower powered by gasoline or is it electric? And if electric, is it corded or battery-operated?
- Weight: How much does the leaf blower weigh? This is especially important in handheld and backpack models.
- Volume of Air: The amount of air a leaf blower pushes through the machine to blow around leaves and debris is generally measured in cubic feet per minute (cfm). That means how many cubic feet of leaves can the leaf blower move in each minute. Leaf blowers can have a cfm of anywhere between 200 to 800.
- Miles Per Hour: The speed at which the air is pushed out of the air blower is measured by miles per hour (mph). Leaf blowers’ speeds usually range anywhere between 100 to 250 mph — the higher the speed, the further it can blow leaves.
- Volume: How much sound does the leaf blower produce? This is generally registered in decibels (dB). Anything over 85 dB can be harmful to ears if listened to for an extended period of time without proper ear protection. This factor is especially important if the user lives in a state or city with leaf blower restrictions due to the noise they produce.
- Speed Settings: Does the leaf blower offer various speed settings or other speed-related features?
- Accessories: What are some special accessories the leaf blower comes with?
- Warranty: Does the manufacturer back their leaf blower?
Now that we have that covered, let’s dive into our guide of the best leaf blowers.
Best Overall Leaf Blower: WORX WG520 Turbine 600 Corded Electric Leaf Blower
When it comes to the best overall leaf blower on our list, the WORX WG520 Turbine 600 Corded Electric Leaf Blower ticks many of the boxes for an all-around excellent tool. And we're not alone in thinking so, as this leaf blower has almost 8,400 reviews and 4.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon. This handheld electric leaf blower only weighs 6.4 pounds, making it very easy to maneuver around the yard. A corded electric model, it comes with an 11 ½-inch cord with a retainer so it will not disconnect, even if it gets snagged on a bush or tree branch. The blower features two speeds — a slower one at 60 mph and 320 cfm for tight spaces, and a powerful 110 mph and 600 cfm speed for large open areas. The blower's volume level registered at 82 dB, which is about as loud as a standard alarm clock. And depending on what you need, the WORX WG520 Turbine 600 Corded Electric Leaf Blower has a standard wide-mouth nozzle for tackling large spaces and an attachable hyper-stream air nozzle for when you want a more concentrated airflow.
Pros
- Under $60
- Only weighs 6.4 pounds
- Top speed level gets up to 600 cfm
Cons
- Needs to be plugged in to operate
Best Gas-Powered Leaf Blower: Husqvarna 965877502 350BT 2-Cycle Gas Backpack Blower
If you're in the market for a traditional gas leaf blower, then you'll want to check out the Husqvarna 965877502 350BT 2-Cycle Gas Backpack Blower. With almost 2,500 reviews and 4.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon, this backpack leaf blower is capable of producing up to about 692 cfm of air volume at up to 180 mph, making it a powerful ally against not only leaves but dirt, gravel, and other larger debris. Although the unit weighs 22.5 pounds, its padded harness and contouring hip belt make it easy to carry. And the blower portion features an offset handle that makes it easy for the operator to project air exactly where they need it. The Husqvarna’s tube length is adjustable, the controls are easy to access, and the blower even offers a cruise control speed setting for easy handling.
Pros
- Powerful — capable of producing up to about 692 cfm of air volume
- Padded harness and contouring hip belt included
- Offers cruise control speed option
Cons
- Gas-powered is not as environmentally friendly as electric-powered leaf blowers
Best Corded Electric Leaf Blower: Toro 51621 UltraPlus Leaf Blower Vacuum
What makes the Toro 51621 UltraPlus Leaf Blower Vacuum the best corded electric blower? The fact that it's three tools in one! Not only does this 8.9-pound leaf blower push leaves and other debris around with up to 350 cfm of air volume, but it also vacuums them up with its included vacuum tube with up to 410 cfm of airpower. The conversion to vacuum takes just seconds and requires no tools thanks to the blower's quick-release latch. And there's more — once all leaves are vacuumed up, they're then broken down to less than 1/2 inch by the blower's internal leaf shredder and collected in the included bottom-zip bag. The Toro 51621 UltraPlus Leaf Blower Vacuum comes with three leaf blower tubes — the main tube for normal leaf blowing, a power insert for wet leaves and creating piles, and a concentrator for getting debris out of stubborn areas like edging and pavement cracks.
Pros
- 3-in-1 tool — leaf blower, vacuum, and mulcher
- Comes with three leaf blower tubes for different jobs
- Noise level is around that of a standard vacuum cleaner
Cons
- Extension cord is sold separately
Best Cordless Electric Leaf Blower: EGO Power+ LB6504 Cordless Leaf Blower
The EGO Power+ LB6504 Cordless Leaf Blower is our pick for the best cordless leaf blower. The blower operates on an included lithium battery that can run for an impressive 90 minutes on a single charge. Change your speed settings through the blower's variable speed dial that can go between 225 to 500 cfm of airpower or, if you need more, click the turbo button for a powerful 650 cfm and 180 mph of air, capable of moving wet leaves, rocks, and snow. The blower comes with both flat and tapered nozzles depending on how you need to direct the air to clear off your yard and driveway. Lastly, the EGO cordless leaf blower comes with a five-year warranty on the blower itself and a three-year warranty on the battery.
Pros
- Included battery provides up to 90 minutes of leaf blowing on one charge
- Turbo button provides up to 650 cfm of airpower
- Five-year tool warranty and three-year battery warranty
Cons
- Battery needs to be charged between uses
Best Budget Leaf Blower: Sun Joe SBJ597E-SJB Electric Leaf Blower
A leaf blower for only $25 that creates up to 155 mph of airspeed and 260 cfm of airflow? Color us impressed! The Sun Joe SBJ597E-SJB Electric Leaf Blower is a corded electric leaf blower that weighs only 3.9 pounds, making it very easy to work with. It's the perfect size for light leaf blowing jobs, such as cleaning porches, walkways, patios, decks, and garages. The blower comes with a 100-foot extension cord and is backed by a two-year warranty. And the Sun Joe SBJ597E-SJB Electric Leaf Blower's volume is only 67 dB, which is less than the noise created by normal car traffic.
Pros
- Costs about $25
- Perfect for light leaf blowing jobs
- Comes with a 100-foot extension cord
Cons
- Only has one speed
- Has to be plugged in to operate
Best Backpack Leaf Blower: Greenworks Pro 80V Cordless Backpack Leaf Blower
Best Walk-Behind Leaf Blower: Southland SWB163150E Leaf Blower
If you have a very large yard with lots of leaves and other debris to remove or you prefer a leaf blower you can push rather than carry, then a walk-behind leaf blower is your best bet. The Southland SWB163150E Leaf Blower produces an incredible 1,200 cfm to push just about any kind of debris out of the way—and rather quickly. The blower also produces up to 150 mph of airspeed and has a 15-degree adjustable chute to ensure air is blown exactly where you want it to go. This gas-powered walk-behind leaf blower moves on two rear 12-inch wheels and a five-inch front swivel wheel, making it very easy to maneuver around your property. Lastly, the Southland SWB163150E Leaf Blower's fan and fan housing are built of rugged, durable steel to ensure they continue operating for a long time.
Pros
- Walk-behind is a great option for large properties or those who can’t hold a leaf blower manually for a long time
- Produces an incredible 1,200 cfm of airpower
- Volume is pretty low for a gas-powered leaf blower
Cons
- Only has one speed setting
Do you have a leaf blower that blows your mind? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Frequently asked questions
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