If you need a new leaf blower, you may want to consider going electric.
“Electric leaf blowers have really improved over the years to the point now where the performance we measure is pretty much on par with even the best gasoline options,” said Paul Hope, a home editor at Consumer Reports.
Electric leaf blowers don’t belch toxic fumes, and they’re much quieter than gasoline models.
“In many cases, you may not even need to wear hearing protection; whereas basically every gasoline leaf blower we’ve tested requires hearing protection and it’s noisier at a distance for your neighbors,” Hope told me.
CR finds that battery-powered leaf blowers outperform electric ones with power cords.
Battery life has gotten better recently. Expect to get anywhere from 12 to 30 minutes of total blowing time.
“Obviously, you’ll get significantly more time than that if you’re not blowing the entire time,” Hope said. “And after that, expect to charge for anywhere from 30 minutes to about 3 hours.”
If you have a large area to clear, you may want to have a second battery pack.
More Info from Consumer Reports: Best Leaf Blowers of 2022
