These 5 Battery Handheld Leaf Blowers Are Consumer Reports Best Buys
If you live in an area with many trees or have a big yard with a lot of landscaping, leaf blowers can be handy tools to make lawn maintenance easier. Plus, fallen leaves can damage your car’s exterior and clog up air intakes. Another use for a blower is to dry your car after washing it to prevent damage from towels. So, now that you’ve decided a leaf blower is something you need, the next decision is battery, gas, or electric. Which is best?
Battery handheld leaf blowers are the best
There are quite a few benefits of battery handheld leaf blowers. For one, they are almost always a lighter option, which means less strain on your muscles, particularly if you have a lot of leaves to blow around. Like electric lawn mowers, they are also much quieter than gas leaf blowers and cleaner, and more eco-friendly. Furthermore, since they have a battery, you don’t have to worry about tripping over a cord, unlike an electric blower. This also gives you a lot more range to work with.
Consumer Reports recommends 11 models
There are dozens of leaf blowers available, and Consumer Reports has a list of 11 recommended models. That’s still a lot to choose from, so we’ve narrowed the list to the five models that earned CR’s “Best Buy” designation. These models, according to CR, “blend value and performance,” making them best buys.
5 ‘Best Buy’ battery handheld leaf blowers
Stihl BGA 57 leaf blower
This was Consumer Reports’ top pick for this category, and the only negative was that it only has one available speed, limiting your control in tight areas. Overall, it is quick, quiet, and effective. It weighs 7.6 pounds and delivers aggressive cleaning and blowing power while still being quiet enough to use without hearing protection. You can pick this up at Ace Hardware for $199.
Ego LB5302
Interestingly, even though it was not the highest scoring blower, CR noted that it had “no discernible flaws in its performance.” It has multiple speeds available, weighs 7.8 pounds, delivers quick, aggressive cleaning power, and is relatively quiet, with no need for hearing protection. You can get it from Amazon for $179, and it carries the “Amazon’s Choice” tag.
Makita XBU03SM1
This leaf blower did not have any discernible lows and was a little lighter at 6.1 pounds. It has multiple speeds available and has very aggressive blowing power and moderately aggressive cleaning power. Also, it is relatively quiet, and it does not require hearing protection. You can get it from Amazon for $199, and it also carries the “Amazon’s Choice” tag.
Kobalt (Lowe’s) KHB 2580-06
One of the heavier blowers, at 9.2 pounds, this choice does not have any discernible lows either. In addition to multiple speeds, you can fix the blowing speed, usually on the highest setting, and you don’t have to have your finger on the trigger the whole time. It is quiet, with no need for hearing protection, is quick, and has aggressive cleaning and blowing power. You can pick it up at Lowe’s for $159. The battery is sold separately, but the 80-volt battery works for multiple Kobalt products.
Oregon BL300
This blower is also 9.2 pounds, with no discernible lows, and is also the most expensive leaf blower on this list. It has multiple speeds, works quickly and quietly, does not need any hearing protection, and provides aggressive cleaning and blowing power. You can get it at Amazon for $359.
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