Best Overall
Ryobi Lithium-Ion Cordless Jet Fan Blower
- Effectiveness5/5
- Battery4/5
- Ease of Use5/5
- Portability5/5
- Noise Level4/5
- This leaf blower was one of the most lightweight and easiest to control out of all the ones we tested.
This leaf blower was one of the most lightweight and easiest to control out of all the ones we tested.
- The battery life is only 30 minutes, so it’s better suited to small yards or quick projects.
The battery life is only 30 minutes, so it’s better suited to small yards or quick projects.
Whether clearing grass clippings from your sidewalks in the summertime or bagging dead leaves on your lawn in the fall, the Ryobi 18V One+ Jet Fan Leaf Blower is a powerful all-season option to make yard work easier. At 6 pounds, it's super easy to carry and use for long periods of time without fatiguing, and the three-speed jet fan blows air at up to 100 miles per hour.
Tasked with moving wet leaves, dry leaves, and fishing weights from one side of the yard to another, we found that the Ryobi One+ leaf blower was powerful enough to move the debris yet extremely easy to control. Because the airflow doesn’t send leaves flying in all different directions when it’s on, you can remove leaves from gutters and garden beds while making neat piles for easy cleanup.
When running, it emits about 108 decibels of noise, according to our readings (though the manufacturer claims it can be as quiet as 65 decibels on its lowest setting). 107 decibels is approximately as loud as a lawn mower, and it was comparable to many of the other leaf blowers we tested, so we weren’t bothered by the noise.
The only thing to keep in mind with this leaf blower is its battery life, which only lasts 30 minutes. While this certainly isn’t the shortest battery life out of the ones we tested, it may not be long enough to complete larger projects or to use in a big yard. In these cases, a corded leaf blower may be a better choice.
How it Performed After Six Months
The Ryobi proved to be a powerhouse during the fall, keeping leaves, sticks, grass, and other yard debris in check with just a fraction of the effort typically required. The power level was just right for handling typical yardwork. (not too strong or too weak). Though battery life was seen as a potential downside in the lab, we found that it was great for our needs at home.
Product Details:
Weight: 6.2 pounds | Max Speed: 100 miles per hour | Battery Life: 30 minutes | Noise Level: 107.6 decibels
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
Key Terms to Know
- CFM: Stands for cubic feet per minute, indicating the volume of airflow from the fan.
Best Budget
Avid Power Electric Leaf Blower
- Effectiveness4/5
- Ease of Use4/5
- Portability3/5
- Noise Level2/5
- Value5/5
- For the price, it’s very powerful, lightweight, and easy to use.
For the price, it’s very powerful, lightweight, and easy to use.
- It’s difficult to control where the leaves end up when using this leaf blower.
It’s difficult to control where the leaves end up when using this leaf blower.
People with a small yard may not need a high-powered (and expensive) leaf blower to keep fall foliage in check. Instead, the Avid Power 12-Amp 600-CFM Electric Leaf Blower is a budget-friendly yet still powerful and effective tool to move debris out of your yard and garden beds.
This corded electric leaf blower pushes air at a maximum velocity of 135 miles per hour, which allowed our testers to clear both dry and wet leaves from the grass in a little over 30 seconds. There are six different speed settings to choose from, giving you the ability to better control how powerful the blast is.
We noted that it’s very difficult to control the exact direction the leaves end up with this blower; the wide mouth causes debris to go everywhere. However, it’s still great for dislodging leaves from garden beds and under your deck or removing grass clippings from sidewalks and driveways after mowing the lawn.
It also comes with an attachable tube that elongates the nozzle so you don’t have to bend over when using the device, and at just 5.1 pounds, it’s lightweight enough to hold for long periods of time without getting tired.
Product Details:
Weight: 5.1 pounds | Max Speed: 135 miles per hour | Battery Life: N/A | Noise Level: 106 decibels
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK
Best Splurge
EGO Power+ LB6003 Cordless Leaf Blower
- Effectiveness5/5
- Battery5/5
- Ease of Use5/5
- Portability4/5
- Noise Level3/5
- This leaf blower boasts 180 minutes of run time without needing a recharge.
This leaf blower boasts 180 minutes of run time without needing a recharge.
- It takes slightly more space to store due to the backpack.
It takes slightly more space to store due to the backpack.
People who have a large yard with a lot of leaves to clean up in the fall may be willing to spend more for a high-powered leaf blower with a longer battery life.
We loved the Ego Power+ 600 CFM Backpack Leaf Blower, which cleared wet and dry leaves from our testing space in just 15 seconds. It has a CFM (cubic feet per minute) of 260 to 600, depending on what level you have it set to, which measures the volume of air it produces—and how quickly it can move debris around your yard.
The Ego Power+ backpack blower had no trouble moving both wet and dry leaves during testing, and it even pushed the fishing weights from one part of the yard to another without needing to get super close to the objects. At 12 pounds, it’s a bit heavier than other models we tested, but since it’s a backpack model, it didn’t weigh us down or feel clunky to wear.
In fact, we found that the backpack was quite comfortable, thanks to the cushioned backpack straps and the flexible wand, which allowed us to move around freely. The tube itself is adjustable, making it easy to expand or retract it depending on how concentrated you’d like the blast of air to be.
Compared to other leaf blowers we tested, it’s also reasonably quiet at just 93.6 on the turbo setting. However, our favorite thing about this leaf blower is its impressive battery life, which lasts up to 180 minutes on a single charge.
Because of the backpack and removable battery, this leaf blower may require more creative storage than a handheld leaf blower. You’ll need somewhere to recharge the battery between uses, and the backpack will stay in the best condition if it’s hung up, which may require you to store the leaf blower parts separately, depending on your storage configurations.
How it Performed After Six Months
We continued to test this in a yard with over 20 trees. The power and battery life both impressed us—the "turbo" mode is very strong and it can run for about 25 minutes straight on this setting. We're able to clean our front, side, and back yards on a single charge. We do wish the hose was slightly longer or that there was an attachment for detail work—it's difficult to change angles due to the hose size and backpack.
Product Details:
Weight: 12 pounds | Max Speed: 145 miles per hour | Battery Life: 180 minutes | Noise Level: 93.6 decibels
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
Best Cordless
Makita XBU03SM1 Cordless Blower Kit
- Effectiveness5/5
- Battery5/5
- Ease of Use5/5
- Portability5/5
- Noise Level2/5
- Our testers liked that they were able to use this leaf blower without having to bend over.
Our testers liked that they were able to use this leaf blower without having to bend over.
- Transitioning between power settings isn’t very smooth.
Transitioning between power settings isn’t very smooth.
Complete your yard work without having to drag out a long extension cord. Many shoppers prefer cordless electric leaf blowers to corded models, because they don’t need access to a nearby outlet to operate. We were impressed by the Makita 18-Volt Brushless cordless leaf blower, which easily moved leaves across the yard, out from garden beds, and over concrete driveways.
With a CFM of 459 and a maximum velocity of 116 miles per hour, the leaf blower is powerful enough to dislodge wet and dry leaves without being excessively loud (it measured 100 decibels on its highest speed). We found that it was also super lightweight, making it easy to hold in one hand while changing the power setting with the other. It’s also only 6.5 pounds, so you won’t get tired when using it in your yard for long periods of time.
The Makita brushless cordless leaf blower uses the same removable 18-volt battery that other Makita products use, so you’ll be able to purchase additional batteries (or use the ones you already have) to swap in and out whenever one is running low. This allows you to keep using the leaf blower for as long as you need to complete your yard work.
Changing speed settings on this leaf blower isn’t as smooth a transition as our testers hoped; it has a slight kickback when moving from a lower speed to a higher one. This wasn’t a major concern for us when testing, but be prepared to point the blower away from leaf piles and hold on firmly when switching between speeds.
Product Details:
Weight: 6.5 pounds | Max Speed: 116 miles per hour | Battery Life: Not listed | Noise Level: 100 decibels
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
Best Corded
Worx Turbine 600 Electric Leaf Blower
- Effectiveness5/5
- Ease of Use2/5
- Portability4/5
- Noise Level1/5
- Value5/5
- This 600-CFM leaf blower comes with its own extension cord for easy access to just about anywhere in your yard.
This 600-CFM leaf blower comes with its own extension cord for easy access to just about anywhere in your yard.
- It was harder for our testers to control the exact direction of the leaves when using this model.
It was harder for our testers to control the exact direction of the leaves when using this model.
If you’re okay with staying within reach of an outlet while operating your leaf blower, this Worx 12-Amp Turbine 600 Electric leaf blower was our favorite corded model. It comes with its own 50-foot extension cord, allowing you to reach a larger radius of space in your yard while powerfully moving leaves and other debris.
When using the Worx electric leaf blower to move wet and dry leaves across the lawn and out of garden beds, we found that it was super easy to use and control. Though initially tricky to flip the switch from off to on one-handed, we could easily change its speed settings by turning a small switch on the side of the device. This allows you to better control where the leaves in your yard end up.
According to the manufacturer, this corded leaf blower has a CFM of 600 and an air velocity of 110 miles per hour, so it’s powerful enough to move debris out of gutters, off of your driveway, and across the grass. We found that it took around 30 seconds to move a 1-pound pile of leaves from one section of the yard to another, which is consistent with the other corded and cordless leaf blowers we tested. We also loved that it has a retractable power cord, making it even easier to put away the machine once we were finished using it.
It’s a little bit difficult to control the actual direction of the leaves when pointing the Worx electric leaf blower at them; the shape of this device’s nozzle causes them to go in multiple directions at a time. This wasn’t a huge concern for us since they weren’t trying to make perfectly neat piles, but someone who wants a leaf blower with more precise control may be disappointed.
How it Performed After Six Months
Our favorite aspects of this blower are its lightweight construction and maneuverability. We found it so powerful that we actually sometimes wished for a lower power setting. While the extension cord is sufficiently long, note that it can actually freeze when using it outside in very cold weather. This likely wouldn't be a problem during the fall, though.
Product Details:
Weight: 6.4 pounds | Max Speed: 110 miles per hour | Battery Life: N/A | Noise Level: 101 decibels
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK
Best Lightweight
Black+Decker 20V Cordless Sweeper
- Effectiveness4/5
- Battery5/5
- Ease of Use3/5
- Portability5/5
- Noise Level2/5
- At just 3.7 pounds, this lightweight leaf blower is easy to operate and carry for long periods of time.
At just 3.7 pounds, this lightweight leaf blower is easy to operate and carry for long periods of time.
- It only has one power setting.
It only has one power setting.
It’s no secret that a majority of your yard work requires a bit of elbow grease to accomplish. However, cleaning up stray foliage from your grass, gutters, and garden beds doesn’t have to, thanks to this extremely lightweight leaf blower. At just 3.7 pounds, it’s super easy to carry around and use without fatiguing.
We really liked the design of the Black+Decker 20V Max Cordless Sweeper, which has a long plastic tube that allows you to move debris without bending over and an oval-shaped opening for more control over where the leaves end up. While it took about two minutes to move the leaf piles from one section of the yard to another—a bit longer than other models we tested—the leaves didn’t go flying in all directions as we worked.
This leaf blower isn’t as loud as other models at around 82 decibels when we tested it in our lab, which is about as loud as a busy restaurant. According to the manufacturer, it has an air speed of 130 miles per hour, so it’s great for clearing debris off your deck, driveway, and lawn. The only thing we’d change is that this model only has one power setting, so you can’t change the air velocity for different projects.
Product Details:
Weight: 3.7 pounds | Max Speed: 130 miles per hour | Battery Life: 25 minutes | Noise Level: 101 decibels
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
Best Small
Toro Power Sweep Electric Leaf Blower
- Effectiveness4/5
- Ease of Use5/5
- Portability5/5
- Noise Level3/5
- Value5/5
- It moved wet and dry leaves faster than several of the bigger (and more expensive) leaf blowers we tested.
It moved wet and dry leaves faster than several of the bigger (and more expensive) leaf blowers we tested.
- Because of its size, it’s best for small- to medium-sized yard projects.
Because of its size, it’s best for small- to medium-sized yard projects.
If you have a small yard or limited storage space, buying a small electric leaf blower allows you to keep your patio and backyard clean without taking up tons of space in your garage when it’s not in use. The Toro Power Sweep electric leaf blower was the best small model we tested since it has two power settings and a velocity of up to 160 miles per hour.
At 16.5 inches long by 11.7 inches wide and weighing only 4.7 pounds, it’s very compact compared to other leaf blowers, making it easy to use and store. We found that it was quite powerful at removing debris from grass, concrete, and flower beds, too. This powerful device moved a 1-pound pile of dry leaves from one area of the yard to another in under 20 seconds. While it took around 30 seconds to displace the pile of wet leaves, this was still faster than many of the larger leaf blowers we tested.
It’s a corded model, so you won’t have to worry about the battery dying and cutting your project short. The cord is retractable, so it’ll coil itself up inside the machine after you’re done using it, making the leaf blower even easier to store. The machine made about 103 decibels of noise, which is certainly still loud, but not as loud as some we tested.
Keep in mind that, because of its small size, this leaf blower is less efficient when attempting to clear large amounts of debris from your yard or deck. If you have a large yard or frequently have big piles of leaves that need clearing, you’ll probably want to get a bigger leaf blower.
How it Performed After Three Months
We reached for the Toro Power Sweep many times during the fall season to quickly clean leaves and debris off the deck or out of the gutters. For such a small device, it's still pretty powerful.
Product Details:
Weight: 4.7 pounds | Max Speed: 160 miles per hour | Battery Life: N/A | Noise Level: 103.2 decibels
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK
Best Backpack
Greenworks Pro Cordless Backpack Leaf Blower
- Effectiveness4/5
- Battery5/5
- Ease of Use5/5
- Portability4/5
- Noise Level3/5
- It is the most powerful leaf blower we tested, with a CFM of 610 and maximum air velocity of 180 miles per hour.
It is the most powerful leaf blower we tested, with a CFM of 610 and maximum air velocity of 180 miles per hour.
- The battery only lasts 18 minutes, so you’ll need to swap out the battery part way through long projects.
The battery only lasts 18 minutes, so you’ll need to swap out the battery part way through long projects.
If your backyard is littered with large piles of leaves every fall, the last thing you probably want to do is grab a rake and get to work. Instead, buying a backpack leaf blower is a quicker and easier way to clean up. We loved the Greenworks Pro 80-Volt Cordless Backpack Leaf Blower because of how comfortable and easy it was to use.
While heavier than a handheld model at about 15 pounds, this backpack leaf blower is well-balanced so it doesn’t feel too bulky or tiring when holding it for a long time. There’s a convenient trigger on the handle, making it easy to change between the different speed settings for better control.
It was able to clear dry leaves from the grass and a garden bed in under 30 seconds, and even less for wet leaves during testing. It has a maximum CFM of 610 and velocity of 180 miles per hour, making it the most powerful model on our list of the best leaf blowers. This means it’ll be better equipped to handle large projects, since it can move leaves and debris more easily than less-powerful models.
The battery life is relatively short, at just 18 minutes of life, but it comes with an 80-volt rapid charger that allows it to fully recharge in just 40 minutes. You can also use any of the other Greenworks 80-volt batteries with this leaf blower, so you can always buy additional batteries to swap in when one runs out.
How it Performed After Six Months
The Greenworks proved to be a versatile and user-friendly leaf blower when we took it home. The backpack style took the pressure off of our wrists and hands, while the power settings enabled both more targeted detail work and higher-volume projects.
Product Details:
Weight: 14.6 pounds | Max Speed: 180 miles per hour | Battery Life: 18 minutes | Noise Level: 98 decibels
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK
Easiest to Control
Dewalt Brushless Handheld Leaf Blower
- Effectiveness5/5
- Battery4/5
- Ease of Use5/5
- Portability4/5
- Noise Level3/5
- It has a trigger on the underside of the handle that makes it easy to switch between power settings.
It has a trigger on the underside of the handle that makes it easy to switch between power settings.
- The battery lasts only 12 minutes on its highest setting.
The battery lasts only 12 minutes on its highest setting.
One of the biggest challenges when using a leaf blower is getting the debris to go in the direction you want it to, rather than scattering all over the yard. Leaf blowers with varying speed settings can make it easier to control the direction of the leaves, which is why our testers liked the DeWalt Brushless Handheld Blower.
This electric leaf blower has a CFM of 450 and its air velocity can reach 125 miles per hour on its highest setting, allowing it to rapidly clear debris off your deck or organize fall foliage into easy-to-manage piles. Our testers found that it could move leaves across the grass and out of garden beds in under a minute.
The DeWalt brushless handheld blower was the easiest to control out of all the leaf blowers we tested because of the trigger on the underside of the handle, which allows you to pulse the power button. This helped our testers control the direction the leaves went without them going flying all over.
It has three separate speeds to choose from, which impacts how long the battery will last before needing a recharge. On its lowest setting, you can use the device for up to 87 minutes; on its highest, it’ll last for 12 minutes.
How it Performed After Three Months
This pick is so easy to use that it got our tester's 12-year-old eagerly involved in yardwork and was even lightweight enough for their 9-year-old to handle. It was useful for clearing cut grass and corralling leaves, though we wish the battery lasted longer.
Product Details:
Weight: 5.4 pounds | Max Speed: 125 miles per hour | Battery Life: 12 to 87 minutes | Noise Level: 87 decibels
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK