Are you tired of clearing up dry and dirty leaves with a rake? Maybe it’s time to invest in a powerful and versatile leaf blower that will make the most demanding gardening tasks simple and effortless. Using a rake is fine for small gardens and is a great way of keeping fit but they aren’t suitable for large jobs. With it taking you hours to rake your garden, the best leaf blowers will enable you to blow leaves into a neat pile within minutes.
Leaf blowers are incredibly practical, especially if your mobility is restricted. Using a rake can be inconvenient if there's a large task at hand, such as clearing your garden of leaves, twigs, and other garden debris.
Leaf blowers are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, from petrol-powered to corded and battery-powered. If your garden is covered in leaves during the autumnal months then a powerful leaf blower could be the answer to keeping your garden neat and tidy.
Why Buy a Leaf Blower?
Leaf blowers help you to easily clear your garden of dry leaves and garden debris. These machines are versatile and can be used in any terrain, making them an excellent replacement for a rake. Some leaf blowers also offer a vacuum and mulching option, making garden cleanup easy and straightforward. If you're looking for a machine that can blow leaves as well as remove them, then it could be wise to opt for a garden vacuum. However, these vacuums struggle when it comes to removing anything larger than leaves, such as twigs or rubbish. They also require you to change parts which can be time-consuming as well as inconvenient.
What To Look For When Buying a Leaf Blower
Leaf blowers use a powerful engine and fan to blow your leaves into a pile that you can then remove by using a garden vacuum or by hand. Leaf blowers are available in lightweight models that are great for removing leaves from pathways and patios to heavyweight backpack leaf blowers that are usually used by professional gardeners. These types of leaf blowers are ideal for clearing large outdoor spaces and are capable of removing wet stubborn leaves as well as large twigs.
Like most gardening equipment, the main feature to look out for when buying a leaf blower is checking how it’s powered.
ELECTRIC LEAF BLOWERS
Electric leaf blowers are budget-friendly and a perfect solution for small and medium-sized gardens. Whilst electric corded leaf blowers are powerful and effective they can be quite restrictive. With the drawback of being limited to a set distance, corded leaf blowers aren’t great for large and challenging gardening tasks.
CORDLESS LEAF BLOWERS
Cordless leaf blowers use incredibly powerful lithium-ion batteries that can last up to 5 hours on a single charge. These leaf blowers are extremely versatile and without the hassle of a trailing cord, you’re able to freely roam your garden without difficulty. Cordless leaf blowers are more expensive than their corded counterparts however, they are powerful, convenient and filled with innovative and useful features
PETROL LEAF BLOWERS
Petrol leaf blowers are by far the most powerful, with most using 2-stroke engines that can last for hours. However, petrol leaf blowers have a few cons such as producing a high amount of CO2 emissions and the inconvenience of most models being loud and noisy. Petrol leaf blowers can also weigh a ton and cause a lot of vibration which numbs the hands and wrists after use.
When buying a leaf blower, it's important to consider the job at hand and how to get it done. The amount of leaves toy need to clear away is the first and most obvious thing to consider. If you have a large garden then opting for a corded leaf blower might not make sense compared to a petrol-powered model as you are restricted by a cord.
What Else To Consider When Buying a Leaf Blower
Once you’ve chosen the model of your leaf blower, there are still some more features to take into consideration before purchasing. When choosing a leaf blower, look into the specifications to make sure the model can pick up heavy leaves and change modes quickly. Below are some other key features to look into.
LARGE BLOWER TUBE
Consider opting for a leaf blower with a large blower tube to provide you with a greater diameter and maximum airflow.
FLAT NOZZLE ATTACHMENT
Flat nozzles are ideal when you’re clearing wet leaves as they’ve been designed to increase the air speed of the leaf blower, meaning wet leaves and garden debris that has become stuck to the ground become easier to remove.
VARIABLE SPEED CONTROL
Variable speed control allows you to adjust to the speed you require for different gardening tasks.
BRUSHLESS MOTOR
Brushless motors help provide you with excellent control and performance. These motors have been made to last for years and help to ensure your leaf blower provides impressive durability and reliability.
The Best Leaf Blowers To Buy in 2022
A lot of leaf blowers lack the power and efficiency to enable you to tackle challenging gardening jobs, leaving you feeling underwhelmed with your purchase. Below is our pick of the best leaf blowers, including cordless, electric corded and petrol models.
EGO LB5300E
The EGO LB5300E is by far the most powerful cordless leaf blower on the market and is the first to outperform a lot of petrol-powered models.
The cordless EGO LB5300E is powered by a highly efficient brushless motor and has a large diameter tube to allow for maximum airflow. Featuring variable speed control, the high-efficiency brushless motor combines with jet turbine technology to allow effective clearing of leaves and other garden debris. The Turbo Boost feature provides 900m3 of air per hour, meaning this leaf blower is suitable for all types of gardening tasks.
The EGO LB5300E is extremely light and easy to use, making it ideal for clearing leaves from your patio or driveway. The large blower tube makes it easy to clear stubborn leaves and the turbo boost mode provides you with some extra power when needed.
Features
- Price: £149.00
- Large Blower Tube
- Variable Speed Control
- Turbo Boost Mode
- High-Efficiency Brushless Motor
COBRA BP43C 43CC PETROL BACKPACK BLOWER
The Cobra BP43C is a backpack blower that is perfect for large gardening challenges. Whilst being ergonomically designed and including a well-padded carrying frame that has improved support and balance, the Cobra BP43c is ideal for any professional gardener.
This garden blower has a powerful and easy-to-start 43cc engine that has a maximum airflow of 865m3/h. It also has cruise control, making it ideal for clearing medium to large areas. The Cobra BP43c has been designed to make clearing your garden simple and undemanding. The ergonomically positioned controls make operator use comfortable and as safe as possible.
Features:
- Price: £185.99
- Engine: 43cc Cobra
- Engine Type: 2-Stroke
- Max Airflow: 865m3/h
- Cruise Control Setting
- Weight: 6.5kg
Karcher LBL 2 Cordless Leaf Blower
The Karcher LBL 2 cordless leaf blower has been designed with comfort in mind.With an ergonomic design that sits conveniently in your hand for non-stop use, this leaf blower is perfect for quickly moving leaves into manageable piles. This leaf blower blows at 210km per hour and has a detachable flat nozzle, which means you can move leaves in a controlled and organised approach. The Karcher LBL 2 also includes a built-in scraper that helps you move stubborn wet leaves.
Features:
- Price: £149.98
- 18v battery platform
- Max 210 air speed (km/h)
A Summary on The Best Leaf Blowers
Cordless leaf blowers provide the best solution when it comes to power, affordability, and convenience, with most models including a large blower tube, variable speed control, and a brushless motor. If you need further support or assistance with purchasing a leaf blower then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our customer support team who will be more than happy to provide you with expert advice and support. You can get in touch by calling us on 01403 273 444 or by emailing us at customerservice@tce.org.uk.
