The Best Cordless Leaf Blowers, Tested By a Lawn Expert
Updated: May 09, 2024
After testing dozens of cordless leaf blowers, we've found the perfect combination of power, usability and affordability.
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Cordless leaf blowers are lawn tools found in almost every shed or garage nationwide. They are highly versatile tools that handle grass, leaves, debris and even dry off cars. In recent years, cordless electric leaf blowers have soared in popularity. These blowers are quieter, just as powerful, and require no maintenance compared to their gas-powered counterparts.
With the new upgrades and technological advances to battery-powered lawn tools, we have seen significant improvements in cfm and mph on leaf blowers. Cfm stands for cubic feet per minute and measures the volume of air leaving the blower. The bigger the cfm, the more air moves out of the blower. Mph is miles per hour and measures the speed of the air leaving the blower. The higher the cfm and mph, the more powerful the leaf blower is.
Considering all of that, we decided to test some of the latest cordless leaf blowers on the market to determine which are best for performance, price and usability.
Best Overall Cordless Leaf Blower
Ego Power+ LB7654 Cordless Electric Leaf Blower
Pros:
- Extremely powerful
- Brushless motor
- Great battery lineup
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Slightly heavier than other options
The Ego Power+ LB7654 blower is by far my favorite blower. Yes, I didn’t say my favorite electric blower; I said favorite blower—period. The LB7654 is extremely powerful, capable of hitting up to 765 cfm (cubic feet per minute) and 200 mph (miles per hour) when in Turbo mode. The Ego Power+ is my go-to blower whenever I move large piles of leaves or remove sticky, wet grass after mowing early in the morning.
I also love the Ego LB7654’s 56V battery, which can be used with a variety of other battery-powered tools from Ego. Many other brands have multiple battery voltages, but Ego stays consistent, which makes buying other tools in their lineup less expensive. The blower has a durable brushless motor, a long runtime, and a nice thumb-adjusted cruise control feature that holds the trigger in a constant place.
I have tested this blower head-to-head against many other electric blowers and find it the most well-rounded on the market. From the highest speed and power, easiest to control and use, and most durable construction—the LB7654 is a nearly perfect leaf blower in every way.
Most Powerful Cordless Leaf Blower
EnHulk 58V 930 CFM Cordless Leaf Blower
Pros:
- Most powerful handheld blower I have ever seen
- Brushless motor
- Easy-to-use interface
- Multiple nozzles
Cons:
- Battery series not common
Never have I been more surprised with the performance of a cordless leaf blower than I was when I got the EnHulk 58V leaf blower. If you recall, cfm is a measure of air volume that leaves the blower or “pushing power,” as I call it. Most gas-powered backpack blowers are somewhere in the 600-700 cfm range. The super powerful Ego blower I mentioned earlier reaches 765 cfm on turbo mode.
At 930 cfm, the EnHulk 58V blower comes in with one of the most astonishing cfm figures I have ever seen or used. When I first took this into my yard, I thought it was a marketing gimmick. Nope. This blower has an astounding amount of power. Outside of the extreme power, the blower has a nice screen that lets you set a cruise control function and a turbo mode at the push of a button. It also has multiple nozzles that can attach to the tip, making it versatile for many functions like wet grass, large piles of leaves or a concentrated stream.
Best Handheld Gas Leaf Blower
Stihl BG 86 C-E Gas Handheld Leaf Blower
Pros:
- Reliable
- Durable
- Provides moderate power
Cons:
- Louder than electric
- Requires maintenance
The Stihl BG 86 C was the first leaf blower I owned when I bought my first house and had my first leaves to launch into oblivion. To this day, the handheld blower runs like a charm and is just as powerful as the day I bought it. At Family Handyman, our product testers have found Stihl products—like this backpack leaf blower—to stand up to the test of time.
And while gas handheld blowers are becoming less and less common these days, they still have some positives. For starters, gas blowers are reliable and long-lasting. With proper maintenance and care, a gas blower can last well over a decade. Compared to most electric blowers, most gas blowers provide more power. But there are downsides to gas blowers, and the Stihl BG 86 C is not immune to being loud, making you smell like exhaust, and taking a few tries to get started.
Cordless Blower with Longest Run Time
Kobalt 140 MPH 80V 630 CFM Cordless Electric Blower
Pros:
- Extremely long runtime
- Lightweight
- Cruise control function
- Brushless motor
Cons:
- Less extensive battery system
I was so shocked when I did the run-time challenge with the Kobalt 80V leaf blower I almost got mad. I zip-tied the trigger of this blower and set the cruise control to the lowest setting—this scientific testing enabled me to see how long the blower would run compared to what the marketing team at Kobalt said. The advertised run time was for only 75 minutes on the lowest setting.
It lasted almost 3 hours, or 175 minutes. I was speechless at how long this ran and frustrated that I ran a leaf blower in my backyard for 3 hours. Whew.
Outside of the extensive run time, I love that this blower has a durable brushless motor, an excellent cruise control function, and still very high-end power at 630 cfm. This is a great blower and will last a long time (literally).
Quietest Cordless Leaf Blower
Ryobi 40V Whisper Series Cordless Blower
Pros:
- Quieter than most other blowers
- Best-in-class power at 730 cfm
- Variable speed trigger with cruise control
- Brushless motor
Cons:
- Still produces a high-pitched noise
As a dad to a one-year-old, the Ryobi 40V Whisper Series blower has been a lifesaver. One of the only times I can clean my lawn is when the baby is napping. Ryobi helped me by creating their Whisper Series Blower, which blows air at only 57 dB—less than the typical 60-70 dB found on electric blowers and way below the 100 dB of a typical gas-powered backpack blower.
The Whisper Series blower keeps things quiet and is also one of the most powerful handheld blowers on the market. While the Egoand EnHulk both have insane amounts of power, the Ryobi isn’t far behind at 730 cfm. The Ryobi also has the benefit of its 40V battery system, which spans hundreds of other tools across your lawn and home.
Best Battery System on a Handheld Cordless Blower
Milwaukee M18 Cordless Leaf Blower
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Excellent M18 battery system
- High-quality brand
- Inexpensive when purchased tool-only
Cons:
- Not overly powerful
The Milwaukee M18 handheld blower isn’t the most powerful on this list but is part of a great battery system. I’ve used many Milwaukee M18 products, from power drills to great electric lawnmowers. The M18 battery series is expansive and covers hundreds of tools. You can save big on their cordless blower if you already own the M18 battery by purchasing the tool-only version without the battery.
The blower itself is excellent for around-the-house use but manageable with power. It has a durable, long-lasting brushless motor and all the great functionality you would expect from a Milwaukee tool.
Best Lightweight Cordless Blower
Greenworks Pro 80V Cordless Leaf Blower
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Durable brushless motor
- Extensive 80V battery system
- Inexpensive
Cons:
- No nozzle attachment capabilities
The Greenworks 80V Cordless blower is a powerful handheld blower with all the basics covered. It has an above-average power output of 580 cfm and 145 mph. I also like that this blower has a great brushless motor, which keeps the motor running cooler, pushes out more torque, and provides reliable motor operation for years to come.
The 80V battery system from Greenworks is surprisingly robust and can carry many tools, such as mowers, hedge trimmers and more. At just under 10 pounds, including the battery, this blower is easy to use for an extended period, which helps keep your shoulder, back and forearms intact during peak autumn months.
What to Look for When Buying a Cordless Leaf Blower
Cordless blowers come in various shapes and sizes, but there are three basic things you need to understand to ensure you get a powerful, high-quality piece of equipment. These points make up my basic checklist for evaluating a blower.
Cfm: Cfm stands for cubic feet per minute and measures air output on the blower. Higher cfm means more power, but not necessarily more miles per hour. High cfm with a wide nozzle equals fewer mph. High cfm with a narrow nozzle means more mph. Ideally, you want a high cfm with a narrow to medium nozzle for most backyard and around-the-house jobs. For commercial landscapers, you might find astronomical cfm but low mph. Blowers with this set of metrics are great for pushing massive piles of leaves but not as great for around-the-house use.
Usability: What is the point of having a blower if it is hard to use? Get one that is lightweight, easy to start, and has some functions that make your life easier. Some things I have found that make a blower easier to use are a molded grip, a shoulder strap, a cruise control function and a turbo button.
Motor type: Brushless motors reign supreme. They are cooler-running motors with more torque, a longer runtime, and a longer lifespan. Brushless motors are the best possible choice when picking a blower.
Why You Should Trust Us
We have personally tested dozens, if not hundreds, of leaf blowers, including backpack blowers, corded electric blowers, cordless blowers and gas-powered handheld blowers. Basically, if it pushes out air, we have used it and put it to the test.
As a former landscaper, I developed a unique love for lawn tools after using them daily for years. With my deep love for lawn tools, I became an absolute leaf-blower snob. Now, we spend our days testing lawnmowers, string trimmers, leaf blowers and more. Much of our time is spent using new blowers and comparing them to see which one reigns supreme.
How We Found the Best Cordless Leaf Blowers
I found the best cordless blowers by testing each one in my yard over nearly a decade. Every blower on our list has been personally tested by me in my backyard. I have also included many of these blowers in head-to-head tests on my YouTube channel, where I have lawn tools face off against each other.
Some of the challenges I’ve used to test the blowers include runtime challenges. I test the battery runtime on the blowers by using a zip-tie to hold the trigger down and setting the cruise control to two different settings to see the range of possible run times. I’ve also done a similar challenge with the Turbo button, but instead of zip ties, I actually sat and held down the Turbo button on two leaf blowers until they died.
One of the more eccentric ways I have tested the power of cordless leaf blowers is by strapping them in opposite directions on a spinning office chair and seeing which one would spin the chair—a proxy for which has more power. I am willing to go to these lengths so that you can buy a better leaf blower.
FAQ
How long does a battery last on a cordless leaf blower?
The battery range of leaf blowers varies wildly, from 20 to 70 minutes, depending on the battery amp-hours, speed and brand.
What is a good MPH leaf blower?
A good mph on a leaf blower is anything over 140 for most households.
What is the best brand of cordless leaf blower?
My favorite cordless leaf blower brand is Ego Power+. They make the LB7654 blower, which I ranked as the “best overall blower” on this list.
Originally Published: May 09, 2024
