By Tom Scalisi | Updated Oct 5, 2022 11:32 AM

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While the striking colors of turning leaves may look nice, after the leaves drop, they make a mess in your yard. Instead of tedious hours spent raking, consider purchasing one of the best battery-powered leaf blower models, which are lighter weight and easier to use and maintain than their gas-powered counterparts.

This guide will help you choose the right cordless leaf blower for your property, from high-powered options to budget-friendly models and even backpack blowers. When it comes to handling autumn cleanup, choose one of our picks for the best battery-powered blower to get the job done.

When shopping for the best electric leaf blower, factor in your yard size and various design features to figure out how powerful a model you need to quickly and efficiently handle cleanup. While there’s really no such thing as a quiet leaf blower, battery-powered or other cordless leaf blowers are almost always quieter than their gas-powered counterparts. Below are other factors to consider before picking the best battery-powered leaf blower for your yard.

While almost any blower can manage a small yard, larger yards, patios, or driveways require more power and battery life. For extra-large properties, you’ll probably find that the hands-down best leaf blower for getting the job done is gas-powered; there’s really no replacement for the gas-powered blowers, even if they’re unpopular with your neighbors.

Unlike most corded leaf blower options, most of the best battery powered leaf blowers will work for yards around an acre or so. These cordless leaf blowers push fallen leaves into piles or in rows toward the woodline. Most have the battery life to finish the job in one charge, but keeping a few charged batteries on hand is a good idea.

When shopping for the best battery-powered leaf blower, you’ll find that manufacturers use airflow, labeled cfm (cubic feet per minute), as a performance metric. Describing how much air the blower can move, cfm is a measure of volume, not speed.

Volume is as important as speed and airflow, especially when it comes to sweeping a large amount of leaves or grass clippings across a lawn. You’ll be able to move more leaves at once with a higher-volume blower than you would with a blower that focuses on speed alone. Cfm numbers in the range of 400 to 600 work well for typical yard cleanup projects.

The other performance metric manufacturers use is airspeed, labeled as mph—the familiar miles per hour. This measurement describes how much air volume is emitted by the leaf blower. Look for a leaf blower with mph numbers between 100 and 150. The higher the number, the farther the blower will push leaves. In combination with proper airflow, more power means fewer passes to move a row of leaves where you want it.

Do keep in mind that the higher the speed setting, the faster you’ll run out of battery power. Top speeds require more energy and may sap the battery of life more quickly.

Battery-operated leaf blowers are more compact and lightweight than gasoline models, so they’re much easier to carry around your yard. Gas-powered engines have more metal parts, making them much heavier; the electric motors in battery-operated or cordless leaf blowers don’t need to be as robust, so manufacturers can drop a significant amount of weight.

Battery-powered models can weigh 10 pounds less than gas versions—that’s 10 pounds off your back, arm, and shoulders. The best battery-powered leaf blowers can weigh less than 9 pounds, while their gas counterparts typically weigh between 15 and 20 pounds.

Runtime is incredibly important with battery-powered leaf blowers. Unlike gas-powered blowers that just need topping off to start running again, or plug-in models that never quit, a dead battery means downtime. You have to put it on the charger and take a break.

The best indication of battery life is the amp-hour rating of the battery. Look for cordless blowers with amp-hour ratings over 4.0Ah to ensure a decent runtime. Many manufacturers include battery life indicators so you’ll know when you’re running low.

If you purchase a quality blower with a lower amp-hour rating of 2.0 or 2.5, consider buying additional batteries, and keep them on the charger while you’re blowing leaves. Batteries for leaf blowers aren’t interchangeable, so make sure to purchase extras from the same maker as your leaf blower. When your battery dies, you can swap it out for another and get back to work.

Some of the best battery powered leaf blowers can double as portable vacuums or mulchers. They work well for sucking up leaves and sawdust and have detachable bags that are easy to empty, making them a useful option for workshops as well as yards.

Some kits come with additional batteries, which are particularly handy for larger yards. You can keep one battery on the charger while working and swap it in when necessary to complete the job.

Now that you know what features to expect from the best battery operated leaf blowers, check out the following products. All from well-known manufacturers, these leaf blowers should have the power, run-time, and features to make your yard cleanup a breeze.

The Power+ LB5804 battery-powered leaf blower from EGO is an incredibly powerful leaf blower with a variable output dial that lets you adjust between 225 and 580 cfm, and a top speed of up to 168 mph when you use the turbo button. No matter the speed, this machine delivers 75 minutes of run time.

This EGO model comes with a 5.0Ah battery and a charger, which will fully charge the battery in under 2 hours, making it our pick for the best cordless leaf blower with battery and charger overall. It also includes both a flat nozzle and a tapered nozzle so you can choose the one that works best for wet or dry leaves and grass clippings. At 9.6 pounds, the EGO is a little on the heavier side, but the quality and power are worth the extra heft.

Get the EGO Power+ leaf blower at Amazon, Lowe’s, or Acme Tools.

The WORX 40V Power Share Turbine Cordless Leaf Blower has an impressive motor that provides power to the turbine to generate airspeeds up to 90 mph and air flow volumes up to 430 cfm. This cordless electric leaf blower actually boasts variable speeds—you can go fast and heavy, slow and light, or somewhere in between, depending on your needs and the task at hand.

The WORX blower weighs only 7.3 pounds and is made to allow one-handed control. It also provides up to 1 hour of run time before requiring another charge, takes only 3 hours for a full charge, and comes with 2 20V batteries.

Get the Worx leaf blower at Amazon, Target, Sam’s Club, and Lowe’s.

Greenworks’ Jet Leaf Blower offers a lot of power for a competitively priced model. Using the company’s 80V battery system, this machine produces up to 580 cubic feet of air per minute and speeds up to 145 miles per hour. Compared to other options in this price range, you’ll get more volume and just as much speed.

The BL80L2510 Jet Leaf Blower features a turbo button for max speed, though usage will shorten battery life. This kit includes an 80V 2.5Ah battery and an 80V charger. Keep in mind that at more than 10 pounds, it’s the heaviest handheld blower among the top picks.

Get the Greenworks leaf blower on Amazon.

If you’ve got a large yard, running out of juice in the middle of cleanup is not ideal. So consider Makita’s XBU02PT1 (36V) kit, the most powerful leaf blower we reviewed: It runs on mid-speed for up to 28 minutes on two 5.0Ah batteries, which charge simultaneously using the included double charger, providing up to 28 minutes of high-powered runtime.

The Makita has a maximum volume of 473 cfm and a top speed of 120 mph, which is enough to tackle most jobs. Plus, there’s a six-speed power control as well as a variable speed trigger, allowing you to extend battery life as much as possible. You needn’t worry that the blower’s weight will slow you down. This machine weighs just over 9 pounds, falling in line with the other top choices.

Get the Makita leaf blower at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Overstock (tool only).

If you’ve got a small space but a variety of messes, this compact lightweight blower/vacuum combo may be well suited to the job. The K I M O. can blow leaves off your patio, deck, and driveway and also suck up minor messes in your shop or car. This machine (with battery) weighs less than 4.5 pounds and uses a 20V 4.0Ah battery to produce plenty of speed, volume, and suction for small jobs.

This model will run up to 30 minutes, and its light weight makes it a better option for cleaning your car’s interior than dragging your bulky canister vacuum into the driveway or garage.

Get the K.I.M.O leaf blower on Amazon.

Multi-tasking is often basic to yard work, and the Greenworks 40V Leaf Blower/Vacuum can pull double and even triple duty to get those jobs done. This cordless leaf blower uses Greenworks’ 40V batteries to produce up to 185 mph of airspeed, as well as 340 cubic feet of air per minute. This model comes with a battery, charger, and a vacuum bag for collecting debris.

Beyond blowing, it lets you vacuum or mulch leaves and debris: Simply attach the vacuum tube to the bottom of the machine and connect the bag to the outlet. This machine also has six variable speeds, a variable speed trigger, and a turbo option with a high/low setting to help extend the battery life. With everything attached, this blower/vacuum can weigh north of 10 pounds, but you may find that its functionality makes up for its heft.

Get the Greenworks leaf blower on Amazon and at Tractor Supply Co..

Speed meets agility meets value with the Greenworks 40V Cordless Leaf Blower. This machine can produce wind speeds of up to 150 mph while weighing just under 5 pounds with the battery attached. The Greenworks blower comes with a 40V 2.0Ah battery and a charger for boosting the battery between jobs. It has a variable speed trigger to regulate output and battery consumption.

There’s also a handy tube extension to increase your reach and concentrate the airflow—ideal for piles of wet leaves. If you’re using other Greenworks 40V battery powered yard equipment, this blower will work with those batteries as well, allowing you to extend the 14-minute run time by swapping out a fresh battery pack. Just be aware that a blower this lightweight produces only 135 cfm maximum, so it’s best for light-duty jobs.

Get the Greenworks leaf blower on Amazon.

Even a lightweight handheld leaf blower can feel heavy when you’ve been blowing leaves for a while. For less body strain, consider the 80V Backpack Leaf Blower from Greenworks. It relies on Greenworks’ 80V batteries, coming with a 2.5Ah battery pack and charger, and weighs just under 15 pounds with the battery installed. Thick padded shoulder straps distribute the weight evenly, reducing fatigue and the likelihood of shoulder pain.

This blower produces wind speeds of up to 145 mph and volumes as much as 580 cfm. It also has a variable speed trigger and a cruise control function.

Get the Greenworks leaf blower on Amazon.

Battery-powered leaf blowers are appealing to many users since they are easy to use, run more quietly, and don’t have the same odor as gas-powered leaf blowers. We chose the EGO Power+ leaf blower as our top pick since it’s powerful, has a long battery life, and comes with several attachments. For enhanced functionality, consider the versatile Greenworks leaf blower/vacuum.

These recommendations for best battery-powered leaf blowers span a number of popular brands, capacities, and features. We’ve included several models with high-powered motors to help get big jobs done efficiently and more compact models that are great for small areas or light work. For users who like to have two-in-one products, we also looked at recommendations for combination leaf blowers and vacuums that work well to clean up small to average-size jobs.

Our favorite picks include models that have a range of prices to meet almost any budget. All of our selections have impressive airspeed and an average range of airflow to help the motor work efficiently. Several units are lightweight for users who need a model that’s easier to handle, and most of them include a variable speed control to boost power when needed.

Still wondering about why a battery powered leaf blower is such an attractive yard work option? Read on for answers to the most frequently asked questions about these machines. If you don’t find the info you need here, reach out to the manufacturers with specific questions.

That depends on your work style and property size. Gas-powered leaf blowers will run for quite a while before emptying a gas tank, but they’re loud and require considerable maintenance. Battery powered options are lighter, quieter, and cleaner, but batteries can be expensive, and some can’t match the power of gas blowers.

For yard work and professional use, a battery powered leaf blower should be between 350 and 600 cfm, which is roughly 190 mph.

Check with your city or town’s garbage service. Many areas prefer that you bag your leaves in a biodegradable bag, as the city will use them for compost. You can also make your own garden mulch with your leaves. Try this method: Fill a clean garbage can up to a foot from the top with leaves. Then use a string trimmer to chop the leaves to a finer size. Spread your new leaf mulch over raised garden beds.

Expect fresh batteries from cordless blowers to last between about 15 and 30 minutes. Batteries with more amp hours last longer.

Bob Vila has been America’s Handyman since 1979. As the host of beloved and groundbreaking TV series, including This Old House and Bob Vila’s Home Again, he popularized and became synonymous with “do it yourself” home improvement.

Over the course of his decades-long career, Bob Vila has helped millions of people build, renovate, repair, and live better each day—a tradition that continues today with expert yet accessible home advice. The Bob Vila team distills need-to-know information into project tutorials, maintenance guides, tool 101s, and more. These home and garden experts then thoroughly research, vet, and recommend products that support homeowners, renters, DIYers, and professionals in their to-do lists.

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