Electric Leaf Blowers

Cordless and light-duty electric blowers

For blowing leaves or light dirt off hard surfaces like decks and driveways, either a cordless leaf blower or a light-duty corded electric blower will get the job done. Since they don't require large motors or fans, electric blowers are also the quietest type available. Note that while effective for sweeping hard surfaces, cordless blowers and power brooms don't work well on lawns or flower beds.

The 18-volt Black & Decker NS118 (*Est. $70) is the top-rated cordless electric leaf blower. At only five pounds, it's the most convenient leaf blower for small jobs, such as blowing leaves off of a small driveway or sidewalk. Owner-written reviews posted at Amazon.com recommend this Black & Decker model for quick daily cleanups that take 15 minutes or less. The NS118's air flow, one measure of a blower's power, is rated at 120 mph maximum (compared to almost 150 or higher for more powerful blowers). Power comes from an 18-volt rechargeable nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) battery, and a battery charger is included. Expect an average runtime of about 15 minutes, and about three hours of recharging time. If you have other Ni-Cd battery-powered Black & Decker tools, you can use the batteries interchangeably.

With a lightweight corded electric blower, you can save money and still get more power. The 7-amp Toro Power Sweep 51585 (*Est. $40) weighs 4.6 pounds and has two speeds. (Experts recommend using leaf blowers on the lowest speed that will get the job done.) With a maximum air speed of160 mph and 170 cubic feet per minute (CFM) air volume, this corded electric blower has more power than the aforementioned Black & Decker NS118 cordless blower, but it's still quiet -- the noise level at 50 feet away is only 63.5 decibels. The Toro Power Sweep wins high praise from owners posting reviews at Amazon.com.

If a single blower speed is enough, the 7.5-amp Weed Eater WEB160 (*Est. $40) weighs just 4.5 pounds. Owners praise it at Amazon.com, and it ranks well in comparison tests for light sweeping, outperforming some slightly more expensive electric leaf blowers. It's rated at 69 decibels, however, so it's significantly louder than the Toro Power Sweep electric leaf blower.

Most powerful electric leaf blowers

More expensive leaf blowers can be just as powerful and effective as gas blowers, yet they are quieter, easier to maintain, cheaper to run, and more eco-friendly. Most of the pricier electric leaf blowers can also vacuum and mulch leaves.

In vacuuming mode, leaf blowers are rated according to a mulching ratio that indicates how much the leaf volume is compressed. The highest ratio available is 16:1, meaning that under ideal conditions, 16 bushels of leaves could be compressed to one bushel of finely chopped bits. Most reviews say it's more realistic to expect a ratio of only about 3:1, though users say it depends on the type of leaf. Large, wet or tough leaves are harder to mulch, and also more apt to clog the vacuuming tube. Depending on the type of leaf involved, you might see a discrepancy in user reviews with some people giving a blower rave reviews for vacuuming, while others say there's no point in trying to vacuum with it.

For several years running, reviewers have given top ranking to the 12-amp Toro 51599 Ultra Blower Vac (*Est. $75). An infinitely-variable-speed motor helps keep the noise down. It weighs 7.5 pounds and is rated at 67 decibels on high speed (235 mph), 63 decibels on low (112 mph). With a rated 385 CFM average air volume, it has plenty of power too, In addition to quiet performance, the Toro Ultra Blower Vac's big advantage lies in its metal blades for chopping up leaves as it vacuums. (We found quite a few complaints about the plastic blades used in other leaf-blower vacs breaking after relatively short usage.) Tests show that the Toro 51599 Ultra Blower Vac does indeed shred leaves better than most -- though not at the 16:1 ratio claimed by the manufacturer.

Owners say they like the Toro Ultra's variable speed, and this leaf blower can be used with a 14-gauge 150-foot cord for long range. Reviews do point out some drawbacks, however. The tubes are so long that short users may find this model awkward to manage; the vacuuming attachment can be hard to hook-up and remove, and the leaf-collection bag can be difficult to position and empty. The Ultra Blower (like other Toro leaf blowers) carries a two-year warranty.

The slightly less powerful 12-amp Toro Super Blower Vac 51592 (*Est. $55) has just two speeds and only goes as low as 159 mph, so it's neither as quiet as the Ultra Blower Vac, nor as appropriate for blowing leaves around delicate plants. Like the UItra Blower Vac, the Toro Super Blower vac weighs about 7.5 pounds. The mulching ratio is rated at only 10:1, and comparison tests show that the Super Blower doesn't mulch as well as the Ultra Blower. Despite these disadvantages, this Toro leaf blower is recommended by several reviewers as a best buy. It gets good ratings from users on HomeDepot.com and Amazon.com, though a few owners say the plastic impeller is apt to break.

At 6.5 pounds, the two-speed Toro Rake and Vac 51574 (*Est. $55) weighs about a pound less than the other two Toro leaf blowers mentioned earlier. Its 10.5-amp motor and lower speed range make it quieter than the Super Blower Vac, and it's better for blowing leaves around delicate plants. Tests demonstrate that the Toro Rake and Vac electric leaf blower doesn't loosen debris as well as the Toro Ultra Blower and Super Blower, but for sweeping and vacuuming it performs equally well. The Rake and Vac's mulching ratio is listed as 8:1. At its low speed of 135 mph, the noise level is only 63 decibels (at 50 feet), but it rises to 66.5 decibels on high speed (215 mph).

A CNNMoney.com review gives the now-discontinued Black & Decker BV4000 Leaf Hog a higher rating than the Toro Ultra Blower Vac. A similar subsequent model, the Leaf Hog LH4500 (*Est. $70) gets high ratings at Amazon.com. This Black & Decker blower has metal impeller blades like the Toro Ultra Blower Vac, as well as a two-speed motor. It's rated at up to 240 mph with 385 CFM, but at 69 decibels at the highest speed, it's loud. On the Black & Decker LH4500 you can switch from blowing to vacuuming with the push of a button. Another advantage is that you can send the vacuumed leaves into an optional trash-can adapter. Black & Decker's BV006 Leaf Collection System (*Est. $30) connects the leaf blower directly to a trash can, so you don't have to deal with a leaf bag. (At Amazon.com, you can buy the Black & Decker LH4500 and the BV006 Leaf Collection System together for about $90.) Users reviewing Black & Decker leaf-blower vacs say this system works extremely well.