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Leaf Blowers: Ratings of Sources
Total of 24 Sources

For an explanation of how we rank reviews, see our ratings criteria page.

1. ConsumerReports.org
Not Dated
Leaf Blowers
by Editors of ConsumerReports.org
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis review offers the best objective comparison tests of any we evaluated. Both electric and gas leaf blowers are rated on their performance in loosening and sweeping debris, along with their ease of handling and noise level. Ratings charts rank the performance of the leaf blowers that were tested.
2. PopularMechanics.com
Not dated
Backpack Leaf Blower Comparison Test
by Roy Berendsohn
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentFor this recent comparison test, a group of Popular Mechanics volunteers tested seven backpack leaf blowers -- five residential and two professional models -- giving them "a workout blowing wet and dry leaves, sticks, pine cones and seedpods." Of the residential models, the Echo PB-500 and the Husqvarna 350BT get the highest scores based on their performance.
3. Amazon.com
As of Sept. 2011
Blowers and Vacuums
by Contributors to Amazon.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentAmazon's owner-written reviews and ratings often give useful details about annoyances, reliability, long-term durability and customer service. The Toro Ultra Blower Vac 51599 gets both the most owner reviews (more than 900) and the highest overall rating (4.3 out of 5 stars). Other leaf blowers with lots of reviews and high overall ratings include the Toro Power Sweep 51585 and the Worx TriVac WG500.
4. HomeDepot.com
As of Sept. 2011
Leaf Blowers
by Contributors to HomeDepot.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentHome Depot invites readers to rate leaf blowers on its website, but there's no easy way to compare overall ratings -- you're forced to click on each product individually. In addition to the top-rated Toro Ultra Blower Vac 51599, the Toro Super Blower Vac 51592 gets excellent ratings, as does another electric blower, the Worx TriVac WG500 Among the gas blowers listed here, two Echo models stand out: the handheld PB-250 and the backpack PB-500H.
5. PopularMechanics.com
Not dated
No Gas, No Problem: Stihl's Battery-Powered Tools Get the Job Done
by Roy Berendsohn
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentStaffer Roy Berendsohn explains that he's always favored gas over electric outdoor power tools. However, after trying out Stihl's new line of 36 volt cordless tools, including the BGA 85 cordless blower, he changes his mind. He writes, "It's the first cordless outdoor power equipment I've found that radically closes the gap between gas engine and cordless (or electric)." Stihl USA says its BGA 85 blower will be available in fall 2011.
6. PopularMechanics.com
Oct. 1, 2009
4 Tools You Need to Know this October
by Popular Mechanics Staff
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis article includes a brief review of the Toro Ultra Blower Vac 51599, praising it for its light weight and low noise level. It's one of the four tools the staff of Popular Mechanics says every homeowner should have.
7. PopularMechanics.com
Oct. 1, 2009
8 Lawn Rakes Turn Over a New Leaf with Unique Designs
by Joseph Truini
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentIn this blog post, Joseph Truini recommends eight leaf-removal tools he says are the best in some way. He chooses the Toro Ultra Blower Vac for its versatility, writing that it is "one of the most versatile leaf collecting tools on the market today" because it can blow, vacuum and shred leaves.
8. Sears.com
As of Sept. 2011
Blowers
by Contributors to Sears.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentMost of the blowers reviewed here are Craftsman models, though the Toro Ultra Blower Vac gets more than 30 reviews and high ratings. The top-rated Craftsman gas blowers are two-cycle handheld blowers, including the Craftsman Pro 79481 and the Craftsman 79477. Two Craftsman electric blowers, models 74828 and 74827, get high ratings from a significant number of owners as well.
9. MowersDirect.com
As of Sept. 2011
Leaf Blowers
by Staff of MowersDirect.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentMowersDirect.com also sells leaf blowers, and staffers there recommend electric, cordless, gas handheld and backpack blowers based on their experience and knowledge of the products. No comparison testing has been done, however. Toro and Worx are the most recommended brands among electric and cordless offerings, while Husqvarna and Troy-Bilt gas models get nods. Brands that MowersDirect.com doesn't sell won't show up in their recommendations, though, so comparisons are tricky.
10. Toolsnob.com
June 12, 2011
Black & Decker Cordless Grasshog Trimmer and Cordless Sweeper -- Reviews
by Editors of ToolSnob.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentNoting that Black & Decker has revamped its lineup of cordless outdoor tools, the editors of ToolSnob.com offer reviews of two of the new products (samples of which, they explain, Black & Decker provided them): a cordless string trimmer and a cordless sweeper. The sweeper, model LSW120, is not as powerful as a blower, they find, but it performs very well at doing the job it was designed to do -- clean hard surfaces without raising a cloud of dust.
11. National Home Gardening Club
As of Sept. 2011
Outdoor Power Tools
by Members of National Home Gardening Club
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentMembers of the National Home Gardening Club try out products (which they receive free of charge) and rate them; those that get high ratings become recommended products. In the outdoor power tools category three leaf blowers are recommended: the handheld gas Echo PB-250, which gets the highest rating of the three, and the electric Worx TriVac WG500 and Remington RM193BVT. It's not clear how many members tested each product or what rating criteria they used.
12. Bestcovery.com
Aug. 16, 2011
Best Gas Powered Leaf Blower Overall
by "Rich the Tool Man"
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentAs with the article about electric blowers, this article lists and briefly describes the best gas leaf blowers -- five in all -- and provides links to slightly longer reviews of each model, along with user reviews from Amazon.com. Two backpack models are listed, along with the handheld Stihl BG 86, Makita BH X2500 and propane-powered Lehr BV025HH Eco Blower. This article has been updated since 2010, but it still lists the same models.
13. Bestcovery.com
June 25, 2009
Best Electric Leaf Blower
by "Paul S."
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis article, which hasn't been updated since 2009, picks two electric leaf blowers as the best electrics overall: the Toro Ultra Blower Vac and the Weed Eater WEB160. It is not clear how these two models were chosen as best overall; no testing appears to have been done. There are links to full reviews of each model, along with user reviews gathered from Amazon.com. You can search the lawn equipment section of the site for the best blower (or other type of equipment) in terms of price, performance and several other criteria, which is useful.
14. Toolsnob.com
April 7, 2010
Lehr 4-Stroke Propane Powered 25cc Eco Blower/Vac -- Review
by Editors of ToolSnob.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThe editors of ToolSnob.com tried out both the blower and vacuum functions of the Lehr Eco Blower. They note that it's significantly heavier than an electric blower, but they say it's well balanced and easy to handle. The blower function worked well, they note, saying it is powerful enough to meet a homeowner's needs. They give the vacuum function low ratings, writing that you can't see through the black leaf collection bag to check whether it's full, and the bag these reviewers were using came apart in a relatively short time. Overall, they conclude, "we're taking the blower half, but leaving the vac half."
15. About.com
Not Dated
Lehr Eco Blower: Propane Powered BlowerVac and Mulcher
by Kelly Burke
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentIn this single-product review, Kelly Burke, About.com's guide to lawn care, gives the propane-powered Lehr Eco Blower a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. The review is based on his own use of this blower. He praises its ease of operation and low maintenance needs, as well as the fact that it creates less pollution than a gas blower. He writes that it "performs as well as it claims, starting with ease and working admirably on both wet and dry leaves." The only downside he notes is its noise level, which is about the same as that of a gas leaf blower. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
16. About.com
Not Dated
Top 6 Leaf Blowers, Vacuums, Shredders -- Even Rakes
by Marie Iannotti
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentMarie Iannotti is the About.com guide to gardening. She lists the best leaf-removal tools, including plain old rakes. Three leaf blowers are among her top choices: the Black & Decker BV2500 Electric Blower Vac, the Black & Decker NS118 Cordless Electric Blower and the Toro Ultra Blower Vac. It's not clear how Iannotti chose these leaf blowers, because it doesn't appear that she has tested them. She briefly describes, but does not fully review, each blower. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
17. Engadget.com
Sept. 23, 2005
Quiet Leaf-Blowers Attempt to Stop Epidemic of Lawn Rage
by Marc Perton
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis older review highlights two relatively quiet leaf blowers, the Echo PB-460LN Quiet 1 and the Husqvarna 356BTx (now the 356BT), both of which are backpack blowers suitable for large lawns or professional landscapers. Both run at about 65 decibels and are extremely quiet compared with the 90-decibel average for most leaf blowers of this type.
18. About.com
Not Dated
Top 5 Leaf Blowers, Vacuums, Mulching Lawn Mowers, Wood Chipper
by David Beaulieu
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentDavid Beaulieu, About.com's landscaping guide, reviews two electric leaf blower vacs. He recommends the Black & Decker BV2500 leaf blower, equipped with the optional trash can adapter, for small- to medium-size yards. This report links to Beaulieu's review of a discontinued Craftsman four-cycle gas leaf blower vac. Beaulieu likes electric blowers much better than gas ones. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
19. LawnSite.com
As of Sept. 20112
Echo Handheld Blower PB-250 vs. 255....?
by Contributors to LawnSite.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentLawnSite.com's Commercial and Residential Lawn Mowing forum includes this discussion on leaf blowers. The thread compares the Echo PB-250 and the PB-255; it also includes comments from owners of the Stihl BG 86.
20. GardenWeb.com
As of Sept. 2011
The Tool Shed Forum
by Contributors to GardenWeb.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThe Tool Shed Forum at GardenWeb.com is searchable, so it's possible to find information from users about a specific leaf blower model or brand. There are no ratings, just informal exchanges based on people's experiences. We found several current discussion threads about the best backpack blowers, though no consensus on which is best for the money.
21. Lowes.com
As of Sept. 2011
Leaf Blowers
by Contributors to Lowes.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentLowe's invites owners to publish ratings and comments about leaf blowers, but most models have few of either. Among gas blowers, the Husqvarna handheld 125B gets very high ratings from more than 65 people. The corded electric Black & Decker LH4500 Leaf Hog blower vac gets good ratings from more than 30 people.
22. ConsumerGuide.com
As of Sept. 2011
Blowers and Vacs Reviews and Prices
by Editors of ConsumerGuide.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentConsumerGuide.com publishes single-product reviews and ratings of leaf blowers, though most are now outdated and there's no evidence of any testing. Two discontinued electric blowers are named best buys, and the cordless Black & Decker NS118 also gets a high rating. A gas model, the Troy-Bilt QuickShift Blower Vac TB310QS, is named a Budget Buy. An archived review of the Stihl BG 55 gives it a perfect score. The editors say this model has been discontinued, but that information is incorrect.
23. Bestcovery.com
Aug. 16, 2011
Best Gas Powered Leaf Blower Overall
by "Rich the Tool Man"
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentAs with the article about electric blowers, this article lists and briefly describes the best gas leaf blowers -- five in all -- and provides links to slightly longer reviews of each model, along with user reviews from Amazon.com. Two backpack models are listed, along with the handheld Stihl BG 86, Makita BH X2500 and propane-powered Lehr BV025HH Eco Blower. This article has been updated since 2010, but it still lists the same models.
24. Bestcovery.com
June 25, 2009
Best Electric Leaf Blower
by "Paul S."
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis article, which hasn't been updated since 2009, picks two electric leaf blowers as the best electrics overall: the Toro Ultra Blower Vac and the Weed Eater WEB160. It is not clear how these two models were chosen as best overall; no testing appears to have been done. There are links to full reviews of each model, along with user reviews gathered from Amazon.com. You can search the lawn equipment section of the site for the best blower (or other type of equipment) in terms of price, performance and several other criteria, which is useful.
     
 

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