Leaf Blowers

This review compares five leaf blowers based on one user's tests in his own yard. The author tests power by directing the blowers toward a stack of bricks. Noise levels are evaluated by neighbors'… reactions. The highest rating goes to a gas backpack blower, the Stihl BR 500. The Husqvarna 356BT "Quiet Blower" is also powerful and more comfortable to use, but only "if you don't live too close to your neighbors." The John Deere BH25LE handheld gas blower is less powerful and also bothers neighbors. Of the two electric leaf blowers tested here, the Black & Decker BV4000 Leaf Hog gets a slightly higher rating than the Toro Ultra Blower Vac.

expand

collapse

This outdated article recommends three powerful gas leaf blowers, mostly on the basis of their lower noise levels. The noise levels on the recommended blowers have not only been certified by the American… National Standards Institute, but they've been tested and confirmed by the reviewer (with a decibel meter) as well. The Husqvarna 356BTx uses an enclosed engine to lower the sound to 64 decibels, and the Stihl BR 500 is only slightly louder at 65 dB. The John Deere BH25LE is even louder at 68 dB, but the sound is lower-pitched and less annoying than most, and its 4-cycle engine minimizes emissions.

expand

collapse

David Beaulieu, the About.com Landscaping Guide, reviews two electric leaf blower-vacs. He recommends the Black & Decker BV2500 leaf blower for small to medium-size yards, when equipped with the optional… trashcan adapter. The vacuum system still clogs if you try to collect wet leaves, but the push-button conversion from blowing to vacuuming is handy. (Note that ConsumerSearch and About.com are owned by the same parent company, but are not affiliated editorially.)

expand

collapse

This article is more of a buyer's guide than a comparison test. The author advises against trying to use the vacuuming feature found on some leaf blowers, because of frequent clogging and the weight of… collected leaves. He recommends electric leaf blowers for small yards, handheld gas-powered leaf blowers for yards up to a half-acre in size, and backpack gas leaf blowers or wheeled leaf blowers for larger yards.

expand

collapse