Leaf Blower Information

In a Dec. 2006 US News and World Report article titled "Get Rid of the Leaf Blower," Linda Creighton summarizes some reasons to use a $25 rake instead of a leaf blower. In addition to saving money (on fuel as well as initial cost), she notes that 60 minutes of raking leaves burns about 325 calories – over twice as many as you burn using a leaf blower.

For very large yards, walk-behind wheeled leaf blowers are an option. Two comparison reviews recommend Little Wonder wheeled leaf blowers over those made by Yard Machines. Popular Mechanics recommends the Little Wonder SHO 9502 (*Est. $700), powered by a 5-horsepower Honda engine. Editors like the way the front wheel swivels for good maneuverability. Airflow is also well-controlled. You can buy a combination machine, a chipper-shredder-vacuum, for about $400. This combines a chipper with the leaf blower, so you can feed it twigs and branches as you come across them. A rear bag collects the shredded leaves and wood.

Complete instructions for using leaf blowers are found on the Stihl website. (Note that this file requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.)

ProGardenBiz.com provides some guidelines for using a leaf blower with minimal disturbance to neighbors.

Leaf-Blowers.com provides information about different types of leaf blowers as well as links to two newspaper articles about the noise pollution controversy they've caused.

Leaf blower manufacturers:

Black & Decker

Craftsman

Echo

Homelite

Husqvarna

John Deere

Ryobi

Stihl

Toro

Troy-Bilt

Weed Eater

Yard-Man