Leaf blowers have been around for decades. You may be surprised to learn that this handy device was invented way back in 1950 by a Brazilian-born engineer named Aldo Vandermolen. They were initially only available in "back-pack" form, but eventually, in the 1980s, the first hand-held blower was created.
In recent years, battery powered leaf blowers have taken over the leaf blowing world. Let's take a look at some of their advantages:
Lightweight
Since these are battery powered, no heavy motor is needed, therefore they are a lot lighter than their gas-powered cousins.
Easy Maintenance
With the lack of a combustion engine, maintenance of battery powered leaf blowers is a breeze (pun intended!). The only thing required is cleaning the blower tube from time-to-time and of course charging the battery. I have two batteries for my blower, so there's always one with a full charge.
Quieter
Battery powered leaf blowers are much quieter than the gas variety. Certain cities and neighborhoods have banned gas leaf blowers due to the exessive noise. But if you have a battery powered one, you should have no worries!
Easy to Use
Since there's no gas and oil to worry about, and no pull rope to start the engine, less noise (so no ear protection needed), battery powered leaf blowers are much simpler to use. All you have to do to start them up is press a single button! In addition, compared to the electric plug-in models, you don't have to worry about pulling a power cord behind you, getting it snagged on bushes and trees, or wrapping it up when you're done. Easy peasy.
Environmentally Friendly
Less and less electricity is coming from non-renewable sources like coal and natural gas, and more environmentally-friendly sources like solar and wind are taking the planet by storm. So the more electricity-powered devices we can use in our daily lives vs. gas-powered, the less greenhouse gas emissions we produce. Also, production costs and best practices of producing batteries for leaf blowers are improving constantly. Nice, right?
What are the best battery powered leaf blowers?
We've tested most of the popular leaf blowers, and these are our favorite three:
GreenWorks Pro GBL80300
- Its powerful 2 AH battery provides up to 70 minutes of run time
- 500 CFM and 125 MPH will blow away anything in your path
- Very quiet at only 60 DB
WORX TURBINE WG591
- A 56 V battery can give you up to a whopping 90 minutes of run time
- At only 8 LBS, it's a cinch to carry around
- A 3 year warranty gives you some peace of mind
EGO Power+ LB4801
- If ran on low setting, can provide up to 1 hour of blowing power
- Its weather-resistant construction allows you to blow your yard in the rain or snow
- A 3-speed design with Turbo Boost gives you the flexibility to handle any leaf or debris situation
Hopefully this helped you get a good understanding of the benefits of battery powered leaf blowers, as well as the top ones on the market today. Good luck out there!