Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (2024)

A leaf blower can make short work of tasks that would otherwise require laborious sweeping or raking. The best leaf blower and vacuums have the high airflow capacity and airspeed to handle the toughest yard work tasks of the fall and winter seasons, like clearing heavy clumps of fallen leaves and other debris.

We tested 34 electric leaf blowers, including corded and cordless options, both in our outdoor lab and at home, evaluating each for ease of assembly and use, battery life (if applicable), noise levels, and effectiveness at clearing debris in various landscape conditions.

According to Deane Biermeier, a member of The Spruce Home Improvement Review Board, you should consider airflow capacity, measured in cubic feet per minute (cfm), when selecting a leaf blower. “For most residential uses, 500 cfm is a good middle-of-the-road power level. Small cordless models with 300 to 400 cfm airflow work just fine for small yards with few trees." During our testing, we found that models with even lower airflow can work well for light jobs like clearing fall leaves from your porch.

Biermeier also recommends considering the airspeed, measured in miles per hour (mph). “If you need to move a small amount of leaves over a long distance, aim for higher airspeed. If you need to move a lot of leaves a short distance, higher airflow is the way to go.”

With that in mind, we evaluated the results of our lab and home testing to identify the best options for a variety of circumstances, including plug-in, battery-powered, and gas models.

Editor's Note: This story was updated in September 2024 to include new recommendations and long-term testing insights.

What We Like

  • Strong airflow with turbo option

  • Doesn’t make too much noise

  • Easy to maneuver

  • No complicated assembly

What We Don't Like

  • On the heavy side

  • Need to hold down turbo button

The Ego Power+ 670 CFM Blower impressed us with its maneuverability, raw power, and long run time, which is why it’s our favorite battery-powered leaf blower. It’s a single-function model that doesn’t vacuum or mulch, but we think it’s worth adding to your power tool lineup after using it in our own yard to tidy up grass clippings, evict dried leaves we found hiding in the margins, and keep our driveway and walkways tidy, without ever needing to stop mid-task to recharge.

When we tested this blower at home, we were impressed with its intuitive controls and powerful performance. We like that it has an easy dial you can use to adjust the output from 250 to 530 cfm to handle lighter jobs and thick mats of wet leaves. The turbo mode is especially powerful, but we wish it had a toggle because holding it down can get tiring.

We used this leaf blower all around our house to corral grass clippings and remove other debris. It worked quite well to virtually sweep our driveway and walkways, leaving them spotless and free of grass clippings, and it was also maneuverable enough to get into tight spots.

We were even able to blow out a bunch of dry leaves that had gotten stuck between our air conditioner and the house during the previous fall, which our old plug-in Ryobi leaf blower missed.

This leaf blower is a little on the heavy side, but that’s largely because the powerful battery weighs almost as much as the bare tool itself. Together, they weigh almost exactly the same as a fully fueled Echo 2-Stroke Cycle Handheld Leaf Blower (our overall best gas pick). We never felt fatigued, though, and we think the raw power and long-lasting battery life are worth the extra weight.

Fuel Type: Battery | Weight: 9.5 pounds | CFM: 250 to 530 | MPH: 180 | Noise Rating: 64 dB

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (2)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (3)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (4)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (5)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (6)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (7)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (8)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (9)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (10)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (11)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (12)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (13)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (14)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (15)

What We Like

  • Powerful and efficient

  • Works well on all surfaces

  • Compact and easy to store

  • Relatively light

What We Don't Like

  • Makes a lot of noise

  • No shoulder strap

  • Requires engine maintenance

The Echo 2-Stroke Cycle Handheld Leaf Blower is our favorite gas leaf blower because it is powerful, surprisingly lightweight, and performed very well in real-world testing. We were especially impressed with how well it handled different surfaces, including our yard, sidewalk, and brick patio, which we’ve had trouble clearing with other methods.

This leaf blower is similar to the Ego Power+ 670 CFM Blower (our overall best electric leaf blower recommendation) in terms of specifications. It has slightly lower airflow and wind speed numbers, but it performs very similarly in real life. The main difference is that it’s much louder, so make sure to wear ear protection.

The airflow feels very powerful, and it never had any trouble removing any debris we aimed it at. We used it to clear wet grass clippings, dry leaves, and other debris from a variety of surfaces, and we’re confident that it will handle wet leaves quite well since we were able to use it to move mulch around.

One area where this leaf blower really impressed us was our brick patio, which we’ve struggled to clean with a broom in the past. We had even been unable to get it totally clean by hosing it off, but this leaf blower left it spotless. We were also able to blow off our patio furniture while we were at it.

We think it’s a great option for medium and large yards with lots of leaves, but you may want to pick up a shoulder harness if you have a big yard—while we were able to use this leaf blower with one hand and never felt too fatigued, we do think its weight and power could be tiresome for more than clearing a smaller yard.

We also had some initial trouble with the pull start (one reason we tend to prefer battery-powered options), but it became easier to start after we ran it a few times.

Fuel Type: Gas | Weight: 8.6 pounds | CFM: 453 | MPH: 170 | Noise Rating: 105.8 dB

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (17)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (18)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (19)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (20)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (21)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (22)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (23)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (24)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (25)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (26)

What We Like

  • Power cord stays plugged in

  • Lightweight and easy to handle

  • No complicated setup

What We Don't Like

  • Not very powerful

  • Only one air speed

For small yards and light cleanup that doesn't require the power of a more expensive model, we recommend the Greenworks Single Speed Electric Blower. We tested one both in the Lab and at home, and we found it to be very lightweight and easy to maneuver (as long as you don’t trip over the power cord), with enough power to handle both wet and dry leaves.

We used this leaf blower at home primarily on our front porch to clear hydrangea leaves and petals, blow grass clippings off our driveway and sidewalk, and tidy up other debris. We had previously used a larger and more powerful blower for those tasks but found it to be so unwieldy that we would just sweep instead. That wasn't an issue with how lightweight and easy this blower is to handle.

One thing we love about this electric leaf blower is the cord lock system, which holds your extension cord in place. We never had the cord accidentally come unplugged, so we think that it’s really an essential feature for a corded electric blower like this. We also liked how easy it was to plug it in and start blowing off our porch at any time, without worrying about batteries or gas.

This leaf blower isn’t as powerful as many of our recommendations, with a slightly slower airspeed and significantly lower airflow. That's why we think it’s best for smaller jobs. You’re also limited by the length of your extension cord and the availability of power outlets around the exterior of your home.

It had more than enough power, though, to clear dead leaves, flowers, and grass, and we even used it in the winter to clean out the floor of our garage.

Fuel Type: Plug-in | Weight: 4.5 pounds | CFM: 150 | MPH: 160 | Noise Rating: 69.3 dB

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (28)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (29)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (30)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (31)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (32)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (33)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (34)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (35)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (36)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (37)

What We Like

  • Powerful without all the noise

  • Easy and understandable controls

  • Lightweight

What We Don't Like

  • No nozzle attachments

  • Lacks precision

If you want a leaf blower that makes less noise than the average model without compromising on power, we recommend the Milwaukee M18 Fuel. This leaf blower had no trouble clearing our yard of huge maple leaves despite producing less noise than most other battery-powered models, which are already significantly quieter than gas leaf blowers.

We used this leaf blower to handle regular yard maintenance in our big backyard, which is home to two full-grown maple trees that drop a ton of leaves, and our front yard, where we have a river birch that seems to shed constantly. It easily handled the birch leaves, and to our surprise, it also moved wet and dry maple leaves even when they were caught in tight crevices.

We had previously used a handheld Echo gas leaf blower to remove all the leaves in our front and back yards, and we were surprised to find that this battery-powered Milwaukee model handled the same tasks without making a dangerously loud noise.

We do wish it came with some nozzle attachments since the huge blower tube isn’t very precise at all, but we think it’s well suited to any situation where power is more important than precision. The version we tested also had excellent battery life since it came with two batteries, but if that configuration isn’t available you’ll need to buy a Milwaukee M18 Fuel battery in addition to just the tool itself.

Fuel Type: Battery | Weight: 5.4 pounds | CFM: 500 | MPH: 120 | Noise Rating: 57 dB

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (39)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (40)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (41)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (42)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (43)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (44)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (45)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (46)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (47)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (48)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (49)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (50)

What We Like

  • Blows, vacuums, and mulches

  • Large collection bag included

  • Very easy to set up

What We Don't Like

  • Awkward in vacuum/mulch mode

  • Lacks power

If you’re looking for a leaf blower that can also vacuum and mulch, we recommend the Greenworks Cordless Brushless Leaf Blower/Vacuum. We tested this combo unit all around our yard to blow grass clippings from our patio and walkways and also checked out the vacuum mode, and it performed both tasks quite well.

This blower did a great job clearing wet and dry grass clippings from our yard, patio, and walkway. The airflow is on the low side, but the airspeed is quite fast, so it excels at blowing lightweight debris like grass clippings. It’s much quicker than sweeping manually and less tiring since the blower is very light and easy to handle.

We also tested out the vacuum mode and mulching feature with grass clippings since the leaves had yet to start to fall. Aside from an initial issue with getting the collection bag securely zipped up, we found that it vacuumed up most of the grass clippings, and then we could switch back to the blower mode to finish tidying up.

Since this leaf blower/vacuum is on the weaker side in terms of airflow, we think it’s best for lighter jobs, smaller yards, and dry leaves. It may struggle with large or wet leaves, so keep that in mind if you prefer to clear your leaves all at once. In that case you may do better with a more powerful option like the Ego Power+ 670 CFM Blower (our overall best battery-powered leaf blower) or a dedicated leaf mulcher.

This combo model comes with a blower tube, a vacuum tube, and a large collection bag, and we found it quite easy to switch between modes. The accessories snap into place without too much time or effort, and the process isn’t difficult to figure out. It is a little awkward to hold and access the controls when using it in vacuum mode, but we were able to use it effectively anyway.

Fuel Type: Battery | Weight: 5.6 pounds | CFM: 340 | MPH: 185 | Noise Rating: 70 dB

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (52)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (53)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (54)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (55)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (56)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (57)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (58)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (59)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (60)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (61)

What We Like

  • Fast and effective

  • Very comfortable

  • Long battery life

  • Cruise control option

What We Don't Like

  • Not very precise

  • Hard to maneuver in tight spots

If you have a big yard and a lot of leaves to deal with, we recommend this backpack leaf blower from Ego. It’s extremely powerful but also surprisingly lightweight, with a harness that makes it very comfortable to wear for long periods of time. When we tested this leaf blower in our lab and at home, we found the controls to be very easy to use, but it’s definitely more powerful than it is precise.

This leaf blower performed exceptionally well when we tested it in our lab, clearing leaves from a variety of surfaces in a short amount of time. The powerful airflow didn’t allow us to achieve any level of precision, but we think you should be able to gather large, loose piles of leaves if you have a huge lawn with a lot of trees.

We were especially impressed with how this leaf blower performed in our tests of raw power, which involved moving weighted fish nets. We were able to stand quite a distance away and still freely move the weighted nets, so we think it’s a great option for clearing out piles of heavy, wet leaves.

When we used this blower at home in our yard that has more than 20 trees, we found that it vastly reduced the amount of time we would typically spend raking. It also handled other debris like sticks from our driveway, and then we used it to clear some snow from the driveway and sidewalk during the winter.

We found this leaf blower to be very comfortable to wear for long periods of time since it has a well-designed harness. It also weighs about half as much as the Husqvarna Gas Backpack Leaf Blower (our most powerful pick). The Husqvarna is more powerful, but it’s also a lot noisier.

This leaf blower also has a cruise control mode that we found very useful. While it normally requires you to hold down the trigger to keep the blower going, the cruise control mode lets you set the airflow you want. We appreciate that option, since it doesn’t fatigue your hand as much.

Fuel Type: Battery | Weight: 12.7 pounds | CFM: 600 | MPH: 145 | Noise Rating: 64 dB

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (63)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (64)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (65)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (66)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (67)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (68)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (69)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (70)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (71)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (72)

What We Like

  • Light and easy to carry

  • Powerful airflow

  • Two speed settings

  • Effective cord retainer

What We Don't Like

  • Lacks precision

  • Difficult to change settings with one hand

The Worx Turbine 600 Electric Leaf Blower is our favorite corded leaf blower because it provides very high airflow while still being lightweight and easy to handle. It performed well in our lab tests and then helped reduce the time we spent doing yard work at home, with variable speeds that blew right through small and large tasks.

When we tested this leaf blower at our lab, it was extremely effective at clearing both dry and wet leaves from a variety of surfaces. It was especially fast when blowing leaves from a hard concrete surface, but we were also impressed with how well it handled heavy, wet leaves. The air speed is lower than a lot of the models we’ve tested, but the extremely high airflow really gets the job done.

We also used this blower at home to clear leaves from our yard and patio area, which is where it came in handy that it’s so lightweight and maneuverable. We like that it has two power settings, which we used to handle different jobs around the yard. It was a bit awkward to change the power setting with just one hand, but we were able to reach over with our other hand to take care of it.

The only problem we encountered with this blower was with the extension cord. It initially came unplugged, but after we figured out how to use the cord retainer, that was no longer an issue. The version we tested also came with an extension cord that became very stiff and difficult to maneuver in cold temperatures, so we really recommend picking up acold-weather extension cord if you want to use it through the winter months.

Fuel Type: Plug-in | Weight: 6.4 pounds | CFM: 600 | MPH: 110 | Noise Rating: 90 dB

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (74)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (75)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (76)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (77)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (78)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (79)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (80)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (81)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (82)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (83)

What We Like

  • Harness feels comfortable

  • Ergonomic design and controls

  • Handles big yards without refueling

  • Easy setup and assembly

What We Don't Like

  • Big and heavy

  • Requires regular motor maintenance

If you’re looking for raw power, we recommend the Husqvarna 150BT. This backpack leaf blower runs on gas and has a hefty 51cc motor, and it outperforms all of our other recommendations by a significant amount. We were blown away by the sheer speed of the air flowing from the nozzle and the massive volume of air it pushed, which made very short work of an 800-square-foot area covered in grass clippings and leaves.

While we used this leaf blower in a relatively small area, the power impressed us so much that we’re confident that it's suitable for the biggest yards with the heaviest leaf coverage. It shortened the amount of time we’d typically spend on yard maintenance by a significant amount, blowing away wet grass clippings and leaves with remarkable speed.

All that power comes with a few downsides, including noise and flying debris. We feel like it’s very important to wear ear protection when using this tool, and you may want to consider eye protection or a face mask. We noticed a lot of grit and other debris flying around and even back at our face, especially when blowing off hard surfaces.

This is a heavy tool, tipping the scales at almost three times the weight of the handheld Echo 2-Stroke Cycle Handheld Leaf Blower (our overall best gas leaf blower pick), but the harness is so comfortable that we never really felt the weight. The weight is really only an issue when taking the leaf blower out of storage and putting it away since we barely felt it once we had it on.

In addition to being comfortable to wear for long periods (perfect for handling huge yards with lots of leaves), we found the controls to be ergonomic and easy to handle. The blower tube has a joystick mounted to it that fits easily in our hand, allowing us to freely redirect the airflow wherever it needs to go while also controlling the airspeed. It does require regular maintenance like any other gas-powered tool, and it’s harder to get started than a battery-powered model, but we think it’s worth it if you need the extra power.

Fuel Type: Gas | Weight: 22 pounds | CFM: 765 | MPH: 270 | Noise Rating: 110 dB

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (85)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (86)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (87)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (88)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (89)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (90)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (91)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (92)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (93)

  • Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (94)

What We Like

  • Very lightweight

  • Doesn’t take up much space

  • Two speed settings

  • Easy to control

What We Don't Like

  • Not suitable for large tasks

The Toro Power Sweep Electric Leaf Blower is our favorite option for small yards because it’s small, compact, lightweight, and very easy to use. It lacks the power to handle big yards or heavy, wet leaves, but it was the most precise model we tested at our lab. It also performed very well when we took it home to clear leaves and other debris from our deck, walkways, and other areas around the house.

This leaf blower has the lowest airflow of any model we recommend, which is why it isn’t suitable for heavy-duty jobs. It excels at smaller tasks, though, like blowing dry leaves and grass clippings. The relatively low airflow makes it much easier to control, with no kickback or tiring vibrations.

When we tested this leaf blower in our lab, it was one of the only models capable of handling our precision tasks and the fastest. Where other more powerful leaf blowers sent leaves flying everywhere, this one allowed us to easily corral leaves into a target area.

We also took this leaf blower home to test for about six months, using it to tidy up a variety of areas around our home. It excelled at clearing leaves and other debris from the deck, and we also used to blow grass clippings from the walkways.

Since it’s so light and easy to use, we had no qualms about pulling it out weekly to keep everything looking neat and tidy. We even used it to blow leaves out of our gutters before they could accumulate and make a mess, sending them out into the yard where we could pick them up with a lawn sweeper.

Fuel Type: Plug-in | Weight: 4.6 pounds | CFM: 155 | MPH: 160 | Noise Rating: 63.5 dB

Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (96)

Final Verdict

After testing dozens of leaf blowers at the Lab and home, we determined that the Ego Power+ 670 CFM Blower is our pick for the overall best battery-powered leaf blower. We loved the turbo mode and extremely high airflow, which made short work of even the toughest jobs. If you prefer the extra runtime and power of a gas model, we recommend the Echo 2-Stroke Cycle Handheld Leaf Blower. We found it to be very powerful and efficient, with a compact design that's easy to handle and surprisingly lightweight for a gas model.

How We Tested the Leaf Blowers

In order to make the best picks for this list, we initially tested 27 leaf blowers in our outdoor lab, evaluating each product’s effectiveness, battery life, ease of use, portability, noise level, and value. We also took our favorites home to test for up to six months, using them to clear leaves, grass clippings, and other debris from our outdoor spaces. We then tested seven new models at home for several weeks, and added our top performers to this list.

  • Effectiveness: We tested effectiveness in our outdoor lab with a series of scenarios in which each leaf blower had to either remove leaves from a surface, group leaves into an area, or move a set of weighted fishnets. We evaluated each for how much time it took and how easily it accomplished the tasks. At home, we normally used leaf blowers to clear our lawns, patios, driveways, and walkways, noting how well they handled leaves and other debris.
  • Power Sources: To evaluate battery life, we noted whether each blower's power output remained consistent and whether its battery life started depleting during the test. For corded and gas-powered models, we instead evaluated how well the extension cord stayed in place and how often we had to fill the gas.
  • Portability: We weighed each unit to help us determine portability, but we also assessed how balanced each unit felt and how easy each unit was to operate with one hand. For corded models, we also considered the length and manageability of the cord.
  • Ease of Use: We noted how seamlessly we could switch between modes on models with variable speeds, locate a unit’s controls, maneuver a unit for an extended period of time, and use a unit’s extra attachments when applicable. We also used a decibel meter to measure the air blowers’ noise level.
  • Value: We weighed all of the model’s pros and cons against its price to determine whether it was an advisable investment.
  • Long-Term Testing: As we did with our initial leaf blower tests, we will continue to test our winners at home for six months or more to see how they handle changing seasons and conditions, including peak fall cleanup season and beyond. We'll update this list based on those long-term results.

0:29

Testing Leaf Blowers for Noise, Battery Life, and Power

What to Look for in a Leaf Blower or Vacuum

Airflow Volume Measured in Cfm

When you start looking for a leaf blower, it's important to consider how much air the blower can push to understand how well it will handle different debris. This is provided in cubic feet per minute (cfm). The higher this number, the more air is pushed through the tube every second. This translates into a more powerful gust of air, allowing you to move heavier leaves, sticks, and twigs at a faster pace.

If you plan to blow wet leaves, you'll need a leaf blower with a higher airflow volume than you would handle dry leaves. In the same vein, you'll need a higher airflow if you want to move heavy debris like sticks, smooth out dirt, or blow out mulch.

Out of all the leaf blowers on our list, the Husqvarna Gas Backpack Leaf Blower (our most powerful pick) can move the largest volume of air. Its airflow capacity is 765 cfm, making it well-suited for tackling big, wet leaves and other heavy debris.

Our best corded pick, the Worx WG520 12 Amp TURBINE 600 Electric Leaf Blower, is a handheld option with a very high airflow at 600 cfm. Since it's corded, it's also much less expensive than most gas- and battery-powered models.

If you have a small yard and lightweight debris, then you don't need to prioritize airflow volume.

Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (97)

Airspeed Measured in Mph

You'll also see leaf blowers' airspeed listed in miles per hour (mph). Higher airspeeds increase the blower's ability to move yard debris, increase the speed at which the debris moves, and can reduce the number of passes it takes to clear a section of your yard, driveway, or deck.

TheHusqvarna Gas Backpack Leaf Blower(our most powerful pick) has the highest airspeed of any model we recommend, at an impressive 270 mph, which seriously impressed us when we saw the debris fly away. The Ego Power+ 670 CFM Blower (our overall best battery-powered leaf blower pick) is quite powerful for a handheld model, with an airspeed of 180 mph.

Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (98)

Power Source

Leaf blowers can be powered by several sources, including gas engines, rechargeable batteries, or plug-in extension cords.

  • Plug-in: These corded electric models are quieter and more eco-friendly than gas, but you're limited by the length of your extension cord, according to Biermeier. "For homeowners with small yards that are filled with leaf-shedding trees, corded models offer high power performance to clear the space.” We like the Worx WG520 Electric Leaf Blower(our best corded pick) because it is affordable, lightweight, and has a cord retainer to help prevent the cord from being pulled out of the outlet mid-use.
  • Battery-powered: These are conveniently cordless, but they don't run as long as plug-in or gas models due to battery limitations. You can get around that by purchasing a second battery, but the batteries are typically quite expensive. The bright side is that if you have other yard tools of the same brand as your leaf blower, you can typically use the batteries interchangeably. Our overall best battery-powered pick uses Ego Power+ batteries that work in various other tools.
  • Gas-powered: These typically use 2-stroke gas motors, so they're noisy, produce a lot of fumes, and require regular maintenance. The main benefit is that they tend to be very powerful and run longer than battery-powered models, so they're good for tackling big jobs. For example, the
    Husqvarna Gas Backpack Leaf Blower(our most powerful pick) has both the highest air flow and airspeed of any leaf blower we recommend.

Handheld or Backpack

Our list consists mostly ofhandheld leaf blowersthat you hold by a handle and point toward leaves. Some handheld models are better suited for light-duty use, while others are more professional-grade and intended for seriouslawn care.Backpack leaf blowers, like the Ego Power+ 600 CFM Backpack Blower, our best backpack pick, typically offer more power than handheld models and are usually heavier.

However, the weight is evenly distributed thanks to thick shoulder straps and a padded back plate that allows the blower to rest relatively comfortably between your shoulders. Professional landscapers often use these leaf blowers to cover large areas, but they can also be useful to residential users, especially those with larger yards.

Some leaf blowers include avacuumattachment thatcollects leavesand debris into a bag or a mulching feature that turns suctioned items into mulch you can spread around your trees or garden. Our favorite in this category is the Greenworks Cordless Leaf Blower/Vacuum.

Walk-behind models tend to have a much higher airflow capacity—anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 cfm (or even more) is normal. They are best suited for commercial applications or professional landscaping teams.

Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (99)

Noise Output

Noise is a critical consideration since some leaf blowers can be loud enough to disturb neighbors or even violate local noise ordinances. The noise rating of any leaf blower is in decibels.

Electric leaf blowers are often the quietest, followed by gasoline models, and the loudest of all are walk-behind leaf blowers. Our top choice for quiet operation, the Milwaukee M18 Fuel, has a 57 dB noise rating, and we noted that we were able to carry on normal conversations while using it.

The main reason to consider noise output is that you'll need to use ear protection if your leaf blower is too loud. Prolonged exposure to loud noises can cause lasting damage to your hearing.

Some communities and municipalities also place limits on the noise output of yard equipment like leaf blowers (or outlaw them altogether), so make sure to check with the regulations where you live.

FAQ

  • Is cfm or mph more important in a leaf blower?

    While cfm measures the volume of air that the leaf blower can move, mph measures the speed at which the air moves. It’s important to look at both numbers because they work together. However, a higher airspeed does nothing without a large push power—the volume of air coming out every minute (CFM)—and therefore, large differences in CFM between models can often make a bigger difference in how quickly you can complete a job.

    Biermeier compares leaf blowers to snow plows, comparing mph to “volume of pushing power or the size of the snowplow's blade“ and mph to “the speed of the vehicle pushing the plow.” Larger blades move more snow, whereas faster speeds throw the snow a greater distance. In other words, a higher cfm will reach and move more leaves at a time, whereas a higher mph will blow the leaves a greater distance. Biermeier advises that you prioritize cfm or mph based on your particular needs.

  • Can you clean gutters with a leaf blower?

    Many people clean leaves and other debris out of their gutters using leaf blowers, as the tool makes this cumbersome chore faster and easier. However, it’s important to keep safety in mind if you clean gutters with a leaf blower. It’s not advised to try to wrangle your leaf blower while balancing on a ladder, and—instead, you should invest in a gutter-cleaning attachment for your specific tool (such as the Worx Gutter Cleaning Kit). These attachments include a long tube with a hooked end, allowing you to blow leaves from your gutters while standing on the ground. Biermeier recommends you buy an appropriate, specially designed extension kit to clean your gutters, rather than climbing on top of your roof and relying on your leaf blower to do the job. Biermeier also notes when it comes to thick, wet leaves “a more powerful, corded or gas model might be able to blast them out, but a cordless model only does a fair job of it when the gutter contents are thoroughly dry.”

Why Trust The Spruce?

Jeremy Laukkonen is an updates writer for The Spruce with over a decade of experience covering yard equipment, appliances, and other home goods. He has used a variety of gas, battery-powered, and plug-in leaf blowers over the years and prefers battery-operated models for the convenience. While he currently only has palm trees on his property, he enjoys using his Black + Decker leaf blower to clear sand from his patio and walkways.

For this story, Laukkonen relied on testing results from our outdoor lab and insights from hands-on testing in our own yards. Using those results and insights, he identified the best battery-powered, gas, and plug-in leaf blowers for heavy-duty and lighter jobs, evaluating each for effectiveness, power sources, portability, ease of use, and other factors.

Our Experts:

  • Deane Biermeier, a member of The Spruce Home Improvement Review Board.
  • Jenica Currie, editor at The Spruce

The 8 Best Leaf Mulchers of 2024

Clear Out Fall Leaves With These Tested Leaf Blowers and Vacuums (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Dr. Pierre Goyette

Last Updated:

Views: 5962

Rating: 5 / 5 (70 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Dr. Pierre Goyette

Birthday: 1998-01-29

Address: Apt. 611 3357 Yong Plain, West Audra, IL 70053

Phone: +5819954278378

Job: Construction Director

Hobby: Embroidery, Creative writing, Shopping, Driving, Stand-up comedy, Coffee roasting, Scrapbooking

Introduction: My name is Dr. Pierre Goyette, I am a enchanting, powerful, jolly, rich, graceful, colorful, zany person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.