The 6 Best Leaf Blowers of 2023

After another round of testing, we’re now recommending the Ryobi Ry404014 40V Whisper Series Leaf Blower. This replaces the Ryobi 40470VNM 40V 550 CFM Brushless Jet Fan Blower. The new model comes with a larger battery and is more powerful.

Lots of people see leaf blowers as loud, fume-spewing wastes of fuel—but newer corded and cordless models offer plenty of power without those drawbacks, which apply to gas-powered blowers that are rarely necessary at home. Most folks should start their search by considering a corded leaf blower like the Toro PowerJet F700, the best blower we’ve found in our years of researching and testing leaf blowers in the woods of New Hampshire since 2014.

The electric Toro F700 is light, with an easy one-handed speed control, and it moves leaves with a fury. At less than $60, it's a deal—as long as being tied to an outlet works for your property.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $57.

The Toro PowerJet F700 is like an air bazooka. It quickly and easily gets under dense, damp, or matted leaves to lift them and move them forward. We found the simple one-handed interface easy to use, and the curved handle gave us flexibility in positioning the angle of the airstream. The Toro also provides a second pommel grip at the front of the handle, which is a good thing because the airstream was so powerful in our tests that we sometimes relied on a second hand for better control. Typically available for less than $75, it's one of the best-priced blowers you can get—it's cheaper than most other electric models, and most cordless or gas models can easily cost $200 more. But it has to be the right fit for your property: It's tethered to an outlet, which limits range to about 100 feet or less, and if you also need to buy an outdoor extension cord to go with it, that’ll cut the cost savings down a bit.

The Worx WG521 is more powerful than the Toro, but the handle design makes it harder to control and more tiring on the arms.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $100.

If the Toro F700 isn't available, we recommend the Worx WG521 Turbine 800 Leaf Blower, which is the most powerful leaf blower we’ve ever tested. This tool is an absolute monster at moving leaves across a yard, but the ergonomics are trickier than with the Toro. The Worx has a smaller handle and lacks the front pommel grip. Given the immense power of this tool, those added features, which are found on the Toro, go a long way to adding comfort and control to the leaf blowing experience. If blasting leaves across your yard is your top priority, this is the tool for you, but be warned that the lack of handle options leads to a real forearm workout.

The Ego's nearly 30-minute run time is among the longest of the cordless blowers we’ve tested. It has easy-to-use controls, a lot of power, and a precise airstream—but it's a little heavier than our corded picks and a lot more expensive.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $299.

If you have to blow beyond the reach of a 50- or 100-foot extension cord, get the cordless battery-powered Ego LB6504 Power+ 650 CFM Blower. Its roughly 27 minutes of run time (on high) is second only to the 30 minutes you’ll get out of the less powerful Ego LB5804. The Ego LB5604 doesn't have the raw leaf-blasting power of the corded models, but in our tests its more focused airstream was better at getting under a dense mat of wet leaves, and its turbo button can produce an extra burst of power (but drains the battery faster). The downsides: weight and cost. At around 10 pounds, it nearly doubles the Toro's or Worx's heft, and at a typical price of just under $300, the Ego is among the most expensive cordless handhelds we looked at. For the money, however, you’re getting the absolute best combination of power, portability, and ease of use, and it's an especially smart investment if you plan to expand your collection of Ego's great system of lawn tools, including lawn mowers, string trimmers, and snow blowers. This model replaces our previous pick, the Ego LB5804 Power+ 580 CFM Blower, an earlier version of Ego's leaf blower.

This cordless Ryobi doesn't quite match the Ego LB6504 in terms of power and ergonomics, but it has about the same runtime and it's a little quieter.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $280.

If you know you need a cordless leaf blower but the Ego LB6504 is either unavailable or if you already have some other 40V Ryobi tools, we recommend the Ryobi Ry404014 40V Whisper Series Leaf Blower. It doesn't have the straight-up power of the Ego, but its long run-time (just a minute or two shorter than the Ego) makes it an effective leaf mover under regular dry conditions. The high point is that it's quiet, even for a cordless blower. The design of the Ryobi is similar to that of the Ego, but the battery is positioned behind the handle, rather than under it, so it puts more strain on the wrist while in use. This is slightly compounded due to the Ryobi being about ½-pound heavier than the Ego. The controls are all the same though with the turbo button and the lock-on dial. The two cordless blowers cost about the same, so we’d go with the Ego if it was available, but we still enjoyed using this one to move leaves.

The cordless Worx WG584 is not as powerful as the other cordless options, but it's lightweight with a long run time.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $210.

Another fine cordless option is the Worx WG584 40-Volt Power Share Turbine Cordless Leaf Blower. This blower lacks the power of the Ego and the quiet nature of the Ryobi, but it makes up for it with a nearly 30-minute run time, roughly the same as the Ego. The Worx uses two smaller batteries, instead of one giant one, like the Ego and Ryobi, so it's considerably lighter than the others, making it the most maneuverable of the cordless models we tested and the one we would recommend to those who are concerned they might not have the strength to swing the other cordless ones around. Because it uses two 20-volt batteries, the batteries are compatible with Worx's smaller DIY tools, like their drills and saw, but for lawn tools, the Worx line isn't as robust as either the Ego or Ryobi.

For properties larger than an acre in size with lots of wooded areas, the Stihl BR 350 offers useful design touches and moves leaves better than the competition.

If your property is more than an acre and has densely wooded areas, and if you often need to blast a heap of leaves 100 feet across a field, we suggest the Stihl BR 350. You can certainly find more powerful blowers, but after we conducted a test of the Stihl against four gas-powered competitors and put it through four years of long-term field testing by pro landscapers, our experts agreed that the midrange BR 350 has all the power anyone would really need. The BR 350 is chock-full of smart design features, such as an upward-oriented gas fill and a well-protected gas cap. It also has a convenient spot for placing your hand while you’re pull-starting. The Stihl is gas powered, so you’ll have to properly use, store, and maintain a two-stroke gas engine (and diagnose and fix any issues that arise). It's powerful and totally portable, but you truly need to have a lot of ground to cover to justify purchasing this blower. It's also available only at authorized Stihl dealers, not online.

The electric Toro F700 is light, with an easy one-handed speed control, and it moves leaves with a fury. At less than $60, it's a deal—as long as being tied to an outlet works for your property.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $57.

The Worx WG521 is more powerful than the Toro, but the handle design makes it harder to control and more tiring on the arms.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $100.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $299.

This cordless Ryobi doesn't quite match the Ego LB6504 in terms of power and ergonomics, but it has about the same runtime and it's a little quieter.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $280.

The cordless Worx WG584 is not as powerful as the other cordless options, but it's lightweight with a long run time.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $210.

For properties larger than an acre in size with lots of wooded areas, the Stihl BR 350 offers useful design touches and moves leaves better than the competition.

We’ve been testing and evaluating leaf blowers since 2014. In that time, we’ve consulted with two landscapers—Kevin Walker of K.G.W. Services in Carlisle, Massachusetts, who conducted some of our testing, and Chad Crosby of West Michigan Lawn Services—in interviews. We’ve also had a long conversation with Dan Pherson, a product manager at Stihl USA, and we’ve gotten the input of other manufacturers such as Toro and Ego.

I’ve been using leaf blowers seasonally for nearly 20 years—long before I began working on this guide in 2014. I own a 16-acre property in rural New England that is loaded with maples and oaks, so leaf blowing is a crucial part of my winter preparation. I’ve also written guides to lawn mowers, string trimmers, and snow blowers, so I have a good understanding of what makes a solid piece of outdoor power equipment.

If you live on less than a quarter acre, clean up after only one or two trees, and don't mind a workout, we recommend a rake. If raking is more labor than you’re willing to deal with, a leaf blower is a better choice.

Leaf blowers not only work faster than rakes and take less effort but can also perform many tasks that rakes and mowers can't. Blowers can clean pine needles from a gutter, blow dust out of your garage, clear grass clippings from a driveway, or get leaves out of thick ground-cover plants like vinca or pachysandra. They can even clear light dustings of snow.

Another way to deal with leaves is to use a lawn mower with a mulching function. These mowers can slice and dice leaves into small pieces, leaving the bits behind to compost and provide nutrients to your lawn. This gets to be a big task for a walk-behind mower, and only the best ones, such as the gas-powered Honda HRX217VKA, can do it really well. And leaf mulching clears only your lawn areas—you still need something for clearing walkways, flower beds, and stonework.

Leaf blowers can be loud, so learn your local regulations regarding their operation. Some cities and towns have full-on leaf-blower bans, and others allow leaf blowing only during selected times. For example, Arlington, Massachusetts, allows just one gas-powered blower per 6,000 square feet, to be operated only 30 minutes at a time, with 15-minute breaks in between. Other communities adhere to maximum decibel levels and California is in the process of prohibiting all gas leaf blowers. For general etiquette advice, Stihl has a guide to safe and courteous leaf blowing that's worth a look.

You can find several prominent styles of leaf blower to choose from: corded, cordless, and gas powered. Each has a unique set of trade-offs that make it ideal for different circumstances, but we think corded models are the best fit for most. They need to be tethered to an outlet, so they might not be as maneuverable as other options, but they’re the lightest, they cost the least, have limitless run time, require almost no maintenance, emit a not-so-irritating sound, and issue zero emissions, all of which are major concerns for cordless and gas blowers. We’ve also been very impressed with their power—the best corded models are on a par with or better than many gas blowers.

Cordless blowers provide power similar to that of corded models but offer a much higher degree of maneuverability. The big downside is the run time and charge time, and it's a dealbreaker if you have a large property or a ton of trees. In run time, the best models we’ve found top out at around 30 minutes, but most are in the 20- to 25-minute range. Couple that with a charge time of around 90 minutes (at least, usually more), and it potentially means a lot of starting and stopping, unless you have either a small lawn or a second battery (which can get expensive). Compared to the corded blower, they’re heavier, but on the good side, cordless models are generally the quietest blowers. As Stihl's Dan Pherson told us, "When it comes to low noise, it's tough to beat lithium-ion cordless."

Gas blowers, which were once the standard, are falling out of favor as corded and cordless models have begun to equal their power, but with less noise and none of the emissions. But they’re still an option for a very large lawn with a lot of trees. We prefer backpack gas blowers to handheld gas blowers: Engines are heavy, so by relocating the weight to your back, backpack blowers can offer a bigger, stronger engine and a larger gas tank for longer run time without putting any strain on your arm. For the most part, backpack models start in the $250 range and rise to more than $500; the small to midsize models generally cost less than $350, so they’re typically more expensive than comparable corded or cordless blowers. As for the drawbacks, gas blowers are loud and stinky, and they require proper off-season storage. Concerns over emissions (and noise) have led many cities, neighborhoods, and now even states, to place restrictions on gas-powered small engines.

We need to stress that, in looking at blowers, you shouldn't put too much stock in the airspeed (mph) and air volume (cfm, cubic feet per minute) numbers that manufacturers use to try to sell their blowers, regardless of the style. According to Pherson, "Velocity helps lift the leaves, the volume helps blow them away." The problem is that there is no standardized way to measure blowers’ airflow stats—some companies record them from the end of the blower tube, while others measure air coming directly off the motor, inflating the numbers. That said, for comparison purposes, they’re really only a starting point.

After finding several options delivering adequate power, we turned to other ease of use factors to distinguish one model over another. We wanted to recommend an accessible lineup of leaf blowers, including options that are easy to use by a wide range of people of various abilities. That meant we sought models with versatile handle and grip options, a light and manageable weight, and good enough balance to make the blowers easy to control without a struggle during extended use.

"When it comes to low noise, it's tough to beat lithium-ion cordless." —Dan Pherson, product manager, Stihl

We did the majority of our testing, specifically of the corded and cordless blowers, on a rural property in New Hampshire. The approximately 2-acre lawn is surrounded by, and dotted with, oak, maple, ash, and apple trees, all of which have leaves that drop in the fall. We used the blowers around flower beds, cobblestone steps, and stone walls, as well as in dense ground cover like pachysandra and vinca. We also took the blowers into the woods to test them on the dense, damp mat of pine needles and leaves that make up the forest floor. Through this testing, we kept an eye on the ease of the controls, the weight of the machines, and the overall ergonomics, looking subjectively at how far we could move leaves and how easily the air helped us steer the leaf pile around.

Run-time tests were done on all of the cordless blowers. We fully charged their batteries, then set them to high and waited until each one died out and recorded the time.

We tested the gas-powered models with help from Kevin Walker, a landscaper with 31 years of experience at the time, and two of his crew (Anthony, with nine years of experience, and Justin, with 12 years of experience at the time).

To test these gas blowers, each landscaper fueled up, started, and used each blower for an extended period of time, and all three inspected each unit from tip to tail. We also looked at the decibel readings of each blower using a Triplett SoniChek sound meter. We discovered that the blowers all measured similarly in terms of decibels but that different tones were either more or less annoying.

The electric Toro F700 is light, with an easy one-handed speed control, and it moves leaves with a fury. At less than $60, it's a deal—as long as being tied to an outlet works for your property.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $57.

Corded blowers meet most people's needs because they’re powerful, lightweight, relatively quiet, free of emissions, and low maintenance. After eight years of testing, our pick is the Toro PowerJet F700, which combines gale-force air movement with a smartly designed handle, an essential feature with such a strong and unruly blower. Compared with the other leaf blowers we tested, the Toro showed no problems getting under a bed of thick, damp, matted leaves and pine needles on the forest floor. With the blower tubes in the same position, the Toro pushed leaves at least 2 feet farther than most other blowers we tested. The Toro's variable-speed control can be used one-handed to easily tone down the airflow when going around flower beds or dusting out a garage. The long curved handle lets you adjust the angle of the blower, lessening wrist strain. The design also includes a front pommel grip, which we found useful in our tests particularly at the highest speeds, where the power of the blower could get a little intense. Typically costing under $100, the Toro F700 is reasonably priced for a blower of this caliber.

A leaf blower starts with its ability to move air, and that's where the Toro is so successful. Running the Toro at full speed feels a little like being pulled down a sidewalk by a leashed dog chasing after a squirrel—gaining control can take a moment or two. Once we got the hang of it, though, and directed it toward the leaves, they didn't stand a chance. Tested against the other corded and cordless leaf blowers, the Toro has impressive air-moving power, lifting and launching wet, matted leaves with ease and blasting them farther than nearly all of the others. Only our runner-up recommendation, the Worx WG521 Turbine 800 Leaf Blower, is stronger, but the handle isn't as good as the Toro's.

The round open end of the blowing tube is 3¾ inches in diameter—really, it's like a cannon—so the airstream of the Toro casts a wide net and is ideal for open-lawn leaf moving. All of this means faster work and less overall time spent moving leaves. Most other blowers have smaller-diameter nozzles, which are nice for precision work but take more effort and more back-and-forth sweeps to clear a lawn.

The Toro is also easy to operate. The interface is one-handed and consists of a single thumb dial that turns the blower on and off and adjusts the speed. There is no trigger that you need to hold continually; it's either off or on. Toro has put the dial to the right side of the handle (looking at it from the top), which actually makes it a little awkward for a right-handed person but offers benefits when you use a two-handed grip. In addition, the handle is curved, which makes it easy to direct the blower down in front of you.

The Toro also adds a pommel grip at the top of the handle, which is helpful given the power of this blower. The extra piece allows for a comfortable two-handed grip, which we ended up using a lot ourselves. With both hands on the tool, we found that the positioning of the power dial made more sense (for right-handed people), as it's easy for the lead hand to reach and operate.

Overall, the control setup is intuitive, and it offers the ability to reduce the airflow quickly if cleaning out a flower bed or around a recently mulched tree. Even using the blower just to sweep dust out of the garage, using less air will prevent a giant dust cloud.

Like any leaf blower, the Toro is loud. But because it doesn't have a gas engine, it sounds more like a really, really loud hair dryer, which, minus the heating coil, is basically what it is. We found during testing that the noise of an electric motor is very different from the irritating high-pitched whine of a two-stroke engine, even if the decibel readings are in the same ballpark.

The Toro F700 typically sells for less than $75, which is a great price, especially in comparison with those of other high-end electric blowers, most of which come with a leaf-mulching function and usually run closer to $100. We like that the Toro is powerful but also stripped down, which not only lightens it but also reduces the overall cost. If you have no plans to use a mulcher, why pay for that?

The noise of an electric motor is very different from the irritating high-pitched whine of a two-stroke engine.

But when calculating the overall price, keep in mind that if you’re starting from scratch and in need of the full 100 feet of maneuverability, you’ll need to drop an additional $50 to $75 on an extension cord. Toro recommends at least a 16-gauge cord for 25 feet, a 16-gauge cord for 50 feet, and the heavier 14-gauge cord for 100 feet. I can say from experience that a 100-foot, 14-gauge cord is extremely unwieldy and difficult to wrap up—and sadly, capable of taking out an entire flower bed.

The U.S. Wire & Cable 50 FT. Extreme All-Weather Extension Cord is the most flexible, durable cord we found, and should last years even in harsh environments.

The biggest downside to the Toro is that the air intake is at the rear, so for all the air that's blasting out the nozzle end, an equal amount is being sucked in through the back. Because of this back-end positioning, the blower can easily pull clothing against the intake cover. In our tests, during normal use with the blower at our side, this wasn't a problem, but when we passed it from side to side or did any other operations that put the blower directly in front of us, a shirt sometimes got sucked against the intake cover—easy enough to deal with, but annoying once it happens a few times (don't worry, the cover is substantial enough that clothes won't get pulled into the fan). You just have to get used to keeping the blower farther away as you move it around your body.

The leaf-moving power of the Toro is immense, but because it comes with only the single wide-end nozzle, you have no way to pinpoint the airflow for clearing out things like stone walls or gutters. It works best with wide, swinging arcs, and for blasting leaves across the yard. But for smaller shifts back and forth, such as under a rose bush, you’re fighting the blower's power, and it can get a little tiring.

The Worx WG521 is more powerful than the Toro, but the handle design makes it harder to control and more tiring on the arms.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $100.

If the Toro PowerJet F700 isn't available, we also like the Worx WG521 Turbine 800 Leaf Blower. This blower is actually more powerful than the Toro, but the handle design makes it difficult to wrangle. According to Worx, this blower blasts a whopping 800 CFM of air. We couldn't verify those numbers (or the numbers on any other blower), but during testing, this one was clearly the champion of the leaf-moving sweepstakes. On the flip side, the handle is small and there is really only one way to grip it, so a lot of strain is put on the forearm, especially at higher speeds. The blower is controlled with a three-speed thumb dial that is easy to reach and turn.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $299.

To go beyond the limits of an extension cord, we recommend the Ego LB6504 Power+ 650 CFM Blower. In our tests, it had among the longest run times and was one of the most powerful cordless blower we tested. Its more focused airstream was even a little better than that of the Toro and Worx corded models at lifting wet, matted leaves.

The Ego offers easy one-handed controls and a turbo button that can add a boost of power if needed. Be warned, though: At around 10 pounds, it's nearly double the weight of the Toro. Typically sold for around $275, the Ego is also one of the priciest cordless blowers. Even with those drawbacks, however, we think the benefits are there. Not only does the Ego leaf blower offer extended run time and excellent power, but the included 5.0 Ah battery is also a good starting point if you decide to buy into the Ego system, which we’ve had success with. We currently recommend the company's string trimmer, lawn mower, and snow blower. The batteries on these tools are all interchangeable, so once you have a battery, you can purchase the other tools without batteries at a reduced price. This replaces our previous pick, the Ego LB5804 Power+ 580 CFM Blower, which has a little longer run time but is less powerful.

The most important factor for a cordless blower is its run time. In our tests, the Ego LB6504 provided about 27 minutes while set on high. The only other blowers that lasted longer were our previous pick, the Ego LB5804, which clocked in at just over 30 minutes, and the Worx WG584 40-Volt Power Share Turbine Cordless Leaf Blower—both are less powerful. We tested the three head-to-head-to-head and were able to get more done with the LB6504 in the same amount of time. The Ego battery fully charges up in about 110 minutes.

That long run time won't mean much without adequate power—fortunately, the Ego has quite a bit of that too. Among the cordless tools in our tests, it was the most powerful. The Ego had little difficulty lifting and pushing piles of damp, matted leaves. A turbo button is available for adding a blast of power, though at the cost of battery life.

The nozzle end of the Ego measures just less than 3 inches, which splits the difference nicely between open-lawn leaf blowing and having the ability to clean out a stone wall or a gutter.

The controls are nice and slightly changed from the previous Ego models. With the LB6504, the speed dial turns the blower on and off, instead of just setting the power. So with this model, there is no need to constantly hold the trigger if you’ve set the dial. The trigger can still be used independently, but for open yard blowing, we liked just setting the dial and not having to put any energy toward the trigger.

Along with the other cordless blowers we tested, the Ego LB6504 proved to be quieter than the electric models we looked at. Although our decibel readings were similar across the two types of blowers, the sound of the Ego was much easier to take than the electric models.

The cordless Ego has a couple of drawbacks, namely weight and cost.

First, the weight: At around 10 pounds, it's a load. This model is heavier than most other cordless blowers, and it tops the corded Toro by around 4 pounds. We found the weight noticeable but not unmanageable. To compensate for the Ego's weight, we probably switched hands more often than with the other blowers, but at no point were our arms and wrists too exhausted to go on (the Ego does have a spot for clipping a shoulder strap). Looking over the reviews of the Ego LB5804 (our previous pick, which weighs about the same), we found similar sentiments, with many reviewers mentioning the weight but still giving the blower a high rating. But we also saw reviews from a handful of people who simply found the Ego too heavy for them or their spouse to manage, so if you have limited arm strength, it's something to consider.

Much of this weight comes from the large battery, which leads us to the second downside: the cost. Typically about $275, the Ego is not cheap or even average priced. It's expensive and there aren't many handheld cordless blowers that cost more. The majority of this cost lies in the large 5.0 Ah battery, the very element that gives the tool such strong power and such a long run time. Buying the battery by itself sets you back about $250. But while no other cordless models we found were priced like the Ego, none of them performed like it either, with such a combination of run time and power.

If you’re thinking about getting this model, it makes sense to look at the purchase as if you’re buying into Ego's lineup of battery-powered outdoor power tools, which includes string trimmers, mowers, snow blower, and chainsaws. All of these tools operate on the same battery, making this leaf blower an easier choice if you already have (or plan to buy) those other tools, which you can purchase at a lower cost without a battery or charger.

This cordless Ryobi doesn't quite match the Ego LB6504 in terms of power and ergonomics, but it has about the same runtime and it's a little quieter.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $280.

If you need a cordless leaf blower but the Ego LB6504 is unavailable we also like the Ryobi Ry404014 40V Whisper Series Leaf Blower. It has roughly the same run time as the Ego, but it's a little less powerful and not as balanced in the hand. It's a little quieter, though, which we liked. These differences were apparent in side-by-side testing, but they’re not so severe that someone operating the Ryobi would think they were using an inferior tool. On the whole, the Ryobi is very similar to the Ego, but it lacks the highest of the high points that the Ego attains. Still, we moved a lot of leaves with it and think it's a good choice, especially if you already have other Ryobi 40 volt tools.

As for run time, the Ryobi clocked in at around 26 minutes minutes (on high), only one minute less than the Ego. The Ryobi is a powerful blower, but not as strong as the Ego, but we had no problem moving leaves across a lawn with it. The Ryobi does have a charge time of about 90 minutes, which is a bit faster than the Ego.

The high point though is that the Ryobi is quieter than the others. The motor noise eliminates most of the whine associated with leaf blowers. This is a notable feature, especially now that more and more of your neighbors are likely spending a lot of time at home. We never considered the other cordless blower to be loud, but after having used the Ryobi for a bit, they sounded squealy. The Ryobi creates the sound of moving air and that's about it.

For downsides, other than not having the overwhelming power of the Ego, the Ryobi has the rear intake, which can pull in clothing as the blower is passed in front of you. The intake is protected by a plastic grid, so it's not a huge deal, but we found it a slight annoyance.

It's also less balanced and a little heavier. The Ryobi battery, which is where much of the weight comes from, sits to the rear of the handle, so when we’re holding the tool, the end of the blower tube is naturally tipped up by the bulky battery. This means that it takes wrist effort to tip it down in order to blow leaves. It might not sound like much, but it creates a strain that we noticed after a solid 10 minutes out in the yard with the tool. The Ego's battery is placed directly under the handle, so the nose of the blower is naturally tipped down towards the leaves.

The Ryobi blower runs on a 40-volt battery that's compatible with other 40-volt Ryobi tools, including the company's string trimmer, which we’ve had good experiences with. Overall, we’ve found the Ryobi 40-volt systems to include a solid selection of capable tools, but none of them have power or ability on a par with that of their Ego counterparts. They do tend to be less expensive than the Ego tools, so if you’re looking for a budget-friendly line to buy into, Ryobi's 40-volt series would be a nice choice. Note too, however, that these 40-volt batteries are not compatible with Ryobi cordless tools such as drills and saws.

The cordless Worx WG584 is not as powerful as the other cordless options, but it's lightweight with a long run time.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $210.

Another cordless option we like is the Worx WG584 40-Volt Power Share Turbine Cordless Leaf Blower. This blower achieves its 40 volts of power through two 20-volt batteries that both attach to the blower. Charging these would be an inconvenience, but the dual port charger is capable of filling both batteries at the same time. The Worx isn't as powerful as the Ryobi or the Ego, but under normal leafy conditions it has no problems moving leaves. It has a very long run time and, at almost 29 minutes, it exceeds the run time of our Ego pick. Also, because the 20-volt batteries are so small, the Worx blower is very, very light. Our measurement put it at a little over 7 pounds, about 3 pounds lighter than the Ryobi and Ego.

A last thing to consider with the Worx is that its 20-volt platform is fairly large and includes a lot of smaller hand tools, like drills and saws. But when it comes to yard tools, the selection is not as complete as Ryobi's. There are some interesting items like a robot mower, but for an overall complete package, Ryobi has more to offer.

For properties larger than an acre in size with lots of wooded areas, the Stihl BR 350 offers useful design touches and moves leaves better than the competition.

If you’re working on more than an acre with lots of wooded areas, or if you’re blowing leaves a good distance to the treeline, we recommend the Stihl BR 350. Of all the gas blowers our landscapers looked at, this was the one model they universally loved. It's loaded with smart features, and as landscaper Kevin Walker said, "This one out-blows everything."

You can find more powerful blowers, but this midsize model offers all the blowing power you’d ever need.

The fact that the BR 350 moved leaves better than the other backpack blowers set it ahead of the pack, but all of the small touches in the overall design were what especially appealed to Walker and his crew. The gas fill is oriented upward as opposed to at an angle, making for an easy, spill-free pour; the gas cap has a hard plastic ridge around it, protecting it from bumps; and the top of the tool is the perfect shape for placing a hand while you’re pulling the starter. None of the other blowers we looked at combined such power with such smart features.

You can find more powerful blowers than the Stihl BR 350, but as far as Walker is concerned, this midsize model offers all the blowing power anyone would ever need.

The BR 350 weighs 22½ pounds, which is a good amount of weight to carry around. If that's too much, you can step down in size and power to the Husqvarna 130BT. Comparing that blower with models of a similar size, Walker and his crew liked the 130BT for its ample power, manageable weight, and relatively quiet operation. But it took longer to move leaves than the Stihl BR 350.

Walker and his crew have used the Stihl BR 350 for more than four years, and it has continued to be well received. Walker told us that it "has been a great workhorse and definitely a crew favorite for larger work areas where a lot of distance needs to be covered." When he first looked over the unit, he mentioned its higher-pitched noise, but he told us that none of his crew members have mentioned that issue since.

We tested a number of additional blowers and dismissed others before the testing phase.

The Worx WG520 was a previous pick of ours, but both the Toro F700 and the newer Worx WG521 are more powerful.

DeWalt's DWBL700 12-amp handheld blower was a previous runner-up pick that offered premium features at a premium price (typically over $100). We prefer the low cost and high performance of the Toro F700.

The Black+Decker BV6600 High Performance Blower/Vacuum/Mulcher is a nice blower, and we like that it has a mulching function. But its leaf-blasting ability was just not on a par with that of the Toro F700 or the Worx WG521 in our tests.

Although the Toro 51619 Ultra Blower/Vac is a popular model, it has a tedious system for switching out the reducing nozzles that requires the removal of the entire blowing tube and the guard that protects the underside of the blower. On top of that, the variable-speed knob is so far from the handle that you need to operate it with a second hand.

The Stihl BGE 61 costs more than the Toro F700 and doesn't appear to have their air-moving power.

Before discussing the cordless models we dismissed, we need to state that if you are already invested in a company's battery system, it's very likely that the best cordless leaf blower for you is the one that is compatible with your other tools. There are definite differences between models and we think that the picks above offer the best combination of performance, features, and cost. But the other models, especially those from reputable companies like DeWalt, Milwaukee, Greenworks, and Toro are all solid tools as well. Because cordless leaf blowers can often be purchased as a bare tool—meaning they don't come with a battery or a charger—the cost savings are significant. We value an uncluttered life and the streamlined nature of a single battery system, may outweigh the cost as well as the performance differences found in these dismissed models.

The Ryobi 40470VNM 40V 550 CFM Brushless Jet Fan Blower was a previous pick of ours. Compared to the current Ryobi pick, this one has less power and less runtime. We like that the pivoting handle allows for better ergonomics, but it doesn't move leaves like the others and if ergonomics are a top concern and you want a cordless, we think the Worx is a better option.

In 2022, we tested the Ego Power+ LB7654. It has a higher CFM rating than our pick—765 versus 650—but this is only felt in the turbo mode. The CFM scale of the regular power dial is the same between the two blowers, maxing out at 500 CFM. So in regular use, without using the turbo button, they’re basically the same blower. This little bit of added oomph with the turbo button is nice, but only noticeable with the tools side by side. This model is typically priced $50-$60 more than our pick and we don't think it's worth the added investment

We also got our hands on the Greenworks Pro 60V Brushless Leaf Blower. It has similar leaf moving power as our top pick Ego and roughly the same run time. It has a shorter charge time at just under an hour. It's a nice tool to use and we liked it overall, but the downside is that it's heavier than the EGO and more difficult to swing back and forth. By the scales, it's less than a pound heavier, which doesn't seem like much, but in use, this felt significant to us. Compared to our other cordless picks, this blower doesn't have the extended run time of the Worx or the quieter motor of the Ryobi. If you already own Greenworks batteries and chargers for other tools at home, or purchasing a Greenworks tool is just easier for you than getting the Ego or the others, this is a fine choice.

We also tested the Milwaukee 2724-21 M18 Fuel Cordless Handheld Blower and it doesn't have the run time or power of the Ego, emptying out a battery in just under 15 minutes. It's light and maneuverable, which we liked, but the wild high pitch squeal is aggressive and not neighbor-friendly.

In 2021, we tested the Ryobi 404100 40V Jet Fan Cordless Leaf Blower and although it's more powerful than our current Ryobi pick, and even rivals the Ego, it does have some downsides. First, it has a very short runtime. In our test, the battery expired at the 13 minute mark, considerably shorter than the Ego and five minutes less than the Ryobi 40470VNM, which we recommend. It's a very light blower, but we much prefer the articulating handle on the current Ryobi pick, which makes the heavier load easier to handle.

The Worx WG585 Nitro 40V PowerShare is extremely light, and very easy to grip, hold, and swing back and forth. It's powered by two 20-volt batteries and comes with a dual-port charger. For runtime, it landed in the low to mid range at around 17 minutes, and it doesn't have the leaf moving ability of the others. The Worx has a unique sliding nozzle that is supposed to toggle the blower from a high speed setting to a high volume one, but it's a little difficult to use and we couldn't tell much of a difference between the two settings in our testing. Like some others, the blower is controlled on a three setting thumb dial, so it's not a true variable speed, making it a little more difficult to quickly transition between speeds during delicate work, like around flower beds.

The Toro 60V Max Brushless Cordless Leaf Blower has a similar handle and overall vibe as our top corded pick, which is a good thing. But compared to the other cordless picks, it doesn't have the same power and it has a mid-range run time of about 22 minutes. It's a nice blower and we enjoyed using it, but there's nothing that sets it above our picks in terms of performance.

The Ego LB5804 Power+ 580 CFM Blower was our previous cordless pick, but it doesn't match the power of the latest Ego blower, the LB6504. It has the longest run time of any cordless blower we’ve tested, about four minutes more than the LB6504, but we were able to get more done with the stronger blower. The price difference is minimal, so we prefer the LB6504.

The Greenworks BL80L2510 80V Jet Electric Leaf Blower is similar enough in power to our Ego cordless pick, but the run time in our tests was a middling 22 minutes. It typically costs $250. We prefer the premium run time of the Ego LB5604.

The Ryobi RY40440 40V Brushless Backpack Blower, with its 5 Ah battery, also lasted 22 minutes but didn't seem to have a whole lot more power than the Ego model we recommend. It has two battery ports, so you can drop a second battery in and it will run on them sequentially for a longer total run time. It's a nice feature, but it requires a buy-in on the Ryobi cordless system.

We also tested the Ego LB6002 Power+ 600 CFM Backpack Blower, which got about 26 minutes on full power. It currently costs about $300. There's no question that the backpack offers convenience in handling Ego's large and heavy 5.0 Ah battery, but we’re not convinced that the weight shift of the backpack is necessary for less than a half hour of blower run time.

The Oregon BL300 had a short run time of just over 13 minutes on high.

We tested the Kobalt 80 V Lithium-Ion Cordless Blower, and we found it to be powerful but hamstrung by an 8-minute run time. The Greenworks GBL80300 Cordless Brushless Blower is the exact same tool.

Stihl also has a cordless blower, the BGA 85, but we did not test it due to its exorbitant price. Just the tool alone, with no battery or charger, currently costs about $300. To get the rest of the package, you need to drop another $200, making it a $500 purchase.

We did not test the Makita XBU02PT Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Blower, the DeWalt DCBL772X1 60V Max FlexVolt Brushless Handheld Axial Blower, or the Greenworks BPB80L2510 80V Backpack Blower. Judging from their low run times in a recent Popular Mechanics test, we determined that they would be unlikely to match our picks' performance.

We tested the Stihl BR 200 small backpack blower, and although our landscapers liked the power, they didn't like the noise. The BR 200 let out a high-pitched, ear-withering squeal that was impossible to ignore even with our hearing protection on. The BR 200 also typically sells for $50 more than the similar-size Husqvarna 130BT. Given the noise, Kevin Walker's crew found that added cost hard to justify.

At first, Walker and his crew liked the looks of the now-discontinued Ryobi RY08420A 42cc Backpack Blower, praising it for its ergonomics and general ease of use. That, combined with positive reviews from Popular Mechanics and other sites, led us to choose this model as a budget pick in our 2014 guide. Unfortunately, this blower did not hold up well during long-term testing: After only a few months of using this model, Walker reported, his crew began to avoid it due to problems starting a hot engine.

The BR 200 let out a high-pitched, ear-withering squeal that was impossible to ignore.

We also tested the midsize Husqvarna 350BT but found it lacking next to our gas recommendation, the Stihl BR 350. Beyond the fact that the 350BT wasn't as strong as the BR 350, it also had a few design issues that the landscapers pointed out. They immediately identified the knob that tightens the joystick control in place as a weak point. "Those things are just bad," Justin said. "I have to retighten mine every day." Kevin Walker also showed me the two unprotected wires in the engine: "Those will get caught on a branch and pulled right out," he said. "I have no idea why they’re not in a sleeve like the other wires."

We also had problems securing the blower tubes on the 350BT. Husqvarna models come with four lengths of tube rather than three, giving them an additional 5 inches of length. That's good for tall people, but when the connections aren't great, the blower tube picks up a massive wobble. We had this issue only with the larger Husqvarna and not with the smaller 130BT.

Larger blowers, such as the Stihl BR 600, are available, but Walker told us that the added power of such models is unnecessary if you’re properly moving leaves with a tarp.

We don't recommend gas handheld blowers. Here's why: On average, gas handhelds weigh around 10 pounds, making them 2 to 3 pounds heavier than similar corded models and even heavier than most cordless blowers. Blowing leaves can take a while, and swinging and pivoting a gas engine at arm's length for 30 or 40 minutes is difficult to do, plus you’ve got all the engine maintenance and long term storage to think about. So if you have to go gas, a backpack model is better; you get at least the same power (and usually more), keep the limitless portability of a gas engine, and gain much better ergonomics.

Roy Berendsohn, 5 Backpack Leaf Blowers to Dominate the Backyard, Popular Mechanics, September 11, 2013

Bradley Ford and Roy Berendsohn, The 7 Best Backpack Leaf Blowers, Popular Mechanics, 2018

Sal Vaglica, TOH Tested: Leaf Blowers, This Old House

David Wolman, Review: Leaf Blowers, Wired, September 29, 2011

Kevin Walker, owner of K.G.W. Services, interviews, September 2014

Chad Crosby, West Michigan Lawn Services, interviews, September 2014

Doug Mahoney

Doug Mahoney is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter covering home improvement. He spent 10 years in high-end construction as a carpenter, foreman, and supervisor. He lives in a very demanding 250-year-old farmhouse and spent four years gutting and rebuilding his previous home. He also raises sheep and has a dairy cow that he milks every morning.

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