REASONS TO BUY
Powerful
Easy to hold
REASONS TO AVOID
So-so battery life
Takes a long time to recharge
Oregon 40V Leaf Blower BL300 Review
This is a powerful and well-balanced blower that will make short work of leaf-covered decks and driveways, but you'll want to have extra batteries on hand
Credit: Oregon Products
RELATED: Best Cordless Leaf Blower
Our Verdict
The Powerful Oregon BL300 Cordless Leaf Blower can move wet leaves, dirt, and other light debris with ease, making weekly chores like clearing the driveway or the deck quick and easy. It's easy to hold, and you only need to press the safety switch and squeeze the variable speed trigger to get to work. We loved the overall user experience, and this blower proves itself powerful enough to compete with any gas or corded model, though its battery life is somewhat limiting. For the price, we feel there are a few better options out there, but folks who already own a few Oregon cordless tools and batteries won't be disappointed in the least.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Oregon 40V Leaf Blower BL300 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  |  | ||
| Price | $300 List $284.05 at Amazon | $220 List $199.00 at Amazon | $329 List $280.63 at Amazon | $300 List $174.00 at Amazon | $160 List |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Powerful, easy to hold | Powerful, relatively low operating volume, cruise control setting, efficient | Plenty of strength, quiet, interchangeable batteries with other handheld cordless Makita tools | Light, powerful for 18v, good battery life | Much more affordable, exceptionally ergonomic |
| Cons | So-so battery life, takes a long time to recharge | Not the longest battery life | Expensive, so-so ergonomics and comfort | Expensive, no turbo setting, takes a long time for full recharge | Not the most powerful, very loud |
| Bottom Line | This is a powerful and well-balanced blower that will make short work of leaf-covered decks and driveways, but you'll want to have extra batteries on hand | This model is the most powerful blower we tested, helping to complete yard work more efficiently than any other tool tested | This is a solid blower on its own merits and has interchangeable batteries with handheld Makita power tools | Fans of Milwaukee's 18-volt tool line won't be disappointed with this blower, though there are better choices if you're not committed to the brand | Ideal for the budget-conscious shopper, this blower offers just enough power and battery life for the needs of most home-owners |
| Rating Categories | Oregon 40V Leaf Blo... | Ego Power+ 615 CFM... | Makita 36V LXT Brus... | Milwaukee M18 Fuel... | Ryobi 40V RY40460 |
| Power (50%) | |||||
| Battery (25%) | |||||
| Ergonomics (15%) | |||||
| Noise (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Oregon 40V Leaf Blo... | Ego Power+ 615 CFM... | Makita 36V LXT Brus... | Milwaukee M18 Fuel... | Ryobi 40V RY40460 |
| Blower Model Number | BL300 | LB6150 | XBU02PT1 | 2724-20 | RY40460 |
| Measured Weight w/ Battery | 9.1 lbs | 8.1 lbs | 9.2 lbs | 7.2 lbs | 9 lbs |
| Turbo Boost? | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Variable speed | Yes, trigger | Yes, trigger | Yes, dial | Yes, button and trigger | Yes, trigger |
| Included Battery Size | 4 Ah | 2.5 Ah | 5 Ah | 8 Ah | 4 Ah |
| Measured Charge Time | 2 hr 23 min | 45 min | 1 hr | 1 hr 30 min | 2 hrs 45 min |
| Measured Run Time on Turbo Boost | 10 min | 10 min 58 sec | N/A | N/A | 18 min 5 sec |
| Measured Run Time on Highest Standard Mode | 19 min 20 sec | 22 min 2 sec | 14 min 37 sec | 20 min 37 sec | 26 min |
| # of Batteries Included | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Nominal Voltage | 40V | 56V | 36V (2 x 18V) | 18V | 40V |
| Measured Operator Sound Level Highest Setting | 92 dBa | 88 dBa | 84 dBA | 88 dBa | 93.3 dBa |
| Operating Modes | Variable speed pulling trigger with turbo button | Variable speed pulling trigger with turbo button | Variable speeds with trigger and speed settings 1-6 | Variable speed pulling trigger with a button for low and high | Variable speed pulling trigger with turbo button |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The Oregon BL300 packs in plenty of power with its turbo mode and variable speed trigger, but its average battery performance prevents it from receiving top honors. It has relatively short run times while taking over 2 hours for a full recharge. If your leaf problem is big, but your yard is small, this blower is more than adequate.
Performance Comparison
This little blower gets the job done without a lot of bells and whistles, though it does have a turbo mode for blasting caked-on dirt or wet leaves.
Credit: Laura Casner
Power
The Oregon BL300 is one of the more powerful models we tested, demonstrable by the amount of material it can move quickly, and also by its reach. In our sand blowing tests, we were effectively able to move sand off of a concrete surface from almost 11.5 feet away and observed some movement at 14.5 feet. Once we switched it into turbo mode, (and experienced a satisfying kickback) we were able to move sand from over 16 feet away. With this kind of power you could easily clear leaves from a small driveway without taking a step, and easily clear out difficult-to-reach areas under bushes or deck furniture.
With the turbo engaged, we were able to move pine needles from 16 feet away.
Credit: Laura Casner
In turbo mode, we were able to send a beach ball nearly 7 feet in the air, a height achieved (but never exceeded) by only the most powerful blowers we evaluated.
Our sand test demonstrates this blower's impressive reach.
Credit: Austin Palmer
Battery
As mentioned previously, the Oregon BL300 doesn't blow us away when it comes to battery life. Using the 4 Ah battery included with the model we purchased, we measured a run time of 19 minutes and 20 seconds in "Hi" mode, a respectable run time when compared to other top-scoring leaf blowers. However, when we simulate the normal user experience by running it in turbo mode for 30% of the run time, the battery life dropped to 12 minutes and 48 seconds. A full recharge in the included charger required 2 hours and 23 minutes, so you may want to have a few batteries on hand, and like many other lithium-ion batteries, they aren't cheap.
While the Oregon batteries have a run time that is almost as long as the top competitors, they take much longer to achieve a full charge.
Credit: Laura Casner
Ergonomics
The Oregon BL300 is an ergonomically sound little machine. Despite being one of the heavier blowers in our tests at 9.1 pounds, it feels great in hand and is well-balanced so it easily hangs at a solid angle for moving debris. The gripping point is surprisingly comfortable for its simple shape.
The grip is simple, well balanced, and comfortable.
Credit: Laura Casner
This blower has a variable speed trigger and a safety switch that must be pressed before you engage the trigger. We're aware of some complaints about the safety switch wearing out, but didn't see any signs of this during our testing. We do wish there was a cruise control setting so we didn't need to constantly maintain a specific pressure on the trigger and could conserve the battery life a bit more easily. The air intake vent is on the rear blower, a good design that won't suck in your shirt, except perhaps when you're switching hands.
Noise
The Oregon BL300 is much quieter than any gas-powered blowers out there, though our measurement put it at the louder end of the electric blowers in our review. We measured 83.1 decibels from 50 feet away while running it on high and 84.4 decibels while in turbo mode, one of the loudest measurements from the blowers we tested. We noticed a consistent, high-pitched whine while running this mower, but it wasn't particularly bothersome to any of our testers. As always, wearing ear protection is key when operating a leaf blower.
Value
This model is more expensive than our Editors' Choice while falling a little short in our performance metrics. Its value does improve if you own other battery-powered tools from Oregon, a manufacturer known for its high-quality chainsaws and other tree care equipment.
While this model performs well, there are less expensive options if all you need to do is keep your porch clear.
Credit: Laura Casner
Conclusion
If you have an arsenal of Oregon battery-powered tools with plenty of batteries, the Oregon BL300 is a great addition and will make it easy to maintain a well-kept property. It's plenty powerful, is easy to use, and is quiet enough to keep your neighbors friendly. If you're not already committed to a line of battery power tools, you should consider some of the less expensive or higher-performing options.
—
Austin Palmer and Matt Bento
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