We looked at over 55 different products before buying the 8 best cordless leaf blowers on the market to compare side-by-side and find out which tool blew away the competition. We cleaned driveways, decks, parking lots, and patios with these tools, rating and ranking the cleaning power of each blower. We also compared the ergonomics and ease of use of each tool, as well as their battery life and noise level. Our in-depth review shows which blower is best if you are on a budget, which is the most powerful, and which is the most convenient and easy to operate.
If you've got some outdoor projects lined up, we can help. We've tested dozens of outdoor tools to find the top products on the market. We have lawn maintenance tools like the best cordless lawn mowers and top cordless string trimmers to our favorite chainsaws and the best pressure washers, we've purchased these products and completed comprehensive testing to give you our unbiased opinions on which products are worth your time and money.
Editor's Note: We updated our cordless leaf blower article on October 6, 2022, to remove a discontinued Husqvarna model.
Powerful, relatively low operating volume, cruise control setting, efficient
Plenty of strength, quiet, interchangeable batteries with other handheld cordless Makita tools
Powerful, easy to hold
Light, powerful for 18v, good battery life
Solid power, good ergonomics, quieter than average
Cons
Not the longest battery life
Expensive, so-so ergonomics and comfort
So-so battery life, takes a long time to recharge
Expensive, no turbo setting, takes a long time for full recharge
Moderate battery life, has a high-pitched undertone, pricey
Bottom Line
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
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
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
Performance here is adequate while also being far from leading the competition
Operating Voltage: 56 Volts | Included Battery Capacity: 2.5 Ah
REASONS TO BUY
Remarkably Powerful
Cruise control setting
Decent battery life
Quick charging batteries
REASONS TO AVOID
A little front heavy
Ego Power+'s specialty is battery-powered yard maintenance tools, so it comes as no surprise that the Ego Power+ 615 CFM Blower easily takes our top award. Power is important when it comes to choosing a blower, and this model burns the competition in our tests, blasting debris away further than any model tested. The dial allows you to set your desired power level easily and effectively, and the turbo button truly embraces the word "turbo," providing plenty of extra power. It has a respectable (for a battery-powered blower) runtime of 14 minutes under normal use with the included 2.5 amp-hour battery, too. We also found that the batteries charge faster than any other brand in our review. Its price tag is middle of the road, yet it performs much better than the more expensive models we've tested.
Our minor point of criticism for this powerhouse concerns ergonomics, as we found it slightly unbalanced and front-heavy, requiring the operator to hold it in a way that could become uncomfortable after long periods of time. This is alleviated by the cruise control setting that effectively turns the variable speed trigger into an on/off button so you don't need to pay attention to the trigger pressure. If you're deep into a line of battery powered tools with a wider range of models, the Ego Power+ 615 CFM Blower may not be the most economical choice, but in terms of pure performance, it's hands down the best battery powered blower we have ever come across.
Operating Voltage: 40 Volts | Included Battery Capacity: 4.0 Ah
REASONS TO BUY
Relatively inexpensive
Exceptionally ergonomic
REASONS TO AVOID
Loud
Lackluster battery performance
If the price tag of the Ego Power+ exceeds your budget, then the Ryobi 40V RY40460 might be more up your alley. Considering it costs around half the price, this budget blower performs decently compared to the top models' performance. The Ryobi stood out as one of the ergonomic and user-friendly blowers that we have tested. Its molded grip cradles your hand with a natural fit, and it balances at an appropriate blowing angle with hardly any effort at all.
Though this is a great cordless leaf blower, Ryobi did make some concessions to keep the cost down. In terms of power, this blower gets blown away by the top-tier models. You should expect to spend more effort getting an area clean and possibly getting a little closer to the leaves or other debris to clear it. The Ryobi is also surprisingly loud — one of the loudest blowers we have tested to date. However, it is easily one of the greatest value options out there when it comes to electric leaf blowers, which earns it an outstanding value award.
Operating Voltage: 36 Volts | Included Battery Capacity: 5.0 Ah
REASONS TO BUY
A huge amount of power
Quiet
REASONS TO AVOID
Mediocre runtime
Unimpressive ergonomics
For the most part, it seems to be an impractical dream to have all of our cordless yard equipment and handheld power tools on the same battery system. Many handheld tools utilize a lower voltage battery system than most of the leaf blowers that we have reviewed, with the compatible leaf blowers performing exceptionally poorly compared to the models in this review. The exception, however, is this Makita model. It solves this problem by using a pair of 18-volt cordless tool batteries to power the XBU02PT1. This leaf blower finished close to the top of the group and holds its own with the top products we have tested. We were also able to purchase this model with four batteries included, extending the battery life and value.
The convenience of having the same battery system across all your tools is undeniable, but we did find that the Makita batteries have some drawbacks. The two battery requirement means you need to charge two batteries at once (not a huge problem since the included charger has two charging slots), but it also means you'll need two fresh batteries on hand if you want to work without interruption. However, we believe the convenience of a unified battery system across your yard tools and your hand power tools outweighs this deficiency. If you are searching for a single battery system across all your tools, we highly recommend this leaf blower.
We made quick work clearing off a local bike path with the XBU02PT1.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Compare Products
Hands-on, real-world testing is how we assess and score each product we review.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Why You Should Trust Us
Over the past three years, we've tested over a dozen individual leaf blowers. We test these products comprehensively, clearing tens of thousands of square feet of lawn, decks, and driveways of leaves and other debris. To compare and score comfort and ergonomics, we recruited a varied panel of testers with a wide range of hand sizes to try out each product to see how they felt to carry around. Finally, we measured the sound levels produced by each blower and their runtime on various operating modes to determine just how long their batteries could last.
Our testing of cordless leaf blowers is divided across four rating metrics:
Power (50% of total score weighting)
Battery (25% weighting)
Ergonomics (15% weighting)
Noise (10% weighting)
If you are looking for unbiased expert reviews, you've come to the right place. At GearLab, we buy all the products in our reviews from major retailers at normal prices, so you can be 100% certain that we have no financial interest in picking one product over another. To test out cordless blowers, we recruited cordless yard tool aficionado Austin Palmer and Senior Review Editor David Wise. Austin and David both have extensive experience with cordless power tools both in a professional setting and in their own experiences. Austin has logged hundreds of hours using various landscaping and yard work tools. David brings his formal training as a mechanical engineer to the table, along with extensive experience with lithium power systems and electric motors.
We spent hours blowing leaves and dirt, adjusting settings, and carrying blowers around to evaluate their strengths and shortcomings.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Analysis and Test Results
We started by researching dozens of different blowers, then picking out the products to buy and test that had the most potential at winning an award. We conducted many different tests, grouped into four weighted rating metrics: Power, Battery, Ergonomics, and Noise. The results from our detailed comparative analysis of each blower are discussed below.
Value
For the most part, we found a reasonably strong correlation between performance and price amongst cordless blowers. The Ego Power+ 615 CFM, our top-scoring model, is one of the more expensive options, but it's also unmatched by the competition when it comes to power. The Ryobi is significantly less expensive, making it our top recommendation for anyone who has a strict budget to adhere to. However, the performance does drop significantly from the Ego Power+ to the Ryobi. The Makita is also on the pricey side. While it is not a value pick, you could factor into your purchasing decision the potential savings of conveniently adopting a single battery system across all your tools.
The Ego Power+ blower delivers a robust, dirt-moving blast of power, ensuring that your days of raking are behind you.
Credit: Laura Casner
Power
Our Power metric has the biggest impact on each product's final score and ranking, accountable for 50% of each cordless blower's score. To test this, we used each blower to clear the same area with similar amounts of debris, noting how close the nozzle had to get to move the debris and how long it took to clean the area with each blower. Building on this test, we also measured each product's effective range by spreading out playground sand, then setting up each blower at a fixed point. We measured both the distance where the blower would completely clear the sand from the pavement and the maximum distance where it moved some sand, even if it only partially cleared that area. Finally, we used each blower to levitate a beach ball, comparing the heights where the ball was held in a stable position.
The Ego Power+ delivered the best overall performance for its unmatched level of power. This model could clear sand from over 13 feet in High Power mode and almost 20 feet away when in Turbo mode. The vast majority of the other products couldn't quite match these feats.
The Ego Power+ model can hold up a beach ball impressively high.
The LSW40C almost couldn't get the beach ball off the ground.
The Ego Power+ is a total powerhouse. Heavier types of debris, like pieces of pine cones, pine needles, and small pebbles, are easy to move. It is so powerful we had to be mindful not to blast pebbles or pine cones at anything or anyone nearby. The Ego Power+ is also the most proficient at levitating the beach ball, holding it approximately 5' from the nozzle when on High and about 7' on Turbo mode.
The Makita XBU02PT1 also earned a high score for its performance in our power tests. This electric leaf blower moved sand from almost 18' away and levitated a beach ball at the height of 6' on its maximum power — a close second to the Ego Power+'s performance. The Makita also cleaned the paved parking lot incredibly fast, even blasting some clumps of pine needles and larger pebbles out of the way. We think it had slightly less power than the Ego Power+, but not by much.
The XBU02PT1 had no problem clearing out playground sand in our testing.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
The Snapper 82-Volt performed above average in our trio of power tests. This cordless blower was only able to clear sand that is within 16.8' of the blower or less, giving it just a little bit less range than the Makita. It also floated the beach ball about 6" lower than the Makita and 18" lower than the Ego Power+.
The Snapper makes quick work of light debris.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Finally, the Oregon BL300 deserves some props when it comes to power, as it is able to match the Ego Power+ in the beach ball test, but couldn't quite match its reach.
Modern blowers all feature an air intake that's directly in line with the nozzle for maximum efficiency and power.
Credit: Laura Casner
Battery
Lithium-ion battery technology has made huge strides in the last decade, though none of the blowers here come close to matching the runtimes of their gas-powered cousins. A "great" run time for a cordless leaf blower is generally just 15+ minutes, which pales compared to gas-powered blowers. Also consider the reasons you're interested in a battery-powered model in the first place — quieter operation, unlimited range (compared to corded models), lack of fumes, and never having to fill up the gas tank. We scored and ranked performance off of the measured maximum run time in our tests and the time it took the stock charger to completely recharge a fully depleted battery.
Many of these products have a Turbo mode above their highest power mode, which we took into account when calculating maximum run time. We estimated that, in standard operation, most people would use the High Power mode about 70% of the time and the Turbo Boost for the remaining 30%. We then calculated a runtime for these blowers by adding 70% of our measured High Power runtime to 30% of our measured Turbo Mode runtime.
The Makita 36V LXT Brushless Blower, which employs four 5Ah batteries to achieve an excellent runtime of 29 minutes, balances battery life and ample power better than any model tested. It's not the most powerful model tested, but it's pretty close, and it lasted longer on a single charge than any other blower. Another advantage of this model is encouraging for those who own other Makita cordless tools (or those who would plan to own them). The two 18V batteries are interchangeable with other Makita handheld cordless tools, like cordless drills, impact drivers, portable wet-dry vacuums, and more. Most other cordless leaf blowers use a larger, single battery that won't work with many (if any) other handheld cordless tools.
The XBU02PT1 is unique in that it uses two, 18-volt batteries to equal 36-volts instead of one large battery like most other blowers.
Each battery takes about an hour to charge.
Our favorite model, the Ego Power+ 615 CFM, ran a respectable 22 minutes without using the turbo setting before expiring. When simulating normal use by running it in turbo mode 30% of the time, the rune time dropped to 14 minutes. However, it's worth noting that this model's battery charges faster than any other in our tests.
The Snapper 82-Volt Max ran out of juice after 15 minutes, but it deserves a special mention since we were able to get its 2 Ah battery fully charged in a "lightning fast" 30 minutes.
The battery on the Snapper 82V Max has an above average charging speed.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Ergonomics
Our third metric focuses on how comfortable and easy to use all of these cordless leaf blowers are, which accounts for 15% of each product's final score. We evaluate how balanced each blower is, its weight, and how comfortable the grip is to hold to determine rankings. Additionally, we compared the air intake location, penalizing products that were prone to suck in clothing during our tests.
The Black+Decker LSW40C snags the top spot in our Ergonomics metric. This blower feels all but perfectly balanced. The low weight (4 pounds) of the Black+Decker also makes this tool very easy to wield. Of all models tested, this one requires the least force on your part to achieve an optimum leaf-blowing angle.
The LSW40C is really light, weighing half the weight of most other cordless leaf blowers we tested.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
While the aforementioned model is light and easy to use, they don't have the power you're probably looking for to blast wet leaves off of your deck in quick fashion. If you're looking for a model that's relatively lightweight and has more power, the 7.2 pound Milwaukee M18 Fuel is an excellent lightweight choice with enough power to make it a more versatile tool.
Cruise control settings allow you to dial in the maximum speed and just squeeze. This helps you conserve battery, and makes it easier to hold for long periods of time since you don't have to constantly adjust the pressure on the variable speed trigger.
Credit: Laura Casner
The top-scoring models aren't the lightest or the most ergonomic, but both Ego Power+ 615 CFM and the Makita XBU02PT1 are still fairly comfortable to use, and our gripes are minor. It's worth considering that these blowers are the most powerful, so they'll get the job done quicker, giving you less time to notice that Ego Power+ is a little front-heavy or that the Makita weighs 9 pounds.
The location of the intake vent is perfectly out of the way regardless of how you hold this blower.
Credit: Laura Casner
Noise
We ranked each cordless leaf blower for our fourth and final metric based on the amount of noise it produced. This accounts for the remaining 10% of the overall score. The performance was based on the measured noise level at ear height when holding the blower normally and also from 50' away. We also evaluate the quality of the sound, noting any high-pitched whines that could be particularly annoying to your family or neighbors.
Hearing Loss is No Joke!
You should always consult the manufacturer and OSHA guidelines regarding proper safety equipment when it comes to operating a cordless leaf blower — or any other power tool for that matter. Regardless of the noise levels we measured in this test, we strongly encourage you to refer to the manual for specific guidelines and always wear the proper safety equipment, such as hearing protection, eye protection, and a dust mask.
Keeping your neighbors happy is the Black+Decker LSW40C. By far, it is the quietest blower that we have tested to date, only registering 73.6 decibels (dBa) for the operator and 64.3 dBa at a distance of 50 feet. Unfortunately, it is also one of the least powerful.
The XBU02PT1 had helpful ergonomic features and enough power to pass our tests, all while leveraging Makita's standard 18V batteries.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
The Ego Power+ 615 CFM keeps the noise at acceptable residential levels at 66.1 dBa from 50 feet, though the operator will experience an 88 dBa blast when using it in turbo mode.
The Milwaukee M18 registers at only 81 decibels, but we still wore hearing protection to avoid the aggressive pitch and whine.
Credit: Laura Casner
Conclusion
Hopefully, this has been a helpful starting point for your search for a new cordless leaf blower, regardless of whether you need a high-end powerhouse for extensive cleaning or a budget model for light-duty work. Remember, each of these blowers has a quieter motor than their gas-powered cousins and is much easier to maintain. Plus, you'll have the freedom to roam without being tethered to an electrical outlet. In the end, you'll be looking at a leaf-free yard with way less effort.
GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing and comparison.
