Last Updated on October 2, 2023 by Kyle Whitley
Fall is coming and you are in need of a leaf blower. So what type of leaf blower are you going to get? Are you looking at gas or electric? If you looking at electric then do you want corded or cordless? A lot of folks have purchased or are looking a purchasing a battery operated leaf blower. Battery operated leaf blowers are a very popular choice based on there portability, noise levels, and efficiency. Let’s find out what to look for in a battery operated leaf blower.
Table of Contents
Why choose a battery powered leaf blower?
People are choosing battery powered leaf blowers over gas powered leaf blowers for several reasons.
- Battery powered leaf blowers are much quieter than a gas engine counterparts
- Easy starting. Plug in the battery, press a start button or pull the trigger , and you’re moving leaves.
- No gas to maintain or purchase.
With the amount of time you have saved not getting gas, fueling the machine, setting the choke, and pulling the recoil handle, you’ve gotten a head start on the job. Personally, I have switched to using only electric outdoor equipment and that included my leaf blower.
How much power do you need for a battery powered leaf blower?
Power is important with leaf blowers. However, it really depends on what you are wanting to blow around or clean off. Pretty much any battery powered leaf blower on the market today can handle sweeping off driveways and pavement. They can also handle any leaves that might get on your patio or deck. Those are pretty lightweight tasks.
If you are wanting to move large amounts of leaves, wet leaves, small twigs, and nuts, you need to choose a battery powered leaf blower with more voltage and airspeed. Most modern leaf blowers range from 18v – 80v, with the 30v – 60v range being the sweet spot at the moment.
CFM vs MPH and which is more important
So what is CFM and why does it matter? CFM = Cubic Feet per Minute . That is the cubic feet or air that the leaf blower manages to blow at full power.
Other manufacturers offer the MPH = Miles per Hour rating. That is the miles per hour wind speed the blower pushes out at full power.
The CFM rating is the one that matters the most. Use the amount of CFM’s to determine the job you want to do.
- Under 200 CFMs – Leaf blowers rated under 200 CFMs are not powerful blowers. These type of leaf blowers are used for clearing patios, driveways, gutters and workshops. They will not push your leaves easily over your lawn or clear your bushes. These are often referred to as leaf brooms or sweepers.
- 200 – 400 CFMs – These are slightly stronger and are good for clearing leaves off of small yards, patios, sidewalks. There is not enough power in these blowers for really large yards.
- 400 – 450 CFMs – These are the best leaf blowers for medium sized yards. They are powerful and maybe a little too powerful for just your normal driveways and sidewalks.
- 500 CFMs and above – Leaf blowers in this range are limited to the highest performing leaf blowers. They are mostly limited to backpack style blowers. These blowers are very powerful and rival the gas powered counter parts. Leaf blowers in this range can easily move wet and large amounts of debris.
Weight – Can I carry the battery powered leaf blower around?
Compared to gas leaf blowers, which have a small engine attached, battery powered leaf blowers are light. You will need to consider the weight of the battery to make sure you are comfortable with carrying around the leaf blower. The more power the battery has the heavier the battery usually is.
Weight should be considered because it might determine if you want a handheld or backpack style battery powered blower.
Hand held vs Backpack battery powered leaf blowers
Leaf blowing usually involves moving around the yard or home, and leaf blowers can start to stress your arms if you have a lot of leaves to move around. If you have done any kind of leaf blowing with a handheld blower, then you know the old arm to arm switch. Handheld blowers are generally less expensive and are great for smaller yards or when you only need to move small to medium sized amounts of leaves.
Personally, I prefer backpack style blowers. Backpack style battery powered leaf blowers are not only some of the most powerful blowers in this category, but the backpack helps distribute weight. This lessens the fatigue and stress on your arms and back. If you have a large yard or have a lot of leaves to move, strongly consider a backpack style battery powered leaf blower. Backpack style blowers are usually on the more expensive end of the battery powered leaf blowers.
Why runtime is so important for a battery powered leaf blower
So I don’t know about you, but when I run my leaf blower, I am usually running it full throttle. Running a battery powered leaf blower at full throttle eats up a batteries capacity. So you will want to choose a battery powered leaf blower that has a larger capacity or ability to add multiple batteries. The longer the runtime, the more work you can accomplish at one time, without having to recharge.
Some of the newer blowers either come with large batteries or they give you the option to add multiple batteries. This is especially important in the backpack style battery powered leaf blowers because they have more powerful motors and they tend to deplete the batteries faster.
It is best if you have at least one or maybe two extra batteries on hand, so that you can finish your work without having to wait for the batteries to be recharged.
Key features of what to look for in a battery operated leaf blower
Here are a few of the key features that I think a consumer would want to consider when you’re trying to determine what to look for in a battery operated leaf blower
- Battery capacity – the larger the volts the more powerful the blower and runtime
- Light Weight – choose a blower that is comfortable for you to carry
- High CFM and MPH suitable for the tasks you intend to use the blower for. Higher and faster means more powerful
- Adjustable speed settings – allowing you to adjust the speed of the blower for your work task
- Low Noise level – quieter blowers are just more comfortable to operated
- Included Battery and Charger – this might seem obvious but if you don’t already have a battery and charger it is a must. Also having an extra battery never hurts
Battery Powered Leaf Blower Manufacturers
Does the leaf blower shut off when it’s run continuously for about a minuet and then goes back on after you start it again by pressing the trigger.
Is that normal?
No the blower should run continuously until you either turn it off or the battery runs down. You might be having issues with the battery and or the blower itself. You might want to consider reaching out to the blower manufacturer or the store where you purchased the blower to see if they can help troubleshoot the issue.