Last Updated on October 2, 2023 by Kyle Whitley
So which is better a gas or battery leaf blower? Deciduous trees – like beech, poplar, willow, hickory, maple, oak, and birch – shed all their leaves for a part of the year. It isn’t an appealing sight when these leaves start accumulating on your lawn, sidewalk, and driveway. You would want to get rid of this mess to keep your home’s exterior looking at its best. But, what if you don’t want to rake and sweep every day? Well then arm yourself with a leaf blower to make quick work of amassing the mess created by deciduous trees.
There is a smorgasbord of choices when it comes to leaf blowers, but two of the most popular types include gas leaf blowers and battery leaf blowers. When you are in the market for this tool, you would want to know which one is the better option. Check out this short video from Consumer Reports were they summarize the different leaf blower categories. We will compare a gas leaf blower and a battery leaf blower to help you determine which of the two is the best.
Gas Leaf Blowers
Gas leaf blowers are more powerful than their battery-powered counterparts. Battery technology is approaching the performance of gas-powered engines but it still can’t win the power contest. Even though gas leaf blowers pack more power, there are some major disadvantages to using these types of blowers, which make them a less favorable option.
If you are using a 2-stroke model, you will have to mix oil and fuel in the correct ratio. In the four-cycle model, you must pour unmixed gasoline into the fuel tank while the oil goes into the crankcase. Moreover, you must pull a recoil starter cord each time you need to start the blower which can become annoying very soon. In addition to this, the engine will sometimes refuse to start until the primer bulb is pressed five or six times. Other times – especially in cold mornings – you’ll have to use the choke.
Gas leaf blowers also require a lot of maintenance work. You’ll have to clean the air filter, change the spark plug, tune the carburetor, and inspect the spark arrestor. Another issue with these blowers is fuel storage. The mixture of fuel and oil cannot be put in a water bottle or ordinary container. Thus you must buy containers specifically designed for storing fuel. On top of that, if you intend to keep the leaf blower idle for a month, you will have to drain all the fuel from the tank; otherwise, it’ll clog up the carburetor.
Another caveat is that gas leaf blowers tend to make a lot more noise than their battery-operated counterparts. Some communities restrict these tools altogether because of the noise they produce while others prohibit their use during certain hours of the day. The emissions gas leaf blowers produce are also a major concern as they are quite harmful to the environment. Many states have enacted legislation aimed at curbing the harmful emissions produced by gas-powered leaf blowers.
Battery Leaf Blowers
Battery leaf blowers aren’t as powerful as gas leaf blowers. Despite this, they are a better option than gas-powered ones. The reason being, they are simple to operate – all you have to do is charge the battery, connect it and push the start button, and you are good to go – no messing around with the oil, no starter ropes, no chokes, and no air filters to maintain.
The noise produced by these models is also lower compared to a gas leaf blower. You might even be able to use your blower at 7 or on a Saturday morning because battery leaf blowers don’t make too much noise.
Not only that, but battery leaf blowers don’t emit any harmful gases, which makes them environment-friendly.
The weight of battery leaf blowers is another positive highlight. Gas engines pack more power compared to a battery but they are heavier than battery-powered leaf blowers. Those lithium-ion batteries are dense themselves, but they do not tip the scales as much as that two-stroke or four-stroke gas engine.
Battery leaf blowers are also less expensive than their gas-powered counterparts. A high-end battery leaf blower is going to be less expensive than a high-end gas-powered alternative and it has several benefits – as discussed above – that you’ll never find with a gas model.
It is worth noting that rechargeable batteries – those used in battery leaf blowers – run for an hour tops, which is enough for most small tasks. However, if the chore takes any longer, you will have to take a break and wait until your battery juices up. Or, you could buy another battery and keep it on hand so that you don’t have to take a break until you are finished with the work.
Who makes leaf blowers?
There are too many to list actually, but below are a few popular manufacturers that produce battery powered and gas powered leaf blowers.
- RYOBI
- EGO -electric only
- Husqvarna
- Stihl
- GreenWorks – electric only
- Worx -electric only
- Snapper
There are a few of the manufacturers listed above the specialize in electric only leaf blowers. EGO, GreenWorks, and Worx make some great battery powered leaf blowers that have top end features and specifications.
Final Thoughts
In a nutshell, gas leaf blowers take the lead over battery-powered alternatives in terms of power. But, battery leaf blowers stand out in all other areas – namely ease-of-use, maintenance, cost, environment-friendliness, weight, and noise-emission. So these types of leaf blowers are clearly a better option than their gas-powered alternatives.
If you want to buy a leaf blower for residential use, we recommend you go with a battery powered leaf blower. You would be able to get your hands on a high-end model without breaking the bank and you would love the convenience offered by this leaf blower.
