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In this review:
  1. Cheap Leaf Blowers
  2. Gas Leaf Blowers
  3. Electric Leaf Blowers
  4. Blower Vacs
  1. Leaf Blower Reviews
  2. Best Leaf Blower
  3. Leaf Blower Deals
  4. Discount Leaf Blowers Features Comparison Table
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Related Guides: Lawn Mowers, Lowe's or Home Depot, Riding Mowers and Weed Eaters

Leaf Blowers Performance

The key to buying a budget leaf blower is to match the capabilities of the machine to the job you need to do. There's no point in paying for more power than you need.
A really inexpensive electric blower is fine for simple tasks such as blowing dry leaves. More land, more trees, more debris, and more rain require a more powerful blower. According to leaf blower reviews, most users are happy with our picks, although there are some problems even with the best ones.

Leaf Blower Power.

Several people posting leaf blower reviews at Home Depot say their expectations were low when they switched to the electric Toro 51599 from a gas-powered blower, but they were surprised to find that it had more power than their gas blowers. Likewise, people who switched to the gas-powered Husqvarna 125B from another blower were surprised at the strength of force that came out of such a lightweight machine, according to leaf blower reviews on the Husqvarna site. Users posting reviews at Sears admire the suction ability of the electric Craftsman 74828, which performs well in tight places and moves wet leaves easily. One reviewer says it even picked up the branches and small fruit from a pear tree. Many users posting leaf blower reviews on Amazon deem the Weed Eater FB25 powerful enough for any residential user, and one says it works as well as a previous, much larger blower. While there are some issues with the Black & Decker BV2500, power is not one of them. A user posting a review at Sears is impressed by how easily it picks up pine needles. Some users posting leaf blower reviews on Amazon find that the Troy-Bilt TB310QS provides adequate power, but others aren't satisfied; one user says it does not appear to blow out air at anywhere near the advertised speed.

Leaf Blower Ease of Use.

A leaf blower is supposed to help you clean up your property more easily than you'd be able to with a rake. Several users posting reviews on the Husqvarna site find the 125B lightweight and easy to control even at full power. Many users posting reviews of the Toro 51599 at Sears say the machine is so well-designed that even elderly people and those with back problems can use it. In leaf blower reviews on Amazon, several people mention the ease with which the nozzles on the Toro 51599 can be changed from blower to vacuum. The Black & Decker BV2500 also wins points from users posting reviews on Amazon for changing modes easily. A big selling point of the Troy-Bilt TB310QS is the ability to switch from blower to vacuum without having to change nozzles, and many people posting reviews on Amazon seem to have bought it for just that feature. One reviewer also appreciates how easy it is to remove the vacuum bag and empty it. While some people posting leaf blower reviews at Sears say the short nozzles on the Craftsman 74828 require users to bend over slightly, this is mitigated by the machine's light weight and easy setup, and many reviewers rave about the rake attachment that helps with lawn cleanup. Users posting leaf blower reviews on Amazon like the weight of the Weed Eater FB25 and the fact that all you have to do to get going is put the nozzle on it and fill it with fuel.

Gas Leaf Blower Starting.

One of the main reasons people are willing to put up with the irritation of dragging a power cord around is that electric blowers start with the flip of a switch. A gas blower requires the proper mix of gas and oil (see the manufacturer's directions) and turning it on generally takes a few pulls of the recoil starter. Any more than that and users get frustrated, according to leaf blower reviews. Many people posting reviews at Lowe's consider the Husqvarna 125B easy to start -- so easy, according to one user, that it is ready to get going before the priming process is complete. While several users posting reviews at Walmart find the Weed Eater FB25 easy to start as long as you follow the directions -- many at Amazon say it starts within three or four pulls -- others find it a bit pesky or even annoyingly difficult. One reviewer at Walmart suggests starting it on a slow speed to warm it up before revving it to full power. The Troy-Bilt TB310QS supposedly has a spring-assisted start that should reduce pulling by 30%. While some reviewers find the feature effective, others say it doesn't help and even suggest that it might hinder the starting process over time. In a review at Lowe's, a user complains that it's an embarrassment to have the neighbors watch you endlessly pull on the cord without the machine starting up.

Review continues below

by Elizabeth Sheer (Google+ Profile)

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Don't Bother Cheap Leaf Blowers

Black & Decker BV2500

Many users seem to like the Black & Decker BV2500, but it mulches at a lower ratio than other, more powerful mulching blowers and has a plastic impeller, which can be easily damaged. The real Achilles' heel of this model, though, is its lack of durability. Read more »

Troy-Bilt TB310QS

Rather than requiring users to switch nozzles when they move from blowing to vacuuming, this gas-powered machine lets them simply flip a switch, a feature that users admire. However, it's heavy, it's very loud, and its emission levels are too high to meet California standards. Many users complain that it's hard to start and doesn't last long. Read more »

 
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