Every Major Leaf Blower Brand Ranked Worst To Best

There's nothing wrong with a rake for small yard cleanup jobs, but when you're working with an acre littered with trees, there's something really satisfying about revving up a leaf blower and bending nature to your will.

Leaf blowers are versatile tools, ranging from humble little leaf shovers to industrial backpacks that push a tree's worth of leaves in a matter of moments. These tools are made by dozens of manufacturers, including brand names trusted by professionals in various industries. However, not all leaf blowers are created equal. Several brands rebadge tools made by other companies, while others simply don't make a product that will stand the test of time.

A good leaf blower balances its power — measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM) and miles per hour (mph), which we explained in the introduction to our most powerful leaf blowers list — with a good warranty, reasonable price, and long list of features. Some of the more useful enhancements, like turbo modes and cruise control settings, are included on nearly every blower on this list. Others are unique to a certain brand or model. And, as always, it's important to balance what you're spending with the job at hand — a walk-behind commercial model for a 15-by-20-foot front yard in downtown Chicago is simply overkill.

The heavy-duty construction company makes a number of power tools, and some outdoor power equipment as well. While CAT makes only three different models of leaf blower — all battery powered, two 60V and one 18V — the ones it produces are powerful and reasonably priced.

However, there are a few knocks against the brand's leaf blowers — a lack of variety, high prices, and a battery system that doesn't support nearly as many tools as its competitors. Also, some users complain that the CAT 60V battery adds a significant amount of weight to the overall tool. While those aren't the worst things in the world, you should also take into account how well a tool fits into your existing setup when you're trying to find something like a new leaf blower.

CAT's 60V 800 CFM brushless leaf blower provides plenty of force over a wide area of lawn, pushing debris at up to 170 mph. Its adjustable cannon length and nearly two hours of runtime on its low setting are positives for the Caterpillar blower. Clearly built for the maintenance of a large parcel of land, this leaf blower has the power and features to make quick work of an assortment of leaves and debris.

The CAT DG651 Brushless Leaf Blower can be purchased without a battery for $225 on Amazon.

This innovative brand originated in Illinois and has a unique connection to the leaf blower market: Echo invented the world's first backpack blower in 1975, and the first handheld blower three years later. Today, this multinational manufacturer of outdoor power equipment offers over a dozen different designs, from battery-powered handheld models to gas backpacks.

While Echo offers a good variety of products, they are a bit expensive — even their lowest priced leaf blower is over $100 without a battery. However, this is a company that markets its products toward professionals, and the brand's reliability and reputation are well known in the landscaping industry.

We like the Echo ES-250 Shred N Vac, a combination leaf blower, vacuum, and shredder. It may look a little bulky — even more so when the tool is configured for vacuum or shredder use — but the large blower pipe, elbow pipe, and carrier bag actually wrapped around the body and shoulder pretty comfortably during my own test use of the tool. It is a gas powered engine, so ear protection is non-negotiable, but the versatility of the tool makes it easy to recommend. It's

The Echo ES-250 Shred N Vac is available from The Home Depot for $250.

Makita's outdoor power equipment lineup ranges from gas powered lawn mowers and modular systems to more environmentally conscious corded and battery powered options — SlashGear already has a list of some of our favorites. Its recently introduced backpack mounted Connect X System is essentially a large rechargeable battery that can be carried on one's back or directly mounted to larger equipment like lawn mowers. It's got adapters that make it a power source for virtually all of Makita's tools, including its blowers.

The Makita 18V LXT Lithium Ion Brushless Cordless Blower is incredibly lightweight, coming in at under five pounds without a battery. However, that doesn't mean it's underpowered: the tool produces 459 CFM at 116 mph, giving the user up to 15 feet of leaf and yard waste clearing range. A cushioned grip and a weight of 6 pounds with a tool mounted battery — lighter when using the Connect X backpack and adapter — makes longer jobs more tolerable, and Makita also offers several nozzle attachments to improve air speed output or even clean out gutters.

The Makita 18V LXT Lithium Ion Brushless Cordless Blower can be purchased as a bare tool from Amazon for around $155.

Black + Decker manufactures a little bit of everything. From kitchen accessories like cocktail makers and blenders, to cleaning helpers like robot vacuums, the Black + Decker label seems to appear everywhere around the home.

The garage is no exception — Black + Decker makes tools and outdoor power equipment of all stripes. While these tools often appear near the low end of SlashGear's rankings, they are designed for light DIY work, and were never meant for rugged professional use. And while Black + Decker is often considered a value brand, one that's more focused on budget pricing than performance or durability, the company's outdoor power equipment is built to last — while it is just one example, the B+D string trimmer your author purchased 12 years ago is still going strong, with only a battery and string replacement needed to keep it in top condition.

Speaking of value, Black + Decker sells a highly rated VACPACK three-in-one leaf blower, vacuum, and mulcher for under $100. This versatile corded tool features a zipperless bag that slings around the user and a 400 CFM blower that can produce air speeds up to 250 mph.

The Black + Decker 3 in 1 VACPACK can be ordered from Amazon for around $90. I have used this tool on wet leaves in Colorado's fall season, and can attest that it's great as a blower, and good as a mulcher and vacuum as well.

Stihl has been in business since 1974, and in those 50 years it has earned a reputation as one of the top producers of outdoor power equipment. Its makes some of the best chainsaws in the industry, and the brand also makes reliable gardening tools, lawn mowers, and a full line of forestry products for professionals. Its leaf blowers are also well reviewed and highly regarded.

One of Stihl's best offerings is the BG 56 C-E, a gas-powered leaf blower capable of forcing 412 CFM at air speeds up to 159 mph. It's part of the company's Weekend Warrior line, meaning it's a little less powerful than Stihl's professional models but also priced for those of us who don't own a pro landscaping business.

A semi automatic choke makes starting easy — I rented one of these blowers last autumn and never had to pull the starting cord more than once during several uses. It's reasonably powerful too, making quick work of piles of leaves and even heavier debris like thin branches. Though its gas-powered nature might be a turn-off for some, Stihl also has several battery-powered products throughout its lineup of outdoor power equipment.

The Stihl BG 56 C-E can be picked up at your local Ace Hardware or ordered from them online for $210.

Toro is probably best known for making outdoor power equipment for baseball field management, agriculture, and golf courses. However, the brand also makes tools for smaller scale work, producing equipment for homeowners and small landscape businesses. The brand makes a mean snow blower as well, popping up twice in SlashGear's ranking of the best snow blowers available at Home Depot.

The Toro PowerJet F700 strikes a great balance between power and price. With a CFM of 725 and air speeds of up to 140 mph, the PowerJet is a cannon capable of clearing large areas quickly, while still having the power to move heavier debris. It is a corded leaf blower, which one should take into account if appropriate extension cords and power sources aren't available.

One easily overlooked feature is the little pommel handle on the front of the regular grip. While using this tool at a friend's ranch, your author found that extra handle helpful in controlling the tool on higher settings. The small hook under the handle, designed to keep an extension cord in place, is another useful design touch. This is a powerful leaf blower, especially for the price, and it's a good representation of the quality, thoughtful design, and value in Toro's diverse product lineup.

The Toro PowerJet F700 is sold for $80 at The Home Depot.

The gray-and-green tools in Ego's lineup are based on the company's idea that battery-powered outdoor power equipment can rival its gas powered competition. And more often than not, the company has managed to prove the claim true, with its 56V ARC lithium battery packs providing long runtime and high performance, without the noise and emissions of gas engines.

Ego's LB6504 Cordless Leaf Blower is a solid example of the company's philosophy. With over 14,000 reviews on Ego's website and an average of 4.6 stars, this handheld lower can run for up to 90 minutes and produces up to 650 CFM at up to 180 mph. Included attachments allow for increased blower concentration or coverage, and other available options provide more versatility. As with any battery powered system, if you invest in multiple Ego products, savings add up as Ego's batteries can power any of its tools — including several lawn mowers.

The Ego Power+ 650 CFM Blower can be purchased online from Amazon for $130.

Worx is a brand that many folks overlook, possibly in part due to its design similarities to Home Depot's Ridgid tools. Worx fills a similar position to Ridgid in the marketplace, as well, leaning more toward the pro side of the "prosumer" label while still making affordable tools. However, as SlashGear mentioned in Worx's entry on our ranking of circular saw brands, a lower price and relatively newer brand doesn't necessarily mean a bad product. While the company makes a wide variety of corded, backpack, battery powered, and modular leaf blowers, its corded Turbine 800 is easily one of the easiest to recommend.

Especially useful for those with large backyards that accumulate lots of leaves, the Worx Turbine 800 boasts up to 800 CFM at up to 135 mph. That power can be throttled down, and it can be a little tough to handle at first. But once you become accustomed to the force this tool can produce, it's a blast to use for clearing big swaths of land quickly, and has a small price tag to boot.

The Worx Turbine 800 Leaf Blower can be purchased online from Walmart for $90.

Greenworks' outdoor power tools are often cited as some of the best battery powered landscaping products on the market, appearing on several SlashGear rankings for grass trimmer brands and pressure washer brands, among others. The company has product lines for homeowners and landscaping professionals, and its leaf blowers are consistently named best-in-class for their value and light weight.

Greenworks' Pro Cordless Backpack Leaf Blower is one of the best offerings from the brand. It is comfortable to wear, and its wraparound design keeps any arm fatigue to a minimum. A variable speed trigger allows you to control output speeds by simply applying a little more pressure, and a "cruise control" setting keeps that speed locked in to keep that trigger finger from wearing out. The rated output of up to 610 CFM, at up to 180 mph, is good enough to get those leaves where you want them, and Greenworks' 80v battery powers not only this leaf blower, but over 75 other tools from the brand as well.

Greenworks Pro Cordless Backpack Leaf Blower is available from Amazon for $200.

Even before battery powered tools evolved to become as powerful as their gas engine driven counterparts, a significant sales pitch for them was noise reduction. As these battery powered tools have surpassed those engine driven dinosaurs, operating noise has continued to be a factor in their marketing. Ryobi embraced this with its Whisper lineup of tools and outdoor power equipment, even making a leaf blower that runs at just 57 decibels (dB). For comparison, 60 dB is the noise level of normal conversation, while thunder averages around 120 dB.

Ryobi's 40V Brushless Whisper Series Blower isn't lacking in power either. With a two battery runtime of two hours, the tool can produce up to 730 CFM at up to 190 mph — enough to handle most common lawn waste. Included speed tips allow the user to choose between higher CFM or MPH, allowing for customization between overall power and range.

The Ryobi 40V Brushless Whisper Series Blower is available at The Home Depot as a bare tool for $229.

SlashGear took several factors into account when deciding on our ranking of leaf blower brands. A brand's variety of offerings, online reviews, ratings on retail websites, YouTube comparison videos, and personal experience were all considered. As a homeowner with a good-sized yard and a few trees that necessitate a leaf blower, I've owned three of the blower brands on our list. When my underpowered blower finally died last fall, I rented a few blowers from my nearby Home Depot and Lowes until I chose a replacement. I was also able to test the Toro entry recently at a friend's ranch in northern Colorado.