How do you best deal with the leaf invasion?
With winter just now coming into season, many people are finally getting to rest, not having to rake up piles upon piles of fall leaves. No matter how much fun the piles of leaves are to fall into, they can be a hassle to clean up. Thankfully for those with a variety of trees in their yards, there’s a wide variety of leaf blowers for almost any budget, and a few different types to suit your individual needs.
Generally, there are three types of leaf blower: Plug-in, battery powered, and gas-powered.
Plug-in leaf blowers tend to be the smallest and least powerful options, but are also the most budget friendly by far, with many good options coming in below one hundred dollars in price. That being said, they do come with the issue of cord length limitations. But, for the budget, they’re hard to beat.
Battery powered models are the next step up in size, power, and price, and have free reign to go wherever you do with no worries about cords. Now, don’t worry about spending a fortune on D batteries for these - new models are designed by power tool companies to take the same rechargeable batteries used for things like hand drills!
The final, and largest, type of leaf blower is gas-powered. They tend to weigh the most, but have the absolute most power compared to other models. These are very common options for professional landscapers, but are also a very popular choice for those with larger properties to clean up. Excellent for dealing with large amounts of leaves, but with a hefty price point - not factoring in the cost of gasoline and oil for it.
An additional consideration is the configuration of your leaf blower. Generally, the most common option is a handheld leaf blower, and for most people, this option will do just fine. However, some very large models come in a backpack configuration, allowing more comfortable shouldering of the weight while offering more power than their handheld counterparts, albeit at a higher price.
First - Plug-in model -
Black & Decker 7 amp 180mph corded leaf blower
Price at time of writing - $30.00
Our first recommendation is a small four and a half pound machine produced by black and decker at a nigh on unbeatable price point for the quality. Pretty serious power for its size and price, this is a great choice for homes that don’t need a large leaf blower to handle things come fall.
WRITER'S CHOICE OPTION
Second - Battery powered model
Greenworks 24V 90/130 MPH Dual Speed Cordless Leaf Blower
Price at time of writing - $80.00
Our next pick is a bit more pricey but comes with quite a bit of extra utility. While it isn’t quite as fast as the corded model, this is a far more mobile option, and best of all comes with a rechargeable battery capable of being used with any other GreenWorks power tools and garden tools! This is an excellent choice for those of you making use of GreenWorks tools, and for those of you with a larger area to go over without necessarily needing something gas-powered to handle things.
Third - Gas-powered model
Husqvarna 125B handheld leaf blower
Price at time of writing - $180.00
The third recommendation we have, for a bit of a larger budget, is one made by a company most well known today for their motorcycles. That being said, the 28cc gasoline engine in this handheld leaf blower delivers excellent power and solid mobility for the size. Overall, a very impressive leaf blower, and an excellent choice for those needing power to handle a very large area. Now, we must warn you - The cost of this option is not just upfront with the leaf blower itself, but also with the cost of gasoline and oil to mix in for its tiny two-stroke engine. That being said, the power can’t be beaten.
Fourth - Backpack leaf blower
Husqvarna 150BT backpack leaf blower
Price at time of writing - $300.00
Our largest and most expensive option on this list, another offering from Husqvarna. Backpack leaf blowers are more common to see in the hands of professional landscaping crews for businesses and people’s homes, but they’re an excellent option for people with massive areas to de-leaf every fall. These provide the absolute most power, but are also the absolute priciest, and for smaller properties, can really be overkill.
These are the general types of leaf blower, and a few good examples of each. Options range well with price as well as size, to suit whatever needs your home has. Of course, any option works for any size property, but it is never a bad idea to consider your needs versus what options you have. We would love to hear what choice you made, as well as what comments you have on these offerings. Feel free to comment here, or go over to our Facebook page to talk to us about it, and if you notice any problems with your appliances, feel free to give us a call at ((214) 599-0055) or schedule an appointment here on our website!