Cordless Leaf Blowers

[Montecfo]

I really like the blower. It replaced a gas version that was unreliable.

That family garners excellent reviews. I guess my problem is trying to replace something that performs well, as opposed to something unreliable. The true target for me was a cordless hedge trimmer but I'm trying not to select a single tool for all the reasons cited here.

The search will continue I'm sure.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

I have a Greenworks Pro 80-volt leaf blower that I'm very happy with. I went with Greenworks after buying their 80-volt self-propelled 21-inch lawn mower, which came with two batteries. I get about an hour of run time from the mower using both batteries, and I'm guessing the blower will run about 50 minutes on the bigger battery at full power. I believe the blower moves about 500 CFM, which is equal to a lot of smaller gas-powered blowers.

 

[mountainsoft]

I’ve never needed a leaf blower before. We don’t have a yard so it’s not something that’s ever been on my list of must have tools. But last week after it rained our pickleball courts were soaking wet and unusable. One of the players brought a cordless blower so that we could blow the water off the courts. It worked pretty well but it ran out of battery power before I could completely dry off the court.

So I’ve been researching cordless blowers to see if there is one that could be up to the task of completely drying off a court so that we can play on them. I’m having a hard time understanding the economics of these devices.

Like JoeWras said, you're buying into an eco system. The battery is the primary cost of these devices. So, find a system that has multiple tools you think you may need in the future and stick with their product line.

I started out with one of the first versions of Ego's leaf blower. Like you, I didn't think it was something I really needed, but decided to give it a try. I was so impressed I quickly bought the Ego string trimmer too. It had more power than my old gas trimmer without any of the negatives (noise, smell, hard starting, etc.). I now own their 18" chainsaw and self propelled mower too. They're all awesome tools, and I love that I can just pop in a new battery and start working. No gas, no smells, no noise, no starting problems.

As you buy more tools, you will slowly build up a collection of batteries and chargers. I now have two standard chargers, one fast charger, two 2AH batteries, two 5 AH batteries, and one 7.5 AH battery. I usually use one of the 5AH batteries in my leaf blower and generally run 20-30 minutes on turbo mode. If the battery dies before I'm done, I just swap out another battery. I can essentially run all day long like this, perhaps with a short break if I outpace the chargers.

I use the leaf blower for all kinds of things; cleaning the sidewalks, clearing the driveway, cleaning debris from the roof and gutters, blowing dust out of the garage, even blowing light snow off the cars. I keep thinking about upgrading to one of the newer more powerful blowers, but mine still works great so I keep using it.

I highly recommend the EGO brand for outdoor lawn tools.

 

[splitwdw]

I would prefer to stay with an electric one if it can meet my needs. We both own Teslas so we haven’t been to a gas station in years and I’d prefer to keep it that way.

I understand that you don't want to go to a gas station and can sympathize. Unless Tesla starts making cordless leaf blowers, the battery powered ones that are on the market right now don't have the power. Pickleball courts are 20' X 44' and the play area is usually 30' X 60'. Moving water takes longer than blowing leaves. When you blow the water it moves a few inches as opposed to leaves that move a couple of feet. Those of you with a battery powered leaf blower try drying your paved driveway after a rain. Sorry but the best tool, at this time, is a gas powered blower. I use a handheld blower not a backpack one. Maybe another player has a gas powered blower that they can bring.

 

[pb4uski]

Or a big squeegee to push most of the water to the side and thea leaf blower to take care of any residual water.

 

[jblack]

We have bought into the EGo system as well and love it. Mower, blower, and chainsaw so far as old tools died. I found you can also buy some of the tools without batteries and save a bit, too.

 

[JoeWras]

Or a big squeegee to push most of the water to the side and thea leaf blower to take care of any residual water.

Yes! Our local neighborhood tennis court has a squeegee.

At this point in time, there still is no substitute for gas power. However, battery tech is coming along and from what I read, the Ego is about closest. For my non-tennis-court-drying needs, I almost never use the old gas blower. It is so nice to not smell and choke. The trade off is worth it.

The best option for portable drying is a walk behind blower. I don't think any are battery yet.

 

[Bamaman]

So I’ve been researching cordless blowers to see if there is one that could be up to the task of completely drying off a court so that we can play on them. I’m having a hard time understanding the economics of these devices.

It looks like the most powerful model out there is the Ego LB6504 blower. But in turbo mode the battery only lasts about 20 minutes, so that may not be enough time to finish the job. The blower itself cost $300. It’s the extra batteries I don’t understand.

I currently own a Ryobi air compressor that came with 2 18 volt One Plus batteries so I was hoping to buy a Ryobi blower that could utilize these batteries. But from what I’ve read an 18V battery would be so underpowered for the job that even with three batteries it may not be enough power to dry everything off.

Do people really buy these extra batteries for almost 80% of the cost of the unit?

I stick with Ryobi cordless tools because they must have 50 different tools for different purposes and they're reasonably priced. And the more I buy, the more batteries have. They're good on other tools.

Get up to 40 volts, and the Ryobi tools last longer without recharging than I can last on a job.

 

[Ready]

I understand that you don't want to go to a gas station and can sympathize. Unless Tesla starts making cordless leaf blowers, the battery powered ones that are on the market right now don't have the power. Pickleball courts are 20' X 44' and the play area is usually 30' X 60'. Moving water takes longer than blowing leaves. When you blow the water it moves a few inches as opposed to leaves that move a couple of feet. Those of you with a battery powered leaf blower try drying your paved driveway after a rain. Sorry but the best tool, at this time, is a gas powered blower. I use a handheld blower not a backpack one. Maybe another player has a gas powered blower that they can bring.

You are right, that was my observation when I used a neighbor’s cordless blower. The blower only moves the water a few inches at a time. It works pretty well to move the large puddles but there will still be a lot of wet spots. It essentially just makes it easier for the sun to dry off the courts faster than if we just relied on the sun alone to finish the job.

From what I’ve read, the new Ego blower comes closest to the performance of a gas blower at 650CFM and 180mph. But I think a single battery still would not be enough to blow dry the entire court, and a second battery costs more than $200 even on sale. So it’s not a perfect solution.

 

[splitwdw]

You are right, that was my observation when I used a neighbor’s cordless blower. The blower only moves the water a few inches at a time. It works pretty well to move the large puddles but there will still be a lot of wet spots. It essentially just makes it easier for the sun to dry off the courts faster than if we just relied on the sun alone to finish the job.

From what I’ve read, the new Ego blower comes closest to the performance of a gas blower at 650CFM and 180mph. But I think a single battery still would not be enough to blow dry the entire court, and a second battery costs more than $200 even on sale. So it’s not a perfect solution.

Yes, I go for the puddles first and shoot the water towards the closest edge. Then go over the rest of the area and then go back to clear the puddles again. Hope you find a battery unit that works and fits in your Tesla. lol

 

[Jerry1]

You are right, that was my observation when I used a neighbor’s cordless blower. The blower only moves the water a few inches at a time. It works pretty well to move the large puddles but there will still be a lot of wet spots. It essentially just makes it easier for the sun to dry off the courts faster than if we just relied on the sun alone to finish the job.

From what I’ve read, the new Ego blower comes closest to the performance of a gas blower at 650CFM and 180mph. But I think a single battery still would not be enough to blow dry the entire court, and a second battery costs more than $200 even on sale. So it’s not a perfect solution.

If that’s your goal, I’d get a squeegee. That will get the water off the court and then you could come back and run out a battery trying to air dry the court. Even a good push broom will move a lot of water off the court but a squeegee is the right tool for the job.

 

[mountainsoft]

the battery powered ones that are on the market right now don't have the power. Pickleball courts are 20' X 44' and the play area is usually 30' X 60'. Moving water takes longer than blowing leaves.

As others have said, use a push broom or squeegee to remove the bulk of the water, then follow up with the leaf blower to dry out the remainder. With the EGO blower, a couple of 5AH batteries, and a fast charger you could blow all day long.

I usually clean all of our sidewalks and patios, then our 20'x300' driveway on one 5AH battery. If there are a lot of wet heavy leaves in the fall I might have to pop in the second battery, but that's usually not necessary.

 

[Ready]

Good points everyone. It usually ends up that a few people bring brushes or squeegees, some bring towels, and then a leaf blower is used to finish the job. There is no one tool that can completely dry off a wet court without any reliance on wind and sun but the combination of these tools can make it happen much faster than relying on wind and sun alone.

Sometimes the courts are completely covered in dust and debris after a windstorm. When that happens a good leaf blower is more than adequate.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

As others have said, use a push broom or squeegee to remove the bulk of the water, then follow up with the leaf blower to dry out the remainder. With the EGO blower, a couple of 5AH batteries, and a fast charger you could blow all day long.

I usually clean all of our sidewalks and patios, then our 20'x300' driveway on one 5AH battery. If there are a lot of wet heavy leaves in the fall I might have to pop in the second battery, but that's usually not necessary.

I get similar results from the Greenworks blower. And, with 80 volts it has excellent power -- better than the corded B&D blower I also own.

 

[Nick12]

Cordless leaf blowers also serve a good purpose. After you wash your car I dry it off with a leaf blower. It dries up all the water spots and minimizes water spots left over on your car after cleaning it. Car retailers use a cordless leaf blower also to dry the car prior to waxing the car.

 

[Midpack]

I have an EGo 480 cfm blower, and it’s the best blower I’ve ever owned - after decades of cheap corded and electric blowers. I have a small lawn so I don’t need any of the more powerful models. I have the 5.0Ah battery because I also use it for my multi-tool string trimmer, edger and hedge trimmer - all awesome!

 

[Ready]

I picked up an Ego LB6504 650CFM leaf blower at Lowe’s today for $299. I’ve only had a chance to use it for a few minutes but I’m amazed at how much power it has for a battery powered blower. I blew all of the dust off the garage, walk way, side of the house and patio in less than 10 minutes and never needed to use turbo mode. It comes with a 5.0Ah battery, which is huge and a bit heavy, but seems like it will last for a long time before needing to be recharged.

We have rain coming Wednesday so I’ll get a chance to test the ability to blow dry the pickleball courts on Thursday and see how it performs in moving large puddles of water. So far I’m very pleased with the product.

 

[aaronc879]

I picked up an Ego LB6504 650CFM leaf blower at Lowe’s today for $299. I’ve only had a chance to use it for a few minutes but I’m amazed at how much power it has for a battery powered blower. I blew all of the dust off the garage, walk way, side of the house and patio in less than 10 minutes and never needed to use turbo mode. It comes with a 5.0Ah battery, which is huge and a bit heavy, but seems like it will last for a long time before needing to be recharged.

We have rain coming Wednesday so I’ll get a chance to test the ability to blow dry the pickleball courts on Thursday and see how it performs in moving large puddles of water. So far I’m very pleased with the product.

You don't need earplugs like you do with the gas powered ones either.

 

[triangle]

IMO cordless leaf blowers are one of the best and most versatile tools for a suburban homeowner. The ability to easily run them for short jobs lasting 30 seconds at time changes how you use them.

I made do with an electric (corded) blower for years after the gas lines on my 2-cycle blower rotted away due to forgetting about ethanol in the gasoline. I certainly agree that one should evaluate the other tools which you may want that can share the same battery before committing to one brand vs another. Most offer good power and speed control....I could use mine to sweep the floor inside the home, but that is frowned upon.

 

[retire48in2018]

We splurged and got the 80W Kobalt leafblower.

We use it to get debris out of mulch areas, etc - and wanted something with sufficient power and convenience of electrical start vs battery.

It really works well.

Eventually I found a deal for a 2nd battery, as during the fall clean up, occasionally we'll want more than 1 battery. But, clearing out the garage, driveway, decks, etc - it works well and don't have to charge it for months.

 

[Ready]

I’m hoping I don’t need a second battery for my blower because it makes no sense to buy a spare battery. The battery cost $249. For $299 I can get the blower, battery and charging unit. I would have to think I could sell the blower and charger on EBay for more than $50, or just keep it as a spare.

Ego only makes lawn care products. No drills or other small tools. We have a gardener so I don’t really need any of their other products.

 

[mountainsoft]

I’m hoping I don’t need a second battery for my blower because it makes no sense to buy a spare battery. The battery cost $249. For $299 I can get the blower, battery and charging unit. I would have to think I could sell the blower and charger on EBay for more than $50, or just keep it as a spare.

Ego only makes lawn care products. No drills or other small tools. We have a gardener so I don’t really need any of their other products.

You can certainly get by with one battery. You'll just have to wait for it to recharge if you use it long enough to drain the battery. Having a second battery just lets you swap batteries and continue working while the first battery is recharging.

I bought a spare battery off of Ebay that was new but part of an open box sale. It was cheaper than retail, but still pricey.

I also bought the EGO string trimmer, chainsaw, and lawnmower. They each came with a battery and charger so I have multiple batteries and chargers now. I could have ordered the bare tools, but the price difference was minimal.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

That's the advantage of having a second battery, you can use one while the other is recharging.

I got a Costco deal last spring on a Greenworks 80V self-propelled mower that came with two batteries and a charger. That put me into the Greenworks camp for future purchases. I got the leaf blower in time for last fall, and I'm looking at the chainsaw. I'd love to bid a permanent farewell to smoky, finicky two-stroke engines.

 

[Dalmore]

I went all in on Ego systems 2 years ago. Blower, mower, string trimmer, and hedger. I have one 7.5ah battery for the mower and two 5ah batteries that I use on the others. They are all interchangeable. I have used the 7.5 on the blower once or twice, and while it does get heavy it goes and goes.

 

[triangle]

I’m hoping I don’t need a second battery for my blower because it makes no sense to buy a spare battery. The battery cost $249. For $299 I can get the blower, battery and charging unit. I would have to think I could sell the blower and charger on EBay for more than $50, or just keep it as a spare.

Ego only makes lawn care products. No drills or other small tools. We have a gardener so I don’t really need any of their other products.

That sounds a bit excessive, something like a premium price for a high amperage battery. Hopefully you can find a spare for a cheaper price even it is less powerful. I watched a Project Farm (youtube channel) review some third party batteries for the likes of DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita (I cannot remember the exact ones as it was too long ago) and the conclusion I drew from his video is that a person can "save" some on the battery price but also get reduced functionality. For example if the OEM 5.0Ah battery sold for $100, then the 5.0Ah generic copy could be bought for $50 but really only delivered about 2.5Ah of power.

A backup battery is almost a necessity unless you stay on top of recharging. Otherwise you will start your cleanup job with a nearly flat battery and can barely get started before you have to stop and recharge. A spare battery, even if lesser quality will allow you to continue.