Blower Reviews – Tools In Action – Power Tool Reviews https://toolsinaction.com An online community dedicated to professional Power Tool Reviews. Mon, 16 Oct 2023 17:46:48 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://toolsinaction.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Logo.jpg Blower Reviews – Tools In Action – Power Tool Reviews https://toolsinaction.com 32 32 136529912 Do You Have Enough CFM? How to Measure Leaf Blower Power. https://toolsinaction.com/how-to-measure-cfm-leaf-blower-power-2023/ https://toolsinaction.com/how-to-measure-cfm-leaf-blower-power-2023/#respond Fri, 15 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000 https://toolsinaction.com/?p=80278 Tool in Action

Technology for outdoor power equipment is continuously advancing and every new leaf blower seems to have more power than the last. But how do you know if you have enough leaf blower power for you? Or, how do you know if a leaf blower has too much power? To know this you need to understand […]

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Tool in Action

Technology for outdoor power equipment is continuously advancing and every new leaf blower seems to have more power than the last. But how do you know if you have enough leaf blower power for you? Or, how do you know if a leaf blower has too much power? To know this you need to understand the main components of measuring leaf blower power, which are CFM and MPH.

Today, we are breaking down these components for measuring leaf blower power and helping you gauge the correct power level for you.

Leaf Blower Power Guide

How is Leaf Blower Power Measured?

Leaf blower power is based upon two main measurements: CFM and MPH. The power level also relies on the leaf blower’s overall voltage and power source. Let’s break each of these components down to understand them individually, as well as how each component impacts each other.

What is CFM?

CFM stands for cubic-feet-per-minute and this measurement refers to the amount of air moved in one minute and CFM is measured with an anemometer. Fans and air compressors also use this measurement, but for leaf blowers this measurement refers to the amount of air being pulled in and exiting through the blower over the course of a minute.

To put it simply, the higher the CFM, the more leaves and debris that can be moved in one minute, theoretically…

MPH

Miles-per-hour (MPH) is the other measurement used to calculate leaf blower power. This is a straightforward measurement that most people are used to. For leaf blowers it refers to the rate of speed at which air exits the blower.

One would assume a high CFM would create a high MPH. CFM definitely impacts MPH. However, MPH can be manipulated based on how wide or narrow the tube or nozzle is.

The Husqvarna Leaf Blaster™ Blower we recently reviewed is a great example of this. The high-speed nozzle is narrower, and that tighter concentration of air increases the MPH.

With that in mind, high CFM does not necessarily equate to high MPH. Buyers need to pay attention to both units of measurement.

Power Source

Gas and electric are the two main power sources for leaf blowers. Now, these two power sources are measured differently. Gas is measured in cc’s and electric is measured in voltage, and both play a significant role in the engine’s power and the resulting CFM and MPH.

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Gas vs Electric

Power source is another important factor when determining a leaf blower’s power.

Over the years there has been a steady rise in electric leaf blowers and outdoor power equipment (OPE). However, many consumers still use gas-powered blowers. Both sides make claims about which is better. To me, neither is better, but they’re different.

Here are a few quick facts about each type of power source so you can decide which is best for you.

Gas

  • Generally more affordable/lower upfront cost.
  • Added expense of gas and oil.
  • Requires regular maintenance.
  • Arguably longer or higher power performance than most battery equivalents, plus quick and easy refueling.
  • Loud when in use.
  • Two-stroke fuel-burning is a known pollutant and carcinogen.

Electric

  • Choice of corded or electric.
  • Generally more expensive/higher upfront cost.
  • Has renewable power source.
  • Requires minimal maintenance.
  • Shorter runtimes for battery-powered and may need multiple batteries to complete one area. However, battery recharge times are improving.
  • Generally quieter than gas-powered leaf blowers.
  • Arguably more environmentally friendly.

Based on current OPE battery technology, most homeowners can have their lawn and garden needs met with electric-powered leaf blowers and OPE.

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How Much Leaf Blower Power Do I Need?

How much power you need will depend on what you need a blower for. Before purchasing, ask yourself:

  • Is this leaf blower for personal or commercial use?
  • How big is the area that I will regularly use this for?
  • How often will I use this leaf blower?
  • What is my budget?
  • Do I want a gas or electric leaf blower?

A shopper with a small yard who only needs a blower for weekly maintenance obviously needs less power than someone with a large yard with lots of trees or multiple areas to maintain. Once you figure out where your needs fall you can then gauge the appropriate level of CFM for your needs.

Here is quick almost cheat sheet for knowing how much power the average person needs in these common settings.

  • 200-400 CFM: Great for homeowners with average-sized yards. This power level can be found in 18-24V leaf blowers.
  • 400-600 CFM: Perfect for people with larger lots such as homesteaders, landowners, and property managers. This power level can be found in 40V leaf blowers.
  • 600-800 CFM: Ideal for landscapers or property owners with a lot of brush. This power level can be found in 40-80V leaf blowers.

Types of Leaf Blowers

There are three main types of leaf blowers: handheld, backpack, and walk-behind.

Handheld leaf blowers are the most common type of leaf blower, especially among everyday consumers since the price and performance meet the needs of the average homeowner. Backpack and walk-behind leaf blowers are more common in commercial settings, or those with large and/or multiple properties to manage.

Check out this video by Billy Goat Leaf Blowers to compare the performance of handheld, backpack, and walk-behind leaf blowers.

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TIA’s Top Leaf Blowers

Are you ready to buy a leaf blower now that you’ve learned all that you can about leaf blower power? If so, we have good news for you. We have put together a quick list of our top leaf blowers for a variety of situations.

Warning: we love EGO OPE.

Best Blower for Homeowners: EGO Power+ 530 CFM

  • Model Name: EGO Power+ 530 CFM Blower
  • Model #: LB5302
  • Great For: Homeowners with average to large size yards.
  • Price: $199 with battery & charger.
  • Amazon Review: “The blower packs a lot of power. I was pleasantly surprised. It by far exceeds the power of my last 3 corded blowers and is quieter than those plug-ins!” – RePete
  • Where to Buy: EGO Leaf Blowers on Amazon

Best Budget Buy: RYOBI ONE+ Blower/Sweeper

  • Model Name: RYOBI ONE+ 18V 200 CFM Leaf Blower/Sweeper
  • Model #: P2109BTLVNM
  • Great For: Residents with small yards or patio clean-up, campers, and for clearing small and light debris.
  • Price: $99 for bare-tool, $119 for tool, battery & charger.
  • Home Depot Review: “This leaf blower has saved my back from raking up the leaves before I purchased this product. It’s so lightweight and can blow the leaves out of your yard effortlessly.” – andyreesecup
  • Where to Buy: The Home Depot

Premium Pick: EGO Power+ 765 CFM

  • Model Name: EGO Power+ 765 CFM Blower
  • Model #: LB7654
  • Great For: Consumers who need professional performance in an affordable consumer blower. Turbo Mode provides up to 765 CFM for some of the highest power in the industry, plus a 90-minute runtime.
  • Price: $329 on sale for $299.
  • Amazon Review: “It’s exceeded my expectations for its power and convenience. It charges fast and moves an impressive amount of air. I’ve easily cut the time to clean off walks, driveways, patios etc. in half” – Eric D
  • Where to Buy: Amazon

Best Backpack Blower: EGO

  • Model Name: Commercial 800 CFM Backpack Blower with PeakPower™
  • Model #: LBPX8000
  • Great For: Professional landscapers or landowners with heavy brush.
  • Price: $699 at most retailers. More budget-friendly models range between $269 to $529 on Amazon.
  • Review: Read our TIA Review
  • Where to Buy: View EGO site

Best Walk Behind Blower: Champion 1,300 CFM Gas Blower

  • Model Name: Champion Power Equipment 1,300 CFM 160 MPH 224 cc Walk-Behind Gas Leaf Blower with Swivel Front Wheel and 90-Degree Flow Diverter
  • Model #: 200947
  • Great For: Moving thick layers of leaves and debris quickly and efficiently.
  • Price: $599
  • Home Depot Review: “I bought this yesterday and set it up in about 30 minutes. Easy instructions and fast assembly. I added the provided oil and then gas. It started on the first pull. I cleared my backyard in about 45 minutes, which would have taken me two hours with my backpack blower. Easy to maneuver and did the job perfectly. I highly recommend this product.” – Ed J
  • Where to Buy: The Home Depot

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Final Thoughts on Leaf Blower Power

Buying your first leaf blower can be intimidating if you’ve never dealt with CFM’s or don’t know the difference between a volt and a cc. However, if you just sit down and take a moment to understand what these measurements mean it turns out it’s really not that complicated.

I hope you learned something today and are one step closer to finding the leaf blower that works for your life.

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Husqvarna Blower Review https://toolsinaction.com/husqvarna-blower-leaf-blaster-review/ https://toolsinaction.com/husqvarna-blower-leaf-blaster-review/#comments Mon, 14 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000 https://toolsinaction.com/?p=80091 Tool in Action

Leaf blowers are useful year-round, but fall is when they really shine. With fall just over a month away, we thought now is a great time to bring you our new Husqvarna Blower Review. Today we’re looking at the Husqvarna Leaf Blaster™ Blower. Husqvarna, a Swedish-based company, is known for delivering innovative OPE and trying […]

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Tool in Action

Leaf blowers are useful year-round, but fall is when they really shine. With fall just over a month away, we thought now is a great time to bring you our new Husqvarna Blower Review. Today we’re looking at the Husqvarna Leaf Blaster™ Blower. Husqvarna, a Swedish-based company, is known for delivering innovative OPE and trying to “one up” the competition. Therefore, the Husqvarna Leaf Blaster™ Blower was designed to be the industry’s most powerful yet lightweight handheld blower. Let’s give this Husqvarna Blower a test-drive and see how well it works.

Don’t deal with fall leaves where you live? Leaf blowers are still incredibly useful year-round in any climate. So, sit tight and read on to see if this blower fits your needs.

Husqvarna Blower Review Guide

Alright, let’s see if this thing blows…

Husqvarna Blower Overview

Husqvarna Blower Leaf Blaster with 40V MAX Series Battery removed

The Husqvarna Leaf Blaster™ Blower (#350iB) is a 40V leaf blower. Husqvarna intended for this model to be lightweight, yet outperform all other competing gas and electric handheld blowers.

To achieve the targeted level of power Husqvarna combined its 40V MAX Lithium-ion battery with a high-efficiency and durable brushless motor. This combo provides up to 200 MPH air force with 800 CFM. Which, to put it bluntly, is crazy high for a battery-powered blower, which also produces all this power with zero emissions.

In addition to the power, this blower also has built-in active cooling to preserve the life of the motor.

Husqvarna MAX Battery Series

“PRO-GRADE POWER FOR PRO-GRADE RESULTS” is the tagline for Husqvarna’s MAX Battery Series. There are two batteries in this series, the BLi22 and the BLi30. The latter is the one included with our Husqvarna Blower, plus a charger.

This 270Wh Lithium-Ion battery offers excellent runtime, 4 LED charge display, active cooling, and rechargeable up to 600 times to support a long life.

This battery is the battery of choice for any Husqvarna 300-Series OPE.

Husqvarna Blower Design

Again, this Husqvarna blower was designed to be 15% lighter than competing 56V models. To do this, Husqvarna went with a plastic construction. Don’t worry, despite the lightweight efforts, this blower is still very durable.

In fact, if I had one complaint about this blower it’s that the plastic has so little flex to it that it was at times difficult to put parts together or take apart. However, as a result, the blower holds together well.

Husqvarna Blower Tube

The blower tube consists of three parts: an upper tube, a lower tube, and your attachment of choice. We have the speed nozzle attachment in the photos above. The upper tube connects to the blower with a push lock, while the other two have a grooved lock to hold it in place. The locks securely hold everything together well.

Husqvarna Blower Handle

Husqvarna Blower ergonomic handle with rubber overmold

The blower has a nice ergonomic handle with a comfortable rubber over mold. The trigger is located on the underside of the handle.

Aside from turning the blower on, the trigger is all you need to operate the blower.

Husqvarna Blower Attachments

This Husqvarna blower comes with two different attachments for the end of the blower. I found that each of these attachments worked quite well for their intended purposes.

Husqvarna Blower Scraper 

Husqvarna Blower scraper attachment This attachment could be considered the stock attachment. It’s the one used in all the marketing and seen on the blower when looking at the box. It’s just an open-mouth attachment with a scraper tool on the bottom side. I tested it out on some dirt and brush really packed-down on a concrete slab. The scraper had no problem lifting most of it.

Husqvarna Blower High-Speed Nozzle 

Husqvarna Blower high-speed nozzle attachment

This nozzle has that same wide-mouth base and then funnels to a tighter diameter to concentrate the airflow. Not only did this blast brush further than with the scraper attachment, but it was easier to blow away heavier debris.

As I mentioned earlier, the only con I found with these attachments was that they were a bit difficult to take off, particularly the high-speed nozzle. The plastic is really strong and we needed a flat-head screwdriver to remove the high-speed nozzle. So, that’s something to keep in mind.

Husqvarna Blower Settings

There are three buttons for each setting: power, cruise control, and power boost.

Each button was easy to operate. The Power button and Cruise Control act as an on/off switch. You just need to press them once to turn them on, and again to turn them off. However, the Power Boost button only works as you are pressing it.

Husqvarna Blower Value

The Husqvarna Leaf Blaster™ Blower retails full-price with the battery system for $349, or without for $229 (currently on-sale for $199). I compared this to other 40V leaf blowers from RYOBI, DeWALT, Toro and more. On average, a Husqvarna blower without a charger was $20 more than competitive models, but the Husqvarna blower has dramatically better speed and air movement.

And when I say dramatic, I mean competitors are only hitting 100-125 MPH with 450-650 CFM, and the Husqvarna Blower reaches 200 MPH with 800 CFM.

Where to Buy Your Husqvarna Blower 

The Husqvarna Leaf Blaster™ Blower is available on Amazon. Lowe’s also carries Husqvarna products, or you can search for available dealers on the Husqvarna site.

At this time, you can purchase this Husqvarna Blower with a 40V battery and charger for $349, or without the battery system for $199, marked down from $299.

Husqvarna Blower Final Review

The Husqvarna Leaf Blaster™ blows…but in the best sense.

This blower is extremely powerful and the price is just a little bit higher than competitors who are just not hitting the same stats. I thought it performed great during testing. As a Midwesterner I see all the different ways I can use this throughout the year. Even Dan thinks it might be the best blower on the market.

I understand that some people prefer to stick with their preferred tool brand’s battery system. But the quality of higher volt OPE is a great motivator to try something new from a brand that specializes in this kind of product.

All-in-all, I think the Husqvarna Leaf Blaster™ Blower is a great option for this upcoming fall.

Still thinking it over? Read more TIA Blower Reviews.

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EGO Commercial Backpack Blower https://toolsinaction.com/ego-commercial-backpack-blower/ https://toolsinaction.com/ego-commercial-backpack-blower/#respond Fri, 10 Mar 2023 11:00:06 +0000 https://toolsinaction.com/?p=78963 Tool in Action

When it comes to cordless Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE), EGO leads the pack.  They were the first company to offer a cordless lawnmower, a cordless blower, and other OPE’s that were actually practical and useful. When EGO hit the market in 2014, they were an instant hit because they performed like gas tools and the […]

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Tool in Action

When it comes to cordless Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE), EGO leads the pack.  They were the first company to offer a cordless lawnmower, a cordless blower, and other OPE’s that were actually practical and useful. When EGO hit the market in 2014, they were an instant hit because they performed like gas tools and the quality was something that was lacking in the marketplace.  Since then, they have been developing a commercial line that brings me to the topic of today’s article, the EGO Commercial Backpack Blower.

EGO Commercial Backpack Blower Overview

Let’s be real, we are still not to the point where you can completely eliminate gas, especially for the professional landscaper.  Yes, for the homeowner, EGO has pushed the limits and allowed the homeowner to completely move from corded and/or gas to battery.  For the professional, we are still a little ways off because some of these tools, like a riding lawnmower, are such high power-demanding tools.  However, EGO just took it one step closer to being able to move over and transition to professional battery-powered tools.

EGO Commercial Backpack Blower Features

Ego Commercial Backpack Blower

The EGO Commercial Backpack Blower* with Peak Power is a new addition to the EGO commercial line.  This blower offers 800 CFM, speeds of up to 190 MPH, and a 26N push force.

It is designed around a 1,900W brushless motor which is equivalent to a 60cc gas engine. Even the outside is designed to perform as it has a UV-resistant composite housing and IPX5 rated for weather-resistant use.

This EGO Commercial Backpack Blower is built with commercial-grade electronics that are internally monitored and cooled when needed. The mechanicals are entirely self-serviceable. These smart features equate to less downtime.

*This EGO Backpack Blower is sold in three configurations:

  1. LBPX8000 – Backpack Blower Only
  2. LBPX8004-2 – Backpack Blower with two 6.0Ah Batteries & Dual Port Charger
  3. LBPX8006-2 – Backpack Blower with two 10.0Ah Batteries & Dual Port Charger

This blower is powered by EGO 56V batteries.  This blower requires two batteries which are easy to insert and remove from the back of the blower.

These batteries give up to 120 minutes of run time on low and 30 minutes on high.

The middle of the tube is flexible and easy to maneuver.  This blower only has a 65db(A) rating at 50′.

Ego Commercial Backpack Blower

The hand control is your traditional arm with the trigger and lock.  However, it has an additional cool feature, the screen.

On top of the handle is a screen that shows battery life and power.

The tube’s end-cap can be removed for clearing a wider area, plus the tube can be extended with a quick flick of a lever.

Ego Commercial Backpack Blower

On the top of the backpack, there is a handle making it easier to grab and carry.  There is an additional handle located on the bottom.

The shoulder and waist straps are padded making it more comfortable.  There is also a chest strap for better weight distribution and to help keep the blower in place and not move side to side.

EGO Commercial Backpack Blower Performance

For me, there are three things I look for in a backpack blower.  I want power, comfort, and run time, with comfort being a top priority.  I’ve used a wide variety of backpack blowers and when it comes to comfort, this is one of the best I’ve worn.  The straps are thick and padded.  For the waist strap, it is easy to put above the hips to help offset the weight.  So all in all, this is one comfortable backpack blower.

Next are power and run time.  We already talked about the runtime (120 minutes on low, 30 minutes on high, 25 minutes on turbo), which is great for a battery-powered backpack blower.

As for power, this blower does not lack power.  We live in Chicago and spring is finally here.  After each winter, we always have areas of dirt where the plows pushed and left the snow. The snow melts and leaves rocks and other debris behind.  We were able to easily move smaller rocks and leaves that have been buried under the snow for the winter.

So in the end, this blower meets all three of my criteria: comfort, power, and run time.

Ego Commercial Backpack Blower Wrap Up

Professional landscapers can not throw away all of their gas-powered and corded equipment just yet, but we are definitely getting closer.  The EGO LBPX8000 is powerful, offers good runtime, and is extremely comfortable.  EGO did a great job with the addition of this backpack blower to their commercial line of tools. You can find EGO products at LOWE’s, Ace Hardware, and on AMAZON (with free shipping on most products).

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RYOBI 40V Blower https://toolsinaction.com/ryobi-40v-blower/ https://toolsinaction.com/ryobi-40v-blower/#comments Fri, 03 Sep 2021 10:30:06 +0000 https://toolsinaction.com/?p=76071 Tool in Action

We use our blowers for so many projects like clearing the driveway, cleaning the gutters, clearing leaves in the yard; and no two projects are the same. The more control we have over our blowers the better. Sometimes you need more speed, sometimes less. Sometimes you need to clear a wide area, and sometimes you […]

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Tool in Action

We use our blowers for so many projects like clearing the driveway, cleaning the gutters, clearing leaves in the yard; and no two projects are the same. The more control we have over our blowers the better. Sometimes you need more speed, sometimes less. Sometimes you need to clear a wide area, and sometimes you need to keep the airstream very tight. The more options on a blower the better we can accomplish the task(s) at hand. This Ryobi 40V blower claims to have a lot of the features we want, here we’ll tell you if we were “blown away” (sorry, I just couldn’t resist).

RYOBI 40V Blower Overview

The 40V Brushless Cordless Jet Fan motor on this blower quietly packs a punch. It is designed to deliver up to 730 CFM (cubic feet per minute), yet runs at a “whisper-quiet” level of only 57 dB. The blower kit is available at Home Depot for $299. The kit includes the Ryobi 40V blower, two changeable rubber nozzles, two 40V 4.0 Ah batteries, and a rapid charger. For this review, I cleared a small area in front of my office. I ran the blower on and off for about 15 minutes, switching up speeds, using the turbo button, and switched out from no-nozzle to using a nozzle. The battery showed half power at the end. So with two batteries and a rapid charger, I think there is plenty of run-time to complete most projects.

RYOBI 40V Blower Features

Assembled with a nozzle and the 3 lb. 40V battery it weighs just under 10 lbs. and is about 43 in. long.  I thought it was well-balanced and comfortable to use.

The kit comes with two 40V 4.0 Ah lithium batteries and a rapid charger. It took about 30 minutes to fully recharge a battery, including a few minutes to let the warm battery cool before charging.

The intake is at the back of the blower. This design should help minimize collecting flying debris on the intake as you are working. This also allows you to use the blower on your left or right side. However, it did suck my gym shorts up to the intake panel a few times.

You have four wind velocity/airstream size output options. No-nozzle-attached will give you the widest airstream and lowest wind velocity, and I personally liked this set-up the best.  Or you can attach one of the two rubber nozzles included in the kit. You are supposed to cut these rubber nozzles to increase the output wind speeds to 160 mph or 175 mph. An uncut nozzle is to produce a top speed of 190 mph with the narrowest airstream. Switching between the two nozzles does give you the opportunity to get the right airstream size and speed for your task, but once you cut these nozzles, it is permanent.

Ryobi 40V Blower

You get a lot of speed options and control with this blower. It has a standard variable speed finger trigger but also has a cruise control feature that allows you to maintain your desired speed. And when you need a little more power, there is an easily accessible turbo button on top. The rubber-covered handle is comfortable and provides adequate grip.

RYOBI 40V Blower Performance

Ryobi 40V Blower

I hit this area with small chunks of mulch on the asphalt and it cleaned it up with no problem.

Then I tried it on some finer pine needles and was able to easily move them using a lower speed, without the needles flying everywhere.

Since it is the end of summer here in the midwest I didn’t have any wet leaves on grass to try to move. I feel this blower has the power to handle that unpopular task this fall since I was able to blow away some sticky cobwebs off of our brick building using an uncut nozzle and some turbo power.

RYOBI 40V Blower Value

This Whisper Series RYOBI 40V Blower might seem a bit pricey at $299, but it is touted as the most powerful cordless currently on the market. I did a little math; purchasing two RYOBI 40V 4 Ah batteries plus the rapid charger would run $377 at Home Depot.  So you could look at this purchase as $78 off two batteries and a charger with a free leaf blower. That makes it seem like a steal.

RYOBI 40V Blower Wrap Up

A great outdoor power tool can make chores a lot easier. This blower has almost every control feature and option I would need to easily complete the wide variety of tasks I use a blower for. The cruise control is an added feature that I didn’t know I needed but really liked. My only critique is since you could be using this blower for long periods of time, maybe up on a ladder, and it is on the heavier side at 10 lbs., a shoulder strap would have been a nice optional feature.

RYOBI claims this is the most powerful cordless blower currently on the market, and with up to 730 cfm and 190 mph, it just might be. The price for everything included in the kit is a good value. It is also the quietest blower I think I’ve ever used. So if you’ve been waiting for a good reason to update your old leaf blower, this might be the time. This new RYOBI 40V Blower really “blew us away”.

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Skil 40V Blower https://toolsinaction.com/skil-40v-blower/ https://toolsinaction.com/skil-40v-blower/#comments Fri, 08 May 2020 10:30:00 +0000 http://toolsinaction.com/?p=74087 Tool in Action

As battery technology has grown and becomes more advanced, so has the number of manufacturers who have released Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE).  We now have a newcomer to the category, Skil.  However, the story of this brand is different and unique.  So let’s take a look at the Skil 40V Blower to see what’s unique […]

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Tool in Action

As battery technology has grown and becomes more advanced, so has the number of manufacturers who have released Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE).  We now have a newcomer to the category, Skil.  However, the story of this brand is different and unique.  So let’s take a look at the Skil 40V Blower to see what’s unique about this newcomer and if the blower is worth buying.

Skil 40V Blower Overview

You probably know the name Skil but you might think of the power tool side and not the OPE side.  So what business does Skil have being in the OPE world?  The number one reason is the company behind Skil, Chervon.  If you haven’t read or learned about SKIL and Chervon, I would take a minute and read the Skil Outdoor Power Equipment to get familiar with both companies.

In case you want a quick overview, here we go. Chervon is the creator of Ego which is the brand that changed OPE. Before EGO, OPE was a cool idea but nothing out there competed with gas.  Cordless OPE was more of a joke.  Then came Ego which created high-quality OPE products that performed like gas.  The battery was top notch, the products were top notch and they work great.  Today Ego is still the leader.  So with that said, Chervon owns SKIL so yes, they have experience and the know-how for the OPE field and technically it’s not a newcomer. So let’s take a look at the SKIL 40V Blower.

Skil 40V Blower Features

The blower is built around a digital brushless motor which provides better performance and run time because it’s more efficient. The blower has 500 CFM which is powerful for a smaller handheld blower.

The blower is powered by a 40V Skil battery that offers a 4 light fuel level to check the status of the battery level. The kit comes with a 2.5Ah battery which is lighter and slimmer than some of the larger batteries on the market, which makes it easier to handle.

The cells are wrapped with a cooling material to help protect the cells from overheating and allows the blower to run longer.

One cool feature is charging.  The system has a 15 minute charge which is called their auto PWRJump.  So the charger will charge the battery from 0% to 30% in 15 minutes in case you need that little extra run time to finish the job.

Skil 40V Blower

The handle features a rubber over-mold for comfort.

Skil 40V Blower

Another cool feature is the intake fan.  The intake is located in the center of the blower so it’s not trying to suck in your shorts and sticking to your side.

Skil 40V Blower

On top of the blower there is a variable speed lever that also controls the boost and cruise control.

Skil 40V Blower

The trigger is nice and large for easy use.

If you have limited space, there is a push button to take the nozzle off for easy storage.

Skil 40V Blower Performance

Blowers can be used for cleaning your driveway and walks after you mow, blow leaves into a pile in fall, clean out your garage and more.  The one thing I like about this blower is the ease of use if I need it for full power to blow wet leaves in a pile or clean off my driveway.  However, it’s also very easy to keep the blower on low with the cruise control and clean out my garage floor without pushing dirt under my bench or just throwing it in the air.

As you can see, no issues with dry leave.  I know that is not saying much but considering a majority of the blower use is doing this type of work, it’s great to know it does the job with ease.

Here are a couple of areas where my lazy butt didn’t clean up the yard before winter so they sat there all winter long and became compacted from the snow.  The leaves were also wet and heavy so I thought it would be a good test to show that even for this heavier task, it can easily clean and throw the leaves around.

Skil 40V Blower Wrap Up

Bottom line, SKIL may be new to OPE but the company behind the name has experience.  The SKIL blower is powerful, lightweight and has decent run time for a 2.5Ah battery.  I like the cruise control and how easy it is to take the nozzle off for storage.  For me, SKIL did a great job with this blower and I really don’t have any complaints.

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Kobalt 80V Review https://toolsinaction.com/kobalt-80v-review/ https://toolsinaction.com/kobalt-80v-review/#comments Fri, 03 May 2019 10:30:48 +0000 http://toolsinaction.com/?p=71202 Tool in Action

How do you feel about battery powered OPE (Outdoor Power Equipment)?  Are you sold or just skeptical? For me, I am sold.  Ask me about 5 years ago and I fell into the skeptical bag.  How can battery power be superior to gas power?  Well, let me tell you as a believer, there is no […]

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Tool in Action

How do you feel about battery powered OPE (Outdoor Power Equipment)?  Are you sold or just skeptical? For me, I am sold.  Ask me about 5 years ago and I fell into the skeptical bag.  How can battery power be superior to gas power?  Well, let me tell you as a believer, there is no comparison, battery-powered all the way.  I love the power, I love not having to deal with running to the gas station and buying gas, changing a spark plug or moving around a gas can.  So how does the Kobalt stack up?  Let’s check out the Kobalt 80V review and see.

Kobalt 80V Review Overview

So here is the deal.  We have tested Kobalt in the past.  While it was decent, it definitely wasn’t the top performer.  However they are a very popular brand, we wanted to give their new stuff a try and find out for ourselves if they are a player in this market or just another name.

Kobalt 80V Review Features

Kobalt 80V Review

While Kobalt has other OPE tools in their line up, these are the three most common that we will take a look at today, the mower, the blower, and the string trimmer.

These tools run off the Kobalt 80V line.  In this line, you can use either a 2.5Ah battery, a 5Ah battery or 6Ah battery.

Kobalt 80V Review

The self-propelled mower has a run time of about 80 minutes with a 6Ah battery but that will vary on how tall your grass is during the mow. You can use the self-propelled feature without having the mower blades engaged, which is very cool if you are walking from the front to back yard.

The front of the mower features a plastic over-mold to help protect the front when you bump into things. The rest of the deck is steel for durability.

This mower can either mulch, bag or side discharge debris.

Kobalt 80V Review

One cool feature is the ability to raise or lower all four wheels at once with a single lever.

Kobalt 80V Review

One huge feature that we noticed from the previous model was the handle.  This handle is much better than their older model that felt flimsy.

Kobalt 80V Review

On top of the handle, you can easily start the mower and control the speed.

Kobalt 80V Review

No need to open the door and see the battery gauge.  Kobalt designed this with a battery fuel gauge on the handle so you can see your status.

Kobalt 80V Review

The 80V blower runs up to 75 minutes with a 2.5Ah battery. The blower produces up to 630 CFM and 140 MPH.

Kobalt 80V Review

On top of the handle, there is a turbo button.  While this will increase the power, it will also lower the run time.  But this is great for those times you need a little extra power to move larger debris.

Kobalt 80V Review

On the side, there is a cruise control to set and forget the speed so you don’t have to hold the trigger down all the time.

Kobalt 80V Review

The battery sits on the back of the blower which does provide good balance with the front nozzle being longer.

Kobalt 80V Review

The intake is located on the back of the blower which means it won’t try and suck your pants in and cause loss of air.

Kobalt 80V Review

The string trimmer has a 60 minute run time with a 2.5Ah battery but again it depends upon how thick and heavy the grass is that you are cutting.

Kobalt 80V Review

There are two triggers located on the trimmer, the safety and the power.

Kobalt 80V Review

The trimmer features two speeds, high and low which can be adjusted from the top of the trimmer handle. The high speed (Speed 2) is your normal everyday use. Speed 1 is great for when you are around flower beds or other areas you don’t want the grass flying around. The string doesn’t spin as fast with speed 1 and will also increase the run time of the trimmer.

Kobalt 80V Review

The head uses a bump feed system to let out more line.

Kobalt 80V Review Performance

The mower is awesome and a top performer.  I love the cut quality, the run time and the power.  This is one of the only mowers on the market that is battery powered and actually cuts all the grass.  I can’t tell you how many mowers we have tried out and while they cut grass, they definitely leave a lot to be desired.

With the Kobalt mower, it not only cuts all the grass (even thick grass) the self-propelled system is also great.  I love how easy it is to operate and change the speed without having to take your hands off the handle.

Speaking of the handle, the quality as a whole has really improved with this mower.  The handle is no longer a cheap handle, it’s solid and feels like a quality mower.

So from the mower standpoint, this is a huge jump forward for Kobalt and is one of the top performers in the market for battery-powered mowers.

I love the string trimmer but it did take a while to get used to.  The balance is great and the ease of use couldn’t be better.  What took me a while to get used to was the sound or the power.

I am used to string trimmers going all out, being loud and feeling that power.  With the Kobalt, I am not seeing it or feeling it.  So for me, I felt like it was under powered when I first used it.  However, it was doing everything I was asking.  It would cut thick grass and powered through it.  So I know the power is there, it just has a different feeling.

So while I like this string trimmer, it did take me a while to realize that it has the power to do what I need it to do.  So I am starting to think about the other string trimmers on the market.  Do they really need to be that fast and power all the time when I am trimming simple areas?

The blower is also powerful. It will easily blow off walks, driveways, gutters and more.  The one thing I did like was the force.  When on full speed, I didn’t have the feeling of having to fight the blower.  It was easy to work with and move around.

Kobalt 80V Review Value

As far as pricing, the mower runs about $550 at Lowes, the string trimmer runs about $230 with a battery and charger and the blower is also $230 with battery and charger.  I think the mower is easily worth the $550 as it’s quality and produces results.  If you look at the blower and the trimmer, you might think it’s a lot, which it is.  But if you consider you get a battery and charger with each, the price is reasonable.

For the quality of all three and what comes with the OPE tools, I think Kobalt priced these right and is a good deal for homeowners.

Kobalt 80V Review Final Thoughts

Overall, Kobalt make a big jump forward with quality.  While I wasn’t a huge fan of their OPE tools in the past, I am sold on them now.  While the field is getting larger with more and more OPE manufacturers entering the market, I think Kobalt is one of the top because of their performance, quality, and price.

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EGO 580 CFM Blower Review https://toolsinaction.com/ego-580-cfm-blower-review/ https://toolsinaction.com/ego-580-cfm-blower-review/#comments Mon, 19 Nov 2018 13:00:59 +0000 http://toolsinaction.com/?p=68979 Tool in Action

EGO has made a name for themselves in the OPE realm for making high performing tools on a battery platform. “With Power Beyond Belief” as their slogan, you better believe EGO packs a serious punch in their OPE staples. If there is one tool you have heard about from EGO, it is likely their blower. […]

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Tool in Action

EGO has made a name for themselves in the OPE realm for making high performing tools on a battery platform. “With Power Beyond Belief” as their slogan, you better believe EGO packs a serious punch in their OPE staples. If there is one tool you have heard about from EGO, it is likely their blower. The brand just released a new blower, the EGO 580 CFM Blower.

Now, we all know Dan and Eric love their EGO blowers. But how did I feel about it?

Today we are going to find out! Let’s dive right in.

EGO 580 CFM Blower Review Overview

It may seem like a broken record to continue hearing all about what awesome products EGO makes. The reality is though, that the reason everyone is talking about them, is because they are legitimately that good. We have taken a look at several of their products, like their mowers and trimmers which haven’t let us down. I loved the EGO Multi-tool and the Chainsaw I reviewed in the spring, so I knew the cordless capabilities of the battery system were there.

One of the most interesting things that stand out about EGO is the inspiration behind their design. Aeronautic technology is to thank for EGO’s turbine fan engineering that provides so much air power to this blower. That power is what allows it to have the claim as the most powerful cordless blower on the market. EGO is also owned by Chervon, a company who not only owns several popular power tool brands but also makes tools for several big manufacturers as well.

With the soon to launch Commercial Series coming in 2019, designed for the professional looking for a viable battery powered option. EGO has more people buzzing than ever before, and with good reason.

EGO 580 CFM Blower Review Features

EGO 580CFM Blower Review

This blower has a brushless motor for ideal performance. Brushless motors have several benefits, in this case, longer run time and extended engine life.

EGO 580CFM Blower Review

The EGO 580 CFM Blower is powered by the signature EGO 56V battery. On efficiency mode, the 5.0 Ah battery will provide about 3 hours of run time, while the same battery is charged in 100 minutes.

EGO 580CFM Blower Review

Two nozzles are included for air flow customization. Both a flat nozzle and a tapered nozzle have an easy change push and snap mechanism for security.

EGO 580CFM Blower Review

The variable speed control knob provides 225 to 580 CFM of pure blowing air power.

EGO 580CFM Blower Review

The turbo button provides an extra burst of airflow for maximum power but can be released when not needed.

EGO 580CFM Blower Review

Weather Resistant construction provides protection from the elements. The EGO blower boasts a 5-year warranty, all while being 4 times quieter than comparable gas blowers.

EGO 580CFM Blower Review

The ergonomic design provides ideal balance and maintains comfort for the user, even during extended use. Additionally, the use of a brushless motor reduces vibrations considerably for ideal comfort.

EGO 580 CFM Blower Review Performance

This blower quite simply blows the competition away. It is hard to adequately express just how powerful this blower truly is. I was able to blow several inches of wet pine needle and leaves right off an embedded rock drain with very little effort. Something I have never seen possible with a cordless blower before. If you head over to our Instagram, you can see a clip of me doing just that, with ease.

Another great aspect of this blower is the ability to control the flow. There are times you don’t want full power but rather a light flow. The ability to turn the knob to reduce airflow and remove the need to hold the trigger is a huge bonus to me. I was able to save some effort raking and use this as a controlled flow sweeper. When you have a plethora of trees, this is very valuable as hours spent raking leaves is pretty exhausting.

We’ve talked about its power and capabilities, but what about comfort? When you first hold the battery alone you may find yourself wondering how comfortable it could be to use. Thankfully, this blower is well-balanced and the design allows it to feel quite light even when using it on high speeds. The biggest discomfort with traditionally designed blowers, whether gas or electric, is the vibration and the toll that takes on your upper body after extended use. This is probably it’s most notable feature, as it really does power through its work with very little vibrations.

EGO 580 CFM Blower Review Value

EGO is sold at the Home Depot, this model, LB580, comes in at $169.00 bare tool. You can also purchase the package, Model LB5804, with the 5.0 Ah battery and charger for $299.00. Value is always subjective, but I have tried several models that are less expensive all with pretty poor results. There are also models that are quite a bit more expensive too but I would say it’s a mixed bag performance wise.

Outdoor power equipment, in general, is an investment, just as it is an investment to get into a battery lineup when purchasing power tools. I will say that converting to battery power doesn’t have to be painful, while EGO isn’t on the bottom of the price spectrum, they aren’t at the very top either. They price their products competitively and provide results the competition can’t touch. If there seems to be one sure bet in the cordless OPE market, it is EGO.

EGO 580 CFM Blower Review Final Thoughts

We often hear how professionals love EGO. While they have announced a commercial series recently, their fame didn’t extend to only homeowners. Professional Landscapers have also sung the praises of EGO for quite some time now. Ironically, I purchased a smaller EGO blower as a gift before ever using one, because I knew it’s reputation to be stellar. Thankfully it was a hit, but I am even more glad to own one of these blowers myself now.

I have to admit, that like most true tool lovers, I don’t share my tools well. Recently, my husband snuck a little play time with this blower while I was out of town at yet another tool event. While I was powerless to intervene, it gave me a bit of extra reinforcement that this blower was, in fact, everything you could hope it to be. To say the least, this blower hasn’t failed to excite him about lawn work, which is a win for sure. If you find yourself, like me, still skeptical of all batteries can do for OPE, EGO is the brand to go to for reassurance. This blower checks every box possible and is sure to blow you away with its performance, without blowing your budget.

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Milwaukee Blower Review – Model 2724 https://toolsinaction.com/milwaukee-blower-review-model-2724/ https://toolsinaction.com/milwaukee-blower-review-model-2724/#comments Wed, 25 Apr 2018 10:30:51 +0000 http://toolsinaction.com/?p=65969 Tool in Action

When it comes to Milwaukee you probably think of them as a power tool manufacturer powerhouse.  A company who puts out a ton of professional power tools and one of the leaders in the cordless markets.  However have you ever thought of them as an OPE manufacturer?  Probably not.  So you may be wondering why […]

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Tool in Action

When it comes to Milwaukee you probably think of them as a power tool manufacturer powerhouse.  A company who puts out a ton of professional power tools and one of the leaders in the cordless markets.  However have you ever thought of them as an OPE manufacturer?  Probably not.  So you may be wondering why they have an 18V blower, string trimmer and hedger on the market.  Is it because the can or because the market demands it.  Well, I am not really sure but let’s take a look at the Milwaukee Blower review and see what conclusion we can come up with.

Milwaukee Blower Review Overview

Not too long ago Milwaukee released their OPE line of tool and one tool was a blower.  While I think the OPE line was a welcome addition, the first generation blower wasn’t a big hit in the marketplace, so hence that is why we are seeing the version 2.0.  OK yes, a lot of people loved it but you had people saying it needed more power.

So does the marketplace demand these tools?  Well, we are told all the time by manufacturers that the contractor demands these tool.  While I am sure there is a demand, I can’t remember seeing too many blowers on the job site.  I am not saying there aren’t because it does make cleaning up easier.  But with the huge push for cleaner air and cleaner work environment, I am not seeing an advantage of blowing small particle in the air around a ton of people.

For me, I think this is a secondary tool for people.  They already own the Milwaukee or other manufacturers’ battery.  So when they get home and do clean up on the weekends, they can grab a battery they already have and clean up their yard.  Maybe I am wrong, but that is where I see most people using this, plus what’s the downside for grabbing some more sales from the homeowners market who may be shopping for an OPE tool.  There in the OPE section, see either a Dewalt or Milwaukee blower and then down the road get a drill sale out of the deal.  Either I am digging that these power tool companies are making more available tools then just your standard drill and saw.

Milwaukee Blower Review Features

Milwaukee Blower Review

The Milwaukee Blower 2724-21HD comes with the blower, a 9Ah battery, and a charger.

Milwaukee Blower Review

The 9Ah battery is the biggest battery Milwaukee offers which means this will have some serious runtime.  In fact, you can expect to get about 20 minutes of runtime with this battery.

Milwaukee Blower Review

Milwaukee Designed this with a brushless motor which means it is more efficient and hence it helps with the power and a longer runtime.  The blower produces 450 CFM and 120 MPH output.

Milwaukee Blower Review

As you can see, the handle is right over the barrel of the body.  The battery on the back and the chute on the front give it a pretty nice balance so your not fighting to much weight on the front or back.

Milwaukee Blower Review

The grip probably looks familiar if you already own Milwaukee tools.  They use the standard rubber grip.

Milwaukee Blower Review

On the side of the handle, there is a push button so a user can lock the trigger in place.

Milwaukee Blower Review

The trigger is a variable speed trigger and is pretty easy to control and keep a consistent speed.  When a user fully depresses the trigger, you can expect the full ramp-up time to take about 1 second which is fast for a battery operated machine.

Milwaukee Blower Review

On top of the handle is a push button for low or high speed.  You can operate this tool with a single handle.  You can use your thumb to change speeds.

Milwaukee Blower Review

The intake is on the back of the blower so no need to worry about this trying to suck in your shorts as that happens when the intake is on the side.

Milwaukee Blower Review

The intake is also protected y a plastic screen which will stop large objects like leaves being sucked into the fan or for obvious safety reasons.

Milwaukee Blower Review Performance

We received this blower when there was still snow on the ground.  Since snow is heavier we figured that would be a good test also.  I have to admit I was surprised how well it pushed the snow.  Now, this wasn’t a wet heavy snow.  This was more powered snow and about 2″ thick.  If you compare this to the first version, this unit is night and day.  Much more power than the first generation.

With this generation, I now feel like Milwaukee can compete against other OPE battery operated blowers such as the Dewalt and Ego.

Follow us on Instagram and I will update you on the power with wet leaves and how well it pushes sand when we do our patio.

But for me, this has plenty of power and if you are invested in the Milwaukee battery platform, I would get this if you need a blower.

Milwaukee Blower Review Value

You can pick up the bare too which is model 2724-20 for about $150 at The Home Depot.  If you want the 9Ah battery and charger you will expect to pay about $130 more as that comes in at $280.

I don’t think the price is too bad as you can get the Dewalt bare blower for about $120 which is 30 mph less and 50 CFM less.  The Ego bare blower cost about $120 and 10 mph slower but has 80 more CFM.

Milwaukee Blower Review Final Thoughts

The version 2.0 is a huge increase and improvement over their previous model.  Model 2724 has more power, lighter weight and the 1-second startup time is a nice addition.  If you are invested in the Milwaukee line, I think this is a great blower to add to your OPE line up.  If you are looking for your first blower, I think this is one that should be considered in a side to side comparision against the Ego.

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Yard Force Review – OPE Edition https://toolsinaction.com/yard-force-review/ https://toolsinaction.com/yard-force-review/#comments Tue, 10 Oct 2017 10:30:48 +0000 http://toolsinaction.com/?p=63612 Tool in Action

Over the last couple of years, we have seen a huge leap forward in battery technology.  No longer do we have to rely on gas-powered OPE (Outdoor Power Equipment) products.  We don’t have to listen to loud motors, bad smelling fumes or deal with the hassles of bad gas.  Battery technology has changed it all.  […]

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Tool in Action

Over the last couple of years, we have seen a huge leap forward in battery technology.  No longer do we have to rely on gas-powered OPE (Outdoor Power Equipment) products.  We don’t have to listen to loud motors, bad smelling fumes or deal with the hassles of bad gas.  Battery technology has changed it all.  We now have quieter machines that are still powerful, but we don’t have to deal with the cons to gas.  So without wasting any time let’s jump into the Yard Force Review.

Yard Force Review Overview

Yard Force might not be a name you are familiar with as it’s not a mainstream name.  Over the past couple of years, we have not only tested a variety of products from them but have had a chance to learn about them and the company.

While we have tested their pressure washer, we now move into their OPE products.  So when we found out we were going to be able to test out their mower, blower and string trimmer, we jumped at the chance.

Yard Force Review

The Yard Force OPE tools run off their 120 RX Lithium-Ion battery.  This provides plenty of power and run time for these heavy applications.

Yard Force Review Mower

The first thing we noticed about this mower is the quality.  We have tested a lot of battery powered mowers over the years and can tell you first hand that there isn’t a lot on the market that screams quality.  The Yard Force is a mower that seems to be designed with quality in mind.

Yard Force designed this around a brushless mower and a steel deck which means the motor is efficient and the deck will last for years. In fact, Yard Force offers a 5-year warranty with this mower.

You will get about 100 minutes of run time per charge.  Again, it depends upon how thick of grass you are mowing.  One item we noticed was that when you get into thick grass, the motor will kick up to produce more power so you can cut thick, tall grass.

The mower holds two batteries and will work off a single battery.  So if you are charging a battery, the mower will keep working.  If you discharge a battery while mowing, it will automatically switch over to the other battery.

The mower is self-propelled.  Just pull up on the back lever and you no longer have to push the mower around.  Just walk behind it and guide it in any direction.

Yard Force Review

You can adjust the speed of the mower with a lever located on the left handle.  Word of warning, the fast mode is cruising, so make sure you want to walk at a fast pace.

Yard Force Review Yard Force Review

The mower is a 3 in 1 mower where you can bag, mulch or side discharge.  Even the bag is well thought out and extremely nice.  Speaking of bagging this is the most grass I have ever seen pushed into a bag.

Yard Force Review

To turn the mower on, just press and hold the power button.  Once it turns green, you can press the orange button and pull back on the handle.  There is a delay in startup but that is with every battery-powered mower we have used and tested.

Yard Force Review

I love the large handle to adjust the height.  A single lever adjusts all four wheels.  Very smooth and easy to use.

If you buy the mower you get the following items:

  • Mower
  • (2) 120vRX high-capacity 2.5 Ah batteries
  • (1) 4 Amp fast charger
  • Bag, Mulching Kit and side discharge.

Yard Force Review Blower

Yard Force Review

As with the mower, Yard Force offers a 5-year warranty on the blower.  This is also built with a brushless motor and produces 540 CFM and 140 MPH.  You can expect to get about 40 minutes of run time with this blower on low.

The blower comes with a shoulder strap and two different types of nozzles.

Yard Force Review

Press and hold the power button to turn on and off the blower.  Once the unit is on, you can use the push button to adjust speeds of the blower.  You can change speed without having to remove your finger from the trigger.

To activate the blower, you can use the finger trigger.

Yard Force Review

The intake is below and on the back of the blower which is nice.  This means it will not be sucking in your shorts while taking in air.

The kit comes with the following items:

  • Blower
  • (1) 120vRX high-capacity 2.5 Ah battery
  • (1) 4 Amp fast charger
  • Shoulder strap
  • 2 air-control nozzle tubes

Yard Force Review String Trimmer

Yard Force Review

As with the mower and blower, Yard Force also included a 5-year warranty on the string trimmer for peace of mind.  The string trimmer also features a brushless motor for efficiency and longer run times.  You will get about 60 minutes of run time per charge.

Without a doubt, this is one of the most powerful battery operated string trimmers we have used or tested.  Talk about power, this has it.

The string Trimmer has an 18″ cutting swath and uses a .095″ line.

Yard Force Review

Once the power is on, you have to depress the small orange safety button and pull the trigger to start the trimmer.

Yard Force Review

To turn on and off the trimmer, just press and hold the power button.  You can adjust the speeds using the right push button.  You can set it to three different speeds.

The kit comes with the following items

  • String Trimmer
  • (1) 120vRX high-capacity 2.5 Ah battery
  • (1) 4 Amp fast charger
  • Shoulder Strap

Yard Force Review Value

You can pick up this mower on Amazon for about $800 which isn’t too bad for this type of mower.  You get two batteries, a steel deck which will last for years and a self-propelled mower.  Think about it, no more dealing with mad gas, loud motors or all the other bad stuff with gas mowers.

You can pick up the blower for about $350 from Amazon.  Again, not a bad price considering you get a battery with the blower.  You will get about 40 minutes of run time on low and it only takes 30 minutes to charge.

The string trimmer also runs for about $350 on Amazon.  This is one of the most powerful battery operated string trimmers we have tested.  So if you have areas that are thick and you need the power, this is the one to have.

Yard Force Review Final Thoughts

Some might feel this system is expensive to get into but considering the power and the quality, it’s a fair price for this system.  While I would like to see a plastic deck, most people still love the steel deck.  Considering it is self-propelled, weight isn’t a huge issue since you just have to sit back and walk behind it.  While the blower didn’t blow us away, we love the fact you get two types of nozzles and can easily adjust the speed.  On the other hand, the string trimmer is one of the most powerful units we have tested in this category.  If you are looking to get into a battery-powered OPE platform, the Yard Force is a good one to look at and consider.

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Makita 36V Blower Review https://toolsinaction.com/makita-36v-blower-review/ https://toolsinaction.com/makita-36v-blower-review/#comments Fri, 28 Jul 2017 10:30:35 +0000 http://toolsinaction.com/?p=62455 Tool in Action

I know what you are thinking, didn’t we take a look at the Makita XBU02?  Good catch and that is a sign of a true TIA fan. So why are we looking at it again?  Since we first took a look at this blower, we have seen a ton of blowers from different manufacturers come and go. […]

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Tool in Action

I know what you are thinking, didn’t we take a look at the Makita XBU02?  Good catch and that is a sign of a true TIA fan. So why are we looking at it again?  Since we first took a look at this blower, we have seen a ton of blowers from different manufacturers come and go.  We wanted to put it back on your radar for anyone looking for a true outdoor power tool line.  So take a look at our Makita 36V Blower Review.

Makita 36V Blower Review – Overview

Makita 36V Blower Review

When it comes to Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE), it seems like every manufacturer has a tool to offer.  Now when I say this, I am saying it with all respect.  When it comes to OPE, I feel like most of them just offer the product to complement their line of tools and hopefully, people will buy their OPE tool and then start buying their power tools.  It’s almost like when you used to buy power tool kits.  They would have a kit of 4 tools and then toss in some cheap light to call it a 5 tool kit.

For me, Makita is different.  I feel like their OPE tools are high-quality tools.  They appear to invest time and money into the line and look at this as an extension, something they believe should be high quality.  So as you guessed when people ask me who makes the best OPE tools for power tool companies, I immediately point them to Makita.

Makita 36V Blower Review

You may be wondering why you see two batteries that say 18V, but the article says it’s a 36V.  Makita does something different that I wish all companies did.  Instead of designing different volt batteries and requiring users to invest into different platforms, Makita thought differently.  Why not have users invest in one battery platform?  If it only requires one battery, that is how we will design the tool.  However, for the high demand applications, they add another one to increase the watts or output.  An awesome idea and another reason that Makita puts its users first.

Makita 36V Blower Review – Features

Makita 36V Blower Review

Makita started with a brushless motor and designed a two battery system around the motor.  If you use two 5Ah batteries, you will get about 30 minutes of run time.  Not bad at all for a high demand OPE tool.

The blower puts out 120 MPH of air flow with a volume of 473 CFM.  So how does this stack up?  Really depends upon the blower you are comparing it to and the battery platform.  For this value from the Makita, it’s more than enough to blow leaves, even wet leaves, pine cones, sawdust and more.

Makita 36V Blower Review

I know some people like the narrow chute because it feels stronger, but on this Makita model, they use a wider nozzle, which I prefer.  Less pushback and more coverage with the wider nozzle.  I also love how you can adjust the length of the nozzle.

Makita 36V Blower Review – Performance

Is this blower going to blow down a brick house?  No, but it might blow down a straw or stick house.  The run time is awesome for such a high demand tool.

I didn’t feel much kick back and I am not trying to fight the tool everytime I pull the trigger.  This is a nice welcome because I hate being tired after blowing off the lawn.  I usually have a tired arm when I am half way done.

Makita 36V Blower Review

The intake is on the back of the blower, so you don’t feel it sucking your pants in or you don’t feel like the blower is trying to turn to the left or the right.

Makita 36V Blower Review

The speed dial and variable speed trigger work flawlessly and are easy to control.  The one thing I can brag about this blower is the quality.  Every time I use this blower, it just screams quality.  The trigger is tight and the speed dial doesn’t have any play in it.  It’s just one of the tools you pick up and feel like it will be something you will pass down to your kids.

While you can hear the blower, it’s not nearly as loud as other blowers we have tested (60.2 dB).

Makita 36V Blower Review – Value

There are blowers on the market that are cheaper and more expensive.  I think Makita gives you a great value for this blower.  You can pick this up at your local Home Depot.  Now if you are just looking for a blower and nothing else, you can pick up a different manufacturer.  But when it comes to a complete system, Makita dominates. Their string trimmer and chainsaw are also high quality.  Couple that with a huge line of tools and how much you can expand, this blower offers a great value for performance and freedom of movement into other tools.

Makita 36V Blower Review – Final Thoughts

Overall I love this blower.  I love the Makita platform and how I can just invest in one battery platform.  The blower is powerful and has a great run time.  The intake is on the back, so it’s not trying to stick to my pants.  If you are looking into buying your first power tool line and OPE will be a factor, I don’t think there is a better choice than Makita.  Makita has a huge line of power tools and their quiet OPE line is powerful and pleasing.

 

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Milwaukee Blower 2728-21HD https://toolsinaction.com/milwaukee-blower-2728-21hd/ https://toolsinaction.com/milwaukee-blower-2728-21hd/#respond Wed, 19 Apr 2017 10:30:38 +0000 http://toolsinaction.com/?p=60751 Tool in Action

Milwaukee just entered the OPE market with their new Milwaukee blower.  Yes, they had a compact blower on the market for a while, but that was really designed for small clean up jobs.  With this blower, it’s designed for full clean up either on the job site or lawns.  I believe Makita was the first […]

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Tool in Action

Milwaukee just entered the OPE market with their new Milwaukee blower.  Yes, they had a compact blower on the market for a while, but that was really designed for small clean up jobs.  With this blower, it’s designed for full clean up either on the job site or lawns.  I believe Makita was the first to enter this market and we have had a chance to test their OPE products out and love them.  Then I believe Dewalt was next.  While we tested them out, I can say I have had a lot of use with them, so it’s not one I jump up and down over.  Now Milwaukee has there’s, so how does it stack up.

A blower is useful for concrete guys who need to clean up, asphalt guys who need to clean up before they apply their products and a ton more.  It’s also useful for lawn clean.  How awesome is it that you own a battery that you can use at work, then come home and use it for your lawn?  To me that is pretty cool.  I know all these manufacturers like to taught and say this is great for the professional lawn guy, but I still have a hard time believing that.  For me, i changed over about 5 years back from gas to battery operated OPE products for my house.  However with professional lawn guys, i still don;t think battery is there yet to give the lawn guys a good deal.  Maybe it where I live and that’s why I don’t understand it, but I still think cordless OPE products are great for the homeowner and still have a long way to go for the professional.  With that said, I have to say I love the Milwaukee Blower.

Dan and myself are usually on the same page when it comes to what we think of a tool.  However with this we are pretty far apart.  He isn’t a fan of the Milwaukee blower while I like it.  He thinks its weak, I don’t.  Is it the best blower I have ever used, no, I think gas blowers are the best.  Is it one of the top blowers in the cordless line up.  Yes, I think it’s up there.  For me there are a couple of things i love about this blower.

First I love the balance of the blower.  When I was cleaning up my yard, I wasn’t getting tired of holding on to it.  Plus it didn’t feel like it was pushing my arm back and I was fighting it.  A huge plus for me.  I think it has great power for my needs as I was able to push a bunch of pine cones around, small branches of my pine tree and wet leaves.  It handles the walks without any question and the run time was great.  I was using the 9Ah battery and that was a huge deal for the long run time.  I really  like the fact i can control the speed with the trigger or my thumb using the cruise control.

For the first entry into OPE, Milwaukee did a good job.  I think its a great addition to their line up.

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Ego Backpack Blower Model LB6000 https://toolsinaction.com/ego-backpack-blower-model-lb6000/ https://toolsinaction.com/ego-backpack-blower-model-lb6000/#comments Fri, 28 Oct 2016 10:30:30 +0000 http://toolsinaction.com/?p=48065 Tool in Action

If you are taking a stroll down the OPE aisles at The Home Depot, you have probably seen the name Ego.  This is a brand that has hit the market hard over the last couple of years with battery powered OPE tools such as a lawnmower, hand held blower, string trimmer, chainsaw and more.  While […]

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Tool in Action

If you are taking a stroll down the OPE aisles at The Home Depot, you have probably seen the name Ego.  This is a brand that has hit the market hard over the last couple of years with battery powered OPE tools such as a lawnmower, hand held blower, string trimmer, chainsaw and more.  While Ego is a newer company to market, the main company, Chervon, has been around a long time.  They have plenty of experience and in fact we had a chance to visit them first hand.  While the visit was awesome, I took away two things.  First, is their battery technology.  They have an incredible battery that is a workhorse.  The second item is quality.  Time and time again, I heard and saw first hand how quality is very important to them.  They built a quality product and stand behind every single product. Three years ago if you asked me, I would never have thought I would be running battery powered OPE tools, I was a gas guy all the way.  After using Ego products, I am proud to say I will never go back to gas.  Well, today they have a new product available, the Ego Backpack Blower.

Ego Backpack BlowerOkay so you know I am a huge fan of Ego, but I have to be honest.  When I first heard about the Ego backpack blower, I thought it was cool, but I still have a hard time wrapping my head around having a battery powered tool that is a high demand tool.  I think because I grew up on gas and battery technology can’t compete, but here we are and I have to say Ego did an awesome job with the blower.  As a side note, we have the new Snow Blower and I am excited about putting that through the test in winter, but that is for another day.

Now the back of the Ego Backpack blower might not look like much because it doesn’t have the engine, but don’t let looks fool you.  This blower puts out a whopping 600 CFM’s which makes any clean up job a snap.  One reason this thing jams so much air through the system is because of the turbine-fan design.  As with all other backpack blowers, you can control everything right from your hand.  You can control the trigger and it also has a variable speed dial, with a Turbo option.  From 320 cubic feet per minute all the way up to 600 cubic feet per minute.  The unit is built around a brushless motor and uses their 56V line of batteries.

In regards to noise level, this unit does a great job keeping it down.  Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not as quiet as their lawnmowers, but compared to a gas blower, it’s night Ego Backpack Blowerand day.  While the straps don’t look like much, the padding does a nice job keeping you comfortable, even for long periods of use.  There is a shoulder strap for each shoulder, a hip belt and chest belt.  So once you get the unit fully on, it’s very comfortable and doesn’t slide around when in use.

The blower tube is adjustable, but I really don’t use that much.  I have it set to the longest length and pretty much leave it there.  When you get into heavy, wet leaves, it does a great job.  If you need more power, you can push the Turbo button with your thumb and get an extra kick, however, that will lower your overall run time.  So far I have been using this on my lawn and walkways.  It does a great job, but I am really curious to see how it will handle this fall with the leaves, pine cones and small branches, which I will report back to you on.  In advance, I think this will easily handle my yard with the pine cones and other debris.  I have to say that this is a great backpack blower and yes, you can use it with your existing Ego batteries.

Ego Backpack Blower Specification

  • Variable speed: 320 CFM to 600 CFM
  • Maximum air velocity: 145 MPH
  • Up to 120-minute run-time with 5.0AH 56-volt Arc-Lithium™ Battery (on low speed)
  • Turbine fan engineering
  • Hi-efficiency brushless motor
  • Weather-resistant construction
  • Adjustable tube length
  • 8 times quieter than gas-powered backpack blowers
  • Adjustable harness with waist belt
  • 5 Year Warranty

Bottom line, I love this blower.  It’s lightweight, quiet and powerful.  I love not having to listen to a loud motor roaring in my ears.  This is another quality product from Ego and I think anyone who invests in the Ego line of products can verify how well these OPE tools are.  Next time you are at The Home Depot, check one of these out.  Let us know your thoughts on this by leaving a comment below, in our power tool forum or on our YouTube video.

Read more and pick one up on Amazon today.

 

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Best Cordless Blower – Handheld Cordless Blower Tool Fight https://toolsinaction.com/best-cordless-blower-handheld-cordless-blower-tool-fight/ https://toolsinaction.com/best-cordless-blower-handheld-cordless-blower-tool-fight/#comments Wed, 26 Oct 2016 10:30:29 +0000 http://toolsinaction.com/?p=49068 Tool in Action

It’s that time of year when the leaves are changing colors and they are about to fall.  They will start to cover up your grass and clog up your gutters.  Now you may be in the market for a new blower either because yours is getting old or you have been hearing good things about […]

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Tool in Action

It’s that time of year when the leaves are changing colors and they are about to fall.  They will start to cover up your grass and clog up your gutters.  Now you may be in the market for a new blower either because yours is getting old or you have been hearing good things about battery powered blowers.   We see our neighbors with their fancy blowers, we see ads on TV or the newspaper and we see them at our local hardware store.  So which one is the best one on the market?  Which would meet our needs and which one would be the best value?  Well, it’s always so hard to tell because you see different battery platforms, different volts, different CFM and different colors.  All this can be enough to spin your head around in circles.  We understand how you feel, so we decided to put some of the most popular blowers up against each other and have some fun.  So at Tools in Action, we always love to have a little fun. While we aren’t scientists or UL lab technicians, we are consumers just like you.  We want to break through and see what is the best cordless blower on the market.  While we couldn’t test them all, we did test some of the most popular ones on the market.

We understand there can be a ton of different testing scenarios we could have done.  But for us, we wanted to test some of the most important aspects of a blower to find out the best cordless blower.  So we picked a couple of important elements in a blower and that is what we are covering today.  For any testing purpose, there are always variables we can’t control.  We tried to do our best to mitigate these variables, but bottom line, we really just wanted to have some fun and maybe educate you as a consumer so when you do buy a blower, you can find the best cordless blower for you.  Just because one blower is better for someone, doesn’t mean it’s the best one for the next person.  For me, I want something powerful and lightweight, plus I want a quality blower that has great tools in their line up.  For me, I don’t care about run time.  I have a small yard and it takes me about 30 steps at most to grab another battery.  I use my blower to clean out my gutters (Yes I know I shouldn’t), I also use it for fall clean up and blowing off the grass on the walkways.  For someone else, they might have a longer driveway and they want a longer run time because they are just using it to blow off their driveway after they mow.  They don’t want to be 10′ away from finishing the job and having to walk back to the garage, replace the battery and walk back to the end of the driveway.  Again, we are just two guys having some fun and trying to shed a little light on the blower world.  So before we get started we want to tell you which blowers we tested and what aspects we took into account for the blower flight.

Blower Models we Tested

  • Kobalt – Model KHB 400B-06
  • Dewalt – Model DCBL790M1
  • Ego – Model LB5302
  • Ryobi – Model RY40411
  • Greenworks – Model 80V-Pro-500CFM
  • Troy Built – Model TB4300
  • Echo – Model CBL-58V2AH

Features We Reviewed For Blowers

  • Power
  • Weight
  • Run Time
  • Tools Available for Battery Platform
  • Quality of Blower – Build Quality

About the Test

Best Cordless BlowerAs I stated above, it’s very hard to test blowers considering there are so many variables.  However being who we are, we still wanted to give it a shot and have some fun.  So we reached out to Bode Tree Care to see if we could try them out on some mulch over at his place.  We brought the Ventrac over and put two level scoops of mulch for each blower to try and push.  Our goal was really to make sure these blowers could move heavier items and also to see the run time.  While we were moving the piles of mulch, we also took into account the ergonomics of the blowers.  When we ran these blowers, we ran them at the highest setting possible.  So our run time we state below is from the highest setting.  You will find higher run times on the manufacturers website, but they usually state it while running at the lowest setting.

 

Ego – Model LB5302

Best Cordless BlowerEgo is one of the newer manufacturers on this list.  They have only been around for about 5 years, but their history (Chervon) is much older.  However, in the 5 years they have changed the OPE environment by introducing quality products with an incredible battery.  We have had a chance to test their full line of products and we have been wowed by every single one.  This year they have a new 56V snow blower on the market along with a backpack blower.

 

Power – 56V, 2.5 Ah Battery, 110 MPH, 530 CFM
Weight – 7.312 lbs
Run Time (TIA Figures) – 9 Minutes

What we like – This is a great blower.  While it doesn’t hold the record for MPH, the weight and CFM of the tool are incredible.  This is the lightest blower that we tested.  Considering how light it is and how much CFM this pushes, this is a great blower to own.

What we don’t like – We would have liked to see a little more run time.  This had the worst run time of all the blowers we tested.  In the real world, we really doubt you would be using the turbo button the whole time.  With that said, we know the run time will increase without the turbo button, which still leaves plenty of power to get most jobs done.

Tools Available for Battery Platform – You can build an incredible OPE line with all the tools they offer.  This is the thing we love the most about Ego.  You can invest in one battery platform and get a mower, blower, string trimmer, chain saw, hedger and snow blower.

Quality of Blower – Build Quality – We are very impressed with the build quality of this blower.  It doesn’t seem like Ego cut any corners when they designed this or their other OPE products.  We love the fact that there is room so a user can use any of their batteries.  So if you want to add their 7.5 Ah battery to increase run time, you won’t have an issue.

Conclusion – While the run time was the lowest, this would be my top pick.  This is the lightest of all the blowers we tested.  It is packed with power and light on the arm.  Considering they have the nicest OPE line on the market, this blower is hard to beat.

Best Cordless Blower Best Cordless Blower Best Cordless Blower Best Cordless Blower

 


Dewalt – Model DCBL790M1

Best Cordless BlowerDewalt is a name you can trust.  They have been around for a long time and make professional, quality products.  Don’t let the fact that this is only a 40V fool you.  This has plenty of power and with the highest amp hour battery (4Ah), it has great run time along with great power.  This is the only blower we tested that is designed for the professionals.

 

 

Power – 40V, 4 Ah Battery, 120 MPH, 400CFM
Weight – 10.8 lbs
Run Time (TIA Figures) – 14 Minutes

What we like –  This blower has a ton of power and run time.  We didn’t see this with the other blowers in the blower fight.  The Dewalt comes with a high amp hour battery which means this can do some serious work in the cordless blower sector.

What we don’t like – This is bulky.  Other than the Echo, this was the biggest blower we tested.  We understand this is designed for the “professional”, but for a consumer, it is one we would pass on since they don’t have a mower available in the 40V line.

Tools Available for Battery Platform – Dewalt offers a couple different tools in their 40V line of tools.  They have string trimmers, backpack blowers and chainsaws available.

Quality of Blower – Build Quality – It’s hard to find a better built OPE tool.  Dewalt knows how to make strong and tough tools.  The same toughness that goes into their tools, goes into their OPE products.

Conclusion – The Dewalt did a great job moving the mulch.  The run time was one of the best we tested.  For the professional, it can be a great option.  For the homeowner, we would suggest the Ego.

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Ryobi – Model RY40411

Best Cordless BlowerRyobi is a company you are probably familiar with if you have visited any Home Depot store.  They have a huge line of power tools and make almost any OPE tool a homeowner could want.  Ryobi is a company that tries to deliver the highest possible quality for a reasonable price.

 

 

 

Power – 40V, 2.6 Ah Battery, 155 MPH, 300 CFM
Weight – 8.4 lbs.
Run Time (TIA Figures) – 13 Minutes

What we like – This is a great blower that is not only comfortable using, but has a great run time.

What we don’t like – While this has a high MPH, the CFM was one of the lowest we tested.  However, the run time was towards the top of the pack

Tools Available for Battery Platform – Ryobi has pretty much anything a homeowner could want to build their own OPE tools.  They offer a mower, string trimmer, hedger, blower and even a snow blower.  I love being able to own one battery platform for all my OPE needs.

Quality of Blower – Build Quality – The blower was more solid than we thought it would be.  This blower seems to have a lot in common with the Ridgid blower we tested.

Conclusion – While it was one of the lowest CFM we tested, it still moved the mulch pile.  We weren’t expecting this to be the winner as Ryobi is designed to get a job done for a low price.

Best Cordless Blower Best Cordless Blower Best Cordless Blower Best Cordless Blower

 


Troy Built – Model TB4300

Best Cordless BlowerTroy Built makes some solid OPE tools.  They are quality tools with tons of power.  Troy Built uses the Core system which focuses more on the power of a great motor and not to be required to rely on battery alone.  When it comes to OPE, Troy Built isn’t a slouch.  They make some incredible gas-powered tools such as the Flex system.

 

 

Power – 40V, 4 Ah Battery, 125 MPH, 545 CFM
Weight – 11.6 lbs
Run Time (TIA Figures) – 12 Minutes

What we like – This blower was great as it’s packed with power.  Besides having a ton of power, it also had great run time.

What we don’t like – This was the heaviest blower we tested.  While it screamed in power, it also made your arm scream.

Tools Available for Battery Platform – Troy Built has great products in their OPE line up including a mower, blower, hedger and string trimmer.  All are great tools to own.

Quality of Blower – Build Quality – This is a solid blower.  Nothing on this blower seems cheap.

Conclusion – The Troy Built core blower is an amazing blower.  The blower has tons of power, but with a downside of being heavy.  The blower moved the mulch without any issues and still had room to do more cleaning.

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Greenworks – Model 80V-Pro-500CFM

Best Cordless BlowerFor me, I feel like Greenworks is in competition to Ryobi OPE products.  Greenworks has been around for a while and they have a huge product list.  They have been able to create a ton of tools over the years and push the market forward with innovation.  They offer multiple battery lines to fit the consumer needs.  They offer an 80V, 40V and 24V line of OPE tools.

 

 

Power – 80V, 2 Ah battery, 125 MPH, 500CFM
Weight – 9 lbs
Run Time (TIA Figures) – 10 Minutes

What we like – The Greenworks has plenty of power to clean off your walks, driveway or fall clean up.  Very easy to use with the push button on/off and speed setting.

What we don’t like – We would like to see the weight decrease. You are pretty much stuck with using a 2 Ah battery because of how the battery compartment is designed.

Tools Available for Battery Platform – Lawnmower, blower, string trimmer, hedger, chainsaw and snow blower.

Quality of Blower – Build Quality – While there were some things we would like to see beefed up with their mower, the blower seems like a quality blower.

Conclusion – The Greenworks is a nice option for the consumer.  A consumer can buy into the 80V line and get any OPE tool they need without having to invest in a new battery platform down the road.  The blower is nice and powerful.  It didn’t have any issues pushing the mulch pile forward.  While the run time was below it’s brother Kobalt blower, it still has some good run time.

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Kobalt – Model KHB 400B-06

Best Cordless BlowerThe Kobalt is pretty much the same as the Greenworks.  The whole Kobalt OPE system has been around for a while, so they are fairly reliable.  Kobalt is sold exclusively at Lowes.  The great thing about being sold at Lowes is you can walk into the store and pick it up to see how you like the feel and balance.  If for some reason you buy it and turns out you don’t like it, Lowes is usually pretty good about returns as along as you obey their return policy.

 

Power – 80V, 2 Ah Battery, 125 MPH, 500 CFM
Weight – 9.1 lbs.
Run Time (TIA Figures) – 12 Minutes

What we like – The blower is powerful and comfortable to use.  Decent run time.

What we don’t like – We would like to see the weight decrease.  Also, you are pretty much stuck with using a 2 Ah battery because of how the battery compartment is designed.

Tools Available for Battery Platform – You can build your OPE line with their mower, blower, string trimmer and chain saw.

Quality of Blower – Build Quality – While some parts of their mower seemed cheap, the blowers were not.  The build quality seems to be on the high end.

Conclusion – Overall this blower did a great job moving the mulch pile.  The run time was in the middle of the road, but a lot higher than we expected.  This blower surprised me as I wasn’t expecting much from it.  Just wondering why it had a longer run time than the Greenworks 80V.

 

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Echo – Model CBL-58V2AH

Best Cordless BlowerEcho seems to be a quiet company.  They have been in the OPE game for a long time, but really dragged their feet with their cordless line.  Echo is a company that we don’t hear much about.  While some people love their gas engine chain saw, we also hear people who have had issues with them.

 

 

Power – 56V, 2 Ah Battery, 120 MPH, 450 CFM
Weight – 11.3 lbs
Run Time (TIA Figures) – 15 Minutes

What we like – The Echo had incredible run time, almost doubling the run time of the Ego, our number one pick.

What we don’t like – This unit feels like it lacks power.  While the stats say it should keep up with the other manufacturers, it seemed like it just dragged it’s feet moving the mulch pile.  Also, we are not too impressed with the weight.

Tools Available for Battery Platform – Echo has a full line of cordless tools for their 56v line of OPE tools.  Echo has a mower, string trimmer, blower, hedger and chainsaw.

Quality of Blower – Build Quality – The blower seems solid.  I am not sure if it’s the weight that makes you feel that way or just the build.

Conclusion – While I wish they were the top blower since they are a hometown company, it’s not a blower I am super impressed with.  While it has great run time, the power, weight and feel just weren’t there.  It’s a shame since they do have a decent cordless lawn mower.

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Final Thought on the Blower Fight

So in the end, what is the best cordless blower on the market?  Well that is really up to you and your needs.  What will be the number one and two things you will be doing with this blower?  Will it be a simple job of only blowing off your walks after you mow or do you plan on using it for fall clean up also?  If you are using it for fall clean up, you will need to make sure it has plenty of power for that job as you tend to get piles of wet leaves, small branches and other heavy debris.

Ego

My number one pick is the Ego for the following reasons.  The Ego has plenty of power, it’s the lightest blower, the blower is high quality and I love the tools in their line.  Now considering it has one of the highest CFM and MPH, it gets the speed by sacrificing the battery life.  But one thing I like about Ego is I can expand to a 5Ah battery or even a 7.5 Ah battery if I want more run time.

Ryobi

There are a couple of things to love about this blower.  First, I love the feel and balance of this tool.  I also like that they have a large OPE line in their 40V line up.  The run time is exceptional, but I felt it lacked power.  So if you are just blowing off the walkways after mowing, this is more than sufficient to get the job done.

Dewalt

I love Dewalt tools, but can’t say I am a huge fan of this blower.  Not that it’s a bad blower, I just think there are better options available on the market.  Considering you have to jump into a new battery line that doesn’t even offer a mower, well that is kind of a waste.  Also, while all the other companies decide to go with an air intake on the back of the blower, Dewalt decided on the air intake on the side.  So for righties, you’re fine.  However, for lefties, you will tend to get the blower trying to suck in your shorts.  However, it’s a Dewalt so you know it’s built to last and having a long run time makes it a viable option if you only want a battery blower.

Troy Built

This blower has some serious CFM and MPH to it.  While the power is great, it comes at a weight.  This was the heaviest blower we tested.  Troy Built makes some of the best professional OPE tools and their cordless line is awesome.  For me, I still have a hard time getting over the weight of this unit.

Kobalt/Greenworks

I am putting these two together because if you don’t know, it looks like they are built both by Greenworks.  It’s weird, why did the Kobalt get two more minutes of run time?  While I like both of these blowers and they have great run time, they are on the bigger side and are in the middle of the road for weight.  I would put both of these higher, but I can’t say I am a huge fan of their mowers.  Don’t get me wrong, the mowers did a great job of mowing, but for me, they seemed a little cheaply made.

Echo

This was the worst of all the blowers.  When I use to think of Echo, I would think professional.  However, with the blower being extremely heavy, the power was just lacking.  I didn’t like the short nozzle and really couldn’t get past the lack of power.  However, this did have the longest run time.  So as you can see they increased the run time to be at the top of the game, but the power is definitely sacrificed.  Now I am not saying this is a bad blower because it was still able to do what they advertise it as.  I am just saying I think there are better options on the market.  However, they have a very nice mower and if you are in that line, this blower isn’t a bad addition.

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Black & Decker Lawn Tools https://toolsinaction.com/black-decker-lawn-tools/ https://toolsinaction.com/black-decker-lawn-tools/#comments Thu, 06 Oct 2016 10:30:52 +0000 http://toolsinaction.com/?p=47428 Tool in Action

I am not sure what you think of when you hear the name Black & Decker.  For me two things come to mind.  First is a company that has a long history of making products.  Second is the Dust Buster.  I remember those old Dust Busters. While they were a cool invention and meant you […]

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Tool in Action

I am not sure what you think of when you hear the name Black & Decker.  For me two things come to mind.  First is a company that has a long history of making products.  Second is the Dust Buster.  I remember those old Dust Busters. While they were a cool invention and meant you didn’t have to break out the vacuum, it would last for about two minutes.   Just enough time to pick up those 8 Cheerios.  Good thing battery technology has changed because now they are night and day.  Speaking of that, we will be having a review coming up on the new Black & Decker series.  All I can say is these new vacs rock.

In regards to Black & Decker lawn tools, I really can’t say I have a ton of experience with them.  I see some people around the neighborhood using them, but I don’t have any first hand experience with them.  So this is really my first use with them.  Granted we saw them at the Black & Decker event, but it’s always different using them in your own environment.  Before I jump into them, I wanted to give you my initial thoughts on them.  The tools themselves are very light.  While they aren’t the most powerful OPE tools we have used, they have plenty of power for most homeowners with a smaller yard.  Considering they have a pretty large line of OPE tools, it’s not a bad buy since you can expand into more Black & Decker lawn tools down the road.  All three of these tools run off the Black & Decker 20V line of batteries.

 

Black & Decker String Trimmer/Edger – LSTE525

Black & Decker Lawn ToolsI have to say out of the three Black & Decker lawn tools we used, this was my favorite.  I think the reason being is because this is a multi tool.  Not only can you trim your grass, but you can also edge with it.  Turning it from trimmer to edger is fairly easy with no tools required.  One cool feature to this tool is the no bump option.  If you are familiar with string trimmers you know you always need to bump your trimmer on the ground to advance new line out.  With the Black & Decker trimmer, just push a button and you will have new string to keep on trucking, I mean trimming.

This trimmer features two speeds.  You can boost your power for those tough areas, but you will also lose a little run time.  So for most of us who stay up to date on their yards, you probably won’t be using the boost much, so not an issue with run time.

In regards to the handle and shaft, Black & Decker added a nice feature to this tool.  You can turn a knob and lower the shaft into itself if you want it short or for storage options.  When the shaft is fully extended, it’s not a bad height.  I do wish it was a little longer since I am 6′ tall.  While I have to bend over a tad, it’s not too bad.

Black & Decker String Trimmer/Edger Specification

  • Amp Hours – 1.5Ah
  • Cutting Swath – 12″
  • Feed System – Push Button
  • Line Diameter – 0.065″
  • RPM – 5500 – 7200 rpm
  • Weight – 5.3 Lbs.

 

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Black & Decker Sweeper – LSW321

Don’t let the size of this sweeper fool you as it does a great job.  Now don’t get confused with the sweeper and blower.  A blower is much more powerful.  A sweeper is smaller and pushes less air, so don’t expect hurricane forces.  Also don’t expect all the weight with the sweeper that you have with a blower.  A sweeper is for smaller production.  It’s not designed to blow big piles of leaves.  It’s designed to blow off your driveway after you get done cutting your grass. However this does have a feature if you do get into a spot where you need more power.

Black & Decker designed this tool with a powerboost function.  So say you come across a place where there is more grass piles or wet leaves, just press the powerboost button and you will get a kick of power, up to 130 mph.  However when you use this button it will lower the run time between battery charges.  Without using powerboost, you should get about 25 minutes of run time.  One thing to watch out for is where the powerboost button is located.  While the button is convenient and should be, it’s also easy to hold this button down the whole time without even thinking about it.  You will wonder where your 25 minutes of run time went.

Black & Decker Sweeper Specification

  • Air Speed – 130 mph (Powerboost mode)
  • Weight – 3.7 lbs

 

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Black & Decker Hedge Trimmer – LHT321

Since you are already taking care of your lawn with the string trimmer and sweeper, why not take a look at the hedger?  This is a great way to make your yard look like the Buckingham Palace.  I have the Ego hedger which I love, but it comes at a higher cost.  I have to say this Black & Decker does a great job and some features I wish my Ego had.

First, I love the size and weight to the tool.  Using a hedger can take a toll on your arms and tire them out quickly. Now I am not sure how much it weighs, but it is lighter than the Ego.  Here is the cool part to this hedger.  This tool features a Powercut.  Have you ever been hedging a bush and you get it stuck on a thick branch?  What happens?  It just dies out and you have to rip it out hoping you don’t break the tool.  With Powercut, just press a button and it will oscillate the cutters to get through the thicker branch.  I have tried this and it does work as advertised.  One thing I did notice on this hedger is the low vibrations.

Black & Decker Hedger Specification

  • Blade Length – 22″
  • Cutting Stroke Per Minute – 2,400
  • Max Cutting Capacity – 3/4″

 

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Overall these tools have some pretty cool features that you don’t even see on some of the more expensive brands. While I think they are a little pricey, they are good lawn tools for the homeowner.  Considering they are lightweight and easy to use, I think a lot of homeowners who aren’t into the fancy stuff and don’t want to drop a bunch of money, these are a great alternative.

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Ego Blower https://toolsinaction.com/ego-blower/ https://toolsinaction.com/ego-blower/#comments Thu, 07 Jul 2016 10:30:49 +0000 http://toolsinaction.com/?p=45273 Tool in Action

You may or may not know, but Ego is pretty new to OPE.  Since they have come out, they have been turning heads.  Not only has the consumer been more intrigued by their quality products, but other OPE manufacturers have been trying to play catch up with Ego.  Well Ego did it again with the […]

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Tool in Action

You may or may not know, but Ego is pretty new to OPE.  Since they have come out, they have been turning heads.  Not only has the consumer been more intrigued by their quality products, but other OPE manufacturers have been trying to play catch up with Ego.  Well Ego did it again with the new Ego Blower.  They just introduced a new 56v blower, which is a step up from their LB4801.

Ego has managed to increase the cfm while lowering the weight and size of the blower.  The new blower has a total of 530 cfm while the older version had 480 cfm.  Ego still uses the same 56v platform battery, so don’t worry if you want to upgrade to the new blower in a bare tool.  The Ego blower uses a turbine fan design to help produce this type of power and speed.  While we loved the older version, it was a little bulky.  With the new blower (LB5302), this is a lot more slim and only weighs 7.4 lbs., and yes that is with the battery attached.  This blower works like the older blower where you have a lever to adjust the air flow.  This unit also has the turbo button on the top of the handle in case you get to those pesky spots where you have a pile of wet leaves.  If that wasn’t enough, it only produces a noise rating of 65 db. and comes with a five year warranty.

Since we have been using the Ego products, they have truly surprised us.  They are quality products that are built to last the homeowner a long time.  We are always a little leery of new products and companies, but I can tell you first hand that Ego is the real deal.  Ego doesn’t seem to be stopping as they will be offering more products in the future, which is always good to see a company expanding a battery line of tools.

Ego Blower Specification

  • 530 CFM
  • Up to 75 Minute Run-Time with 2.5Ah 56 Volt ARC Lithium Battery (on high-efficiency mode)
  • Weight & Battery: 7.4lbs with 2.5Ah Battery
  • Variable Speed Dial: 250 CFM / 400 CFM / 530 CFM
  • Brushless Motor
  • Weather Resistant Construction (ipx4)
  • Turbine Fan Engineering
  • Noise rating (dB) 65
  • 5 Year Warranty

While Ego costs a little more than some of the other products on the market, they are well worth the extra cost.  A huge thing to consider in cordless tools are the batteries.  Ego seems to have built a top quality battery that will take the abuse of charge after charge, plus heat build up.  I like Ego so much, I sold my gas Toro mower, a gas blower and gas string trimmer.  I have been using the Ego platform for the past couple of years which is the mower, string trimmer, blower and chain saw.  I have been extremely happy with all the OPE tools in their line up.  Next time you’re at Home Depot, stop by their garden center and check them out for yourself.

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