Last updated on January 30th, 2022
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CHOOSING THE BEST CORDLESS LEAF BLOWER AND WE REVEAL OUR TOP PICKS
Autumn. A time of warm colours – of scarlet and russet, burnt orange and rich yellow – before the cold of winter. Leaves float gently to the ground, laying there whilst they wither and dry. Kids and pets play in the scattered leaves, loving the crunchy sound they make.
And you, looking around at all the crispy leaves in your garden, wishing you’d bought that leaf blower that was on sale last year.
Never fear, there’s still time to invest in a practical and labour-saving leaf blower. Our Best Cordless Leaf Blowers review presents the best in battery-powered leaf blowers. We give you pointers about what to look for in the tool and tell you how each of our selected leaf blowers stacks up against the best.
The Bosch Alb 18 Li Cordless Leaf Blower wins the Best Pick designation for small gardens and patios due to its lightweight and ergonomic design. We also review the lightest cordless leaf blower and those with a dual blower and vacuum study.
Our Runner-up is the Makita DUB362Z Twin 18 V Li-ion LXT Brushless Blower. This is an excellent choice for those with lots of trees and for professional gardeners.
Don’t delay any longer. Read our review to see which is the best cordless leaf blower for you, your garden and those piles of leaves.
BEST PICK
You’ll be comfortable using the Bosch ALB as it’s relatively light at 2.8kg (6 pounds) and ergonomically designed with an extended soft grip handle. This leaf blower works well on dry or wet leaves and other garden debris.
The Bosch ALB 36V Cordless Leaf Blower comes with a two-year warranty that you can extend to three years if your register online.
Runner-up
The Makita DUB362Z leaf blower is ergonomically designed for comfort and ease of use in handling up to 21,500 rpm of power. With six air speed/volume settings, you can adjust this blower for use with the lightest covering of leaves all the way up to the biggest, wettest leaves after an autumn storm. The telescopic nozzle expands in three stages to give you an extra 10cm of reach, good for taller people. The three-year Makita warranty for lithium-ion tools should settle any doubts you have.
Our Quick Cordless Leaf Blower Buyer’s Guide
Choosing the best cordless leaf blower that is right for you
There is now a large selection of ‘cordless leaf blowers’ available from trusted brands such as Black + Decker, Bosch, Worx, Einhell, Ryobi and many more. As well as blowing a strong blast of air, some models also mulch and collect leaves. However, we have found they are much better at blowing and can often lack the power to pick up and collect wet leaves.
Best Cordless Leaf Blower For Small Gardens
Below are a few pointers to take into consideration when choosing one that is right for you.
- Size of garden and run time – If you have a small or medium-sized garden then a cordless leaf blower can be a very convenient way of clearing up leaves quickly. If you have a small garden or patio, a model with a smaller battery and run time may be just right and they are usually half the price of other models. On the other hand, if you have a lot of leaves to clear, investing in a larger, more powerful leaf blower that has a longer run time would be worth the extra investment. Smaller models run for around 15-20 minutes whilst the more expensive, larger models can give around 40-60 minutes of continued use.
- Weight – Thanks to the latest lithium-ion batteries, cordless leaf blowers are now lighter than ever with some models weighing only 1.6kg and some of the heavier models weigh as much as 6kg. Take this into consideration because some models may be too heavy for you to use for long periods of time.
- Warranty and guarantee – Most models come with some sort of warranty and the majoriyy of them include at least 2 years warranty, some models including ‘Worx’ even come with 3 years domestic and industrial warranty. We only review models that come with a warranty so you know you’re covered.
- Charge time – As the run time on many models is very limited, you need to consider how long it takes to charge the battery. Most models can now be charged within 60 minutes, however, some models can 3 hours or longer.
- Lithium-ion batteries – The latest modern and cordless leaf blowers are powered by lithium-ion batteries. These are a huge improvement to the old conventional batteries and they offer much longer run times as well as being up to 50% lighter. They are a big improvement and retain their charge, as well as being able to be recharged four times more than standard batteries. When choosing a cordless leaf blower, ensuring it is powered by lithium-ion batteries is a must, this is why all our recommended models are powered by lithium-ion batteries.
- Bare tool or full tool? – Most models can be purchased as a ‘bare model’ and this means they come without a battery or charger. If you have other power tools by the same company you may be able to use the same batteries and chargers from your other tools in the leaf blower. This can save you money because you don’t need to buy batteries and chargers for every tool. However, you can also purchase them with the battery and charger, all our reviews are for the models that come with batteries and charger included unless stated otherwise.
Top 6 Cordless Leaf Blower Reviews
1. Bosch ALB 36 Li Cordless Leaf Blower
BEST PICK
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Bosch sells two cordless leaf blowers and this Bosch ALB 36 LI Cordless Leaf Blower is the more powerful of the two. Powered by a 36V / 2.6 Ah Lithium-ion battery it provides enough power for around 55 minutes of continuous use, which is plenty of time to clear up leaves in most gardens. The battery can also be recharged in only 60 minutes for added convenience.
It’s incredibly light at only 2.8kg and this, paired with its ergonomic design and soft-grip handle, means it is very easy and comfortable to use for longer periods of time, putting less strain on your arms and back.
One very useful feature this model does have is ‘variable speed control’ and this can be set between 170-250 km/hr. This is useful for adjusting the right blowing power for the right situation, so you can set it to full power for large wet leaves and heavier garden debris. You can then set a lower blowing speed for blowing dry leaves out from around delicate pots and blowing leaves off gravel areas, so you avoid blowing gravel everywhere.
Comes with 2 years warranty that can be extended to 3 years by registering your product online within 28 days of purchasing it.
Our recommendation
We really like the ‘Bosch ALB 36 LI Cordless Leaf Blower’, it packs plenty of power and works incredibly well on wet and dry leaves. Bosch states the running time as 55 minutes, however, this may be on the lowest power setting. On full power, you’re looking at around 20 minutes. If you set it to three, it still has plenty of power and lasts for around 40 minutes.
The charging time is quoted as 60 minutes, but as other users have also confirmed, it seems to take around 90 minutes to fully charge.
This is one of the best-selling cordless leaf blowers on Amazon.co.uk and has plenty of 5-star reviews, which confirms how good this model really is.
If you are looking for a lightweight, powerful leaf blower with a good run time, then this model is probably the best leaf blower.
2. Makita DUB362Z Twin 18 V Li-ion LXT Brushless Leaf Blower
Runner-up
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
The Makita DUB362Z Twin 18 V Li-ion LXT Brushless Blower is one of the most powerful cordless leaf blowers available. If you have a large garden, lots of leaves blowing onto your property or are a professional gardener, then this cordless leaf blower may solve your autumn tidying-up problems wherever in the garden they occur.
The power of the Makita DUB362Z leaf blower comes from two 18V lithium-ion batteries – either 3.0aH or 5.0aH. This gives you around 28 minutes of full-powered leaf blowing at 21,500rpm, more time if you use a lower airspeed. A brushless motor delivers high air volume and speed. Such a motor generates less heat and enables the leaf blower to run cooler and more efficiently. This leaf blower also has a soft-start function that protects the batteries from current spikes.
The dual battery gauge tells you how much charge is left in each battery, so you’ll know when you’re close to running out of power. And the batteries are interchangeable with the rest of the LXT tool series from Makita. If you already have a battery and a charger from another LXT tool then you won’t need to buy another set with the leaf blower.
You select the airspeed of the Makita DUB362Z cordless leaf blower by rotating a numbered dial. Six different airspeeds are pre-set, from a low power flow (setting 1) to a very high power flow (setting 6). A variable speed control keeps the flow of air coming out constant. The highest setting of the controls delivers a fast 193km/h and 13.4m³/min air volume. This will let you move even the most stubborn pile of large wet leaves.
The Makita DUB362Z Twin 18 V Li-ion LXT Brushless Blower is lightweight at 3.9kg (8.5 pounds) and is designed ergonomically for one-handed use. Wearing the supplied shoulder strap makes using the blower even more comfortable. This leaf blower comes with a standard round nozzle that is telescopic and can extend out 10cm to give you a longer reach, this is incredibly useful if you’re a tall person.
This model comes with a three-year warranty along with a 30-day money-back return period.
Pros
- Lightweight at 3.9kg (8.5 pounds).
- Ergonomically designed for single-handed use.
- Two lithium-ion 18V batteries required but you can use the batteries and charger from other Makita LXT series tools.
- Soft-start function protects the batteries from spikes in the charge.
- Dual battery fuel gauge lets you know when it’s time to charge each battery.
- Run time on full power is 28 minutes.
- Six-stage airspeed/velocity selection dial.
- Telescopic nozzle adds 10cm and adjusts in three stages.
- Warranty is three years; also a 30-day money-back return period.
Cons
- Using the highest power drains the batteries quickly.
- Only a round nozzle is included; a flat nozzle is available separately.
- Gets through batteries quickly when on the highest setting.
- Tall people may have to stoop to use this blower, even with the telescopic nozzle.
Our recommendation
The Makita DUB362Z Twin 18 V Li-ion LXT Brushless Blower is such a strong competitor to our Best Pick (Bosch ALB 36 LI Cordless Leaf Blower) that it’s our Runner-up Pick. For large gardens or a professional gardener, this model offers enough power to move the most stubborn leaves.
The Makita DUB362Z is a serious but lightweight leaf blower that can tackle even the largest and wettest piles of leaves that you may ever face. With 36V of charge from two 18V lithium-ion batteries, there is enough power for 28 minutes of blowing on the highest setting. This should make a huge dent in the fallen leaves in your garden. But if you need less power and a longer operating time, dial back the variable airspeed/volume setting to one of the five lower settings to save the battery life.
The ergonomic design, single-handed use and the extra 10cm of reach from the extensible nozzle make this annual garden clean-up task comfortable and maybe even enjoyable.
Online reviewers state that the Makita DUB362Z is a great leaf blower but that, even with the extra 10cm of a nozzle, taller people (around 6ft) have to stoop to blow their leaves. The lack of a flat nozzle with the blower also causes some concern, even though you can purchase it separately.
3. Bosch ALB 18 Li Cordless Leaf Blower
Perfect for small paths and patios
Buy from Amazon.co.uk
This Bosch ALB 18 LI Cordless Leaf Blower is the second cordless leaf blower by Bosch and this model has been designed with smaller gardens and patios in mind.
It’s amazingly lightweight at only 1.8kg, making it very easy to carry when in use and its ergonomic soft-grip handle ensures it’s well balanced, putting less strain on your arms and back, making it a joy to use.
It also has a variable speed control setting of up to 210 km/h like the larger model, this ensures controlled and precise blowing, which is handy for situations such as when you need to blow leaves off gravel areas because you can set it to a lower setting and it will blow the leaves but not the gravel.
Powered by an 18V / 2.0 Ah Lithium-ion battery that provides 15 minutes of continuous use and can be recharged in only 60 minutes.
Comes with 2 years warranty that can be extended to 3 years by registering your purchase within 28 days.
Our recommendation
At only 1.8kg this Bosch ABL 18 LI Cordless Leaf Blower is surprisingly small and lighter than you would think. On top of this, it is incredibly powerful for its size.
It does only last around 15 minutes, maybe 20 minutes at a push, and it does do a good job on both dry and wet leaves. It’s especially good for use on hard surfaces.
It’s not much use on wet leaves or on the lawn, so if this is what you were thinking of using it for, it’s going to be a waste of money.
However, if you have a small garden or patio it works great and we would recommend considering it. It is also great value for money and you will get a decent chunk of change from £100.
4. DeWalt DCV100-XJ 18 V Li-Ion XR Compact Cordless Blower
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The DEWALT DCV100-XJ 18 V Li-Ion XR Compact Cordless Blower is a compact leaf blower that runs off one 18V battery. This makes it less powerful than the 36V leaf blowers we’ve reviewed but if you have a small area into which leaves blow, then you should consider this model. The battery should provide 15 minutes of continuous use. If you need more time, you’ll only have to wait 60 minutes whilst it charges. The battery and charger are compatible with the XR battery packs, so you may not need to buy them if you have other DEWALT XR series tools.
The small size of this blower may surprise you. Coming in at just 1.3kg, (2.9 pounds), this bright yellow leaf blower is light enough for extended periods of use wherever you need it. With a top airspeed of 80m/s and 18,000 rpm, this blower is best suited for small- to medium-sized garden tasks or general clean-up tasks. But you can get into tight spots thanks to its small size.
You have a choice of three airspeeds. If you’re blowing leaves off the gravel, start with the lowest setting to avoid moving the gravel around. Rotate the speed dial and then flip the lock-on switch to keep the blower at your selected speed. This will reduce any stress on your hands.
The DEWALT DCV100-XJ is easy to store and transport. It comes apart into three parts and can fit into a toolbag This model comes with an inflator/deflator attachment. To inflate air beds, sports balls and so on, put the inflator/deflator attachment on the nozzle to deflate something, the attachment goes on the intake vent. You’ll never have to blow anything up manually again.
The DEWALT DCV100-XJ 18 V Li-Ion XR Compact Cordless Blower comes with a three-year limited warranty, one-year free service and a 90-day money-back guarantee. You’ll have time to try it and see if it’s the best leaf blower for you.
Pros
- One 18V battery as the power source.
- Weighs only 1.3 kg (2.9 pounds) assembled, so there are little stress and fatigue when using it.
- The fan speed of 18,000 rpm and airspeed of 80m/s.
- Inflator and deflator attachment for blowing things up.
- The bright yellow and black appearance has a stylish look.
- Battery and charger are compatible with battery packs from other DEWALT XR series tools.
- Variable speed trigger for three speeds; lock-on switch to keep the speed constant.
Cons
- Intake vent on left side, so if you’re right-handed then trousers, skirts etc sometimes get sucked in.
- Not very powerful for larger jobs.
Our recommendation
The DEWALT DCV100-XJ 18 V Li-Ion XR Compact Cordless Blower is a compact and lightweight (1.3 kg) cordless leaf blower that can get into the tightest corners of your garden. It takes one 18V Lithium-ion battery and is compatible with the batteries in any DEWALT XR series tool. The selection of three speeds, with a lock-on button to keep them constant, allows you to gently blow leaves from gravel or more forcefully blow them from a wet patio.
Along with the blower you receive an inflator/deflator attachment. This lets you inflate items like air beds and beach balls, whilst also being able to remove the air later on.
The DEWALT DCV100-XJ leaf blower is suitable for small and medium-sized tasks in the garden. But you could also use it in the workshop to blow sawdust into a pile or in your home to clean up after renovations.
Reviewers online state that, unless you’re left-handed, it’s inconvenient to have the intake vent on the left side of the blower. If you use the blower in your right hand, you run the risk of having your clothing sucked into the intake vent.
5. Gtech Cordless Leaf Blower
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Buy direct from Gtech.co.uk
The Gtech Cordless Leaf Blower LB01 is a powerful leaf blower but it lacks some of the features similar to the other leaf blowers that we have reviewed. At 4.3kg (9.5 pounds), it’s the heaviest of all the blowers in our Best Cordless Leaf Blower review.
The 36V lithium-ion battery provides enough charge for 20 minutes of leaf and debris blowing tasks on full power. For a longer battery time, use the speed trigger to decrease the variable speed. There are no pre-set speeds so you can choose how fast the air leaves the blower. The fan spins at a respectable 11,500 rpm at top speed for moving reluctant leaves.
The turbofan design provides maximum airflow with a straight air passage from intake to outlet. The tool is ergonomically balanced between the nozzle and the battery and naturally points downwards. You won’t have to strain to put it in this ideal position.
Pros
- 36V lithium-ion interchangeable with other Gtech products.
- Turbo fan design for maximum efficiency.
- Gives a straight passage from air intake to outlet for efficient operating.
- The fan spins at 11,500 rpm on top speed.
- Ergonomic; the tool is balanced and naturally points at the ground for less wrist strain.
- Run time of 20 minutes on full power.
- Limited two-year warranty and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Cons
- It’s heavy so prolonged use is difficult.
- Takes five hours to charge.
- Switch is placed near the handle and it’s easy to turn it on accidentally.
- Nozzle spread is too wide; difficult to direct narrowly.
- Expensive compared to similar cordless leaf blowers.
- Struggles with wet leaves.
- No lock-on button so you have to keep squeezing the speed trigger.
Our recommendation
The Gtech Cordless Leaf Blower LB01 is a powerful 36V leaf blower that lacks some of the features of its competitors. Its airflow intake and outlet are efficient thanks to a turbofan design. The variable speed trigger allows you to have the tool blow gently or more forcefully depending on whether you’re removing pine needles from the patio or a deep carpet of leaves on the lawn.
At 4.3kg, the Gtech leaf blower is heavy compared to other leaf blowers. Reviewers online have complained about this and say it’s difficult to use for a long period. In addition, though it’s ergonomically designed, the switch is placed near the handle and it’s easy to turn the blower on accidentally. You need to keep holding the speed trigger as you use the blower and this can put a strain on your hand.
A run time of 20 minutes on full power and a charging time of five hours means that you’ll need to have a ready-to-go charged spare battery if you have a large task ahead of you.
The Gtech is a basic leaf blower that provides the power of 36V for blowing leaves and other debris.
6. Worx WG549E 20V Cordless Leaf Blower
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Worx makes a great range of tools at affordable prices, and this Worx WG549E 20V Lithium-Ion Cordless Leaf Blower is the smallest leaf blower they manufacture.
At only 1.6kg, it’s incredibly light and is the lightest cordless leaf blower in its class, making it very easy to use and it helps to reduce fatigue. It produces an impressive 120mph (193km/h) of airspeed and the long ‘angled’ tube makes it very easy to blow under tables, benches and any other obstacles you need to clear under.
It’s powered by a 20v / 2Ah Lithium-ion battery that provides around 20 minutes of continuous use and the battery recharged in around 3 hours.
Comes with 3 years warranty as standard for professional and domestic use.
Our recommendation
If you are looking for a very lightweight cordless leaf blower then this Worx WG549E Cordless Leaf Blower will be a good candidate and it makes a good alternative to the Bosch ALB LI cordless leaf blower.
The batteries in the Worx leaf blowers are slightly more powerful than the ones used in the ‘Bosch model’, which means it does last slightly longer before needing to be recharged.
The Worx model is great for hard surfaces, very simple to use as it only has an ‘ON/OFF’ switch and for its price, it offers great value for money. It’s very light and is well balanced and a delight to use.
If you have gravel surfaces you want to blow the leaves off, then we would recommend going for the Bosch model because it retails at a similar price and has the added benefit of ‘variable speed control’.
If you want a compact, lightweight leaf blower that is very simple to use then this Worx WG549E will do the job otherwise the Bosch model is probably a better choice. One added benefit of the Worx model is that it does come with 3 years warranty as standard for added peace of mind whereas with the Bosch model you will need to go to the extra effort of registering the product to extend it to 3 years.
Final Conclusion
Whether you have a small patio or a large garden, using a leaf blower in autumn will save you time and effort. With a cordless leaf blower, some of which you can use single-handedly, you can easily get into the tighter corners of your garden, along the flower beds, removing leaves and other garden debris.
Our Best Pick of all the cordless leaf blowers is the powerful Bosch ALB 36 LI Cordless Leaf Blower. Its 55-minute run time puts it far ahead of any other leaf blower’s operating time. The Runner-up Pick is also a strong contender. The Makita DUB362Z Twin 18 V Li-ion LXT Brushless Blower is equally powerful and comes with some additional features, such as six-speed settings. However, it does have a shorter run time of 28 minutes.
Your choice of a cordless leaf blower will depend on the size of your garden and the number of leaves and debris you usually find there. Both our Picks will do the job well.
BEST PICK
You’ll be comfortable using the Bosch ALB as it’s relatively light at 2.8kg (6 pounds) and ergonomically designed with an extended soft grip handle. This leaf blower works well on dry or wet leaves and other garden debris.
The Bosch ALB 36V Cordless Leaf Blower comes with a two-year warranty that you can extend to three years if your register online.
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1 Comment
I purchased a Bosch ALB 18v li cordless leaf blower with 2.5 Ah battery from Robert Dyas, it did what I wanted fantastic, but I found when stored in my garage that if the temperature was below 8 or 9 degrees C it would start and lmedietly switch off, rang Bosch and was advised to take it back, ordered another, when received it was exatley the same, keep it in the house, OK, keep it in the garage at approximately 8 to 9 deg’C, it worked intermittently switching off after one second, Conclusion Bosch oviously have a thermal problem with the components of this blower, but I cannot find anyone on line who has had this problem, so regretfully I am going to have to return blower number two and get a refund and look for another more reliable model.