Electric Leaf Blowers Outperform Gas Models
Written by admin on May 19, 2009 – 5:21 am -According to Consumer Reports, Toro's $70 Ultra Blower Vac was best among handhelds and, at 7.5 pounds. Is easy to handle.
The best handheld electric blowers have long beaten their gasoline-fueled competitors with comparable power and less weight and noise. This year's electrics are an even better value.
Three new corded electric blower-vacs outperformed our highest-scoring handheld gas model at about half the price. The top-scoring model includes a metal impeller that should stand up to vacuumed twigs better than the typical nylon version. Yet at $70, it costs $15 less than the model it replaced. (See our Ratingsfor specifics, available to subscribers.)
Need the greater range of a gas blower? Manufacturers are cutting costs on larger backpack models by using the smaller impellers from their handheld machines. And nearly all gas blowers we tested meet this year's tougher emissions requirements for sale in California.
You'll also hear more claims about quietness as a mark of the best power blowers as communities increasingly crack down on gas-blower noise. Other features promise easier gas-engine starts with less fussing and fiddling. But our weeks in the field blowing and vacuuming leaves and other yard debris showed some of those boasts to be overblown.
CR Quick Recommendations
Our testing revealed wide performance variations, though the best of each blower type--electric and gas handheld, backpack, and wheeled--swept and loosened debris well. But even the top performers tend to be better at one or the other task, and many don't vacuum.
The Ratings list models by overall performance. (See Types, to decide which type is best for your yard. ) Our Quick Picks below highlights models that combine specific strengths and value:
Best for many properties, with fine blowing and vacuuming:
Toro Ultra Blower Vac 51599, $70, CR Best Buy
Toro Super Blower Vac 51592, $60, CR Best Buy
Toro Rake and Vac 51574, $50
All three electrics are fine values if you can manage a power cord. A metal impeller makes the Toro Ultra Blower Vac 51599 best for vacuuming twigs and other tough stuff; the Toro Rake and Vac 51574 costs and weighs the least. Also consider the ultralight, blower-only Weed Eater WEB160 WEB150, $30, for lighter-duty tasks.
If you want cord-free blowing:
Stihl BG55, $140, CR Best Buy
Ryobi RY08548, $130
Both handheld blowers are gas-powered. The Stihl is lighter than most. The Ryobi is heavier and noisier for neighbors, and its vac mode is ineffective, but its blower performance matches the Stihl's.
For larger properties and heavy-duty cleanup chores:
Echo PB-265L, $260, CR Best Buy
Echo PB-260L, $270
Kawasaki KRB300A, $230
Little Wonder 9502, $650
The Echo and Kawasaki backpacks are relatively light and inexpensive, and they should meet typical noise limits. Choose the wheeled Little Wonder for maximum power where noise isn't an issue. Consider the Husqvarna Husqvarna 356BFx, $450, if you're willing to pay for more power in a backpack model.
Tags: electric leaf blower, gas leaf blower
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