Straight away you can tell this leaf blower is a Bosch product, with its trademark colour scheme and stylish finish. The brand has a reputation for being professional and high-end, and this leaf blower certainly looks the part. It may seem simple, but the design is clever. Both the power and speed are controlled by a single dial wheel , and its detachable nozzle makes storage easy. As you can see, there are quite a few features that set this leaf blower above the rest, which is why the higher price tag is to be expected. If you have a small garden and won’t be using your leaf blower much, then you could probably get away with a cheaper budget model. Ease of use: Looked at the assembly needed, ease and clarity of instructions, any storage features and, where relevant, the battery charge time. Run time is one of the most important aspects to consider when buying a cordless leaf blower. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries can take 1 – 2 hours to recharge, so you’ll probably want to try to get all your leaf blowing done in one go.

The size of the battery will make a difference to the weight of the leaf blower; there may be a difference of approximately 0.5 kg between the weight of a 2.0 Ah battery and a 5.0 Ah battery. It’s a little noisier at its maximum settings than some leaf blowers, measuring just under 90dB for noise, and it’s also a little heavier – although the well-balanced design and ergonomic handle mean you can still comfortably use it single-handed. It works with Bosch’s 36V Power For All batteries rather than the more common 18V variety, and the 4A battery we tested it with lasted for around 25 minutes of tough garden clearance before sputtering out. If you’re not too bothered about vacuuming and mulching, this is the best cordless leaf blower to buy. Bear in mind: you’ll likely have to accept that the leaf blowers won’t shift every single leaf, you will need to rake up the stragglers if they bother you. Unfortunately, I do have to say that even though this leaf blower isn’t as powerful as some of the others, it’s definitely noisier. This was the loudest blower that I tested, so it’s probably not a good option for those of you with nearby neighbours. It shouldn’t cause an issue if you’re only using it occasionally, but it’s something worth thinking about if you plan on using your blower for various garden tasks throughout the year.

Is it raining or has it recently rained? Wet leaves are harder to move than dry ones. You can test how difficult it’ll be by using your cordless blower on a pile of wet and soggy leaves. If they won’t move easily, wait for a dryer day. Choosing the best leaf blower will depend on what you want to use it for and what tools you already own. The following information should help you work out what to look out for (as well as what to avoid!). The Benefits of Using a Cordless Leaf Blower We put our cordless leaf blowers through their paces by using them to drive and gather a range of leaves on both tarmac driveways and lawn. We test them against a mix of large wet tree leaves, smaller shrub leaves, and dry hornbeam and beech hedge clippings to see how well the blowers cope with different materials, and we record noise levels while operating on the highest and lowest settings. We also evaluate how easy it is to handle and control the blower, and, with the blower/vacuum models, how simple it is to switch between modes. Finally, we test how long the battery lasts from a full recharge, and how long it takes to charge them up again.

To give you more versatility, look for a leaf blower with multiple speed settings . Being able to switch to a less powerful setting (below 175 km/h) can help prolong battery life and will still move some dry leaves, dust and wood shavings. Look at the air flow speed cited by the manufacturer in the leaf blower’s specifications. Also, consider what jobs you will want to use the leaf blower for. The speed of the air flow varies according to the design of the leaf blower and how well it uses its power. It’s not necessarily as simple as thinking ‘the more powerful the motor, the more powerful the machine’. Even better, at just 1.6 kg , the Ryobi ONE+ Cordless Blower is light enough to be used with just one hand. Its narrow nozzle gives you more control compared to more commonly-found wider nozzles – you’ll end up with a much neater leaf pile by the time you’re done.Unlike some of the other leaf blowers that I tested, which were designed solely for leaves, this one was also created to clear dirt and dust from hard surfaces.