Best leaf blower: 5 vacuum, backpack, and handheld buys to keep your yard leaf-free

The best leaf blower can tackle those large mounds of leaves with ease no matter the yard or budget

Ryobi ONE+ 100 MPH 280 CFM Variable-Speed 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Jet Fan Leaf Blower 4Ah Battery and Charger Included
(Image credit: Home Depot)

Come fall, owning one of the best leaf blowers can make your yard work infinitely easier. Don't get us wrong, autumn is one of our favorite times of year, but large yards with lots of trees means hard work dealing with all those leaves, and we'd rather be picking apples than battling leaf piles with a rake in hand. 

So, if you're in the market for a leaf blower before the leaves take over your backyard, read on. We evaluated top leaf blowers based on noise level, fuel source, power, run-time, and more, and whittled down our list to five on the best buys.

These leaf blowers will keep everything tidy and clean, showing off all the hard work and love you put into your yard and home. If you need more help deciding on which one to get, jump down to our advice on how to buy the best leaf blower

What is the best leaf blower?

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Here's our top three for those in a hurry... for full reviews and the rest of our buys, keep scrolling:

The best leaf blowers

DeWalt 129 MPH 423 CFM 60V MAX Lithium-Ion Cordless FLEXVOLT Handheld Leaf Blower

(Image credit: Home Depot)

1. DeWalt 423 CFM Flexvolt Handheld Leaf Blower

Best leaf blower: a top of the range blower for efficient leaf carpet clearance

Specifications

Best for: Efficiency
Cordless: Yes
Weight: 9.9 lbs
Maximum speed: 129 mph

Reasons to buy

+
Fairly lightweight
+
Interchangeable batteries
+
Flat concentrator nozzle can increase speed

Reasons to avoid

-
Run time is only 15-20 minutes 

The DeWalt 423 CFM Flexvolt Handheld Leaf Blower is more than good enough for those with an average-sized backyard, and depending on how efficient your leaf blowing skills are, those with bigger yards, too. It runs on the Flexvolt battery which is interchangeable with other power tools in the DeWalt brand like saws and drills. With a 129 mph speed motor, it'll enable you to do some ample leaf shifting in a short span of time (which is good because the battery only lasts 15-20 minutes). As one of the lighter-weight models on our list, you also won't have to worry about it being too strenuous on the arms. 

Husqvarna 965877502 350BT 2-Cycle Gas Backpack Blower

(Image credit: Amazon)

2. Husqvarna 350BT 2-Cycle Gas Backpack Blower

Best leaf blower for big yards: clear large outdoor spaces easily and efficiently

Specifications

Best for: Performance
Cordless: Yes
Weight: 22.5 lbs
Maximum speed: 180 mph

Reasons to buy

+
Backpack design for comfort
+
Hours-long use
+
X-torque engine reduces exhaust emissions and increases fuel efficiency

Reasons to avoid

-
Heavy
-
Gas-powered

If your front and back yard are massive, this gas-powered backpack leaf blower by Husqvarna is the way to go. The X-torque engine design works on various levels. For one, you'll get hours-long usage with speeds of up to 180 mph. At the same time, the engine reduces exhaust emissions by 60 percent and increases fuel efficiency by 20 percent. Although heavy, the leaf blower's ergonomic harness backpack design allows you to distribute the weight of it around your body. And a bonus? With cruise control, you can set the blower speed and clear your yard without any additional strain on your arms or wrists. 

BLACK+DECKER 7-Amp 180-CFM 180-MPH Corded Electric Leaf Blower

(Image credit: Lowe's)

3. BLACK+DECKER Corded Electric Leaf Blower

Best lightweight leaf blower: Lightweight, affordable, and efficient? Get it, quick.

Specifications

Best for: Lightweight vacuum
Cordless: No
Weight: 4 lbs
Maximum speed: 120 mph

Reasons to buy

+
Lightweight 
+
Electric 
+
Affordable 

Reasons to avoid

-
Requires a cord

This may not be as heavy-duty as the Husqvarna, but this BLACK+DECKER Corded Electric Leaf Blower is incredibly lightweight. Though it's touted as a corded electric blower, a cord doesn't actually come with this blower, allowing you to choose a long, medium, or short extension cord to fit your needs and plug into the built-in prongs. Thanks to the corded set-up, this Black + Decker leaf blower provides 180 mph of performance so you can clear the yard quickly and get on with your day. 

Toro 51619 Ultra Electric Blower Vac

(Image credit: Amazon)

4. Toro 51619 Ultra Electric Blower Vac

Best mulching leaf blower: a leaf blower/vacuum combo to handle your blowing and mulching needs

Specifications

Best for: Blowing and mulching
Cordless: No
Weight: 8.5 lbs
Maximum speed: 250 mph

Reasons to buy

+
Easily transition between blower and vacuum
+
Mega performance speed
+
Bang for your buck

Reasons to avoid

-
Requires a cord

Want to clean and clear your leaves? The Toro 51619 Ultra Electric Blower Vac is for you. While heavier than the Black + Decker, this leaf blower does provide 250 mph of speed which goes beyond even the gas-powered Husqvarna. You'll be able to clear leaves and sticks with that kind of corded electric power easily.

Featuring both blowing and vacuum functions, this Toro can easily transition between the two. The vacuum feature can reduce 88 percent of mulched debris to less than 1/2 inch. All of those leaves go right into an attachable bag with a bottom zipper making it easy to dump when finished. 

Ryobi ONE+ 100 MPH 280 CFM Variable-Speed 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Jet Fan Leaf Blower

(Image credit: Home Depot)

5. Ryobi ONE+ Cordless Jet Fan Leaf Blower

Best budget leaf blower: a great budget buy for those who want interchangeable batteries

Specifications

Best for: Budget buy
Cordless: Yes
Weight: 6.2 lbs
Maximum speed: 100 mph

Reasons to buy

+
Cordless
+
Lightweight
+
Variable speed trigger

Reasons to avoid

-
Battery lasts about 20 minutes

The Ryobi ONE+ Cordless Jet Fan Leaf Blower is an ideal buy for a Ryobi fan who has other Ryobi lawn products and can use the compatible interchangeable batteries on this model, cutting out an additional expense. At only 6.2 lbs, this leaf blower is super lightweight, so there’s no need for a backpack or a shoulder strap. The leaf blower can power up to 100 mph for about 20 minutes, making it ideal for those with smaller yards who won't be using it for a long amount of time. You will, however, need a decent pair of gardening gloves to pick up the pile of leaves once you’re done. As an easy-to-use and easy-to-store leaf blower, it's a good pick. Plus, it's backed by a three-year warranty. 

How to buy the best leaf blower

Leaf blowers come in all shapes and sizes. There are smaller ones for those with minimal outdoor space and large ones for clearing acres of land. For smaller yards, battery-powered leaf blowers will do the trick. They're more convenient to use and provide enough power to clear an area of leaves, grass, and debris. Gas-powered leaf blowers may offer long-lasting power, but they can be heavy, noisy, and give off an odor that overwhelms the senses. 

Some leaf blowers allow you to blow leaves into one large pile; others have a vacuum feature to suck up the leaves which can be easily deposited into a compost bin. These, however, can become heavy to use over long periods of use, and it isn't always easy to transition between sucking and blowing modes. 

From the top of the range to budget-friendly, we’ve scoured among our favorite stores for the best leaf blowers. 

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Alex Temblador

Alex Temblador is a Mixed Latinx award-winning author and freelance writer based in Dallas, Texas. Her work in the home space has appeared in outlets like Homes & Gardens, Dwell, Architectural Digest, Culture Trip, Neighborhoods.com, among many others. You can learn more about Alex at AlexTemblador.com.