Best Leaf Blower 2020 – Buyer’s Guide

We have mentioned the Ryobi ONE+ range of garden appliances in some of our other reviews, and how they can all be used with one battery so you can just buy the body to save a bit of money if you want to extend your collection.

The good news is that this blower is in that range, so it is perfect if you already own the battery part or you’re looking to develop your gardening expertise. If not, it’s still one of the best garden leaf blowers money can buy.

It is ideal for tackling hard surfaces, such as patios, driveways and decking, for creating a safer slip-free environment. There is a high-speed airflow so the debris can be removed in moments, and it is also nice and lightweight so you won’t get uncomfortable holding it.

The flat nozzle helps to target the area you have in mind, as opposed to wasting a lot of the air and power. A real test for any blower is whether it can move clumps of wet leaves, and this targeting seems to ensure it can get under the leaves and transfer them around a metre at a time.

There is only one power level, but this never becomes a problem as you can just move further away or closer to the target if you need to adjust. As the nozzle is so long and slim, it will definitely get to those places where a rake is just impossible to fit.

It is sold as a Zero tool, without the charger or battery pack, or as a bundle if you need to purchase these too. As it is cordless, you won’t be restricted in terms of movement or distance, either.

A pretty heavy and cumbersome garden tool to be holding, especially if you struggle for long periods. So the fact that you can wear it as a backpack is a big plus.

The heaviness is all down to the sheer power of the product, which you’d expect from a petrol model. It is very high performance, so if you have a big task on your hands every week during the cooler months, or you’re a professional gardener, you’re going to get the job done in lightning time.

Because the backpack takes all the pressure off your arms, you can use it for a prolonged time if necessary. The padded shoulder straps help to spread the weight over both shoulders, and your back will thank you for it too.

As it is so powerful, it isn’t just leaves it can move. From other debris such as hedge cuttings and brambles, to even budging moss from paths, you can tackle pretty much anything. We will say it is better with dry leaves than wet, but it does still budge them.

Control is made nice and easy as well. You can adjust the pressure you apply on the trigger to change the blow speed, and the trigger grip position is moveable for your comfort. Select the cruise control option for a steady delivery of the same speed of air to reduce strain on your hand. You can also adjust the straps on the backpack to suit your size and height.

Because of the high power, it does get through a lot of fuel, particularly notable if you’re using it all day or not for domestic use. A full tank will last around an hour. Forgivable for what it does, though.

And because of the design, you will look as though you are recreating Ghostbusters as you do the gardening – a pretty priceless idea in our minds.

By far one of the easiest leaf blowers to use which we reviewed, the ALB 36 is a very well-designed piece of kit from one of the industry leaders.

Thanks to the ergonomic design and weight redistribution balance, it will never become a pain to use, even if it is going to take you well over an hour to actually rid your yard of leaves. Because it is cordless, you are free to go anywhere with it and reach into all of those difficult places, so it is perfect if you have a large outdoor area.

The speed and power can be adjusted, so whether you have a few dry leaves to move into the corner or a big pile of wet leaves on the grass, you can pick the level which suits you and your environment the best. It also helps to get the job done quicker (or slower if you’re trying to avoid the other tasks on your long list of things to do).

A standout is the Syneon chip, which controls the amount of energy used depending on the demand level, so it always performs at its best, and the battery won’t run out before you’re expecting it to. It should last 35 minutes on a full charge and takes 1 hour 30 to get back up to the top level.

If storage is a worry, then you can remove the blower tube to keep it in two parts. It is light enough to not hurt your arms or back when holding it, and the power levels make it perfect for both small confined porches or even budging moss off the driveway. It may be a higher price than many of the others, but you can really feel the quality, and it isn’t too extreme when comparing directly.

Many leaf blowers feature tapered nozzles for a bit more accuracy, but if you prefer something big, bold and covering a huge area to speed up the process, a blower named the Air Turbine is a good pick.

The WG518E is designed for extra tough conditions, able to deliver a high capacity volume. You can still choose which speed setting is in operation, however, so even if you only have a couple of leaves to gently move off the patio, it will do this gently despite the huge air delivery tube.

A Turbine fan is what delivers this air power, and when working with all of the other design components, it is what helps to make it such a heavy-duty garden tool.

It is corded, which you will have to take into consideration if you have a larger garden or struggle with mains access. But in a way, this is how it can deliver so much power when compared to a cordless battery model. The power cable is around 10 metres however, so not too bad when considering.

The larger nozzle could also help if you want a blower which can multitask, and undertake drying your car after it has been washed out, or sweeping out the garage/shed without you having to reach for the yard brush. It can also move chippings, pebbles and stones too if you have these lining a driveway, path or bedding area, so you can reassemble them all and give them a freshen up.

A two-part blower which is nice and easy to store or transport if this is required.

The four-stroke engine is great for keeping emissions low and making it a much more efficient product to use. There is also a mechanical decompression system so it starts up easier, which should save you a lot of time and stress before you get going.

Thanks to the 0.52-litre fuel tank, you can top it up with a decent amount of petrol before you have to stop to refuel. When the time does come, a nice generous wide opening gives you plenty of room to pour the liquid.

A trigger lets you pick just how much ‘blow’ you need so that it can handle a range of tasks. If you need to remove leaves from a gravel path without budging the stones, choose the lower option. If you do need to move the stones in order to give them all a bit of a refresh, then the maximum setting will save you having to rake them all.

Being a four-stroke model, it is relatively quiet so shouldn’t disturb the neighbours. It can be converted into a vacuum machine with the optional attachment, available to buy separately or as a package if you’d like an appliance which can do both tasks. However, other reviewers state this is very difficult and fiddly to fit, so you’d be best buying an all-in-one as featured below.

The negatives are that it gets through petrol at a very high speed, and the kill switch is in a bit of an awkward position and can be pressed accidentally which is annoying. But on the other hand, this is good for when you do want it to stop! The price makes it one of the more expensive on the list, but it is still worth paying if you want a good quality petrol model.

Described as ‘the ultimate tidying tool’, this is an ideal leaf blower for completely ridding your garden of debris.

The powerful motor will blow or vacuum the leaves to where you want them, and then can mulch them all to a smaller pile, perfect for either composting or adding to the waste bin and saving some valuable space.

A collection bag makes it quite easy and lightweight to move around, and it is 35L capacity, so you can hold more before you need to empty it. In fact, to be precise, it is at a ratio of around 10:1. It includes a shoulder strap for easier carrying about, and there are also wheels, so it is simpler to move along the ground.

The nozzle is on the smaller side so not great for masses of leaves at once, particularly if they’re damp, as it can clog up the tube quickly. The key is to go slowly and not try to push it. But on a more positive note, we loved the zip collection bag which is easy to empty but also keeps all of the waste safe in one place.

You need a screwdriver to assemble the product fully, just adding two screws. But once it is up and running, you will be pleasantly surprised by how lightweight and efficient it is. Just remember it is best for dry leaves.

With blow, vacuum and shredding modes, this is a perfect all-in-one garden tool which can deal with those loose leaves completely.

Switch between the blow and vac functions with a simple switch of a slider, and you can also shred the leaves once they are collected so you can collect more in one go. Because it is so easy to change between modes, you don’t need to fit extra heads or bags which makes it so much simpler to use.

The collector has a 45L capacity, which means less time running back and forward to the compost bin to empty it all. It also means more space becomes available in the waste bin, or you can use it as a compostable nutrient for your flower beds.

It can all be opened up easily so you can remove any debris which may be blocking it all up, which is especially good if you will be removing wet leaves which can often clog up the tubes.

It feels very well built and is powerful enough to suck up leaves from a gravel or stone path without budging the surface.

We did think it was very heavy for an item of this size however, and the positioning of the ‘on’ switch is a bit poor as it can be knocked when removing the bag. There are wheels on the bottom of the nozzle which makes it great for rolling along the floor and collecting as you go, although holding it at this tilt isn’t actually the optimal angle.

With a mulching facility which can reduce down your waste in a 10:1 ratio, this McCulloch is one of the best in terms of power and airflow, as you would expect from a petrol model.

We loved how it was a flare nozzle on the end of the tube, as opposed to leaving it wide open. While the latter usually allows you to give a bit more welly to the mechanism, a nozzle helps when you want to target smaller piles of leaves or those which are more difficult to budge.

Talking of the more difficult to move, it was one of the best when we tested it against damp leaves. This is an important test of how well a garden vacuum performs all round, and while many disappoint, this machine treated them as though they were dry. Ideal if this is when you need to tackle the issue the most due to preventing slippery surfaces. This makes the McCulloch GBV 322 the best leaf vacuum for wet leaves.

It can be difficult to get started and keep on until you get used to the mechanisms, which may prove a bit frustrating for any of you out there who just like to get going with the job. You basically pull three times on the choke, then pull again on half a choke.

It is also just over £100, but while you can get some shredder garden vacuums for around half the price, it is good at what it does. It is also a sturdy, quality bit of kit which copes well with damp leaves.

With a 16:1 shredding ratio, this is one of the best available to buy online in terms of getting your waste down to a manageable size.

The 45-litre bag is very generous for collecting up the debris, and there is a good chance you’ll get the whole garden done before having to whip out the refuse sacks.

Variable speed control is manageable via a slider on the handle, so you can switch between power levels as the product is working. This is perfect depending on the surface you’re taking care of, and what it is you are trying to move.

It gets heavy as it fills up, so the shoulder strap is probably necessary, and it is very loud when in operation so not one for those 7 am keen bean gardeners. You also have to change over the tube when switching between each process, and attach the bag if you want to collect up the leaves. This can require a bit of forward planning but is nothing too strenuous. Just bear it in mind.