The Best Leaf Blowers For Your Home

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The time for rakes is over. It's time to bring out the big guns. Now that Fall has arrived, its time to get rid of those leaves. Here are some ideas on what to use courtesy of This Old House!

What to Look For

1. Padded handles and a throttle lock to reduce hand strain.

2. A twist-lock bagging tube with a spring-loaded release that won't come loose.

3. Metal impellers, sharper and more durable than typical plastic ones.

4. Vacuum tubes you can attach and take off without needing a tool.

5. An easy-start engine like this one, whose cord takes 30 percent less force to yank it to life than previous models.

Corded Blower Vac WORX Trivac WG500

Unlike most blower vacs, there's no need to swap tubes for vacuuming and blowing, since both nozzles are built in—just flip a switch to change modes. Reach is limited by the length of your extension cord, but on the upside, the 12-amp motor will never run out of gas or need a fuel-line flush. Its plastic impeller reduced dry-leaf volume by 10 to 1 but, not surprisingly, struggled with wet ones.

Cordless Blower Ryobi P2102

For small areas, like a patio or walkway, leave the rake in the shed and reach for this lightweight 18-volt battery-powered blower. You get a nice little gale at the pull of the trigger, with no worries about maintenance or the limited reach of a cord. The lithium-ion battery has about a 15-minute runtime and takes about 60 minutes to recharge.

Read more at This Old House