5 Things to Consider When Buying a Leaf Blower
Leaves. Everywhere. From the moment you pack your sunlounger away, fallen leaves inundate your property, ruining that nicely manicured lawn and blocking your gutters.
If that scenario sounds familiar, it’s time to consider investing in a leaf blower—a simple, yet powerful tool that takes the leg work out of clearing your garden. Not only do leaf blowers save you hours of time (and a sore back from tedious raking or sweeping), but also leave your property looking pristine throughout the colder months.
Equipped with powerful motors, leaf blowers enable an easy clean-up by blowing the debris into one place. Even better, it’s not just leaves you’ll clear away from your property, but dirt, twigs, grime, bark and other debris too.
If you’re in the market for a new leaf blower, here are a few things to consider before you make your purchase.
1. Petrol? Electric? Which is best?
Leaf blowers are typically petrol or electric powered. Naturally, petrol blowers are more powerful—which is why they’re used by professional maintenance teams, gardeners, and those who have a bigger job on their hands.
Whether you’re clearing up leaves, dirt, debris, or grass clippings, a decent petrol leaf blower will get the job done quickly—and with ease. A good petrol leaf blower will also be comfortable to use, easy to maintain, and allow you to control the jet of air through a throttle.
Electric leaf blowers, on the other hand, are typically suited to smaller jobs. If you think those will meet your needs, make sure to buy one with enough power cord length to reach all of the areas you’re looking to clear.
2. Backpack or Handled?
Aside from petrol or electric, leaf blowers also come in backpack or handheld form. Again, making the right choice comes down to how much power you need.
In the simplest terms, the more powerful the blower, the bigger the engine—hence why backpack leaf blowers are usually more powerful than their handheld counterparts. To make the right choice consider the size of the area you need to clear.
If you’ve got hours of long, tedious yard work ahead, or just need to clear a bigger area, look into backpack models they’re more powerful (and easier to carry). For lighter work, such as clearing a patio or other smaller areas, a handheld electric leaf blower should get the job done.
3. Blowing speed?
The more powerful the leaf blower, the higher the blowing speed—and some models will even offer speed-control options so you can adjust the output as you work.
You might be surprised to learn a decent quality leaf blower will blow air at over 200 km/h—with a lightweight 26cc petrol blower capable of hitting an impressive 270km/h in blowing speed! Go even bigger and a 30cc backpack leaf blower will reach 450km/h—powerful enough to get even the most arduous job done in no time.
4. Which terrain?
Choosing the right leaf blower model can also come down to where you’ll be using it. Most higher end models will come with interchangeable working heads designed for different terrains—perfect for all manner of jobs, whether you’re working on your garden beds, lawns, or on the driveway.
5. How reliable?
As with any investment in power tools and outdoor equipment, you want peace of mind that your new leaf blower will stand the test of time (and if it doesn’t, you’ll be covered through a decent warranty).
Before you make your purchase, make sure your new leaf blower is certified with Australian electrical product standards. It should also be backed by an authorised Australian distributor who not only provides a proper warranty, but promises high performance and excellent quality.
To find out more, take a look at our full range of STIHL leaf blowers.