Best walk behind leaf blower for your lawn

A leaf blower could be defined as a tool that propels air out of its nozzle to move grass cuttings and debris such as leaves on your garden, lawn or patio. Getting a leaf blower would be an ideal addition to your home tools collection. Should you have a large lawn or a small backyard, a leaf blower would be ideal. For the wheeled leaf blowers that are good for a large lawn, you need the best walk behind leaf blower to achieve the best results. The yard size, terrain and your budget will determine the type of leaf blower to purchase. A leaf blower makes the yard clean up simple and quick.

We tried and tested several wheeled leaf blowers before deciding on the Troy-Bilt TB672 208cc Jet Sweep Wheeled Leaf Blower as the best walk behind leaf blower.

Some leaf blowers come with suck bags that collects the debris. Is you don’t want to collect the debris later, get a leaf blower that comes with a collection suck bag.

So, what are the considerations that you need to consider before buying a leaf blower:

The noise level– some leaf blowers are relatively louder than others while using them.

The blower design– check the grip handle, is it comfortable enough for you? Most designs ensure that the user is able to use the leaf blower without much strain. Leaf blowers incorporating technology to reduce vibrations on your hands are the best.

Speed– some blowers come with a  set of variable speeds which can be adjusted by knobs.

Type of power– most leaf blowers are either gas powered or electric. The choice will depend on your preferences. For the electric versions, you might find the corded ones or the battery powered that would require  you to recharge the battery before embarking on your task. In the case of corded electric leaf blowers, check the proximity of your power source as well as a clear passage for the extension cable, you would want the cord getting entangled by objects around.

Before buying your walk behind leaf blower, check for the warranty plus the company’s support.

Types of leaf blowers

1. The gas powered leaf blowers can either be:

Handheld– are louder than the other gas counterparts and have gas smell. They are also the most popular. Operate on gasoline. They are powerful. The need a pull cord to start the engine and do need tune ups periodically. Majority of them, running with two-stroke engines require mixing fuel and oil while the other four- stroke engines don’t require.

Wheeled– relatively expensive but ideal for homeowners with a huge garden. They do not need oil and fuel to start and run them. For commercial uses, I would recommend the gas powered wheeled blowers. Those operating on four stroke engines do not require mixing of oil and fuel.

Backpack– have gas smell and could be more expensive than the handheld leaf blowers. You will need to carry them on your back, so you will transfer the weight to your back and shoulders. They are noisy and need oil gasoline and oil to start.

2. On the other hand, Electric leaf blowers can either be:

Cordless– these required the battery to be charged and last as long as the battery is charged. They are lightweight and easy to use. They do not require power cord and mostly last for an hour.

Corded – must be used with proximity to the power source. Easy to start with a push button and operate. They are noisy with zero exhaust emissions. Getting around obstacles, shrubs and trees could prove to be a hassle for the corded electric blowers.

Safety measures to observe when using a leaf blower: 

Keep children, pets and other people some distance away from the area you are clearing

Wear appropriate clothing while operating the leaf blowers- get your dust and goggles on