Are Leaf Blowers Worth It?

If you are facing that seasonal fall of leaves in your garden or driveway and need a quick solution to tidy it up, a leaf blower is a great tool to have at home.

A leaf blower will allow you to quickly and easily tidy up by blowing leaves and other smaller debris to a particular area where you can easily collect the debris ready for disposal.

We answer your popular leaf blower questions and help you get on top of the outdoor jobs at this time of year.

Q: What is the best way to tidy up your garden?

A: The best and most efficient way to tidy up your garden is by using leaf vacuums. The best way to use them is to first blow all the leaves into a pile in a particular corner of your garden then vacuum them up from a single pile. To do this you will need a combination leaf blower and vacuum.

Depending on your requirements, there is a range of leaf blowers and vacuums available and designed to make your garden clear up easier.

Q: Is it worth getting a leaf vacuum?

A: Yes, if you want to quickly and easily clean up your garden leaves then a leaf vacuum removes the need to use a manual rake.  If your leaf vacuum also features a mulching blade then the resulting debris can be used as a natural mulch around your garden.

There are several different types of leaf vacuums on the market, but it is best to purchase one with a mulching blade on the fan. A leaf blow mulching blade works by cutting the leaves being vacuumed into smaller pieces meaning they fit into a much smaller volume.  Some models will have a higher mulching ratio which means the resulting debris is fine enough to be used as a natural mulch around your garden. 

The Ryobi RY18BVXA-0 HP Cordless Brushless Blower Vacuum is one such model which has a mulching ratio of 10:1 meaning that it will chop up leaves and reduce their volume by up to 10 times. 

Q: What leaf blower is best?

A: This will depend entirely on your individual requirements.  Ryobi produces leaf blower models suited to all sizes of gardens ranging from small (200m²) up to large (1000m²+).

For example, the Ryobi RY18BLXC-0 18V ONE+™ HP Cordless Brushless WHISPER™ Blower is ideal for clearing wet leaves and tough debris with a turbo function for an extra boost of power. The RY18BLXB-0 is also ultra-quiet as part of Ryobi's Whisper range, so no more disturbing your neighbours! It also has a detachable nozzle so it can be stored away compactly.

Browse our range here >

Q: Is a cordless leaf blower worth it?

A: If you have a large area to clear and/or you want cordless freedom so you are not restricted by a power cord then yes, a cordless leaf blower is definitely worth owning. 

Cordless models are also typically more compact and lighter than the equivalent mains-powered model.

Can you get cordless leaf vacuums?

A: Yes, the Ryobi RY18BVXA-0 HP Cordless Brushless Blower Vacuum is one such model which uses any Ryobi ONE+ battery. 

Designed with user convenience in mind, the ONE+™ Brushless Blower Vacuum can be changed from a blower to a vacuum at the flick of a switch. Incorporating advanced Brushless technology means more power, longer runtime and a longer life span through its frictionless motor too.

Q: Which cordless leaf blower has the longest run time?

A: Assessing how long a cordless leaf blower battery lasts will depend on the power of the blower, the capacity of the battery and motor technology.  A blower with a Brushless motor and high capacity battery such as 4.0Ah, 5.0Ah or 9.0Ah will give the longest runtime per charge.

The Ryobi RY18BLXC-0 HP Cordless WHISPER Blower produces the most runtime per charge in the Ryobi ONE+ system.  On a single 5.0Ah battery, it will achieve enough runtime to clear an area of up to 800m².