Best Leaf Blowers of 2024

High-quality options exist in every category, says David Trezza, who oversees leaf blower testing at Consumer Reports. The best leaf blowers in our ratings have the following in common.

They’re fast at moving leaves. The best blowers in our tests clear a large swath of grass in under a minute.

They’re good at loosening embedded leaves from the lawn. Even with a leaf blower that’s quick to move most leaves, you’ll notice a few stragglers. We look for machines that don’t require you to break out a rake to clean up.

They’re easy to handle. We consider weight, the placement of the controls, and ease of starting to find models that start and run effortlessly. We also favor models that are light and easy enough to use so that you won’t end up with sore arms.

They’re not too loud. We test sound both at the ear of the operator and from 50 feet to simulate how loud each blower might be for you and your neighbors. The best models keep the volume below 65 decibels, while the worst exceed 85 decibels. At 85 decibels, you’ll need ear protection to avoid hearing damage even from very brief use. At lower decibel levels, hearing protection is often still a good idea, especially if you’re using a leaf blower for a long stretch of time.

They’re reliable. We survey thousands of CR members each year to provide brand-level reliability and owner satisfaction scores to zero in on leaf blowers that will continue to work well long after their first autumn.