Leaf Blowers & Vacuums: Self-Propelled

You will find that entry level or lower spec leaf blowers do have reduced performance compared to a petrol counterpart, but don't let that put you off. The most important thing is matching your requirements to a suitable machine.

Professional grade leaf blowers are very powerful and provide matched performance to a petrol alternative. However, do consider that the cordless option is typically more expensive when factoring in the charger and battery options.

The main concern with cordless leaf blowers are the run time and battery charging time. However, as long as you choose your blower based on the work you need to do, cordless is a fantastic, clean alternative to a petrol engine.

In a word, yes! As an alternative to raking leaves by hand, it's a no contest.

If you have a large area to clear, consider a backpack blower where the weight rests on your shoulders rather than having to carry the weight on your arms. Furthermore, for extra large areas, a wheeled leaf blower or vacuum would be the most suitable.

Yes, Billy Goat produce a range of push and self-propelled wheeled blowers and vacuums that are designed for commercial applications and large areas.

Some leaf blowers also have a vacuum function, and are available in cordless and petrol powers.

It's important to remember that whilst the vacuum function exists, it's not designed for collecting large quantities of leaves. It's always quicker and easier to blow most of the leaves into a pile then pick them up and bag them, then use the vacuum to finish off.

You can also use the vacuum function where using a blower wouldn't be practical, for example around shrubs in a border. We'd also recommend against vacuuming wet leaves, as the tubes and collection bag can become clogged and reduce performance.

Leaf blowers will lift and blow wet leaves reasonably well. The challenge comes when there are multiple layers of wet leaves stuck together. The best way to manage this is to keep on top of clearing leaves and not allow the debris to build up.

When clearing wet leaves, it will be easier to blow and clear small areas as you go, rather than blowing all leaves into one pile which will eventually become too heavy to move.

Certain blowers are supplied with both round and flat nozzles. The round nozzle is good for clearing dry leaves as it moves a larger volume of air over a larger surface area. The flat nozzle concentrates the airflow into a blade, increases the air speed which helps lift wet leaves.