Leaf blowers
Our latest tests yield 14 powerful picks
This article appeared in 
Gas blowers are still the fastest way to clear a yard full of leaves. But our tests of more than 30 models show that lower prices and comparable performance for the best electric blowers make them a smart choice for most homeowners, especially if you care about noise.
Toro's corded-electric Ultra Blower Vac 51599, $70, and Super Blower Vac 51592, $60, swept away leaves and loosened stubborn fragments almost as well as our top gas blowers. And while some gas models are less noisy than others, electrics are quietest overall. That's good news, particularly if your community is among those with gas-blower regulations.
Most municipalities prohibit unreasonable noise, including the whine of a blower, during certain hours—say, between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. But some areas prohibit any blower louder than 70 decibels at 50 feet, and a few limit noise to 65 decibels (about as loud as a window air conditioner on high). Some gas blowers and all the electrics met the 70-decibel limit in our industry tests at 50 feet, though only the quietest electrics came in at or below 65 decibels.
Keeping your neighbors happy might be the best reason to choose a less-raucous blower, wherever you live. A quieter engine and a smaller impeller made the $230 Kawasaki KRB300A backpack blower the least-noisy gas model we tested. It's among a growing breed of relatively compact, lower-priced models that are essentially handheld blowers with backpack straps. But don't expect the power you'd get with most full-sized backpack blowers.
