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Sign up now5 ways to get the most out of your leaf blower
With autumn upon us and leaves falling, now is a good time to make the most of
your leaf blower to make easier work of tidying your garden
Leaf blowers or leaf vacuums can make easy work of clearing fallen leaves and require less effort than using a rake - particularly if you have a large garden to get around.
Clearing the leaves from your garden has many benefits. Not only does it help prevent grass being deprived of sunlight and stop patios and decking from getting stains, but it also reduces the risk of slipping on wet leaves and causing an injury.
Here’s five ways of using a leaf blower to help you squeeze the very most out of it.
If you're in the market for buying one, head straight to our leaf blower and leaf vacuum reviews. Alternatively, we’ve selected some options further on that might be worth taking a look at.
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1. Use a sweeping motion
Move your leaf blower from left to right in a u-like, sweeping motion. This helps round them up and will come in handy for clearing large areas.
Also make sure you blow under the leaves rather than over, to ensure the airflow goes beneath them.
2. Control the speed
If your leaf blower has variable speed, it’s worth making the most of this feature.
The higher speed can be used to shift large quantities of leaves or piles of wet leaves, while lower speeds give far more control for directing the leaves into a pile, as well as allowing you to blow leaves trapped between pots without damaging delicate plants.
3. Make use of the nozzle
Don't just rely just on the jet of air to free up leaves – most blowers are designed for you to use the end of the nozzle to give stubborn stuck-down leaves a little scrape.
4. Tips on gathering leaves
If you’re gathering them up manually, it’s worth laying some tarpaulin down beforehand and blowing the leaves directly onto this to make disposing of them easier.
If you have a leaf vacuum, switch it to suction mode and suck them up.
Another option is to blow the leaves onto your lawn and use a lawn mower to collect them.
Looking for a new lawn mower? Check our Best Buy mowers
5. Not just for leaves
Blowers can also double up as a snow clearer. They’ll help clear your path or driveway and you can even use it on the outside of your car.
Some brands also offer gutter-cleaning attachments. You can clean your gutters incredibly quickly and easily with your leaf blower to prevent a build up that could result in flooding or damage to your property.
Leaf blowers reviewed
Below we've outlined the key features of three models we've tested - covering petrol, cordless and corded - costing between £54.99 and £229.
Mitox 280BVX, £229
Key specs
- Type: Leaf blower vacuum
- Power type: Petrol
- Weight in blow mode: 4.7kg in blow mode, 5.8kg in vacuum mode
- Variable speed: No
A petrol-powered model that offers both vacuum and blower modes. There's a 50-litre collection bag which will mean less frequent emptying.
For a petrol leaf blower vacuum, its weight is pretty good.
Read our full Mitox 280BVX review to find out more.
DeWalt DCM562PB, £159.99
Key specs
- Type: Leaf blower
- Power type: Cordless
- Weight: 3.2kg
- Variable speed: Yes
A cordless leaf blower with an 18V Li-ion battery, which is compatible with other cordless DeWalt power tools.
It has variable speed so you have greater control over the power output.
It weighs 3.2kg, including the battery, which is about mid-range for this type of leaf blower.
But how did it perform at tasks around the garden? Read our full DeWalt DCM562PB review to see.
Black & Decker BEBLV260-GB, £54.99
Key specs
- Type: Leaf blower vacuum
- Power type: Corded electric
- Weight: 3.62kg in blow mode, 4.21kg in vacuum mode
- Variable speed: No
A lower cost, corded electric leaf blower that also has a vacuum mode, along with a 40-litre collection bag.
It has a 10-metre power cable and if this isn't enough, you can use an extension cable to fully get around your garden.
Could this corded electric model keep up with the petrol and cordless model, however? Find out in our full Black & Decker BEBLV260-GB review.
Head straight to all of our leaf blower and leaf blower vacuum reviews to compare our results.
