How to Choose the Right Leaf Blower for Your Small Business

As a small business owner, keeping the grounds of your facility clean and tidy can be a time-consuming task–and let’s face it, there’s no surplus of time. Leaf blowers can help save the day by making grounds clean-up quick and easy. The tricky part is choosing the right type for your small business’s needs: gas-powered, battery-powered, cordless, corded, handheld, or backpack design. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each type, so you can decide which one is right for you. Read on, and you’ll learn how you can make a great first impression with help from a leaf blower!

Get the lay of the land with an overview of some of the types of leaf blowers we’ll be looking at. This chart is a great resource to refer back to as your landscaping needs evolve. Make sure to bookmark this article!

Handheld Blowers	Cordless Blowers	Corded Blowers	Backpack Blowers	Walk-Behind Blowers
Ideal for large jobs that require more power, such as clearing away heavier debris or piles of wet leaves.	Feature longer run times and are quieter than gas-powered blowers. Eliminate the hassle of lengthy cords.	Ideal for light-duty jobs such as blowing grass clippings or wet leaves.  Require minimal maintenance (no need to refuel or charge).	Feature powerful performance but are the heaviest and loudest option.	Ideal for jobs that require power and efficiency.  Quickly blow away leaves, heavy paper, cardboard, and other garbage.

Choosing between gas-powered leaf blowers and electric leaf blowers can depend on the size of the area you need to maintain and the type of power you prefer. Let’s take a closer look. 

Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers

• Gas blowers deliver a high volume of air and airspeed
• Ideal for moving wet leaves, light snow, and grass clippings
• Gas-powered backpack models offer exceptional mobility and less fatigue on larger jobs
• Require more maintenance than electric models, including refueling and changing spark plugs
• Noisier than electric designs

Electric Leaf Blowers

• Lighter than gas blowers, which makes them easier to maneuver
• Cause less noise pollution
• Not as powerful as gas blowers and may struggle to lift heavier debris

Backpack leaf blowers and handheld leaf blowers both have their benefits. Let’s see which one is right for your small business.

Backpack Leaf Blowers

• Ideal for tackling larger jobs
• Offer exceptional mobility and power
• Allow you to move more freely across the grounds

Handheld Leaf Blowers

• Lightweight design makes it easy to maneuver around corners and in tight spaces
• Provide less noise pollution with quieter motors

There are many factors to consider before you invest in a leaf blower for your business. Let’s take a look at a few more. 

Motor Strength

The motor in your leaf blower is what powers it. The strength of your leaf blower’s motor will determine how powerful your machine is. Unfortunately, the more powerful the leaf blower’s motor, the more noisy the machine is. If noise pollution is a concern for you and your neighbors, a quieter model may be a better choice.

Air Speed

The higher your airspeed, the faster your leaves and debris will blow away. However, powerful airspeeds can damage neighboring plants. If this is a concern, choose a leaf blower with a lower airspeed. 

Noise Level

Noisy leaf blowers can disturb your employees and others in the vicinity. If a quiet environment is important for focus and to keep the peace, choose a blower with a lower noise level.

Weight and Portability

Besides their cost savings, lightweight, portable models are easier to maneuver and are less likely to cause any muscle strain while in use.

Determining how much air you need largely depends on the tasks you’ll perform with your new leaf blower. Here are some points to consider.

• Gas-powered leaf blowers generate the most air but are often noisy and the most expensive.
• Handheld electric leaf blowers are more affordable, lightweight, and quiet. However, they do not have as much air power as gas-powered designs.
• Backpack leaf blowers are ideal for longer jobs because they offer loads of air volume and high speed ratings (up to 200 miles per hour). 
• Cordless leaf blowers are unencumbered by cords or gas tanks, but the battery life is often lacking.

Before you purchase a leaf blower, it’s important to consider the amount of leaves and debris you have on your grounds year-round. Here are the leaf-blowing capabilities of each type of leaf blower.

• Handheld electric blowers are best for light-duty jobs and can blow 5 cubic feet of leaves per minute. 
• Gas-powered blowers are best for larger areas that have heavier debris. They can blow up to 30 cubic feet per minute.
• Backpack blowers offer 200 mph of air speed and can move large amounts of debris quickly and easily.

Whether your business’s grounds require light-duty or heavy-duty leaf and debris removal, learning the power of leaf blower engines is key to your long-term success.

Electric Models

Electric models generally offer 7-10 amps of power. This will allow you to move light grass clippings, dry leaves, and light snow. If you frequently need to move large piles of wet leaves from driveways or sidewalks, you’ll be better off with an electric leaf blower that has 15 amps of power.

Gas-Powered Models

Gas-powered models offer significantly more power than electric designs. These leaf blowers often boast 25cc - 200cc engines for the most air movement you can get. If you have big jobs that need to get done fast, a gas-powered leaf blower is the way to go.

Cordless Models

Cordless models have plenty of power–up to 40 volts–and offer maximum range of motion. Lightweight, handheld designs offer great maneuvering power, while backpack models offer more horsepower.

Some business owners have a few types of leaf blowers in their tool lineup to address different needs. 

Small jobs: Use a lightweight machine that’s easy to lift and handle, especially if you need to move around several corners or get into tight spaces.

Big jobs: Use a gas-powered machine that has more power to quickly move large amounts of debris from walkways, grounds, and driveways. 

Zoro has all the leaf blowers you need to keep your grounds looking their best all year round. Shop Zoro.com for all your business needs at everyday low prices.

Product Compliance and Suitability

The product statements contained in this guide are intended for general informational purposes only. Such product statements do not constitute a product recommendation or representation as to the appropriateness, accuracy, completeness, correctness, or currentness of the information provided. Information provided in this guide does not replace the use by you of any manufacturer instructions, technical product manual, or other professional resource or adviser available to you. Always read, understand, and follow all manufacturer instructions.