How we test leaf blowers

Our recommended Best Buy leaf blowers and leaf blower vacs take the hard work out of clearing autumn leaves. They shift piles of leaves so your garden looks smart and tidy, and they're easy to use.

Our field tests and reviews of corded electric, cordless battery-powered and petrol leaf blowers and leaf blower vacs are designed to sort the outstanding models from the poor machines that require too much effort to collect the leaves.

Read on to find out the lengths we go to in the Which? field tests to find the best leaf blowers and leaf blower vacs.

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Video: how we test leaf blowers and vacs

How well will it blow leaves?

We test each different type of leaf blower on a range of surfaces, including hard surfaces, gravel and grass. We measure:

• How much time and effort it takes to blow an area of lawn clear of leaves.
• How well each leaf blower clears wet, stuck-down leaves from a patio.
• How easily it blows out leaves trapped in a flower border, 
• Whether it damages the surrounding plants. 

See our round-up of the Best leaf blowers 2024: our top picks for corded, cordless and affordable models 

Will the leaf blower vac collect all my leaves?

Some models collect all the leaves, even if they're damp, and can cope with the occasional twig or crab apple, but others will regularly get blocked. We test all leaf blower vacs on gravel to make sure they suck up any garden debris but leave the stones behind.

It’s also helpful to know how well leaf blower vacs shred the leaves and fill the collection bag. We’ve come across leaf blower vacs that pass the leaves virtually uncut into the bag, meaning that it needs emptying frequently and then leaks water from the damp leaves all over your leg, which is why each of our reviews show you how we rate the collection bag of each blower vac. 

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Is the leaf blower or blower vac easy to use?

A great leaf blower or leaf blower vac should take the hard work out of clearing your autumn leaves. But some models are much easier to use than others, so we carry out tests and checks to find out which will help you collect without any hassle and which ones will give you a hard time.

• We weigh the leaf blowers and blower vacs so we can tell you how much you’ll have to lug around.
• We check how easy (or not) it is to assemble and take apart each leaf blower or blower vac, including removing, replacing and emptying the collection bag, and how easy the machine is to store.
• We also test the convenience of using the controls and manoeuvring the blower or blower vac around obstacles.
• We note other essentials such as how long the cable is, how long the battery lasts on cordless models, and how easily the force of the air can be controlled.

Discover the best and worst leaf blower brands. 

Should I buy it?

Each of the assessments described above goes part way to making up a total test score, which is the percentage figure we award each leaf blower or leaf blower vac. But certain assessments are more important than others and so carry different weights:

Leaf blowers

• 60% How well the leaf blower clears leaves from flower beds, lawn and hard surfaces
• 40% Ease of use

Leaf blower vacs

• 30% How well the leaf blower clears leaves from flower beds, lawns and hard surfaces
• 30% How well the leaf blower vac clears leaves from gravel and lawns and shreds the leaves
• 40% Ease of use

Leaf blowers and leaf blower vacs need to score 72% or over in our tests to be awarded a Best Buy. Don't Buy leaf blowers and leaf blower vacs are models that have scored less than 45% in our tests.

What is the future for petrol-powered leaf blowers?

With sales of new petrol and diesel cars set to be banned by 2030, could petrol gardening tools be next?

By improving the appearance of outside spaces, we may be inadvertently contributing to environmental damage. 

Unlike cars, petrol garden machinery doesn’t have catalytic converters to reduce the amount of pollutants that enter the atmosphere- likely due to the cost of the materials bumping up the retail cost and because the UK regulations are not as strict for garden tools.

Californian Governor Gavin Newsome has signed legislation banning the sale of petrol gardening equipment by 2024. 

We're already seeing less petrol launches from manufacturers, who appear to be focusing their attention on cordless tools.

Cordless tools produce zero emissions and are quieter, offering a better option for the environment and our health.

We’re finding that cordless tools are now rivalling petrol in their power and, in some cases, out-performing, so many consumers have already made the switch.

See all of our leaf blower and vacs reviews.