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The 5 best electric and battery powered leaf blowers for fall 2024
For many of us, it’s leaf-peeping season. But sadly, all good things come to an end. The leaves eventually fall and need to be cleaned up. Using a traditional rake is exhausting, but an electric leaf blower can be a lifesaver.
Leaf blowers can be gas powered, electric with a power cord, or battery powered. Each option has its pros and cons. Those that get plugged in are the least expensive, but require a long extension cord (sold separately). Battery powered leaf blowers are great, but only for the amount of time the batteries last before needing a recharge. This roundup showcases the best battery powered and plug-in leaf blowers currently available.
Pro Tip: For many, a battery powered leaf blower is the best option, especially if you have two or more fully-charged batteries on hand to conquer leaf removal on your property as efficiently as possible.
Which leaf blower is best?
Our in-house team of home and garden experts are fans of leaf blowers that rely on rechargeable battery packs and that can serve as a leaf blower or mulcher and leaf vacuum. These tools gives users the most flexibility when it comes to removing leaves and small debris from almost any size lawn.
Best battery-powered leaf blower: Dewalt 20V Max XR leaf blower
Weighing in at 9.8 pounds, this leaf blower packs a punch when it comes to power. You get up to 423 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of air volume with an airflow speed up to 129 miles per hour.
By connecting the included flat concentrator nozzle, air speed increases up to 175 miles per hour to help you power through stubborn debris. Based on more than 800 user ratings on Amazon, this Dewalt leaf blower has earned a 4.3-star (out of five) rating.
The Dewalt 20V Max XR has a variable speed trigger and speed lock. These features provide total power control over the unit, which is ergonomically designed to maximize user control and minimize stress on your arm. While operational, the leaf blower generates about 67 decibels of noise.
This leaf blower comes with one battery and a charger. Additional batteries are sold separately ($175 each). The same battery work with many Dewalt tools and products for added convenience.
Best budget battery-powered leaf blower: Lazyboi LA808
When a leaf blower uses rechargeable batteries, you get added maneuverability and convenience, since you don’t have to deal with a long extension cord. This low-cost Lazybio LA808 is a 21-volt, cordless leaf blower that comes with two batteries and a charger.
The blower has two speed options. It can be ramped up to the maximum air speed of 150 miles per hour, although, when turbo mode is engaged, it uses a lot of power and drains the battery faster. Turbo mode does, however, efficiently tackle stubborn debris, which makes yard cleanup a breeze.
The batteries offer up to 30 minutes of power when the leaf blower is set at low speed, or between 10 and 20 minutes in high-speed mode.
The unit itself weighs just 3.5 pounds and features an ergonomic body that reduces user fatigue by up to 30%. Meanwhile, the rubber grip offers non-slip support, making your work easier and more comfortable. The biggest drawback to this unit is the short battery life, but competing leaf blowers with higher-capacity batteries cost two to three times more.
Best lightweight leaf blower: Black & Decker 20V Max cordless leaf blower
What we like about this battery-powered, cordless leaf blower is that is weighs a mere 3.7 pounds, so it’s easy to work with for extended periods. It’s also affordable and able to generate air speed up to 130 miles per hour. When operational, the leaf blower generates about 61 decibels of noise. These features make it ideal for clearing leaves and small debris from lawns, driveways, decks, patios and more.
This Black & Decker leaf blower comes with one battery and a charger. Each battery can hold a charge up to 18 months. Additional batteries are sold separately ($50). The same 20 volt lithium ion battery packs work in dozens of Black & Decker tools and products, including the company’s cordless pole hedge trimmer and string trimmer/edger (sold separately).
Best battery-powered leaf blower, mulcher and vacuum combo: Makita 36V LXT brushless blower/vacuum mulcher
This premium, battery-powered leaf blower can also serve as a mulcher and vacuum, so you have plenty of options when it comes to removing leaves and small debris from your property. As a leaf blower, it generates airflow up to 120 miles per hour. And as a mulcher, it reduces the equivalent to 10 bags of leaves down to just one.
Since the Makita 37V LXT is battery powered, it generates no fumes or emissions. It also requires minimal maintenance. The durable, high-torque 1200 millimeter brushless motor is design to function flawlessly for many years.
With the Makita 36V LXT, you get the brushless blower with vacuum attachment kit, two 18 volt LXT lithium-Ion 5.0Ah batteries, a dual port charger, a blower nozzle and a three-stage telescoping blower nozzle. The unit itself weighs about 11 pounds. Additional batteries are sold separately ($137 each).
Best electric leaf blower, mulcher and vacuum combo: Worx Trivac 3-in-1
This leaf blower from Worx is a corded, electric, three-in-one tool that blows, mulches and collects leaves. Because it’s a plug-in tool, it’s less expensive than battery- or gas-powered units, but a long extension cord (sold separately) is required. You don’t have to worry about recharging batteries or dealing with the maintenance associated with a gas-powered leaf blower.
You can use the Worx Trivac 3-in-1 as a traditional blower, or adjust the 12-amp motor to serve as a vacuum and mulcher. It even collects the leaves in a bag for easy disposal. And best of all, the mulcher reduces what would otherwise be up to 18 bags of leaves into just one.
The blower generates up to 210 miles-per-hour air flow, but is adjustable. You can use it for everything from light-duty sweeping to blasting away leaves. We chose the Worx Trivac 3-in-1 as one of our top picks, because it offers good value and versatility at a low cost. And it comes from a highly reputable brand. Based on more than 10,600 user reviews, this leaf blower has earned a 4.2-star out of five rating, so it’s generally well liked.
If you’re also shopping for a lawn mower, be sure to check out our coverage of the best riding lawn mowers of 2024 and the best robotic lawn mowers in 2024. We’ve also got you covered with our roundup of the best lawnmower and other smart lawn-care tech for 2024. And of course, all of our home, kitchen and outdoor coverage is continuously updated to make your buying choices easier.
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Popular gluten free tortilla strips recalled over possible contamination with wheat
A food company known for popular grocery store condiments has recalled a package of tortilla strips that may be contaminated with wheat, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday. The product is meant to be gluten-free.
Sugar Foods, a manufacturing and distribution corporation focused mainly on various toppings, artificial sweeteners and snacks, issued the recall for the “Santa Fe Style” version of tortilla strips sold by the brand Fresh Gourmet.
“People who have a wheat allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the product,” said Sugar Foods in an announcement posted by the FDA.
Packages of these tortilla strips with an expiration date as late as June 20, 2025, could contain undeclared wheat, meaning the allergen is not listed as an ingredient on the label. The Fresh Gourmet product is marketed as gluten-free.
Sugar Foods said a customer informed the company on Nov. 19 that packages of the tortilla strips actually contained crispy onions, another Fresh Gourmet product normally sold in a similar container. The brand’s crispy onion product does contain wheat, and that allergen is noted on the label.
No illnesses tied to the packaging mistake have been reported, according to the announcement from Sugar Foods. However, the company is still recalling the tortilla strips as a precaution. The contamination issue may have affected products distributed between Sept. 30 and Nov. 11 in 22 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington.
Sugar Foods has advised anyone with questions about the recall to contact the company’s consumer care department by email or phone.
CBS News reached out to Sugar Foods for more information but did not receive an immediate reply.
This is the latest in a series of food product recalls affected because of contamination issues, although the others involved harmful bacteria. Some recent, high-profile incidents include an E. coli outbreak from organic carrots that killed at least one person in California, and a listeria outbreak that left an infant dead in California and nine people hospitalized across four different states, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The E. coli outbreak is linked to multiple different food brands while the listeria outbreak stemmed from a line of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products sold by Yu-Shang Foods.