Handheld vs backpack blowers.

Back then I blew grass off drives by turning the line trimmer on its side and holding it above the concrete. It works, but only for the edges of a driveway, a quick tidy when the job's done. On the rare day a blower dies on me mid-round, I still do it.

For 2026 I went through the big review sites (Consumer Reports, Bob Vila, This Old House, Pro Tool Reviews, TechGearLab) and picked the machine that came out on top for each job. Prices are US dollars as at September 2026. The rest of my gear is on the recommended gear page.

Choosing is simple. There are two types used in lawn mowing: handheld and backpack.

Unless you're doing large jobs, either will do. Both underperform on wet days.

Handheld

Handhelds are great. I've never had real trouble with mine. Easy to start, hardly ever break down. I have one I bought in 2011 that I still use. They're quick, light, and get to places a backpack can't. For ten minutes or less they're perfect. I run four Shindaiwa EB252s and hardly touch them for maintenance. First pull on a Monday morning, fuel every few days.

The best-reviewed gas handheld right now is this ECHO. Consumer Reports rates it number one, ahead of the Stihl BG 86, and contractors on LawnSite say the same. It's close to the same machine as the Shindaiwa EB262.

If you'd rather go battery, this EGO is This Old House's best cordless blower, with 4.6 stars from over 13,000 reviews. It's got real power, and there's no fuel mix or pull start.

Backpack

A lot of contractors carry both. Backpacks shine on big jobs. Use a handheld for long enough and your arm feels like it's going to drop off. Backpacks are easy to carry and far better when there's a lot of leaves. My business is small domestic yards, so we mostly use handhelds, but if you're buying one backpack, this Stihl is Pro Tool Reviews' best overall, and LawnSite contractors rate it the most comfortable of the big ones.

Stihl recalled some BR 800s in November 2025 for a fan wheel problem. It only covers earlier serial numbers and the fix is free, but ask your dealer to check if you're buying one secondhand.

The battery backpack that Consumer Reports and Bob Vila both rate best is EGO's commercial model. It's dear, but it's quiet enough to start work early in noise-restricted areas.

Leaf and litter vacuums

Some blowers double as vacuums and shredders: flick a switch, clip on a bag, go. Handy inside doorways, but the bags are unwieldy. If you'd rather vacuum leaves in autumn and can justify a dedicated machine, there are vacuums built like mowers. Start it up and mow a drive full of leaves, or a car park. Only worth it if you have the work. Billy Goat's self-propelled one is Bob Vila's top pick.

Gas or battery?

Check your local rules before you buy. California stopped the sale of new gas blowers in 2024, and some cities, like Irvine, now ban using them. If you work somewhere like that, go battery and carry spare batteries. Everywhere else, gas is still cheaper to buy and runs all day on a tank.