This cordless leaf blower makes a lot of sense for people that already own tools in Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel platform, since the batteries are completely interchangeable. This vastly extends run time and reflects more realistic yard work. And we could have probably extended the run time further, because the LB6504 features a dial that allowed us to set and hold the air speed at the lowest setting useful for whatever task we were doing, and use the trigger or turbo button to boost speed when needed. A more realistic run time (without turbo locked on) is at least 27 minutes. In use we’ve learned that it’s rare to continuously hold down the turbo button, or even the trigger. While the run time may seem short, bear in mind that's at the turbo setting. Our sawdust test revealed a focused air stream, with sharp edges, extending beyond the end of our test area. Stepping forward while sweeping back and forth cleared the area in seconds. We measured airspeed at 134 mph and found, combined with the volume of air (650 cfm, claimed), that it easily blasted leaves from our test area when we were standing still. This cordless leaf blower is a case in point. More and more, we’re seeing battery-powered equipment that rivals or exceeds the performance of their gas-powered counterparts. After all that, the electric leaf blowers below came out on top. We taped off a large area of pavement and covered it with a thin layer of sawdust, then blew the leaf blowers horizontally over the pavement, leaving an impression of the shape of the air stream. Our last evaluation, the sawdust erosion test, was perhaps the most telling. We also measured sound levels right at the operator’s position and 75 feet away. Then came our air-speed test we used a MGL Avionics Stratomaster Vega air-speed indicator (anemometer) for an airplane and built our own testing apparatus, gauging the air speed 6 inches from the tip of each blower tube. Next, we measured continuous run time with the machines set to maximum power. To put these cordless blowers through the gauntlet, we blew leaves and hay off of grass (employing a small gas-engine leaf blower for comparison). But if your property measures in acres instead of square feet, you’ll probably be better served by the oomph of a gas engine. Outfit yourself with two batteries and consider a third for really tough conditions. Some of these machines can go through a couple of batteries in a morning’s work, depending on the size of your yard and the leaf cover. For anything deeper, or if you’re frequently contending with wet or semi-frozen leaves, prioritize higher air speed and volume (cubic feet per minute). For ankle-deep piles and damp leaves, or to move lawn debris like twigs and nuts, choose one with more voltage and air speed.
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