At first, you might wonder what's the point of investing in a wheeled or walk behind leaf blower. After all, a simple handheld blower is already more convenient than a rake.
However, if you have a large multi-acre property with many trees or are a lawncare professional in charge of clearing parks and parking lots, a wheeled leaf blower can finish the same job up to 11 times faster than a handheld!
Whether you're a homeowner or a pro, you can find a walk behind blower to suit your needs. In fact, you'll find four grades of wheeled leaf blowers available:
Read on to learn how they differ and to see what other features you should look for in a walk behind blower! Then, browse our offering, which includes leading brands like Little Wonder and Billy Goat walk behind leaf blowers.
The engines in entry-level models will not be as powerful as those in commercial-grade blowers, but they will still have significantly more power than a handheld blower, allowing you to clear your yard in a fraction of the time.
A mid-grade will give you more power than the entry level along with some additional bells and whistles such as more durable housing and larger wheels.
These are for the person with lots of trees. If your lot finds itself covered in a thick wet blanket of leaves that require serious effort to move, a semi-pro wheeled leaf blower will do the trick!
Semi-pro grade means you have the power and features to move leaves with force and accuracy. This is the level at which you'll start to see features like remote chute deflector control for changing the direction of the blower without interruption.
Like the semi-pro models, commercial walk-behind blowers can also move heavy blankets of leaves with ease, and they sport features like remote chute deflector control for uninterrupted operation.
Commercial grade models are designed to stand up to the most wear and tear. While a semi-pro model can handle eight hours of continuous use a couple of days a week, the commercial grade models are designed to be used eight hours per day, seven days a week.
| Walk-Behind Leaf Blowers | Entry Level | Mid-Grade | Semi-Pro | Commercial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine Displacement: | 160-430 CC's | 260 - 320 CC's | 350 CC - 600 CC's | 350 CC - 1,000 CC's |
| Air Volume: | 1090 - 2260 CFM | 1700 - 2260 CFM | 2850 - 2900 CFM | 2530 - 8500 CFM |
| Air Speed: | 140-200 mph | 140 - 200 mph | 180 - 200 mph | 150 - 200 mph |
Once you've determined which grade of walk behind blower will work best on your property, it's time to narrow down your choice of model by considering other important features like:
Look for a walk behind leaf blower with directional controls that allow you to aim where you want to blow the leaves and debris. Some models have hand-control features mounted right to the handle so that, similar to using a snow blower, you can change your blowing direction without breaking stride.
Another feature to look for is a front swivel wheel, which makes steering the blower much easier. Traditional vacuums only have straight-set wheels. Turning them can be a pain. However, with a swivel wheel in front, turning is a cinch.
Composite housings can make a leaf blower lighter and more affordable, but metal might prove more durable and better able to resist damage.
Push leaf blowers depend entirely on your strength and effort to push them forward. They may cost you some energy, but they'll also save you money. If you think that you might prefer a leaf blower that takes less strength to push, look for a self-propelled leaf blower instead.