A Cordless Leaf Blower Is an Underrated Tool That You’ll Definitely Need.

Once you embark on the path of DIY repair, you’ll quickly realize that whenever you wish someone had created a tool for a specific purpose, someone else has probably already done it—no matter how specific its application. A prime example: a cordless leaf blower/tire inflator.

This tool is exactly what its name suggests. It’s shaped like a drill and simply… blows air (though it’s somewhat similar to a handheld leaf blower, such tools typically come with a variety of attachments that allow you to precisely adjust the air flow). You might think you’ll never need this tool because you have lungs. But I’m here to convince you otherwise: a cordless leaf blower is definitely one of the most useful tools you’ll ever own.

One tool, many uses

Handheld leaf blowers have a variety of uses and can make any DIY project a little easier and faster:

• Cleaning. Probably the most common use of a leaf blower is for quickly cleaning a work area by blowing away dust, sawdust, scraps, shavings, and other small debris. You can use a leaf blower to quickly clean a workbench, remove dust from keyboards, motors, or any other area. It’s also very useful if you have a hard-to-reach spot where you can’t fit a tool—a leaf blower can clean it in a jiffy. It’s also useful for quickly cleaning patio furniture or even my deck—while you might need a proper leaf blower for a full-scale yard cleanup, a handheld leaf blower can provide adequate and quick cleaning on demand.

• Reduced Drying Time: If you’re waiting for something to dry before moving on to the next step of a project, a leaf blower can significantly speed up the process.

• Cooling other tools. There’s nothing more annoying than an overheating tool, forcing you to stop and wait for it to return to a safe operating temperature. A fan can speed up this process by acting as a powerful blower with a very precise, narrow stream of air to cool hot components.

• Dust and debris removal. When working indoors, a vacuum cleaner is often required to collect dust, but outdoors, a small handheld blower is more convenient. Using a handheld blower to remove dust and debris will help prevent eye contact and keep your work area clean.

• Inflate a variety of things. These blowers come with nozzles that allow you to adjust the airflow width to suit your needs and also fit standard nozzles. Need to inflate an air mattress, a pool ball, or something else? This blower will get the job done in no time.

Once I started using a leaf blower while working, I found myself constantly reaching for it to keep my work area dust-free, and then I literally reached for it whenever I needed a little air. You might not think you need a leaf blower in your toolbox, but chances are, you do.

Selecting a Fan

Most cordless leaf blowers are similar in design and function. You’ll most often find two models from leading brands: the Milwaukee M18 18V Brushless Cordless Precision Blower and the Makita 18V LXT Brushless Cordless High Speed ​​Blower/Inflator . Both are reliable tools, but I prefer the Makita because, in my experience, it has a much longer battery life (the Milwaukee has a bit more power, but I’ve never found a situation where I needed more power). The Makita typically runs for 45 minutes to an hour on a single charge, but when I rented a Milwaukee, it ran out of power after about half an hour. Obviously, this will depend on many factors, including what you use it for, but for me, the Makita wins because every time I picked it up, the charge was enough to finish the job.

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