Makita DUB186Z 18V Li-ion LXT Blower - Batteries and Charger Not Included

Product Information

Quiet, light and simple to use, it’s ideal for gardeners of all abilities, but lacks variable speed settings and is comparatively expensive. It also has a battery level indicator so you can check how much charge you have on the battery as you work. Check out our test of the best gardening gloves to collect them in comfort, and while you’re at it, why not learn how to make leaf mould – a super compost and soil conditioner – as well as how to make your own leaf mould bin.

Makita DUB186Z 18v Cordless Garden Leaf Blower Lithium Ion

Thanks to its lightweight construction and narrow nozzle, it’s easy to manoeuvre around the garden and put leaves exactly where you want them. You can dispose of them the same way but they have the added advantage of being shredded so they decompose more quickly when added to the compost or used to make leaf mould.Depending on the size of your garden and amount of leaf fall, a rake or broom could do the job well and keep you fit as you clear, but for larger spaces and where leaves have collected in awkward corners and around pots or furniture, leaf blowers and leaf blower vacuums help make the job quicker and easier. With three speed settings, a run time of up to 80 minutes on the low setting, and a relatively short charge time of 45 minutes, this was one of the top performers in the test. This leaf blower has 3 speed settings; high, medium and low which is easy to set depending on the debris which needs to be moved from one area to another. It takes just 60 minutes to charge and the battery has a 30 minute run time making it ideal for medium size gardens. When you switch on the leaf blower the sound resembles a hairdryer, and even on the top setting it only reaches “crazy hairdryer” in volume.

MAKITA DUB186Z 18V Cordless Leaf Blower review

However, leaf blower vacuums can get blocked-up, may need more maintenance, and also tend to be expensive, but they are more efficient when it comes to keeping your garden leaf-free. Mulching blades - Metal blades are tougher than plastic, as well as more durable, so are the preferable choice. It has a whopping six speeds to choose from, plus a Turbo boost, so it’s easy to adjust the power of the blast according to what and where you’re blowing. A cruise control button allows you to set the speed without having to constantly hold the trigger down, making it easy to use this blower for longer periods of time.It weighs the same as the Makita leaf blower but the battery slots in at the back end of the body as opposed to under the handle, which balances it in such a way that it feels heavier to use. The air volume is far less than the other blowers in the trial and really shows in the Makita 183Z’s ability to shift leaves. Unlike many of the other models we tested, you don’t have to hold down a trigger to operate this leaf blower, which makes it more comfortable to use if you're blowing for a while. Even on the highest setting it’s quiet, but even with all its power it isn’t able to lift leaves and debris fast. The medium setting copes with larger amounts of leaves, and the varying levels of pressure at this setting allow you to collect them tidily.