There’s also a black thumbwheel behind the trigger that offers three different levels of air volume, up to a maximum of 2. This gives you plenty of control to manage wet and dry leaves and we found it even shifted compacted debris in between paving, and compressed wet leaves that had been trodden into the pavement. Comfort features - Soft-grip handles and a padded shoulder strap will help make it more comfortable to use the leaf blower or leaf blower vacuum for any length of time.

Makita DUB186Z 18v LXT Cordless Blower Body Only

However, although the grip on the handle is soft, the handle vibrates a lot in use, which gets uncomfortable.While it doesn’t come with a shoulder strap, the two handles are well positioned and comfortable to use, plus the machine is very light at just 4. However, the batteries and charger are not included with the blower and do need to be bought as a kit separately, but, once bought they can be used with any of the tools in the Einhell Power X-Change system, saving you money if you invest in these in the future.

18V Long Nose Blower - Skin Only - Bunnings Australia 18V Long Nose Blower - Skin Only - Bunnings Australia

The tough nozzle has a metal end for scraping debris the blower cant shift on its own and it adjusts with a twist to three different lengths so no matter your height you can get the nozzle to the perfect length to suit you. The Makita DUB186Z is ideal if mobility is an issue, because it’s one of the lighter models we tested and has a compact body and thin nozzle. It’s also very light, compact and well-balanced, and when held in the hand the curved nozzle is almost horizontal to the ground, so it’s at the perfect angle for wafting leaves along. Ease of use: Looked at the assembly needed, ease and clarity of instructions, any storage features and, where relevant, the battery charge time. Mains powered, with a 10m cable, it has three modes of use: blowing leaves, grass and light hedge clippings and you can use it just as a leaf blower or as a vacuum or with both assembled together and quickly swap between the two jobs.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. 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. However, it corrals leaves as you would hope and with a fast one hour charge and a 2o minute run time, the 2AH 20V battery delivers enough power to cope with both dry and wet leaves. A leaf blower vacuum, not only lifts wet and dry leaves, but sucks them up too, passing them through a blade, which cuts and mulches them and then deposits them into the bag that attaches to the machine. 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.

DUB186Z- 18V Blower | Makita Australia DUB186Z- 18V Blower | Makita Australia

Ever since he took the family car apart aged 11, Ian has been fascinated by every type of machinery. Makita DUB186Z long leaf blower nozzle with curved flat end enables comfortable use of the machine when standing in an upright posture. Generating an impressive air speed of 68m/s, we also like the three speed settings – low, medium and high – that allow you to increase and decrease the power according to need.The Makita DUB186 18v LXT cordless leaf blower follows on from the popular DUB183 model, but provides approximately 20% more power from the same form. The angle of the nozzle is such that you can blow leaves about a metre in front of you, and if there are particularly stubborn, sticky ones, swinging the nozzle back towards your feet increases the angle at which the air blast hits the ground and makes it easy to remove them.

Makita DUB186Z 18v LXT Leaf Blower (Body Only) - Fastfix

The tubes come apart for storage and you can adjust their length according to your height and the job. 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 Makita DUB186Z 18v LXT Leaf blower follows on from the popular DUB183 but with approximately 20% increased power from the same form.This large leaf blower also has a wide tube, which is easy-to-attach and useful for blowing across lawns and patios but means the 49m/s air flow isn’t as focused as others we tested it easily blows wet and dry leaves off grass, gravel and patio slabs, but isn’t as effective when it comes to shifting compacted leaf matter and debris that gather in corners and awkward spaces.