The EGO Leaf Blower Stands in a Category All its Own
Backpack leaf blowers have always had their pluses and minuses. On the plus side, they have enough power to clear a large yard, but they tend to be noisy and can be heavy, and then there’s the dirty job of dealing with the gas and oil. The battery-powered EGO LB6000 solves all those problems and then some, and in Consumer Reports tests it measured up to the best gas-powered backpacks.
The EGO LB6000 seamlessly blends the best elements plucked from many blower types. It boasts the comfort of a backpack, the no-fail starting of an electric handheld, and the power of models with large gasoline motors—all without requiring users to mess with gas and oil or remain tethered to an outlet. It’s striving to be the best of all worlds, and it’s making impressive strides in that direction. No wonder it earned an impressive overall score in our tests.
In our most recent tests of tests of leaf blowers, the EGO LB6000 almost tied the top-scoring gas-powered backpack blower, the Stihl BR 350, $350, yet it weighs about 4 pounds less (just over 18 pounds). At $300, it costs less, too. It packs the power to sweep effortlessly and loosen the most stubborn leaves embedded in grass, and it has settings you’d expect to find only on pricey gas models, such as adjustable speed and boost.
What We Liked and What We Didn't
Thoughtful design doesn’t hurt the EGO’s case, either. A hook on the backpack holds the telescoping tube upright, so it doesn’t flail around when you’re trying to put it on, which is precisely what happens with every other backpack blower we’ve tried. Once you do have the EGO LB6000 in place, you’ll appreciate the comfortable waist and sternum straps.
But incremental improvements aren’t what make it a standout. The EGO is the quietest backpack blower we’ve ever tested, and indeed the first we can recommend that doesn’t require the use of hearing protection. That’s thanks in large part to its electric power source and tube-mounted motor, which keeps the bulk of its noise, such as it is, at your hips. Conversely, most gas models mount the motor directly to the backpack, close to the user’s ears. The EGO essentially uses the backpack as a harness for the 56-volt lithium-ion battery, which, of course, doesn’t make any noise.
That’s not to say the EGO LB6000 is without its shortcomings. The EGO’s biggest limitation may be run time. Our experts got 20 to 30 minutes on a full charge, which is enough to tackle a small yard but less than you’d need for the larger parcels of land that call for the purchase of a backpack-style blower. We found that it took 100 minutes to recharge the 5-amp-hour battery, and at $200, a second battery is not an impulse purchase.
On the other hand, the batteries can be used in any of EGO’s outdoor tools, including the EGO ST1501-S string trimmer, $180, EGO LM2101 push mower, $500, and EGO CS1401 chain saw, $250, each of which scored well in our tests. And even if you’re not ready to invest in a new suite of outdoor power tools, our results suggest that there are plenty of homeowners with small yards who will be glad to give up lugging around weighty handheld blowers and strap on the EGO instead.
More from Consumer Reports:
Top pick tires for 2016
Best used cars for $25,000 and less
7 best mattresses for couples
Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2016 Consumers Union of U.S.
