Which Gas Leaf Blower Is the Best?

They're called leaf blowers, but they do more than move leaves. They sweep a patio clean of grass clippings or blast a winter's worth of sand off the driveway. They can also annoy your neighbor as you stand there in a trance blowing a few spoonfuls of dust.

Used responsibly, these tools are as efficient a timesaver as a power lawnmower, and new designs have better grips for two-hand control. So we tested eight two-stroke leaf blowers by moving all kinds of debris. We learned that their rating for airspeed and volume is an unreliable gauge of effectiveness - some of the least air-worthy were the most trustworthy. Here are our findings.