DeWalt Leaf Blower Owners Find They Share One Common Complaint
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If you live in an area where gas-powered leaf blowers are being banned, you might be ready to make the switch to a cordless battery-powered leaf blower. Areas that have banned these outdoor power tools cite the air pollution they produce while burning fuel and creating emissions. Battery-powered leaf blowers offer zero emissions during operation and a reduced level of noise. Although battery-powered leaf blowers are an eco-friendly alternative, they are receiving some pushback from users. They're not great for large yards because of concerns over battery life, and they may struggle with heavier items, like wet leaves.
That's why so many people were excited about one of the newer DeWalt battery leaf blowers, which, in marketing materials, claim to provide up to 84 minutes of run time with DeWalt's FlexVolt battery system that can operate either 20V or 60V DeWalt tools. Considering DeWalt is the most popular power tool brand in the United States, it's easy to fall for the marketing hype. However, many people claiming to be real users and posting customer reviews at retailer websites and on Reddit claim that the battery lifespan claim is extremely unrealistic. One Reddit user received a 13-minute run time from the battery, while another claimed to receive about 10 minutes of operation before needing to recharge. Unfortunately, the marketing materials assume you're using the tool a certain way (that probably isn't realistic) to achieve a long run time. Learn why it's important to read the fine print with these DeWalt products and why its leaf blower exhausts its batteries so quickly.
What customers say is the real-world performance of the DeWalt leaf blower's battery
Customer reviewers say no one should expect to receive 80-plus minutes of run time from the DeWalt leaf blower battery. Several customers who posted their thoughts wondered if they had a malfunctioning battery from DeWalt because of the poor performance. One customer reviewer on Home Depot's website questioned whether the battery charged correctly the first time. The second time, I "put it on the charger and made sure [it was] fully charged, as [the] battery light indicated it was. The battery lasted 11 minutes and 52 seconds before it cut out."
Another customer reviewer says that while the DeWalt battery-powered leaf blower was operational, it was several times more powerful than a previously owned gas-powered leaf blower. However, because it takes up to four hours to charge, it was frustrating to use. (DeWalt does offer a fast charger (model number DCB118 for $160 on Amazon) that claims to cut the charging time down to one hour.) Some reviewers say the tool is a waste of money and they aren't sure whether DeWalt power tools are worth buying because of the battery issues with this tool.
Reviewers on the DeWalt site are just as disappointed in this product's battery life, giving the leaf blower kit only 3.5 stars out of 5. One reviewer purchased it primarily for blowing light snow in winter. "The battery life is disappointing, probably 10 to 15 minutes at maximum power and less if [it's] cold outside," the customer reviewer says.
What you can do to extend your DeWalt leaf blower's battery life
How does DeWalt claim up to 84 minutes of run time for its leaf blower's battery if real-world results are several times shorter? In the marketing materials, DeWalt does mention in the fine print that 84 minutes is possible when using the lowest power setting on the machine and when using the DeWalt DCB609 battery. The DeWalt blower kit (model number DCBL772X1 for $313 on Amazon) includes a charger and FlexVolt 3Ah battery. However, the FlexVolt DCB609 battery ($163 on Amazon) has 9Ah of capacity. If you're running the FlexVolt battery at the 60V setting for the leaf blower, it will only offer one-third of the output. The 3Ah battery included in the leaf blower kit will have an output equal to 1Ah, which explains the shortened battery life. Purchasing the larger-capacity product would help with lifespan, as the 9Ah battery would give you an output equal to 3Ah in the 60V tool.
You can adjust the variable speed trigger to precisely set the machine's output level to the job you're doing. Using the lowest setting gives you maximum lifespan, but if you need more power, you'll quickly eat up battery life. The maximum settings for the leaf blower are 600 cubic feet per minute of air volume and 125 mph of air speed. You can use the lower speed for areas like delicate flower beds, but you'll need more power for blowing wet leaves.