Fall is the perfect time to bring out the leaf blower for a tidier garden in the quickest time possible. Raking has always been the traditional way of getting debris out of your garden and backyard, but let's face it -- it's tedious! A leaf blower is a powerful and time-saving piece of equipment, allowing you to collect garden debris quickly and efficiently.

There are many types of leaf blowers, but gas-powered ones are more popular among commercial and professional gardeners. Although gas-powered leaf blowers are more powerful than other (safer) alternatives, they're extremely loud and not eco-friendly.

Why You Need Different Alternatives

Gardener clearing up leaves using an electric leaf blower tool. Gardening details

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Some gas-powered leaf blowers exceed 100 decibels that you shouldn't be exposed to for more than 15 minutes. However, landscapers and professional gardeners operate one or more gas-powered leaf blowers daily for several hours, exposing themselves and others to dangerous levels of harmful noise.

If you're constantly exposed to noise above 70 decibels, you may experience severe discomfort in your ears. Exposing yourself to over 60 decibels of noise can increase your risk of heart problems, and noise above 120 decibels can immediately cause damage to your ears.

With gas becoming increasingly expensive, it is better to look into other cost-efficient, quieter, and cleaner leaf blower options. Below are eight of the best alternatives to gas-powered leaf blowers.

Electric / Battery Leaf Blowers

1. Reliable Ryobi

This battery-powered option by Ryobi is a lightweight but powerful jet-fan-design blower, which will move most debris around any yard. It also includes a scraper to help with the more stubborn spots.

Easy and comfortable to carry (weighing only 6lbs), it is easy to operate with a variable speed trigger for more control. This leaf blower is easy to maintain, includes a hook for handy storage, and comes with a three-year warranty.

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2. Maintain the Yard With Milwaukee

If you need a more powerful option, Milwaukee has you covered. Their handheld, cordless blower kit is powered by a brushless fan, making this a more efficient and vigorous choice. Suitable for landscape professionals, the blower features a variable speed trigger and high/low speed settings for increased control.

In addition, a lock-on button allows it to be locked on to full throttle, reducing fatigue while using it. On that note, it achieves full throttle in under one second and can clear debris from nearly 40cm away!

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Electric Leaf Vacuum / Mulchers

1. Multi-Purpose Toro to the Rescue

If the option to blow, vacuum, and mulch the leaves sound good, Toro is a versatile choice. It has various inserts to deal with the leaves and garden debris differently. The power insert will help you move waste into wind rows and create piles.

The concentrator will help you remove debris from cracks and edging and remove stubborn leaves. If gathering the debris is the goal, then the vacuum function will sort you out. Moreover, you have an insert option to shred (mulch) the leaves as they are collected.

This makes Toro an excellent buy for anyone who wants to work on their garden in various ways without many different tools.

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2. Black and Decker Have Got Your Back(Pack)

Another multipurpose choice, the Black and Decker blower, vacuum, and mulcher combo, has a handy backpack element, which collects the leaves as you vacuum them up. This takes the weight from your hands, allowing for more comfortable working conditions.

The device has up to 250 mph of blowing velocity, powerful suction for picking up leaves and more and the PowerBoost button provides extra power when needed, allowing this corded ‘Vacpack’ to suit a variety of locations and occasions.

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Rake and Broom

1. Back to Basics with the Fiskars Leaf Broom

There's absolutely no harm in going back to the basics and sticking with what you know works, but even the most basic tools have been upgraded to make life a bit easier. In this instance, the more suitable version of a rake is a leaf broom, and the Fiskars option is a solid choice to tidy up and garden.

It is ideal for narrow, hard-to-reach strips of land and offers easy and efficient sweeping thanks to 11 soft plastic prongs and 21 cm picking capacity. While it's tedious and involves manual work, it never needs to be charged or plugged in and will last much longer than its electric and battery counterparts!

Whether you use this frequently or not, having a rake in your garden shed will be handy when required.

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2. The Clever Claw-Broom

A multipurpose, simple tool that can be used both indoors and out? Sold! The uniquely styled claw-broom is perfect for stairs, uneven surfaces, and around rocks and works great on both wet and dry surfaces.

Its push-and-pull design means you can sweep and rake simultaneously, with bristles suitable for various debris. It can easily be hosed down after use. In addition, you can adjust the telescopic handle according to the user's height.

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Lawnmower

1. (E)go All Out!

If your garden has more grass than gravel, you'll need a lawnmower to cut grass and clear up the leaves and other plant debris. EGO's advanced battery technology delivers and exceeds gas-powered leaf blowers - all without the noise, fuss, or fumes.

The lawn mower's 3-in-1 mulching, bagging, and side discharge functions suit various purposes. It charges super fast, allowing up to 45 minutes of battery-powered mowing. This is a lightweight and easy-to-power mower that also folds for compact storage.

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2. Full Power with This Toro Mower

This lawnmower is built to last with a steel deck. With nine cutting positions and a range of cutting heights, you can easily customize mowing to suit your grass. You can even choose your work speed with a ‘Personal pace’ cruise control system.

This mower comes with a high-performance brushless DC motor which ensures an extended device life, enjoying less friction, lower maintenance, and less wear on the engine. A full charge of 150 minutes will allow for powerful 40-minute work, and you can do a lot in 40 minutes!

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Top Picks

A gardener with an air blower in his hand clears the green lawn from maple leaves in autumn

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If you're looking for an efficient and quick option, the Milwaukee Leaf Blower is the perfect choice for you. Its speed and capacity to quickly cover a large amount of ground make it an excellent choice for those who're happy to spend a bit more money to ensure exceptional performance every time.

On the other hand, if you want various options for working in the garden at an excellent price point, then you should choose the Toro Blower/Vacuum/Mulcher System. Its simple design but multipurpose use means you're getting more bang for your buck with this tool from a well-known brand.

However, if you prefer something more minimalistic and want to stay away from electric or battery tools, you should go for the Claw-Broom. A clever and uncomplicated design, it does twice the work of other hand tools, brilliantly utilizing its minimal design to maximum effect.

The top spot belongs to the Toro Blower/Vacuum/Mulcher System. There is something incredibly gratifying about having a tool that can do various jobs with minimal extra work for the user! It is a no-brainer to have in any garden at the price it is currently selling for!

Are You Ready To Make The Switch?

Did anything on this list catch your eye? Besides being more eco-friendly and keeping noise pollution down? Well, hopefully this article has helped you make your decision to make the switch to alternative blowers instead of using gas-powered options.

Happy Gardening!