However, the tube, which comes in two, easy-to-attach parts, has a significantly wider aperture than the Makita DUB186Z leaf blower we tested, and as a result lacks the focused jet blast to shift more stubborn, compacted leaf matter and debris from corners and awkward spaces. The Makita DUB185 features variable speed control by trigger and 3 air volume settings: Low, Medium, High. It has a comparatively small engine of 1100 watts but it feels powerful in both modes and it’s quieter than other larger machines we tested. The 20V battery takes 140 minutes to charge and has a run time of 30 minutes on normal speed and 20 minutes on boosted speed, making it ideal for small to medium-sized gardens and we like the charge indicator on the battery that helps you gauge how much time you have left to finish the job.

Makita DUB186Z 18V LXT Long Nozzle Blower (Body Only) - CEF

It vacuums debris and shreds it into a large holding bag and has a shredding ratio of 16:1 that produces a consistent output, suitable for use as compost, leaf mould and mulch. It has one of the narrowest nozzles in the range we tested, which means it delivers a powerful but focused blast of air that tackles wet and dry fallen leaves very effectively, particularly on paths and in awkward corners. The blower offers the choice of two nozzle lengths, which are easily adjusted by flicking a button and sliding the nozzle up and down the tube, and two speeds for gentle or more powerful blowing – it coped brilliantly blasting damp leaves off paths and pathing in our test.The blower is well balanced and feels comfortable, but it also comes with a carry strap so if you’re blowing for a while, this will help balance the load. The machine can be used as a vacuum with an optional bag and hose attachment (which I didn’t have), but the biggest item you can pick up with the two is sawdust. Featuring a long nozzle with a curved flat end and ergonomic rubberised soft grip handle which perfectly fits into your hand. Dry leaves are light and easy to shift, but wet, compacted leaves and other debris will need more power. 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 LXT Cordless Leaf Blower - Body Only MAKITA DUB186Z 18v LXT Cordless Leaf Blower - Body Only

The tubes come apart for storage and you can adjust their length according to your height and the job. On full power, the blower easily lifted damp leaves over a 4-inch kerb on my drive, but it took a slow five minutes to clear them off 40 square metres of grass. The nozzle can be removed from the body, but the two sections can’t be separated for more efficient storage, which is frustrating as the nozzle is double the length of the body. Even on the highest setting it’s quiet, but even with all its power it isn’t able to lift leaves and debris fast.It has simple variable controls that can blow very gently indeed, a comfortable soft-grip handle and an angled nozzle. It has a run time of up to 80 minutes (on the low setting – 12 minutes on high) and a relatively short charge time of 45 minutes, so you can use this in larger gardens with lots of leaves to clear. 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.

Makita DUB186Z 18V Li-Ion LXT Cordless Blower - Screwfix

It takes just 60 minutes to charge and the battery has a 30 minute run time making it ideal for medium size gardens.The 5Ah 18V battery delivers plenty of power and it has three different power settings – low, medium and high – and offers further control with the pressure trigger switch that must be held down to use. Leaf blowers and vacuums can accidentally suck up or blast away insect pollinators, and their noise can disturb and distress small animals like birds or bats. 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. While you must hold the pressure trigger to operate, it’s in an accessible position so it doesn't feel tiring, even with smaller hands. Easy to use, this cordless leaf blower operates at two settings and delivers a maximum air flow speed of 32m/s, to cope well with general jobs like blowing wet and dry leaves off the lawn and gravel paths.

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

This leaf blower has 3 speed settings; high, medium and low which is easy to set depending on the debris which needs to be moved from one area to another. The medium setting copes with larger amounts of leaves, and the varying levels of pressure at this setting allow you to collect them tidily. In the autumn months it’s glorious to see the leaves turn from green through to golden brown but once they start to fall and cover our gardens, it’s a different matter. When you switch on the leaf blower the sound resembles a hairdryer, and even on the top setting it only reaches “crazy hairdryer” in volume.Backed by a standard 1 year warranty which can be extended for an additional 2 years when registered online within 30 days of purchase. It has a whopping six speeds to choose from, plus a Turbo boost, so it’s easy to adjust the power of the blast according to what and where you’re blowing. If you're lumbered with lots of leaves, check out our test of the best gardening gloves to collect them in comfort, and 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. The 20V battery takes just 60 minutes to charge and has a 23 minute run time plus, it has a handy battery level indicator so you can check how much time you have left while you work.