Best Cordless Blower | Head-To-Head

What would the perfect cordless leaf blower be? Wait…can we even call them leaf blowers? I certainly don’t use mine for leaves, I use them to blow sawdust on my job sites, my tools, out of my van and tool shed, or to clean off my patio and porch. They’re just blowers!

Comparing 15 Blowers

Fifteen manufacturers sent us their best handheld cordless blower. The majority of these blowers can be found in kit configuration and are sold at most common and online retailers. In past testings, we’ve received comments that we should include Harbor freight tools, so in this head-to-head test, we’re happy to welcome Harbor Freight’s Atlas blower to this test.

ATLAS

Model – 56994
Voltage – 80V
Battery Watt Hour – 288 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 150
CFM’s – 605 CFM’s
Length – 35-⅜”
Weight – 4lbs, 6oz
Price – 274.99 (when added kit components)

CRAFTSMAN

Model – CMCBL730P1
Voltage – 20V
Battery Watt Hour – 100 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 110
CFM’s – 410 CFM’s
Length – 33-½”
Weight – 5lbs, 7oz
Price – $149.00

DEWALT

Model – DCBL772X1
Voltage – 60V
Battery Watt Hour – 180 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 125
CFM’s – 600 CFM
Length – 36-¾”
Weight – 6lbs, 2oz
Price – $299.00

ECHO

Model – DPB-2500
Voltage – 56V
Battery Watt Hour – 252 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 158
CFM’s – 549 CFM’s
Length – 36-¼”
Weight – 5lbs, 6oz
Price – $199.99

EGO

Model – LB7654
Voltage 56V
Battery Watt Hour – 280 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 200
CFM’s – 765 CFM’s
Length – 36-½
Weight – 4lbs, 11oz
Price – $329.00

GREENWORKS

Model – BLB489
Voltage: 80V
Battery Watt Hour – 180 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 170
CFM’s – 730 CFM’s
Length – 37-1/8
Weight – 5lbs, 8ozs
Price – $342.99

HART

Model – HLB07VNM
Voltage: 40V
Battery Watt Hour – 180 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 155
CFM’s – 600 CFMs
Length – 37-⅜”
Weight – 6lbs, 12ozs
Price – $138.00

KOBALT

Model – KLB 1040A-03
Voltage 40V
Battery Watt Hour – 160 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 120
CFM’s – 520 CFM’s
Length -33-¾”
Weight – 5lbs, 4ozs
Price – $169.00

MAKITA

Model – GBU01M1
Voltage 40V
Battery Watt Hour – 160 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 143
CFM’s – 565 CFM’s
Length – 33-1/2″, 35-1/2″, 37-1/2″ (ADJUSTABLE)
Weight – 5lbs, 5ozs
Price – $439.00

MILWAUKEE

Model – 2824-20
Voltage 18V
Battery Combined Watt Hour – 288 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 145
CFM’s – 600 CFM
Length – 37-⅜”
Weight – 6lbs, 1oz
Price – $707.00 (not kit)

RIDGID

Model – R01601K
Voltage – 18V
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 130
Battery Watt Hour – 288 Wh
CFM’s – 510 CFM’s
Noise dB – 83.1
Length – 34-¼”
Weight – 5lbs, 7ozs
Price – $241.53

RYOBI

Model – RY404100
Voltage – 40V
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 190
CFM’s – 730 CFM’s
*Battery Watt Hour – 144 Wh
Noise dB – 84.6
Length – 37-⅞”
Weight – 6lbs, 4ozs
Price – $269.00
*Wh based on one battery

SKIL

Model – BL4713-c-11
Voltage 40V
Battery Watt Hour – 100 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 193
CFM’s – 500 CFM’s
Length – 36”
Weight – 4lbs, 3ozs
Price – $159.00

STIHL

Model – BGA 86
Voltage: 36V
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 154
Battery Watt Hour – 337 Wh
CFM’s – 459 CFMs
Length – 38-½” (ADJUSTABLE)
Weight – 6lbs, 5ozs
Price – $839.97 (not kit)

TORO

Model – 51822
Voltage – 60v
Battery Watt Hour – 216 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 157
CFM’s – 605 CFMs
Length – 37-½”
Weight – 5lbs, 8oz
Price – $290.03

Cordless Blower Testing | 7 Criteria

Our goal was NOT to verify marketing claims, instead, we used ANSI testing standards as a guide, to create consistent, repeatable, and measurable data that you can make intelligent decisions on.

Our team scored the blowers on seven criteria, each ranked independently, and the “Overall Best Cordless Blower” was determined using the combined test results.

We include but did not rank price and best value categories, but list them here for your own informational purposes.

7 Scoring Criteria

1. Pitot Tube Run-time Testing – Directly measure air speed with a pitot tube and calculate MPH and CFM during a runtime performance test
2. Weighted Sled Test – tested the thrust performance with a sled rig on rails.
3. Ergonomics and Features – Ergonomics is really important to users and an important category to consider when purchasing any power tool.
4. Balance – Measured the balance and resulting rotation in the off and full throttle states.
5. Noise -Measured Decibels at full throttle
6. Best Value – Not ranked.
7. Price – The kit price at the time of publishing. Not ranked.

Anemometer | Pitot Tube Air Test

I’ll be honest, I had to ask Jeff what a Pitot tube was. Jeff, also a helicopter pilot, explained that a pitot tube probe measures the pressure difference of an air stream and can calculate fluid flow velocity. The Pitot Tube was invented by a French engineer, Henri Pitot, in the early 18th century.

Pitot tubes are widely used to determine the airspeed of aircraft, the water speed of boats, and the flow velocity of liquids, air, and gasses in various industries.

When manufacturers test their blowers to come up with the MPH and CFM values they follow an American National Standard (ANSI) procedure to measure the force or thrust. This is effectively an electronic scale that measures the force in Newton’s 5 inches from the blower nozzle.

Using fluid dynamics theory and measured environmental parameters like temperature, pressure, and humidity, the average and peak MPH and CFM values can be calculated.

We replicated this ANSI procedure to validate the measured MPH values gathered from our pitot tube instrument. Both measurements aligned. Here’s a summary of that procedure:

1. We used a 13.8 in ± aluminum plate as a force plate for our electronic scale.
2. We vertically mounted and centered the blowers in our rig and off the force plate 5”.
3. The blower was operated for 10 seconds, and the result was recorded.
4. Three tests were performed for an average measurement.
5. Barometric pressure, temperature, and humidity were recorded
6. Used ANSI blower performance equations to calculate theoretical peak and average blower speed

Anemometer and Pitot Tube | Testing

The Pitot Tube was set up 5 inches from each blower in the center of the air stream. Batteries were fully charged and measurements were taken at full throttle. The data was collected at 1 Hz sample rate or once per second until the battery was drained.

An ExTech HD350 Pitot Tube Anemometer was used to perform this test. The chart below shows data for all 15 blowers.

Using this data we were able to determine and calculate 4 important metrics for each blower, ranked them separately, and also combined them for an “Airflow Performance” winner.

1. Run-time in minutes
2. Average Speed
3. Average CFM
4. Total air moved

Run-time | Sustained Performance Winner | Stihl

You can see from the chart that the Stihl ran the longest, at 25.4 minutes. Second place was ECHO with 19.4 minutes, followed in third place by Milwaukee at 16.7 minutes.

This is a good time to talk about open and closed-loop battery control and how it relates to sustained performance. One of the biggest complaints with cordless blowers is their poor run-time and tendency to suffer a drop in sustained performance over time, as the battery discharges.

Three blowers Makita, Milwaukee, and Stihl all have closed-loop control on the battery output enabling them to run at a consistent [not peak] speed, for the life of the battery. While these blower batteries may have more power that could be drawn from them, these closed loop controls limit the output so an expected level of sustained performance can be delivered over a longer period of time. This is a feature that appeals to Pro users.

In contrast, most of the blowers, we tested, showed open-loop control.  Their peak performance was delivered within the first few moments of battery discharge, and then a variable level of declining performance results, as the battery discharges.  For example, the Ryobi blower showed a 22% drop in performance when comparing a fully charged battery to one that is half “empty”.

The three closed-loop control blowers we tested, all handle the dwindling voltage of their batteries a bit differently:

• Makita ran at a consistent speed until it quit.
• Milwaukee ran at a consistent speed for over 90% of the battery life before rapidly fading.
• Stihl ran consistently for over 80% and then when the voltage began to drop, it forced a reduction to 75% peak power to continue on for an additional 5 minutes.

As pro tool users, we feel that having a blowers power stay consistent, and maintain its performance over the entire battery charge is really important.

Average Speed Winner | Stihl

Speed is measured in miles per hour and measures air velocity, or more specifically, the rate at which air passes through the blower’s nozzle.

A higher mph rating, results in the ability to push more dense or sticky debris like gravel or wet leaves. One interesting fact is that many tool companies market their blower’s performances by their PEAK measurement. We used average recordings to give you the MOST realistic and honest measurement.

The Stihl performed the best with an average speed of 124.5 mph. Second place was Milwaukee at 119.8 mph and closely followed in third place was Makita at 119.5 mph.

Note – The chart shows the EGO with the highest initial peak speed, but its average performance over time dropped, resulting in a fourth placement.

CFM Winner | EGO

Cubic feet per minute or CFM was calculated by taking the measured speed data and combining it with the area of the nozzle opening, to calculate the volume of air moved per minute.

The EGO came in first with 659 CFM. Second place was Makita with 643 CFM, and third was HART with 628 CFM.

The higher the CFM value, the more air your blower produces, resulting in a wider area cleaned in a shorter time.

Total Air Moved Winner | Stihl

The winner of this category is a combination of run-time and average CFM. This is an indication of the total amount of work performed on a battery charge.

The Stihl performed the best, coming in at 11,550 cubic feet, followed by ECHO with 11,126 cubic feet. Third place was Milwaukee with 10,032 cubic feet.

Overall Airflow Performance Winner | Milwaukee

It’s important to note that two of the above categories are power performance values, and the other two are indications of battery size and runtime. In order to level the playing field between tortoises and hares we combined all four categories to see how the blowers performed in totality.

The winner was Milwaukee, followed closely by EGO and Stihl.

Weighted Sled Test | Power Test Winner | EGO

Who doesn’t like a strong-man contest?  We’ve touched on the importance of MPH and CFM, but the importance of where these two values intersect is the overall “force or thrust” that a blower can produce.

Manufacturers measure this force in Newtons in their development and testing. We developed a test rig to indirectly measure thrust and provide a good visual understanding.

We built a weighted sled that rides on low-friction wheels attached to inclined rails.

Sled Procedure

Prior to each blower test the rails and wheels were cleaned and lubricated with silicone. To perform this test we placed each blower’s tube onto a v-shaped rest, mounted to the sled. We placed the blower body onto a tool rest setting the blower in the same plane as the sled rails. Once set, we ran each blower for a 10-second count and recorded the sled movement on a measuring tape mounted to the sled. Three tests were completed for an average measurement. All blowers were tested with a 5.5 weight placed on the sled rig.

Two blowers maxed this test out, they were the EGO and Ryobi. We then added a second 5.5. lb plate and retested both blowers. The Ryobi was able to move the sled approximately halfway, while the EGO maxed out the rig a second time!

The sled topped out at 70 inches. Our chart below does not account for the additional weighted tests for EGO or Ryobi. EGO was the clear winner, Ryobi was second followed by Harbor Freight’s Atlas blower which was able to move the sled 66 inches.

Blower Nozzle or No Nozzle | What’s Best?

We wanted to see the direct impact of the nozzles on our weighted sled rig. The nozzles are designed to narrow the opening of the chute and increase the speed of air coming out.

Many people don’t realize that manufacturers will often use a nozzle to measure higher peak MPH values and will use the wider chute opening without the nozzle to list their peak CFM number. The same blower, but tested with different configurations.

Most manufacturers supply a nozzle because many users feel it increases performance, and they ask for it. The reality is that adding a nozzle may increase the localized air stream speed, but the added friction and constriction reduce the overall performance.  [E.g Milwaukee reduces from 17.5 to 17 Newtons, but increases from 145 to 155 mph]

Our sled test results showed that adding a nozzle to the blower drastically reduced the blower’s performance on the sled test. For example, the Ryobi which was able to max out the test sled at 70-inches without a nozzle, was only able to achieve 58-inches with a nozzle. Similar results were observed with EGO and Milwaukee nozzles.

Ergonomics and Features Winner | EGO

This category is compiled from the combined opinions of the TBB crew after using the tools. Grip, throttle, battery removal, intake placement, and adjustable chute length were evaluated.

The EGO eked out a win with 10 points, followed closely by Makita and Milwaukee which tied for second place each with 11 points.

Grip

While all blowers had relatively comfortable grips, both the EGO and Milwaukee stood out. They have base stands that can double as a two-handed hold for overhead use or off-balance use.

Throttle | Trigger | Power On

When it came to evaluating the blower’s throttle, the TBB crew favored blowers with a single point of activation. Unfortunately, most blowers employ a boost button, which we feel is an unnecessary hassle and a marketing gimmick.  Some of the blowers, like the Craftsman, have boost features that can be locked on – we preferred that to having to hold the button down. Pro users definitely do not want to have to engage a second button.

The Milwaukee throttle stood out with ambidextrous use and had a very responsive throttle control and no boost button.

Lastly, some blowers have a power-on switch, or safety feature, in order to power on the trigger. Most of the crew found these features frustrating.

Battery Insertion and Removal

When considering the battery removal and installation, the crew really liked those blowers, like the Kobalt, that offer a spring-loaded ejection.

Milwaukee lost points in this category by being the only blower to employ dual batteries.

Adjustable Chutes

Makita, along with Stihl offers an adjustable chute, with several configurations. We felt this may appeal to users who might want to adjust their blower chute to their height.

Air Intake Location

Intakes were also evaluated. The team favored rear-mounted over side-mounted intakes due to side-mounted intakes sucking in the user’s pant legs when held close to the body.

Balance and Rotational Force Winner | ECHO

Too much rotational force can result in a blower that you’re constantly fighting to control, or worse results in a wrist injury like tendonitis. Wrist tendonitis is frequently caused by activities requiring sideways motion of the wrist while gripping. Activities such as using a blower in a side to side motion can lead to Dequervain’s tendonitis.

Rotational Force Rig

We built a rig to hold each blower’s handle to simulate a neutral grip position. The rig allowed the blower to rotate freely on this axis.

We used some image analysis to capture the angle of the blower chute relative to the horizon. The angle at rest with the blower powered off was measured, followed by the blower in the full throttle state.

We considered two values to be the most important when analyzing this data and used their individual rankings to determine the blower with the best balance.

1. Angle under load
2. Difference between no-load and full load

The first was the angle under load relative to the horizon. We found the most strain on the wrist was felt when the blower wanted to pitch down directly at the ground, forcing the user to pull the blower back up to a useful working angle.

The blowers we tested pitched down between a comfortable 40 degrees, to a very uncomfortable near vertical 89 degrees.

The second value we considered important was the change or Delta between the blower at rest and under load. A well-balanced blower should have minimal change in pitch when the throttle is activated. A bower that swings a large amount is likely to be harder to control. The smallest delta observed was 15 degrees and the highest was 57 degrees.

The ECHO took the best Balance category. The Echo had a no-load balance of 19 degrees and deflected to 40 degrees down under full throttle. This comfortable 40 degrees nose-down attitude coupled with the relatively small change of just 19 degrees scored it top marks.

Craftsman came in second with a  no-load measurement of 31 degrees and a full load of 46 degrees. Stihl followed in third place with 19 and 41 degrees.

Cordless Blower Noise Winner | Stihl

OSHA sets legal limits on noise exposure based on a worker’s 8-hour work day. For noise, OSHA’s permissible exposure limit is 90 dB.

To measure relative decibels mounted the blowers. back into our rotational rig, and mounted a decibel meter 24” away from the blower to simulate the distance between a user’s ear and wrist. Three readings were captured and an average was recorded.

The blower that was the quietest was the Stihl coming in at 81.5 dB. The second quietest was the RIDGID averaging 83.1 dB followed by the RYOBI averaging at 84.2 dB.

The blowers that were the loudest were the DEWALT and ECHO averaging 97.9 db.

Best Price Winner | Hart

When purchasing tools, price is unquestionably a crucial factor, particularly for those of you who are just beginning out in the trades or are DIY/Homeowners just starting out.

We ranked pricing as *kits and with blowers that weren’t sold in kit form, we included a battery(s) and charger to even the playing field.

* Ryobi kit comes with 2 batteries.

At the time of testing, the best-priced blower kit was the Hart coming in at $138.00. The second lowest price was the Craftsman at $149.00 and the third was the Skil at $159.00.

The most expensive blower we tested was the Stihl BGA 86, coming in at $839.97.  The majority of these blowers can be purchased at ACME Tool or your local big box store.

Best Value Blower Winner | Hart

Price and quality will continue to be the top deciding factors for consumers. In today’s economy, consumers are looking for ways to stretch their dollars further, and tool companies need a solution to deliver a well-made, powerful tool at a competitive price, without sacrificing quality.

As we have indicated, we do not include pricing in our overall scoring, but we include it and always suggest our pick for best value.

The Hart was an easy decision for us, it performed exceptionally well in our testing, and is priced the lowest, guaranteeing a seat at the “best value” table. Hart scored in the fourth place in noise, and mid-pack on pretty much all the other categories scored, finishing in 6^th place.

Best Cordless Blower Winner | Milwaukee

Milwaukee 36-volt cordless blower came in first place scoring a total of 20 points. It scored tops in airflow performance, second in features and ergonomics, and fourth in balance.

The Milwaukee operates easily in either user’s hand and has a responsive trigger. Its sturdy base plate doubles as a secondhand grip, and the heads-up battery display is a nice touch. The crew appreciated that there was no boost or turbo button to engage, everything you need comes from the trigger. Milwaukee did suffer in the ergonomic battery scoring category due to the fact that it was the only blower in the lineup with two batteries.  That second battery, while inconvenient, clearly helped push the power and runtime up where it needs to be.

The formidable EGO came in second place with 22 points. EGO scored tops in both ergonomics, features, and the sled thrust test. The EGO was clearly the most powerful of the blowers out of the gate.  The open loop battery control and resulting performance drop over time coupled with the mediocre balance numbers pulled the EGO down from walking away with the top spot.

The EGO is a powerful blower but some users will find that they have to fight to hold it in position, it has a recessed throttle control which the team appreciated. Like Milwaukee, the EGO has a base stand that allows the user to place a two-handed hold for overhead use. Ego also has a nice spring-assisted battery removal feature, which one would not appreciate unless you were testing 15 blowers!

Stihl took third place with 25 points. Stihl took tops in noise and third place in both balance and airflow performance. The Stihl is a robust tool with a nicely designed spring-assist battery removal setup. The team liked that it has an adjustable-length chute, but did not like having to manipulate the awkward safety lever to power it on.

Closing Thoughts

If you’re considering purchasing a blower you should first think about the application, you’re using it for, and then performance. A lot of these blower measurements we shared result in a compromise, so if you want our advice, we feel you should choose a blower that is “stronger for longer.”

Our Head-to-Head tests take time to complete and we are ultimately limited in scope as we’re not a professional testing company. We cannot do long-term testing that would shed light on longevity or durability, and we can’t possibly test every application that you might use a blower for.

We receive a lot of comments about how we arrive at our winner.  We’ve openly shared ALL the data from our tests, and you can rank the tools however you want. In this article, if you hover over the line or column in our graphs, you’ll be able to see the actual values. Hopefully, you’ll find this Head-To-Head useful when comparing compact cordless blowers.

If you have a moment, please check out our other Head-to-Head Tests.

Best Cordless Blower | Head-2-Head Video | 2023

Best Cordless Blower 2023 | Head-To-Head is a post from Tool Box Buzz

WORX NITRO 40V Brushless 21″ Self-Propelled Lawnmower  (Model WG753)

WORX NITRO 40V Brushless 21" Self-Propelled Lawnmower

3.5/5

Manufacturer: WORX
Model number: WG753
Power source: Cordless
Motor size: 40V
Weight: 63.3 lbs (bare tool)

The WORX NITRO 40V 21″ self-propelled mower is a fully-featured mower comparable in most ways to a standard gas mower. But I was skeptical that a battery mower platform would actually meet my expectations. My lawn is a good testbed, not only because of size (1/2 acre), but also because of multiple spots with protruding roots, crushed-rock edges, and soil rippling near my leach field. Let’s start with the Specifications and Features for the WG753.

Specifications & Features | WG753

Specifications:

• Cutting Height: 1.6 – 4 in.
• Deck Size: 21 in. (20″ cut diameter)
• Height Adjustments: 7-Positions, single-side
• Functions: Side-discharge, Bagging, or Mulching
• Estimated Run time: 35-40 Mins (2x 5Ah batteries)
• Weight 63.3 lbs (bare tool)

Features:

• Integrated folding handle
• Brushless Motor
• Variable-speed, self-propelled
• Auto-Intellicut feature auto adjusts motor performance
• LED light

Power & Performance

The WORX WG753 40V mower has very good overall power. It achieves its overall 40V power level by simultaneously using 2x 20V batteries. I was concerned a battery-based mower would be underpowered. This one isn’t. And I was concerned that 2x 20V batteries wouldn’t be comparable to other 40V cordless mowers. It was. And there are some definite benefits in the overall performance of a cordless mower. First, it was considerably  quieter than a traditional gas-guzzling mower. I had no issues completing all the cutting I needed to get done.

Auto-Intellicut

You know because you can hear the Auto-intellect feature ramp the motor power. It does this to draw max power when required and conserve power when cutting conditions are easy.

Auto-IntelliCut is smart technology inside the lawn mower’s motor. It automatically senses when grass conditions are higher and thicker. Instead of bogging down during these conditions, the lawn mower cutting capabilities speed up to cut more efficiently. On the other hand, when the grass conditions are less demanding, the lawn mower will utilize its lower setting to conserve battery runtime.

I also loved the mower’s reliability vs. gas platform.  With the WG753 there was never a question of how many pulls to get it going? or do I need to clean the carbs? or did I winterize it correctly when I stored it in the unheated shed? This is the case for any battery-based mower though. Where the WG753 really sets itself apart is its simple yet highly adjustable design and overall good performance for an easy to use machine.

The ability to easily switch (more on ergonomics later) between 3 different cutting modes is fantastic. Most of the mulching mowers I’ve used before require a mulching plug insert. The WG753 does not. It’s one less piece to lose and didn’t affect the mulching performance at all.

Battery Status Indicator

Another great feature on this Worx mower is the location of the battery charge indicator light. Most cordless tools now include a battery charge indicator on the battery itself. Old news. But Worx took it a step farther and built an indicator panel onto the back of the tool so you can see it while mowing. It makes for a very convenient way to see how much juice you’ve got left. Although between both batteries, I was able to cut most but not all of my 1/2 acre lawn (website said 1/4 on 2x 5Ah batteries).

Adjustable Self-Propelled Design

The Worx WG753 also features an adjustable self-propelled design. It’s pretty straightforward to operate and has 2 advantages. First, it allows you to match the cutting speed to the shape of the lawn. Rough or long lawn? drop the cutting speed down. Trying to mow before the light runs out? crank the speed up to max. Second, it also allows you to conserve battery life by lowering the self-propelled speed. It’s not a huge battery saver but gives you increased functionality so I thought it was worth a mention. While I didn’t see the top speed listed on the specifications or in the owners manual, the mower feels quick when set to max speed.

Ergonomics & Adjustability

So there were some ergonomics design features I really liked and some that I didn’t.

Positives

• Ease of reaching switches and levers
• Effectiveness of the mode changing lever
• Design of the height adjustment handle

I liked the placement of the switches and levers. This seems minor but it allowed me to easily adjust the self-propelled speed without having to stop cutting. Their placement also allowed me to comfortably and quickly adjust the deck height.  The mode lever let me effortlessly switch between cutting modes. When you switch to mulch mode, the handle slides a metal gate over the rear bag chute hole. No plug required! The height adjustment handle is placed off to the operators right when changing the setting. This means your body position is naturally centered over the height gauge arrow with a perfect line of sight. It also allows you to use your weight to adjust the height even with the resistance of taller grass.

Drawbacks

• Angle of the grip
• Max height of the push handle setting
• Need to tip mower back to see battery indicator status lights

My biggest gripe with this mower’s ergonomics are the design and angle of the handle. It feels awkwardly vertical and not positioned at a natural wrist angle. It wasn’t as uncomfortable on the lowest handle height setting or when gripping the handle off to the sides. But it was definitely less comfortable than other mower handle designs I’ve used before. I was also curious how tall someone would have to be to comfortably use the tallest handle height setting. It seems angled extremely high but since it’s adjustable this is no big deal. Lastly, while I love the thought that went into the inclusion of the battery status indicator light, the LEDs are not angled back enough or bright enough. The only way i could see them on a partly sunny day was to tip the mower back 20 or 30 degrees. And with dogs and kids running around that not a safe decision! But the fact that it has this feature when many competitor models don’t means its not really a knock on Worx.

Overall Impression | WG753

The WORX NITRO 40V lawnmower is their flagship self-propelled mower. The overall quality and design features are very good but not great. It combines the 3 essential mowing functions (side discharge, bagging, and mulching) into a light yet powerful mower. And the WG753 stores vertically when not in use to take up minimal space. It is perfect for lawns up to 1/4 acre in size. There are a few things that could be redesigned to make it truly reach its full potential. And at $440 it feels slightly overpriced. But if the handle grip angle feels comfortable to you when you test it out, then you should definitely consider the WG753. Especially if you already have other WORX 40V tools in your kit!

WORX NITRO 40V Lawnmower Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz

WORX NITRO 40V 16″ Chainsaw (Model WG385)

WORX NITRO 40V 16" Chainsaw (WG385)

3/5

Manufacturer: WORX
Model number: WG385
Power source: Cordless
Motor size: 40V
Weight: 12.4 lbs (bare tool)

Specifications & Features | WORX NITRO 40V 16″ Chainsaw

Specifications:

• Voltage: 40V Li-Ion
• Bar Length: 16″
• Bucking Spikes: Plastic
• Motor: Brushless
• Bar Oil Reservoir: 4.5 Oz.
• Cute Rate: 59 ft/sec.
• Weight: 12.4 lbs (bare tool)

Features:

• Integrated Battery Status Indicator Light
• Quick-stop Chain Brake
• Automatic Oiler
• Tool-Free Chain Tensioning

Key Design Features

The ease of use with the controls of the saw was top notch. There is no additional on/off switch or mode selector. Simply insert a battery, pull the chain brake towards the rear of the saw, press the safety thumb button, then pull the trigger and start cutting. It is a very intuitive process much easier than using a traditional gas powered saw which required adjusting the choke and pull starting the motor.

The WG385 features a “Tool-free” and folding plastic adjustment knob to set proper chain tension. This was one of the features that I disliked the most. It did not feel very sturdy. Plus I had to loosen and immediately readjust the tension multiple times throughout the day to get the blade to actually tighten. I wish WORX had chosen to use a traditional side-mounted chain tension adjuster on the WG385 chainsaw.  While it’s nice to have tool-free operations in the woods, other competitor cordless chainsaws have easily integrated the required side tension tools into the saw design with little to no issue.

Power & Performance

Cutting with the NITRO 40V saw was on par with other battery-powered chainsaws I’ve previously used. I performed test cuts on 6″ – 14″ diameter hard and softwood logs. We also did a couple plunge cuts with the saw inserted up to the bucking spikes. Even in hardwoods, the WORX saw performed smoothly and efficiently as long as I didn’t try to force the blade too quickly. When I did, the saw quickly cut out and I had to back it out of the cut and restart the motor.

The vibration was low in WORX NITRO 40V 16″ Chainsaw which resulted in less operator fatigue. I also noticed that the weight was very well balanced. This made standard and top-side cuts equally comfortable even at a variety of angles.

The overall battery life with the included 2x 4 Ah batteries was good not great. We were able to cut up about 2.5 average sized trees until we had to recharge both 20V batteries. In total we cut for about 45 minutes which was again good not great overall performance. We also loved the battery status indicator light seamlessly integrated into the handle. We never had to guess how much juice was left since it was clearly visible when cutting. Kudos to WORX!

We also had minor issues with chip clogging during normal operations. WORX should look at the design of the chip blowout chute to see if it can be widened at all. This as especially prevalent in softwood with a higher (and stickier) sap consistency. It was very easy to clear the jammed chips but was an added step we had to do a couple times throughout the day.

Safety & Ergonomics

Benefits of Cordless Chainsaws

As we painstakingly outlined in our previous Tool Box Buzz Chainsaw Head-to-Head article, there are definite advantages to cordless chainsaws. Most homeowners neglect proper maintenance of small gas engines ultimately leading to difficulty starting the motor and costly repairs. Battery-powered cordless chainsaws eliminate those hassles completely. Additionally, cordless chainsaws are extremely quiet allowing you to work without hearing protection and reducing noise for neighbors. And Cordless chainsaws also produce no noxious fumes that often result in operator discomfort. The messiest task was filling up the 4.5 Oz bar chain oil reservoir which was no big deal.

The WG385 has the essential safety feature of a quick kill safety guard. In an emergency just slap the guard forward to immediately stop the chainsaw. To reset the safety guard must be firmly pulled towards the back of the saw. Again, this is a standard safety feature on all chainsaws but it’s important to note it worked very well when tested.

The WG385’s inertia-activated chain brake is an outstanding safety feature. The brake system is ergonomic and contours around the hand while cutting, but does not interfere. Once engaged it stops the chain immediately. It works automatically whenever power is stopped from arriving at the motor or the machine senses a blade jam.

Bucking Spikes are another great tried and true feature for chainsaws. They are used to help stabilize a chainsaw against a tree or branch. They also help alleviate any fatigue from too much motion and allow the user to use leverage vs muscle power to apply blade pressure to the log. Unfortunately, the WG385 doesn’t have bucking spikes. Instead it features plastic bracing ripples which offer VERY limited stability and no significant safety or anti-fatigue benefits.

Overall Impression | WORX NITRO 40V 16″ Chainsaw (Model WG385)

The WORX NITRO 40V 16″ Chainsaw is a great option for homeowners looking for a saw to clean up yard brush, downed trees, and light to medium-duty yard work. While a cordless saw might not be a great option for cutting large quantities of firewood, they are an excellent choice for occasional use. This chainsaw performed well on both soft and hardwoods and offered good (not great battery life). If you need a saw optimized for personal use around your yard then the NITRO 40V 16″ from WORX is a solid choice.

WORX 40V 16″ Chainsaw Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz