Tool Box Buzz

Best Commercial Battery Backpack Blower

The Tool Box Buzz Crew seeks to crown the best commercial-grade battery backpack blower in this most recent Head-to-Head comparison test. In 2023 our crew tested and chose the best Handheld Cordless Blower. Building on that success, we are now examining battery backpack blowers. However, this Head-to-Head will primarily be geared towards commercial users. Backpack blowers are synonymous with the landscaping and property maintenance trades. We aim to determine which blowers are ready to keep up with demanding commercial use and provide the best options for pros looking to purchase a battery-powered model.

Are Battery Blowers Ready for Prime-time?

The demand for rugged, commercial-grade, battery-powered OPE is constantly growing. This demand is being fueled by technological improvements as well as legislative requirements. As of June 2024, more than one hundred cities in the United States, and the entire state of California, have banned or restricted the use of gas-powered leaf blowers. Contractors are now forced to look for battery-powered options to stay in business. These restrictions have forced OPE companies to step up their game.

Direct Comparison to Gas Powered

One common question with all battery OPE is how the tools perform compared to traditional gas-powered models. While gas vs. battery is not a true even comparison, we elected to include a gas-powered model in some of our testing to provide an additional data point. The gas-powered model will not be included in any of our rankings, but we felt the information collected is of interest.

Echo provided a sample of their model PB-770T X Series backpack blower. This blower features a 63.3 CC professional-grade two-stroke engine. This is Echo’s smallest commercial-grade backpack blower and is a close comparison to our battery-powered options in terms of power and output. Its technical specifications are as follows:

• Max Air Volume: 756 CFM
• Max Air Speed: 234 MPH
• Max Blowing Force: 33
• Fuel Capacity: 68.3 Fl./Ozs.
• Warranty: 2 Year Commercial

Best Commercial Battery Backpack Blower  | Test Criteria

We selected eight categories to determine our best commercial battery backpack blower of 2024. The tools were ranked in each category and an overall score was later used to determine our winner. The evaluation categories are:

• Measured Maximum Air Speed (MPH)
• Calculated Maximum Air Volume (CFM)
• Total Run-time on a Battery Charge (Minutes)
• Power Sled Performance Test
• Measured Noise Output (Decibels)
• Assembled Weight
• Features and Ergonomics
• Price

In addition to our overall winner, we selected a tool as our Best Value. This category highlights a single backpack blower that may not be our top-performing tool but offers an excellent overall value based on its features and performance compared to its price.

Battery Backpack Blower Lineup

Once our testing criteria were finalized, we identified the current available pro-grade models. Invitations were sent to the manufacturers to participate in our Head-To-Head. A total of six companies agreed to participate and provided us with samples of their products. Not every company that was invited chose to participate however our sample size is an excellent representation of the pro-user market.

Our participating companies provided us with the backpack blower unit, a battery, and a charger. Additionally, manufacturers were invited to include any accessories or optional parts that improve the overall user experience. Only one company elected to do this. Stihl provided us with an upgraded waist belt to enhance user comfort.

Echo eFORCE

• Model: DPB-5800T
• Battery Platform: eFORCE 56V
• Motor Type: Brushless
• Batteries Tested: (3x) 8.0 Ah
• Max Air Volume: 795 CFM
• Max Airspeed: 195 MPH
• Max Blowing Force: 25 Newtons
• Warranty: 2 Years Commercial

Greenworks Commercial Optimus

• Model: BB361
• Battery Platform: 82V
• Motor Type: Brushless
• Batteries Tested: (2x) 8.0 Ah
• Max Air Volume: 755 CFM
• Max Airspeed: 225 MPH
• Max Blowing Force: 36 Newtons
• Warranty: 2 Years Commercial

Husqvarna

• Model: 550iBTX
• Battery Platform: 36V
• Motor Type: Brushless
• Battery Tested: BLi950X
• Max Air Volume: 551 CFM
• Max Airspeed: 148 MPH
• Max Blowing Force: 21 Newtons
• Warranty: 2 Years Commercial

Kress Commercial

• Model: KC500.9
• Battery Platform: 60V
• Motor Type: Brushless
• Battery Tested: KAC810 CyberPack 11 Ah
• Max Air Volume: 900 CFM
• Max Airspeed: 190 MPH
• Max Blowing Force: 35 Newtons
• Warranty: 3 Years or 750 Hours of Use Commercial

Milwaukee M18 FUEL

• Model: 3009-24HD
• Battery Platform: 18V
• Motor Type: Brushless
• Battery Tested: (4x) M18 FUEL 12.0 Ah
• Max Air Volume: 650 CFM
• Max Airspeed: 155 MPH
• Max Blowing Force: 20.5 Newtons
• Warranty: 3 Years Commercial

Stihl

• Model: BGA300
• Battery Platform: 36V
• Motor Type: Brushless
• Battery Tested: AR3000L
• Max Air Volume: 571 CFM
• Max Airspeed: 192 MPH
• Max Blowing Force: 26 Newtons
• Warranty: 2 Years Commercial

Backpack Blower Battery Systems

Determining the best battery backpack blower requires testing tools with the largest battery packs available. We requested each manufacturer provide us with the largest battery pack(s) currently available for their platform and the corresponding charger system. As a result, our charging stations look much different than in previous H2H tests! To provide performance and run-time comparable to gas-powered blowers, the battery models we tested rely upon either a large suitcase-style battery or a combination of smaller packs. Here is a breakdown of the batteries and chargers we used.

Echo

The Echo DPB-5800T is powered by any combination of up to three 56V batteries. While the kit version of this tool features two 5.0 Ah eFORCE batteries, we tested the tool with three 8.0 Ah batteries. We have a full review article of the Echo backpack blower available here. Additionally, Echo provided us with an eFORCE Rapid Charger to use during testing. The rapid charger will completely charge an 8.0 Ah battery in about 60 minutes.

Greenworks Commercial

The Greenworks Commercial model accepts two 82V batteries. The tool is capable of operating on a single battery. The tool will draw from both batteries simultaneously when two are inserted. We used two 8.0 Ah batteries, the standard offering in the kit configuration for this tool. The GWC batteries feature Bluetooth connectivity and digital display screens indicating charge levels. The charger tested is the dual port rapid charger. It is capable of charging two 8.0 Ah batteries in about one hour.

Husqvarna

The Husqvarna BLi950X battery is a large suitcase-style battery, as previously mentioned. It is a 36V, 31.1 Ah, behemoth! The 550iBTX backpack blower is only compatible with this style of battery pack. However, the battery is cross-compatible with all Husqvarna handheld 36V tools. The battery includes a standalone backpack frame for carrying when in use with handheld equipment. It also includes an adapter plug which is compatible with all Husqvarna chargers. We used a QC500 charger during testing. A full recharge of the BLi950X is approximately three hours.

Kress

The Kress Commercial Cyber System of batteries offers a variety of solutions. We tested the blower with the larger 60V CyberPack battery which is 11.0 Ahs. However, the Kress blower is also compatible with any 60V CyberPack battery, such as the smaller 4.0 Ah battery pictured above, borrowed from a Kress 16″ chainsaw. The graphene cores of the Kress batteries and the high-output Kress chargers allow a full recharge of the large suitcase-style battery in approximately ten minutes. This is an astoundingly short time compared to the other tools tested.

Milwaukee

The Milwaukee M18 FUEL battery platform is a staple of the tool industry. The kit option of their backpack blower includes a total of four 12.0 Ah M18 FUEL batteries. There are four battery ports on the blower and a minimum of two batteries must be inserted to run the tool. Each pair of batteries is drained simultaneously. It will then automatically switch to the second pair of batteries if all four batteries are inserted. We used the Milwaukee backpack blower with all four batteries inserted during testing. The kit option includes two dual-port Milwaukee Rapid Chargers. These chargers will charge two 12.0 Ah packs in about two hours.

Stihl

The Stihl AR3000L battery is the largest battery we tested. It features 41.20 Ahs on Stihl’s 36V battery platform. This large suitcase-style battery is also compatible with all Stihl handheld equipment with an adapter cable. A backpack-style platform is also available for the battery. We used a Stihl AP Adapter to connect the battery to an AL 500 high-speed battery charger during testing. The total recharge time is about three and a half hours using this combination.  Stihl recently announced their new ADA 1000 battery adapter. It allows two smaller AP series battery packs to power a large output tool like the BGA300 backpack blower—an outstanding accessory for any pro user currently on the Stihl AP battery platform.

Pitot Tube Performance Testing

To flush out generous marketing specifications from true performance for each of our tools, we employed a pitot tube test rig. This test is a specialty of Tool Box Buzz Crew member Jeff Deitz. 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. You can read more about the theory behind our pitot tube test rig in our Best Cordless Blower 2023 H2H article.

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 max speed setting. The data was collected at a 1 Hz sample rate or once per second for five minutes for the first test. Our second test is another five-minute recording, with the battery depleted to 25% charge.

An ExTech HD350 Pitot Tube Anemometer was used to perform this test.

Max Air Speed Winner – Greenworks Commercial

The Greenworks blower produces airspeeds over 176 MPH. We are unable to determine the exact speed because our testing monitor maxes out at 176 MPH! This is another remarkable performance for the big green machine. In second place is Stihl at 160.7 MPH. An interesting data point is that the Stihl produced slightly higher numbers on the second test run with the battery depleted down to 25%  charge. The BGA300 automatically downshifts its battery system to normalize output and performance regardless of charge charge level.

Measured MPH Results

Third place went to Echo at 150 MPH, fourth place Husqvarna at 137.5 MPH and fifth place went to Kress at 137.3 MPH. Milwaukee was our bottom finisher at 117 MPH.

Max Air Volume Winner – Kress

Using the data collected from our ExTech HD350 meter we were able to calculate the max airflow for each tool in cubic feet per minute (CFM). The Greenworks Commercial blower is the only tool that maxed out our anemometer. Therefore we added a value for Greenworks in our calculations of 200 MPH. This is a close representation of the actual value based on the tool’s performance in all of our testing. Greenworks claims that the max CFM on the tool is 225 MPH.

Calculated CFM Results

Kress is our first-place winner for air volume with a max calculated CFM of 808.44. The Kress has the largest nozzle diameter of all of the tools tested at 3.5″. This allows the Kress to move a massive volume of air. In second place we have Greenworks at 779.70 CFM. Greenworks utilizes a smaller diameter nozzle than Kress but has faster airspeed. This combination of factors still results in an impressive amount of air moved.

In third place is Milwaukee at 548.39 CFM, fourth place is Husqvarna at 545.09 CFM, and fifth place is Stihl at 531.47. Our sixth-place finisher is Echo at 220.48 CFM. This surprised our crew given that Echo performed so well in the airspeed (MPH) test. However, the Echo nozzle chokes down to 1.75″ diameter which is half the size of the Kress. Echo favors speed, but a wider nozzle would likely improve CFM output.

Max Run-time Winner-Stihl

Run-time is one of the most discussed and important categories we evaluated with our backpack blowers. Commercial users require a tool that will accomplish most tasks without constantly switching or recharging batteries. We tracked the total run-time on our blowers by combining our five-minute intervals with the pitot tube along with the time spent depleting the batteries completely. All of this was done at the highest power output setting of each tool. Fall cleanup season is quickly approaching and our entire test crew agreed that we all default to the highest setting on our blowers for tasks like this.

Measured Runtime Results

Our winner here is Stihl with a total run-time of 45:23. The crew expected nothing less from the Stihl, considering the monster 41.20 Ah battery pack that was included with the BGA300. Second place went to Echo with a total run-time of 41:15. The three large 8.0 Ah batteries used with the Echo made this a close race with Stihl.

Third place went to Husqvarna at 39:41, fourth place to Greenworks at 38:36, and fifth place to Milwaukee at 25:45. Kress came in sixth place at 19:51, which is less than half of our top two finishers. However, Kress’ lightning-fast recharge times are somewhat of a redeeming quality compared to the short run-time.

Power Sled Test | Winner-Greenworks Commercial

When life gives you backpack blowers, you build a rocket ship! In our previous handheld blower H2H, the crew used a weighted sled to test the total blowing force of the tools. This time we stepped up the test rig to accommodate our larger and more powerful commercial backpack blowers.

The testing site we used for the day provided us with access to some heavy equipment. A twenty-foot-long Hud-Son firewood conveyor was used as a ramp. We set the conveyor at a seven-degree angle with the help of a PTO hitch on a tractor. Then a classic Radio Flyer wagon was used as our test vehicle. We added a large galvanized washtub to the wagon to act as an air collector. This is a textbook example of Swamp Yankee engineering.

With the test rig in position at the bottom of the ramp, our operator held the end of the blower nozzle in line with the edge of the test rig. The operator then activated the tool on the highest output setting and held it for ten seconds. If the sled moved, we recorded the distance traveled using a tape measure on the conveyor belt. Our unloaded sled weighed in at 34.76 pounds.

All of our tools were able to move the unloaded sled. We then added five pounds to the sled (39.76 Pounds) and continued testing. Two of our blowers were completely unphased by the five-pound increase, while the others showed significant struggle. We then worked up to a fifteen-pound weight (49.76 Pounds) with the two strongest performers and repeated the test.

Power Sled Results

Greenworks is our strongest performing tool, driving the fifteen-pound loaded sled to a distance of 13.25 feet and holding steadily. Kress is our second-place finisher driving the same fifteen-pound loaded sled a total distance of 12.17 feet. Both of these blowers greatly impressed our crew during this test. Both had near-instant spooling-up to power and moving the sled. It felt as though the sled began moving as soon as the control was engaged, regardless of the weight.

Power Sled Results

Milwaukee finished in third place driving the five-pound loaded sled a total of 13 feet. Echo and Stihl were also able to drive the five-pound loaded sled. However, Husqvarna was unable to move this sled and maxed out during the unloaded test.

The overall power of a back blower is dependent upon a combination of features like nozzle diameter, maximum airspeed, and the volume of force the tool puts out. Each of our blowers has its own secret sauce approach to creating power. The Power Sled rig is an excellent visual representation of these different approaches. The stats we listed above, such as MPH and CFM, are shown in actual use with the sled. Overall, the tools with larger nozzle diameters and faster airspeeds performed best, such as our top two tools Greenworks and Kress. Conversely, blowers with fast airspeeds and narrow nozzles, such as Echo, struggled to perform well in this test.

Noise Output Winner-Husqvarna

Reduced noise pollution is often cited as one of the primary benefits of battery-powered OPE. Commercial users of backpack blowers also benefit from reduced engine noise while maintaining occupied residences or office buildings, and noise pollution-restricted areas. However, are commercial battery-powered options quiet enough?

We measured the decibel output of each battery-powered blower and our gas-powered sample. Measurements were taken at the ear of the operator and a 15′ offset. The two measurements show what the noise impact would be for both the operator and a possible pedestrian walking by. Readings were recorded at the highest captured decibel level according to our meter while the blowers were set for maximum output. We ranked the tools based on the at-ear decibel level due to the long-term potential impact on the operator.

Measured Decibel Output Results

Husqvarna is the quietest tool tested at 74.7 decibels. This is well below the OSHA threshold for required hearing protection. Furthermore, the Husqvarna has an impressive tone that is almost pleasant to the ear compared to a traditional backpack blower. In addition, Husqvarna is the quietest tool at our 15-foot offset distance.

Our top five finishers are under the OSHA 85-decibel threshold for hearing protection requirements. In contrast, the Greenworks Commercial blower was the only backpack blower over this 85-decibel threshold at the operator’s ear.

Weight Winner-Milwaukee

Weight is a big consideration for commercial users, who will likely be using the tool for eight hours or more daily. Battery-powered backpack blowers are faced with a tough compromise between a large enough battery for commercial use, while not weighing as much as a Volkswagen. We weighed all of our tool samples as a bare tool only and fully assembled with batteries inserted, however we ranked them by the assembled weight.

Our first-place finisher is Milwaukee with the lightest assembled weight of 32.08 pounds. This impressed the entire crew, especially considering that Milwaukee uses four large 12.0 Ah batteries.  A close second-place finish is Kress at 32.12 pounds. This is also impressive given the large suitcase-style CyberPack battery. Third place is Greenworks and Echo in Fourth. Husqvarna finishes in our fifth-place slot at 34.52 pounds and Stihl finishes the category in sixth-place at a hefty 36.16 pounds.

Measured Weight Results

Each of our tools increased by at least fifteen pounds when adding the weight of the necessary batteries. However, our bottom two finishers, Husqvarna and Stihl, saw weight increases of over twenty pounds after inserting batteries.  An interesting comparison to this is our gas-powered model. The gas-powered tool was the heaviest bare (empty fuel tank) tool tested but gained about two pounds when fully fueled. It is still almost six pounds lighter than our lightest battery-powered unit.

Features and Ergonomics Winner-Greenworks Commercial and Stihl

For this category, we focused on six major areas with our tools:

• Controls
• Grip Ergonomics
• Harness Comfort
• Ease of Battery Change
• Tube Adjustment and Storage
• Fit and Finish

Each tool was assigned a point value from 1 to 3 for each category, with 1 point being the most desired. The total score for all six categories was then calculated and the tools ranked based on the lowest total points to the highest.

Features and Ergonomics Results

In this category, Greenworks Commercial and Stihl tied for first place. Echo claimed our second-place slot, Kress in third, Milwaukee fourth, and Husqvarna in fifth.

Controls

Grip Ergonomics

Harness Comfort

Ease of Battery Change

Kress features the easiest battery change system of all of our tools. The large suitcase-style pack slides out easily with an easy-to-reach release button. Echo, Greenworks, and Milwaukee are all very comparable in terms of battery change. The individual packs are slid out or inserted in order to power the tools. Echo has a slight advantage over the other two, due to all the packs being vertically oriented and easy to access. Greenworks has a spring-loaded cover obstructing the batteries, while Milwaukee positions the batteries in different positions on the external frame.

Stihl and Husqvarna utilize more complicated battery change systems due to the size of the battery packs. Stihl features a rotating cam-lock to secure the battery pack once lined up. It is a little tricky to line everything up at first, but it secures the battery completely with no movement once engaged. Husqvarna requires two sliding plastic tabs to secure the battery from the side, which are difficult to align properly. A power cable must then be run from the battery to an adapter plug on the side of the tool housing. Additionally, the battery must be manually turned on before the tool can be turned on. Our entire crew agreed that this is annoying, especially when considering that it is impossible to reach this switch with the backpack on.

Tube Adjustment and Storage

Milwaukee and Stihl both utilize a telescoping tube design that collapses for storage. In addition, the control stick position is easy to adjust using a cam-pock system. This collapsing feature is ideal for shrinking the overall profile of the tool for storage.

All of our tools, except for the Echo, feature a clip or strap system to secure the tube to the tool body for storage. Milwaukee and Stihl feature heavy-duty metal hooks to secure the tube in a proper upright position.  Kress and Husqvarna both secure the tubes across the harness which causes the tube to hang off to the side and is awkward. The Kress hook also does not stay attached and comes off easily, which was frustrating for our crew. Greenworks secures the tube pointing upwards but uses a thin plastic molded clip that pops off easily and likely won’t hold up to long-term commercial use. Echo needs to include some form of attachment to secure the blower tube.

Fit and Finish

All of our tools tested are designed with commercial users in mind. Therefore we expected excellent fit and finish on all of the models that are still rugged enough to survive getting beat up on a job site or in a tool trailer. Overall we were impressed with the majority of the tools.

Echo, Greenworks, and Husqvarna all used heavy-duty fasteners and steel hose clamps in the construction of their tube designs. Milwaukee and Stihl utilized plastic connectors and clamps, however, they are thick and strong enough that they held up well during our testing without issue.

Kress uses a thinner grade of plastic on their tube and connectors than all of the tools we tested. This results in a lighter felt tube in the hand, but our crew expressed concern over this holding up over long-term, commercial use. During testing the plastic connecter that held the control stick in place repeatedly became loose and would not lock in place. We had to repeatedly tighten it with tools during testing to secure it.

Price Winner-Echo/GreenWorks Commercial/Milwaukee

In this category, we ranked all of our blowers based on the total kit price. Kit prices are most applicable as many professional users will be investing in a battery product for the first time. Due to the substitutions in battery packs used for testing, we built our kit pricing to mirror the setups listed above. We used the ACME Tools website to price as many of the tools as possible.

Price Data Results

We ranked our tools based on price and included this category in the overall rankings. Unlike other H2H tests, our entire test sample is made up of commercial-grade tools designed for demanding pro use. This levels the playing field.

First place in this category is a three-way tie between Echo, Greenworks, and Milwaukee. All three options are available as a kit for $1,500.00. However, Greenworks and Milwaukee both include dual port chargers in their kitted options while we priced the Echo out with a single rapid charger, as tested. The Echo is available as a kit with a dual port charger and two smaller battery packs currently. The price point of all three of these blowers is very reasonable when considering the power and performance of each as well as the additional tools available on the battery platform.

Second place goes to Husqvarna at $1,830.00. Stihl is in third at $2,410.00 and finally we have Kress in fourth at $2,680.00. Kress’ innovative battery and charger system comes with a hefty price tag. The Kress charger is almost $800.00 on its own. Husqvarna and Stihl are two of the most well-known brands in the OPE industry. While they represent a high cost of initial investment, they are both of extremely high quality with huge dealer support and other available tools and equipment.

Our pricing breakdown may come as a shock to some of you. Battery-powered options represent a significant price increase compared to traditional gas-powered options. For example, our pro-grade Echo PB-770T bower that was used as a comparison in some of our testing has an MSRP of $550.00. That’s roughly a third of the cost of our cheapest commercial battery-powered option. The initial investment of the Greenworks Commercial model ($1,500.00) would roughly cover the cost of two Echo PB-9010 gas-powered backpack blowers, the current world’s strongest backpack blower.

Best Commercial Battery Backpack Blower Winner-Greenworks Commercial

Greenworks Commercial emerged as the top performer in several key categories, including max airspeed and power output, making it a powerful choice for high-demand tasks. Stihl impressed with exceptional run-time, ideal for prolonged use, while Kress delivered outstanding air volume performance and record-setting recharge times, perfect for those prioritizing quick battery turnaround.

Milwaukee stood out for its lightweight design, striking a balance between portability and performance. Echo and Husqvarna also had strong showings, though they each faced challenges in categories like weight, ease of battery change, as well as some other comfort and ergonomic-related issues.

Overall Rankings Results

Best Value Winner-Greenworks Commercial

Ordinarily, our best value winner is a tool that offers outstanding performance compared to price. However, in this Head-to-Head our overall winner is also one of our most affordable tools! Greenworks tied for first place in our price category. When comparing the amount of performance the Greenworks is capable of, in addition to its features, our entire crew agreed that the Greenworks is the best all-around value of all of our tools tested.

Final Thoughts

Our comprehensive testing of battery-powered backpack blowers serves as a valuable buyer’s guide for professionals in search of the best tools for their needs.

As professionals evaluate their options, it’s essential to consider not just performance metrics but also the availability of local dealer support. Companies such as Echo, Husqvarna, and Stihl excel in this area thanks to well-established dealer networks and support services as well as box store options.

Choosing a brand with strong local representation can significantly enhance the ownership experience, providing easier access to service and replacement parts. Ultimately, the best choice will depend on specific needs—whether that’s raw power, battery life, or ergonomics.

Speaking of service! Follow the Buy Now links below to purchase some of the blowers featured in this article from our friends at ACME Tools.

Best Battery Backpack Blower | Video Review

1 Comment

1. Jim Premo

   September 29, 2024 at 3:14 pm

   Cost prohibitive and once purchased , you are in battery Hell, all.

   Reply

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