Makita DUB186Z 18V Li-ion LXT Blower - Batteries and Charger Not Included

Product Information

This cordless leaf blower feels a little cumbersome to use around the garden and the wide nozzle means it’s harder to reach into smaller spaces or awkward corners.

18V Long Nose Blower - Skin Only - Bunnings Australia 18V Long Nose Blower - Skin Only - Bunnings Australia

This cordless leaf blower weighs the same as others in the group we tested, like the Stiga SAB 100AE, but its compact design and long, narrow nozzle makes it feel more manoeuvrable and easier to reach awkward corners. 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.Designed to run with very little noise pollution and 0 harmful emissions to make working around this machine more comfortable and making it more neighbor friendly.

DUB186Z 18v LXT Cordless Leaf Blower - Body Only MAKITA DUB186Z 18v LXT Cordless Leaf Blower - Body Only

Thanks to its lightweight construction and narrow nozzle, it’s easy to manoeuvre around the garden and put leaves exactly where you want them. Like the Stiga SAB 100AE, the 4Ah 18V lithium battery slots in at the back end of the body, which we found affects the balance and makes it feel heftier to use – we prefer the battery position on the Makita DUB186Z. Ease of use: Looked at the assembly needed, ease and clarity of instructions, any storage features and, where relevant, the battery charge time. It’s part of the Makita LXT 18V cordless tool system so the 5Ah battery and charger are compatible across the range, and it comes with a three year warranty.The Makita DUB186 18v LXT cordless leaf blower follows on from the popular DUB183 model, but provides approximately 20% more power from the same form. Depending on the size of your garden and amount of leaf fall, a rake or broom could do the job well and keep you fit as you clear, but for larger spaces and where leaves have collected in awkward corners and around pots or furniture, leaf blowers and leaf blower vacuums help make the job quicker and easier. You can dispose of them the same way but they have the added advantage of being shredded so they decompose more quickly when added to the compost or used to make leaf mould.

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

For anyone with existing Makita tools, the Makita DUB183Z could be a good choice thanks to the ability to share batteries across devices. 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. It has simple variable controls that can blow very gently indeed, a comfortable soft-grip handle and an angled nozzle. The air volume is far less than the other blowers in the trial and really shows in the Makita 183Z’s ability to shift leaves.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. 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. kg, it’s very powerful, and made short work of both wet and dry leaves on paving, shrub beds, and gravel, though it struggled a little with dry and wet leaves on grass. 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.

Makita 18V LXT Cordless Leaf Blower Body Only | Toolstation

Comfort features - Soft-grip handles and a padded shoulder strap will help make it more comfortable to use the leaf blower or leaf blower vacuum for any length of time. Each has a detailed list of pros and cons for clarity and has been rated according to ease of use, handling, performance, and value for money.It has a hard wearing, brushless motor and for its power and features we think it’s excellent value, plus it comes with a two year warranty. A cruise control button allows you to set the speed without having to constantly hold the trigger down, making it easy to use this blower for longer periods of time. The Makita DUB185 features variable speed control by trigger and 3 air volume settings: Low, Medium, High. Check out our test of the best gardening gloves to collect them in comfort, and while you’re at it, 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. Even on the highest setting it’s quiet, but even with all its power it isn’t able to lift leaves and debris fast.