Ryobi’s 40V Backpack Blower Packs the Power and Runtime for Big Yards

4 min readRyobi’s 40V backpack leaf blower is a good option for someone needing more power and runtime than you’d get with a typical handheld blower, but as a novice to this layout, I learned of its limitations. If you’re on the Ryobi 40-volt platform or looking for a low-maintenance backpack blower that can cover some serious ground, give this a look.I’ll admit that most of my experience using a leaf blower has been limited to the handheld variety. Week to week, I use one to clear grass from my driveway and walkway after mowing, or to clear leaves off my patio or out of my garden beds. But when it comes to the majority of leaves, the bulk of my fall cleanup involves a wide rake and a tarp. It’s how I remember my dad handling leaves when I was a kid, and it’s how I do so now.Still, I jumped at the opportunity to test Ryobi’s 40-volt backpack blower, as I run a string trimmer on the same platform, and I was curious what it’s like to use this more serious style of blower.Best Value Backpack BlowerProsSolid runtimeControllable power with variable speed triggerQuiet operationConsCan't be switched to left-handed operationKey SpecsWeight21.4 lb.Battery40V, 8 Ah (x2)Runtime26 min, 23 s at full throttle on highAirspeed142 MPHAir Volume588 CFMI figured out pretty quickly that the transition from handheld to backpack can be a little awkward. I’m left-handed, and most backpack blowers position the air nozzle and handle/trigger mechanism on the operator’s right hand. Using my right hand for this functionality isn’t a problem because I’m accustomed to living in a right-handed world. Still, it’d be nice if you could configure your blower so that the nozzle came down on the operator’s left side. This is a common issue to most backpack-style blowers, certainly not exclusive to Ryobi.My bigger issue was the limited range of motion of the blower nozzle compared with a handheld blower. When I’m blowing grass from my driveway with my handheld, I tend to move the machine from one hand to the other depending on how the grass is moving and where I need it to go. With the backpack blower, I found myself backing up or sliding myself sideways in order to keep air moving where I needed it to go, which felt awkward both the first time I strapped on the machine and in subsequent uses.Of course, neither is this issue specific to Ryobi. With any backpack blower, you only have a range of motion of about 90 degrees of the nozzle without repositioning your entire body. And since the motion of the nozzle is limited, if you are trying to keep it pointed in one general direction, you need to move carefully. This was not something I expected to struggle with before I began testing this machine, so I recommend considering it before picking up any backpack blower.Colin AylesworthRyobi’s 40-volt backpack blower offers quiet power in spades, and the backpack apparatus is comfortable to wear. The handle on top makes it easy to carry around when you’re not wearing it.Controllable PowerThis particular blower does feel powerful. It easily cleared some wet, freshly fallen leaves from riverstone-covered areas surrounding some trees in my yard as well as around my shed. Also, my issue with awkward movement I mentioned subsided when I set out tackling the leaves in my backyard. Compared with my small 18-volt handheld leaf blower, Ryobi’s 40-volt backpack blower did an exceptional job.The reason I enjoyed the experience so much isn’t necessarily because of the power, but the variable speed at which the blower can run. While it’s possible to sneeze and accidentally pull the trigger and send things flying farther than intended (unlike the Bosch Profactor tested by colleague David Dritsas), the variable-speed trigger means I can unleash enough air to move the leaves while leaving loose surfaces like the riverstone undisturbed. This means a quicker transition to mowing, since I don’t have to worry about rogue stones accidentally damaging my mower blades.After the leaf-blowing test, I moved on to drying off my son’s inflatable pool that I had washed to put away for winter. That was full-throttle air movement, and the Ryobi 40-volt backpack blower did a great job.During all of these tests, I was impressed, though not surprised, that this machine is fairly quiet. This is one of the biggest selling points of all battery-electric yard equipment, but especially for leaf blowers, where noisy gas-powered models have drawn the ire of homeowners around the country.Batteries and RuntimeThis backpack blower has two operating modes: Max Runtime and Max Power. Runtime mode limits the max output of the blower to preserve battery charge, while Power mode unleashes the full power of the blower to push leaves as far as possible. Many electric yard tools have similar modes of operation. As equipped, this blower comes with two 8.0-amp-hour batteries and is rated at up to two hours of runtime.Colin AylesworthIn our testing, the Ryobi 40V backpack blower ran over 26 minutes continuously at full throttle on Max Power mode. Most users should expect quite a bit more runtime for actual leaf blowing.In our structured tests and running in Max Power mode, the blower was able to sustain full throttle for about 27 minutes continuously. This may seem like a big drop-off, but Ryobi’s claim is based on using the variable-speed trigger set on Max Runtime. It does not state any more details about how it made its estimate, though when you’re blowing leaves you’ll rarely be blowing at wide-open throttle for that long of a continuous stretch. Most people blow for a few seconds, reposition, blow again, and so forth. This blower and its battery capacity should be plenty for people with big yards and lots of leaves.Final ThoughtsThis Ryobi backpack blower is well suited to homeowners with large properties and lots of leaves to move. The backpack design is not ideal for quick cleanup jobs owing to the limited mobility touched on earlier, but for wide-open space and the need to move lots of leaves, this is a good option. And since it’s on Ryobi’s 40-volt platform, the batteries can power other Ryobi power tools, such as string trimmers, lawn mowers, a chainsaw, and more.Other Leaf Blowers We RecommendColin Aylesworth attended Binghamton University and is a Deputy Editor with the Gear team at Popular Mechanics and Runner’s World, where he has been since 2022. Prior to joining Hearst Magazines, he worked for 11 years at U.S. News and World Report on the autos team. His personal pursuits fit in well with the work he does for PM and RW. Aylesworth was on his college’s club rowing team and has maintained a routine running habit through most of his adult life as a means of getting exercise and spending time outdoors. Running creates a hearty appetite, which brings us to Popular Mechanics. That publication's expertise in the area of grilling is relatable to Aylesworth, who is an adherent to charcoal grilling. In fact, he’s been primarily using the same Weber charcoal kettle he bought on Craigslist in 2012. Aylesworth also has experience in the lawn mower industry. Not only has he been mowing his and neighbor’s lawns during adolescence, one of his more recent endeavors is a side gig of repairing and restoring gas lawn mowers given up by their previous owners. Since joining PM, he has gotten more involved with the publication’s mower testing efforts and especially enjoys testing out new electric and zero turn mowers.