There are two key things to consider when buying a leaf blower – air volume and air speed. Air volume, measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM) is a measure of how much air the blower puts out. Air speed, measured in miles per hour (MPH) is a measure of how fast that air moves. Ideally you want both figures to be high, so that you can move a greater volume of leaves or other debris over a greater distance. The CAT DG650, rated at 700 CFM and 135 MPH is on the high end in both air volume and speed compared to other cordless leaf blowers on the market.

The shape of the blower tube also affects its performance. The straight tube and wide nozzle on the CAT DG650 delivers greater air volume than a flat nozzle, allowing you to cover more area. You can pull the nozzle back to narrow the stream for more speed or move it forward to increase air volume. There is even a Turbo Mode that provides an added boost of power when you need to dislodge heavy or stuck-on debris. The 60 volt battery gives almost an hour of run time on the lowest speed setting. I used it for around 20 minutes on the high setting and there was still juice left in the battery.

At around 8-1/2 pounds with battery installed I didn’t find the CAT overly heavy. It feels well balanced in the hand and the controls and power trigger are easy to reach. As well, it didn’t put much strain on my wrist in use. More importantly, it made quick work of grass clipping and dense, damp matted leaves. Hit the Turbo Mode button and it can dislodge clumps of wet leaves and pine needles.

Gas powered leaf blowers are horrendously noisy – not so the CAT. I measured the noise volume at an average 67dB.

When it comes to leaf-blasting power you just can’t go wrong with the CAT DG650. And, it isn’t just limited to moving leaves around. Use it to clean out your eavestroughs, the back of your truck or van, to clean shop vac filters, to clear light snow off the sidewalk or driveway and to blow snow off the top of your vehicle.