This Echo Leaf Blower Won’t Run Out Before the Job Is Done

4 min readA common concern for any cordless electric leaf blower is runtime. Unlike gas-powered models, you can’t quickly refuel them once the battery is depleted; unless you have another fully charged one on hand, you’ll wait at least 30 minutes to get the blower running again. Echo’s 56-volt leaf blower (Model DPB-2500) helps ease that issue with impressive runtimes that exceed those of the competition.The model I tested came with a 5-amp-hour battery. There’s a version of this leaf blower that ships with a 2.5-amp-hour battery. That will save you money but deliver half as much runtime, so keep that in mind when pricing this out.ProsLong run timeComfortable to use for a long timeRapid charger recharges the batteries quicklyConsLower comparable airspeed and volumeCan be tricky to adjust speed on the flyKey SpecsWeight9.5 lb (with 5-Ah battery)Battery56 V, 5 AhAirspeed158 MPH Air Volume549 CFMLong Runtime, Even at High SpeedsWe ran this blower through two different tests, one at high speed and one at medium speed. Our high-speed test, where we ran the blower continuously at the highest standard speed (not using the push-button turbo mode), resulted in a total runtime of 23 minutes and 26 seconds. That was 10 to 15 minutes longer than other models we tested with comparably sized batteries.David DritsasThe 5-amp battery provided me with at least 45 minutes of working time, and the rapid charger juiced the battery back up in around 40 minutes.Of course, rarely do you run a leaf blower at full power, nonstop. So I ran a second test running it at medium power continuously and got a runtime of over an hour and 10 minutes before the battery ran out. Most people will turn their blower on and off many times while working, but given these two tests, I think it’s safe to estimate that you could work for around 45 minutes under typical usage.Mid-Range Power That Gets the Job DoneLeaf blowers have two ratings to describe their power: airspeed and air volume. These are respectively measured in miles per hour (mph) and cubic feet per minute (cfm). But factory ratings are always higher than in the real world, and this Echo is no exception. In our tests, the rated airspeed of 158 mph came in at around 112 mph in the real world, and the rated air volume of 549 cfm measured at 483 cfm. That was a little underpowered in comparison to some of our other handheld blowers; I didn’t find it to be too much of a problem.In my yard, the Echo blower did a good job of cleaning off debris from a patio, including some wet patches of grass clippings that collected in one corner, as well as some loose gravel. I was able to get it all into one pile to remove later. For tough spots, the blower has a turbo button that boosts the airspeed, but I only needed to use that once or twice. If anything, I found myself using medium to high speeds most of the time. And it’s much quieter, even at top speed, than any gas-powered leaf blower I’ve used.Mostly Simple ControlWhile the Echo DPB-2500 isn’t the most compact leaf blower we’ve used, it is lightweight, just 9.5 pounds, even with the battery in place. There’s also a rubberized grip around the handle that I found made it pretty comfortable to use. Even after a half-hour of use, my hand didn’t feel a bit numb the way some vibrating power tools can make it feel after long periods.The only thing I didn’t like was the locking mechanism for the trigger. Like many leaf blowers, the airspeed is controlled by how far you press the trigger. Keeping your finger in the same position while working is not an easy task, so there’s a locking switch near the trigger. This works effectively when you want to lock into one speed, but I found that changing speeds on the fly is a bit clunky because you have to adjust the switch and the trigger at the same time. This may not bother some people, but I much prefer an independent throttle for airspeed.David DritsasThe locking switch allows you to lock in the airspeed of the variable-speed trigger, but it’s awkward to adjust on the fly. A turbo button on top is useful for quick bursts of high power.One thing I was impressed with was the rapid recharge speed of the battery. Once I had depleted the 5-amp-hour battery, I plugged it into the charger, and my battery was nearly fully charged in about 40 minutes. To be fair, this model comes with the rapid charger that’s about twice as fast to recharge a battery as the standard charger. Echo does offer this blower for less money with the standard charger and a 2.4-amp-hour battery, but that will give you overall less runtime.I think any homeowner with a small to medium-sized suburban property with moderate leaf coverage in the fall will be happy with the Echo DPB-2500 leaf blower. The long runtime will keep you from having to recharge the battery until the job is done, and while it’s not the most powerful handheld blower we’ve seen, it’s strong enough to handle most average fall cleanup tasks. Plus, it’s quiet and clean operation means you’re much less likely to annoy the neighbors.More Editor-Recommended Leaf BlowersDavid is a Reviews Editor for Hearst’s Enthusiast Group, contributing to Popular Mechanics, Runner’s World, Bicycling, Best Products, and Biography. He has over 25 years of experience writing about and reviewing consumer electronics, kitchen appliances, DIY products, outdoor gear, and more. He also spent years covering the ever-changing world of online retail. To relax, he loves experimenting with new recipes, tweaking his smart home setup, and spending time outdoors on his bike or camping.