BOSCH GBL18V-71N 18V Cordless Compact Blower, 167 MPH (Bare Tool)

I almost sent this back. It's smaller than the pictures indicate. But, after using it, it is my go-to blower in the shop. It ain't for blowing leaves around your yard. It WILL blow leaves off your patio. I find it so handy for small quick jobs like blowing off the miter saw before bringing it inside. The low speed is handy when you want controlled airlow and less movement. The high speed mode does a great job moving saw dust. I am using older 2.0ah batteries and they run quite awhile. The size makes it easy to pack for mobile jobs.

This blower is top of the line in form and function in its class and it may be in a class all its own. The key to this blower is using an 8ah battery. I was able to get a solid hour on high with the 8ah battery, enough to blow a rather large backyard and decent sized front yard, the garage and sidewalks and still have one bar on the battery. Having the entire line of Bosch tools, I wanted to utilize my 8ah batteries for every project I could think of. This blower does not have the strength of a high-end gas blower and the average homeowner doesn't need a gas blower which is why I chose the Bosch blower. A gas blower will move piles of leaves, this will not, this blower will pile up the leaves for you but will not move the pile it's too small. If you have lots of trees and leaves, I personally will pass on this blower; however, my situation is the opposite, and this blower works perfectly. Never once did the battery get hot or did I get fatigued carrying the blower. The blower moved pine needles, garbage and paper and my parking spaces were beautifully clean afterwards. I like the attachments that come with it allowing you to adjust to the scenario. I will be recommending this blower to my family and friends with the understanding that using it happily will require the 8ah battery.

The output is great with a 4.0Ah battery. Super for clearing dust and shavings off the workbench, or even pushing dust around the floor a little (but I wouldn't take on the whole shop with it). Versatile and the attachment set is practical and well made -- typical Bosch.They missed the mark on ergonomics though. I'm good with the slider-switch (instead of a trigger), and the angle of the nozzle (up/down) is comfortable for using on the ground or the bench -- but the left-right position of the handle is awful. All the weight of the motor is off to the right. You can't set it down anywhere; it just flops over diagonally, nozzle in the air, begging to get knocked off the bench. It also hangs (from the handle) awkwardly for the same reasons. The balance point and shape of it are just wacky. I can't find a good place to keep this thing.Also, when you turn it off, there is a 'kick' from the inertia of the motor stopping suddenly. That shouldn't be an issue, but it is exaggerated by the imbalance too. You can feel the whole blower try to twist in your hand when you turn it off. Like playing with a gyroscope.If you look at competitors' blowers -- even the cheapies at Harbor Freight -- they all have the handle shifted outboard from the housing, centered on the motor. These stand nicely on a benchtop and don't kick awkwardly. Normally Bosch is much better than this.Some of the balance issues probably go away with an 8.0Ah battery pack, but those are huge and cost more than most bare tools. I stay in the Bosch ecosystem so I can use ALL my batteries with any tool. If Bosch is going to make me pay a premium for this tool *plus* buy a cadillac battery I don't otherwise need -- just to have a quality tool experience -- I can save money by just getting the knockoff from HF (even including the need to buy a dedicated battery).I gave this blower a couple weeks in the shop, but it still pisses me off every time I pick it up. I'm returning and will do without until Bosch improves the design.

The media could not be loaded. I had been looking forward to Bosch releasing an 18V blower. So far it has met my expectations. This unit is probably more compact than you'd realize, until you have it in your hand. It is lightweight and easy to use, even with the larger battery packs. It comes with the typical Bosch overmolded rubber handle, and features a simple slider switch with two blower speeds and an off position. The attachments can be installed or removed effortlessly with the peg and groove retention system. I've yet to use the small diameter tube with the dust collection, but I'm sure it'll be handy. This blower sounds like a loud vacuum cleaner; It is manageable decibel-wise, but I can't say it's quiet or that it's meant to be.The actual strength is very nice. Just glancing at the tool you'd probably underestimate it's ability, but it does very well. This could easily replace a gas blower for basic cleanup of a porch, small walkway, steps, deck, garage, etc.. It's a great tradeoff for weight, size, and messing with fuel, where applicable. Obviously each job is unique and any range of tool might be necessary. It is for sure very handy for quick construction debris clean up.Overall I'm really happy with this unit. It is lightweight, compact, and comes with multiple hose attachments for varying applications. Remember that this is a bare tool and does NOT include a battery.

Surprisingly powerful. Works well for me since I'm not strong enough to handle one of the big ones because of various physical issues.

Don't expect this little handy blower to be as powerful as your large one. But storing it and using it is 10 times easier. As I said the key word is handy. this thing can be broke down in seconds and put in a shoe box. My only beef is that it seems like it is going to fly through batteries. But all my tools are Bosch, so I have a bunch of batteries. And for big jobs , I have my large blower. But honestly, I probably won't be using my large blower very much. So, pull the trigger on this one, you will love it. Especially if the large blowers are to heavy for you.