Greenworks Hits 700CFM Without Breaking a Sweat
If you have an interest in making the switch from a gas blower to battery-power, the Greenworks BL60L512 60V 700 CFM blower might give you enough of a reason. Greenworks is one of only a few OPE manufacturers to have hit the coveted 700 CFM mark for battery-powered blowers. We got our hands on this tool and did a deep-dive review, noting its performance, ergonomics, and features.
Pros
- Excellent runtime
- Excellent blowing power
- Comfortable grip
- Naturally balanced with battery
- Shoulder strap included
Cons
- On the pricey side
- Heavier than many battery-powered blowers
Greenworks BL60L512 Battery-Powered 700 CFM Blower Design
Weight and Balance
This Greenworks BL60L512 battery-powered blower weighs just 10.2 pounds after you install the 5Ah battery pack. Even with the weight being among the highest we’ve tested, we still found it easy to move around and use. As a bare tool, the 60V Greenworks Pro blower weighs around 5.7 pounds. Obviously, if you don’t have a ton of blowing to do, using a smaller battery pack will save you a considerable amount of weight.
The tool has an above-average balance during use. Once you insert the battery, the Greenworks BL60L512 blower angles downward at about 45-degrees. We’ve used blowers that didn’t have this natural inclination, and having it improves the ergonomics and makes it a better tool overall.
Additional Features
- Brushless motor
- Shoulder strap and loop
- Variable speed trigger with cruise control
- Works with all Greenworks Pro 60V batteries
Greenworks BL60L512 60V 700 CFM Blower Runtime
We like to push the limits in our testing so that you can get a true feel for what to expect from these tools. The measured runtime on the Greenworks BL60L512 60V 700 CFM blower left an impression. We ran the tool with a fully-charged 5.0Ah battery, setting the cruise control knob on High. This powerful blower ran for nearly 27 minutes! Inserting a new battery and switching to Turbo we clocked 13 minutes.
While not topping our runtime charts for the best battery-powered leaf-blowers, it’s definitely one of the top performers. We found it very impressive overall when you factor in its performance.
Blowing Force
According to the specs, you can get up to 700 CFM and 170 MPH out of the Greenworks BL60L512. That 700 CFM number is one that we’ve been anticipating for a long time. Other blowers that hit that hard include the Ryobi 40V HP Leaf Blower and the EGO 765 CFM blower.
There’s no easy calculation to compare those values against other blowers, but Newton force gives us a number that shows us how much work a blower does. Along with their excellent run time, this blower produced 11.4N of force on High and 18.4N on Turbo with the included concentrator nozzle. With it (which is how we recommend using this model) we saw an increase of 1.6N on both settings to hit 13.0N and 20.0N, respectively.
Surpassing 20 Newtons is a huge milestone for any handheld—let alone one that runs on batteries. While we have tested other blowers that exceeded this level, the Greenworks BL60L512 joins a very tight group of top-tier high-performance blowers.
Of course, it gets even better. We dropped in one of Greenworks Pro’s 8.0Ah X-Range batteries and re-ran our Newton force test. With that battery pack, it blew with even more force, hitting 13.5N in High and 21.1N in Turbo!
Handheld gas blowers start around 12N. The Greenworks Pro L60L512 60V 700 CFM blower absolutely has enough power to replace many entry-level gas models for residential use. For Professionals, it’s merely a question of runtime and not hitting those 30+ Newton numbers we often see from backpack models. Those are very different tools, however.
Noise Level
The noise levels we measured from our operator’s ear were right in the middle of the scale. On High, we read 82 dBA on our SPL meter. That increased to 86 dBA once we engaged Turbo mode.
Price
Available as a bare tool at Tractor Supply, Greenworks prices this blower at $179.99. We recommend pairing it with nothing larger than a 5.0Ah battery unless you really need more runtime. Even than, grab a second battery instead.
As one of Greenworks Pro’s more expensive blowers, realize that you can save some money if you don’t need 700 CFM of air movement. Take a look at the Greenworks 610 CFM blower for solid performance at a lower price. Either way, Greenworks warranties the battery and blower for 4 years.
The Bottom Line
Greenworks targets high performance with their 700 CFM blower and got solid marks overall. Their results put them in an elite category with few peers. They also delivered all of that power without sacrificing all of their runtime. While heavier than less powerful battery-powered blowers, that doesn’t surprise us from a manufacturer used to pushing the limits on performance.
Greenworks Pro 60V 700 CFM Blower Specifications
- Model Number: Greenworks BL60L512
- Power Source: Greenworks 60V battery
- Weight: 10.2lbs (with 5Ah battery), 5.7 lbs (bare)
- Max. AirSpeed: 170 MPH
- Max. Air Volume: 700 CFM
- Tool Warranty: 4 years
- Battery Warranty: 4 years
- Bare Tool Price: $199.99
For more information about the Greenworks Pro 60V 700 CFM Blower, click here .
