Greenworks Pro Huffs and Puffs and Blows at 610 CFM
Here in Florida, at least, things have already started to heat back up. This means that now, and even more so in the coming months, there won’t be any shortage of required lawn work. That being the case, we find it fortuitous that Greenworks just released the newest Pro 60V line of outdoor power equipment tools. The Greenworks Pro 60V blower, which boasts an advertised 610 CFM and 130 mph airspeed, arrived at the shop just in time for our lawns to spring to life once again.
Pros
- Excellent power with 19.7N in Turbo mode
- Nearly 20 minutes of runtime on the included 2.5Ah battery
- Cruise control
- Lightweight and well-balanced
- Good value at $169 for the kit
Cons
Greenworks Pro 60V Blower Performance
Greenworks advertises that with a brushless motor and Jet Fan tech, the new Pro 60V Blower achieves 610 CFM and 130mph. They say it rivals 28cc gas engine performance. These are pretty bold claims, so we tested them as best we could.
The problem is that CFM, in particular, is a really hard thing to test. It varies with where you choose to measure, and it can vary based on things like humidity and temperature. While we can’t confirm or deny Greenworks’ numbers here, we can hold its performance up to the standard we’re able to test, Newton force.
On the High setting, and with the kitted 2.5Ah battery installed, we measured the Greenworks Pro 60V blower as generating 10.0 N of force. When we threw the blower into its highest gear, Turbo Mode, we saw that force spike to 18.1 N.
Already impressed with what we saw, we upped the ante by throwing on the Greenworks 5.0Ah battery. If you didn’t know, there’s a relationship between higher capacity batteries to power output.
With the bigger 5Ah battery, we saw the high-speed setting turn out 11.7 N, while the Turbo Mode jumped the force up to a pretty incredible 19.7 N. This is particularly impressive considering it puts Greenworks in the upper tier of battery-powered blowers.
It’s fair to say that, based on our blowing force measurements, the Greenworks Pro 60V blower really does rival gas power.
Weight and Balance
Not only is the Greenworks blower powerful, but it’s also pretty light. Before installing the 2.5Ah battery, it weighs just 5 lbs, 9 oz. With that battery, you’re looking at 8 lbs, 8 oz.
Greenworks also balances the blower so that it naturally noses down when you pick it up. Even with the bigger battery pack, we found the blower to operate comfortably in our hands.
Since the Greenworks Pro 60V Blower generates a good amount of power, you will notice that it pushes back on you at wide-open throttle (WOT). Turbo Mode pushes back even harder. Working with these power levels may cause some arm fatigue as you wrestle the blower into the direction you want, so we recommend only kicking it into high gear when you really need it. Or, you know, go full throttle full time and feel the burn when you’re done. It’s up to you, really.
Greenworks Pro 60V Blower Runtime
The Greenworks Pro 60V Blower kit comes with a 2.5Ah HC battery and charger. Of course, Greenworks makes bigger batteries for the 60V line as well. It seems fairer to test runtime with the battery most of us are likely to use with it—the one it comes with.
Blowers are notoriously hard on batteries, as they draw constant power. Typically, we don’t expect a battery to last a super-long time when running a blower at full throttle. We were very pleased when we threw the blower into high gear and managed to get 19:40 minutes of runtime on a charge.
We then cranked the GreenWorks Pro Blower up to its full potential with the Turbo Mode. Doing this typically reduces your runtime significantly, which is why we recommend only using it in short bursts when you really need to. Turned up to 11, we got 9:05 of runtime.
Balancing the runtime in high with Turbo as you need it, there’s plenty to clear those hard surfaces once you’re finished mowing for the day for most homeowners. Fall leaves are a different story and it’s totally dependent on how many trees are on your property. You can always bump up to the 5.0Ah battery if you need more.
Key Features
The Greenworks Pro 60V Blower features a variable speed control so that you can add some finesse to the job. Running at half throttle will also extend your runtime significantly.
Or, should you want to take the more “set it and forget it” approach to managing power and runtime, you can use cruise control. Set your throttle with the dial on the side of the handle and you can remove your finger from the trigger.
For those moments when the job calls for a bit of extra power, you can call for the blower to dig deep into its power reserves with the Turbo button.
Though the Greenworks Pro 60V blower doesn’t include a strap, it does include an attachment point if you want to add one separately.
Greenworks Pro 60V Blower Price
You can pick up the Greenworks Pro 60V blower, as well as the rest of the Greenworks Pro 60V line from The Home Depot or other Greenworks retailers. The kit is $169 and includes the 2.5Ah battery and charger. Considering the battery, by itself, retails for $149, the kit seems like a pretty great value.
The system also comes with a 4-year warranty on both the tool and the battery.
The Bottom Line
Overall, this is the strongest Greenworks blower we’ve tested and it’s a solid value for the performance you get. If you’ve been on the Greenworks 60V platform for a while and are still using an older model blower, we think you’ll be impressed with the performance gains the 610 CFM model offers.
Greenworks Pro 60V Blower Specifications
- Model: Greenworks BL60L251
- Airspeed: 130 mph
- Air Pressure: 610 CFM
- Fan Design: Axial
- Kitted Battery Capacity: 2.5Ah
- Weight: 5 lbs 9.4 oz (bare tool); 8 lbs 8 oz (with 2.5 Ah battery)
- Warranty: 4-Year warranty
- Price: $169