The exact time when the first leaf blower was used is unknown.
We know that around 1950, people start using leaf blowers to clean debris, leaves, or grass cuttings from their yards.
So the exact date of the first leaf blower and how this first leaf blower looks are unknown.
However, we can create a timeline and see how leaf blowers improved through history.
A Word from the Inventor of the Leaf Blower
The history of leaf blowers is quite interesting, and you can learn more about them in this article.
It All Started In Japan
In the 19th century, the first leaf blower was born somewhere in Japan. A large handheld bellow was used to remove debris in the garden.
No engine, no battery, only human force. Even today, this invention is used worldwide, but not to blow leaves. It is used to spark barbeque fire.
1950 or 1970 Engine Powered Leaf Blower
The first leaf blowers with an engine were invented in 1950 or 1970.
According to one source, Dom Quinto created a modern leaf blower in 1950.
The first blower that Dom Quinto used was a machine for chemical spraying. He removed the chemical tank and used it as a blower.
Other people followed his invention and did the same.
The other source claims that the first engine leaf blower was introduced in 1970 and was invented by the Japanese.
Nobody knows precisely what’s the truth because the world was not connected back then, and there was no internet to record the invention.
First Official Leaf Blower
In 1959 H.L.Diehl created the first machine dedicated to removing leaves and other debris. It was a walk-behind machine similar to a lawnmower. It has the option to blow as well as vacuum.
By the name Vandermolen, the Dutch company released the first two-stroke engine that was carried as a backpack.
This modern leaf blower has higher mobility than the walk-behind lawn leaf blower. This was the first backpack leaf blower, and this happened in 1960.
In the seventies, echo created the first gas-fueled handheld leaf blower, which other big companies, including Husqvarna, later manufactured.
In 2003, Electrolux was the first company that put a patent on an electric leaf blower. Later on, many other well-known companies used the same patent.
Battery Powered Leaf Blowers
In the late 2000s, manufacturers developed a solid and powerful battery that could supply the leaf blower.
Today, battery-powered leaf blowers are the best option because of their mobility, low pollution emission, and reduced noise.
Even in the cities with an explicit ban on leaf blowers, a battery-powered leaf blower is getting a green light.
Leaf Blower Bans
In the 70s, some cities start banning leaf blowers because of noise pollution.
And since these bans started in the 70s, it is believed that the first engine-powered leaf blowers were invented in 1970.
In the 80s, despite some cities banning leaf blowers, a market is making record sales.
In 1985, 75 000 leaf blowers were sold. Only two years later, 464 000 were sold. And in 1989, 800 000 machines were sold in the USA.
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More City Bans in 1990
In 1990 Los Angeles cities in California started massive bans on leaf blowers. Until 2000 almost the whole of California have bans on leaf blowers.
However, most of these bans are on gas-powered leaf blowers. Many cities use battery-powered leaf blowers to keep city parks clean and free from leaves and other debris.
But still, even today, some cities have a complete ban on leaf blowers. Any leaf blower can’t be used inside the city.
These bans make sense since noise pollution is relatively high when operating a leaf blower.
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Why They Ban Leaf Blowers
Most cities ban leaf blowers because of loud noise. But leaf blowers powered by gas are also significant pollutants since the two-stroke engine is not burning fuel efficiently.
There is also a potential health risk of blowing fine particles into the air, which people can inhale. Today we know that particles in the air are one of the main factors in lung disease.
Electric and cordless battery-powered leaf blowers are still going strong, and we can expect something new in the future.
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Final thoughts
Electric leaf blowers allow you to clean your backyard from debris and leaves.
Leaf blowers are powerful, and many models are on the market to choose from.
We can expect even more powerful leaf blowers with long-lasting batteries in the next couple of years.
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