It can seem surprising, but leaf blowers make very good car dryers. They are sold everywhere and are quite affordable, making them a great choice. However, with that proliferation comes a drawback –there are so many of them, so it can be confusing to decide which is the best leaf blower for car drying.
Leaf blowers come in every kind of variety you can imagine, from centrifugal, brushless, and turbine leaf blowers to cordless and corded leaf blowers. One positive note is that if you search for a leaf blower based on finding one that dries your car, the plethora of options to select from becomes whittled down.
With that, let’s get into the best car dryer blower!
Best Leaf Blower For Car Drying
1. GreenWorks 24252 G-MAX – Best Cordless Leaf Blower
If you are searching for a cordless electric leaf blower capable of drying your car, then the GreenWorks 24252 G-Max is a wonderful option. While it might provide as much air as some want, it is still capable of any task you set, whether a sealed or waxed vehicle.
The G-Max has decent airspeed, so moving water has no issue. The only thing to note is that you will have a smaller pathway with each pass, requiring more work.
Fortunately, it makes up for this lower air volume with its compact size and lightweight. As one of the lightest cordless leaf blowers, it provides an outstanding run time and power for its range.
It also is a lot quieter compared to other units. This electric leaf blower also has a feature that lets you control how aggressively it blows water around – a very useful feature when trying to blow the water out of tight spaces.
As a cordless leaf blower, it has an interchangeable battery that you can swap out for other tools in the GreenWorks G-Max lineup. The 24252 also comes with a 4-year warranty that gives you enough time to truly get your money’s worth from this car dryer.
Key Features
- Lightweight
- Comfort grip
- Variable speed dia
- 150 MPH air speed
- 40 V sweeper
Pros
- Variable speed
- Lightweight design
- Great nozzle design
- Interchangeable battery
- 4-year warranty
- Ok air sped
- Affordable
- Quieter than other leaf blowers in its class
Cons
- Subpar air volume
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2. Sun Joe SBJ601E- Best Corded Leaf Blower
If you are interested in purchasing a dedicated car detailing leaf blower and don’t mind dealing with cords, then the Sun Joe BJ601E is the best choice. It is inexpensive yet capable of replacing your microfiber towel to get the job done. This unit has decent air volume and speed at the nozzle.
It has a flat nozzle which helps it sufficiently concentrate air in the direction you want. This shape ensures you don’t spend all day chasing droplets.
At 4 and a half pounds, the Sun Joe is exceptionally lightweight and has a compact design, making it quite easy to move around and yield without accidentally hitting yourself or your car. The unit comes with a 3-year warranty and has received decent ratings on reliability and durability – so there should be no issue of you not getting your money’s worth.
One negative about the BJ601E is that it is louder than most. Considering that it moves a lot of air and comes in a small and cheap package, one can expect to make sacrifices somewhere.
Since drying your car isn’t an all-day event, it most likely isn’t the worst thing you will have to deal with; however, it is important to mention it.
Another drawback to note is that you will need your own extension unit, as this corded leaf blower doesn’t come with one. You might want to consider getting a 50-feet 16-ga extension cord to match the 10 amp motor of this car dryer blower.
Key Features
- Powerful 10 amp motor
- Offers 12,000 to 15,000 RPM
- 215 MPH air speed
- 240 CFM Air Volume
- Weighs just 4.4 pounds
- No extension cord
- 3-year warranty
- 2-speed air control
Pros
- Reliable
- Extremely affordable
- Compact design
- Lightweight
- Flat nozzle for greater directional air water control
- Decent air speed to volume ratio
Cons
- Hard plastic nozzle
- Loud
- Doesn’t come with an extension cord
Now that we have highlighted the best leaf blowers for drying a car, it is time to discover the factors to consider when purchasing one.
Buyers Guide for the Best Leaf Blower for Car Drying
The factors highlighted in this section must be considered when purchasing the best leaf blower for car drying.
Gas, Electric, or Battery Lead Blower?
When you search the internet or a hardware store for a leaf blower, you will discover that they come in various forms: electric, gas, and battery-powered.
For the most part, gas-powered leaf blowers are the heaviest and loudest. You will also have to concern yourself with mixing oil and fuel when a 2 stroke engine powers the leaf blower.
The leaf blower will also require more maintenance compared to other types. A gas-powered leaf blower is quite expensive to purchase simply for car detailing.
Battery-powered leaf blowers are a great choice as they work just as well as electric leaf blowers. One drawback, however, is that they tend to cost a lot more. Nevertheless, not having to deal with a cord while drying your car might be worth the additional expense.
One reason to consider getting a leaf blower rather than a dedicated car dryer is its accessibility and cost savings.
Noise level
Leaf blowers, like most yard tools, are extremely loud. Acoustics are typically an afterthought in their design process. Nevertheless, being safe when using any yard tool is important, and a leaf blower isn’t left out. This means you should have hearing protection when trying to dry your car after auto detailing.
A general rule is that if you raise your voice to speak to someone just three feet away, you can experience sustained hearing damage. With that in mind, wear ear protection when using a leaf blower for an extended period.
Airflow
You also need to consider your preferred leaf blower’s airflow and speed rating, as they vary widely. This means paying attention to any numbers with CFM –cubic feet per minute for air volume—and MPH for airspeed.
When shopping for the best leaf blower for car drying, you will discover that a number of the bigger turbine and brushless style leaf blowers come with low MPH ratings but high CFM ratings. This means that while they can move quite a lot of air, they don’t do so very quickly.
Combine this with the fact that the leaf blowers in question typically have nozzle designs that are ineffective at moving water as a soft microfiber towel would. The minimum recommendation for a car dryer works around 150 CFM and 160 MPH. Thankfully, various inexpensive leaf blowers have these ratings.
The moment you go higher than the recommended ratings, the price you pay for a leaf blower can rapidly rise to the point that it just makes perfect fiscal sense to purchase a dedicated car dryer blower.
Air Control
Since leaf blowers have been designed with fixed nozzles that aren’t the best for moving air around in a controlled manner, they make auto detailing difficult. These leaf blowers do not have any attachments or accessories that can make the drying process efficient.
The larger turbine and brushless style leaf blowers, such as the Worx WG520, are designed with large nozzle openings.
This design doesn’t work effectively when trying to coax water from the paint. This nozzle simply moves a lot of air around due to the lack of directional control. Using such a leaf blower means that you are stuck chasing water droplets.
Physical Risks
All leaf blowers come with hard plastic tips, which can be quite dangerous for your vehicle. One way to negate this is to purchase a leaf blower that is small and lightweight. Its lightweight will make it easier for you to move it around while reducing the chances of hitting your car with it.
Air Quality
Compared to purpose-built car dryer blowers, electric leaf blowers do not come with air filtration. This means the air that goes into the leaf blower is the same as you get on your paint.
This is why it isn’t advised to use the same leaf blower for drying your car and yard work. The last thing you want is dust, debris, and dirt blowing onto your wet car while you try to dry it.
When dirt is blown onto your car via a leaf blower, it collects in the water leaving spots and streaks on your car as you push the water off.
You are then forced to get a soft microfiber cloth to wipe it up and get a perfect finish. This is also why you shouldn’t get gas leaf blowers to dry your car, as they are even more prone to spitting out contaminants and dirt.
Tips to Remember When Using the Best Leaf Blower for Car Drying
The following tips can help you protect your car and ensure you dry it efficiently:
Consider Your Surroundings
The last thing you want to do is to use a leaf blower on your car near a potential dust source. This can be on a gravel driveway or a dusty shop. You are better off finding concrete ground to dry your car. Nevertheless, if this isn’t possible, you can wet the ground near your vehicle before blow drying it.
To save time, you can run the car dryer on the same spot you washed your car since it should already be wet.
Focus on Drying Large Areas Rather Than Getting Every Drop
When drying your car, a time will come when you have blown most of the water and wet leaves off, with only a few drops left. The last thing you need to do is chase every drop to ensure the car is dry. Instead, use a soft microfiber towel and your quick detailer to wipe the area dry. This can help you save a lot of time.
Your Leaf Blower Should Do More Than Drying
It is easy to think that the best leaf blower is simply for drying the water, but it can do a lot more. It can blow water from your engine bay after you wash it. You can also use it to dry other vehicles like PWCs, ATVs, and more.
These vehicles are full of pockets and crevices where water can pool. Their design makes it difficult for you to dry them with a microfiber towel.
Best Leaf Blower for Car Drying: Conclusion
Since you will use a leaf blower to dry your car, motorcycle, truck, or any other type of vehicle, the best leaf blower for car drying has to be the Sun Joe SBJ601E. As an electric leaf blower, it is lightweight and has a compact design to ensure that you are safe at all times when drying your car.
Conversely, if you want a cordless leaf blower, then the GreenWorks 24252 G-Max is the one for you. Remember, when using a leaf blower to dry your car, ensure that you do not use it for any other activity.
This is because leaf blowers typically do not come with air filtration, so you could blow debris, dirt, and dust onto your car. All of this can make it quite difficult for you to clean your car.
While this is a small risk, it isn’t something you want if you are a stickler for having a clean car.
