Leaf clean-up season is in full swing, and one of the blowers drawing attention this fall is DeWalt’s newest: the 60V MAX Brushless Cordless Backpack Blower, model DCBL570B. It is a battery powered backpack unit aimed at large yards and landscape crews who want gas-like output without the gas. SlashGear lists it at $499 as a bare tool, which means no battery or charger in the box.

What you get

The DCBL570B runs on DeWalt’s FLEXVOLT 20V/60V MAX batteries. DeWalt notes that 60V MAX is the maximum initial voltage, and nominal voltage is 54. According to SlashGear, the blower is rated at 855 cfm of air volume and 160 mph of air speed, which puts it among the most powerful blowers DeWalt makes.

Key features listed by DeWalt:

  • Brushless motor with turbo and ECO modes
  • Digital speed control and an LED dashboard with real time feedback
  • Variable speed trigger with lock
  • Padded, adjustable shoulder straps and waist belt
  • Concentrator nozzle for heavy, stuck-on debris
  • TOOL CONNECT chip ready for tracking (chip sold separately)
  • 3 Year Limited Warranty

The DCBL570B is the tool only version. DeWalt also lists two kits: the DCBL570Y2 with two DCB612 12Ah batteries and two DCB118 chargers, and the DCBL570Z2 with two DCB615 15Ah batteries and two chargers. The sources do not give kit prices.

Timing is the big reason. Fall is when homeowners and crews deal with the heaviest leaf loads of the year, and wet, matted leaves are exactly the job DeWalt designed the concentrator nozzle for. SlashGear notes that many homeowners get by with blowers in the 300-600-cfm range, while professional landscapers rarely settle for less than 600 cfm. At 855 cfm, this model sits above both groups, which explains the interest from people replacing a tired gas backpack blower.

The battery side matters too. FLEXVOLT packs also power more than 300 of DeWalt’s 20V MAX tools, according to the company, so many buyers already own batteries that fit.

How it compares

The obvious alternative is DeWalt’s handheld FLEXVOLT blower, the DCBL777B, which uses the same batteries. A handheld unit is quicker to grab for patios, driveways and short jobs. The backpack design moves the weight from your wrist to your shoulders and hips, which DeWalt says makes long sessions more comfortable. If you clear leaves for an hour or more at a time, that difference counts more than raw output.

Who should buy it

Buy it if you have a large lot with mature trees, if you do landscaping for a living, or if you already run DeWalt FLEXVOLT batteries and want to retire a gas blower. Skip it if your yard is small or you only clean a deck and driveway: a handheld blower will be lighter, cheaper and easier to store. Also skip it if you are not on the DeWalt platform yet, since the bare tool needs batteries and a charger on top of the $499 price. The $499 figure is the US price reported by SlashGear; prices in other markets were not stated in the sources.