DeWalt 60V MAX Brushless Backpack Blower

Why I reached for this blower

I’ve been steadily moving more yard and jobsite cleanup work to battery power, and a high-capacity backpack blower is one of the last holdouts. I wanted something quieter than gas, strong enough to move damp debris, and manageable for longer sessions around a property. The DeWalt 60V backpack blower checks most of those boxes, with a few clear tradeoffs you should know before you buy.

Design and build

This is a purpose-built, pro-leaning cordless backpack blower. The brushless motor and 60V platform promise high output, and the pack integrates a padded harness with adjustable shoulder straps and a waist belt. The build feels robust: thick plastics, a sturdy frame, and a wand that doesn’t flex when you lean into it. The included concentrator nozzle snaps on securely for directed airflow, and the main tube has a simple twist-lock that resists accidental rotation.

Weight-wise, it’s not light for a cordless unit. The big 60V battery contributes a lot here. The harness distributes that weight better than a handheld blower ever could, but you still feel the mass—mostly in the arm holding the wand, especially when you’re using high throttle for long passes. If you’re coming from a handheld 20V blower, expect a very different, more deliberate experience. If you’re used to gas backpack blowers, the heft is familiar; the balance and vibration are much improved.

Controls and interface

DeWalt’s control scheme is genuinely helpful. A variable-speed trigger handles the minute-to-minute modulation, while a trigger lock lets you set and hold a consistent output for longer stretches. A digital speed selector gives you quick access to ECO and Turbo modes, and an LED dashboard shows mode selection and remaining battery. The display is easy to glance at mid-job; I could read it in shade and bright conditions, though like most LEDs it can wash out a bit in direct midday sun.

One small gripe: Turbo is a push-to-engage high output mode rather than a “set it and forget it” profile. That’s appropriate for short bursts—digging out stuck piles of wet leaves, pushing pine needles from lawn to hardscape—but I’d love a latching Turbo option or a setting memory so the blower wakes up where I left it.

Performance and airflow

Raw blowing force is the standout. On hard surfaces, the 60V backpack blower sweeps gravel, mulch, and damp clippings with authority. On turf, it has enough volume to loft matted leaves and push them without endlessly stirring them in place. The concentrator nozzle is great for stubborn corners, cleaning out flower-bed edges, and blasting debris out of tighter gaps and equipment housings.

What impressed me most is the control across the range. ECO is genuinely useful—quiet, efficient, and adequate for dusting sidewalks, patios, and garage floors. Standard mode is where I spent most time for lawn cleanup and driveway work. Turbo is the problem-solver: I’d bump into it for wet clumps or heavy debris, then drop back to Standard to conserve battery. There’s plenty of airflow “under the curve,” so you’re not riding Turbo constantly just to get basic tasks done.

Runtime and charging

Like any high-output cordless blower, runtime hinges on how you use the tool and what battery you pair with it. With a high-capacity 60V pack, here’s what I saw:

• ECO mode: roughly 25–30 minutes of sustained cleanup on mixed hardscape and turf.
• Mixed Standard with periodic Turbo bursts: about 18–20 minutes for a typical post-mowing cleanup of a mid-size property.
• Sustained Turbo: around 10–12 minutes when I intentionally forced it to move damp, heavy piles end to end.

Those numbers are realistic, not optimistic. They’re also good for a cordless blower in this performance class, but they’re nowhere near a tank of gas. Plan accordingly. If you routinely tackle larger areas or long leaf seasons, budget for a second battery. Also note that the large-capacity packs take time to recharge on a standard charger; a fast charger is a smart accessory if you’re cycling through packs during a day’s work.

The physics tradeoff is unavoidable: the battery big enough to give satisfying runtime is also heavy. If you drop to a smaller pack to save weight, you’ll cut run time significantly. I found the big pack + harness combo the better compromise, but your priorities may vary.

Ergonomics in real use

The harness is well thought out. The padded straps adjust easily, and the waist belt is effective and worth using—it takes weight off the shoulders and keeps the pack anchored when you pivot and twist. I’d recommend taking a couple of minutes before your first use to dial in strap length and belt height; it pays dividends in reduced fatigue.

The wand has a comfortable handle and good reach. Still, the arm holding the wand is where you’ll feel it over longer sessions. Two tips help:

• Use the trigger lock. It keeps airflow consistent and reduces grip fatigue.
• Work at a slightly lower output and use the concentrator nozzle to direct flow, only bumping to Turbo for sticky spots. This reduces the constant torque you feel at the handle.

Also, keep the intake screen clear of clothing and debris. On any backpack blower, blocking the intake both hurts performance and creates awkward torque as airflow shifts.

Noise and manners

Compared to gas backpack blowers, this unit is noticeably quieter and has a more pleasant sound profile—a smooth electric wind versus a two-stroke bark. It’s still a powerful blower, so hearing protection is appropriate, but the lower overall noise level broadens when and where you can responsibly use it. Vibration is minimal, and there’s no exhaust smell—two immediate quality-of-life wins.

Build quality and maintenance

Fit and finish are solid. Connections feel durable, the tube interfaces cleanly, and the electronics protected by the LED interface never glitched in my use. The brushless motor promises long service life with minimal maintenance. Your care tasks are straightforward: keep the intake and tubes clean, store batteries at recommended charge levels, and periodically inspect the harness hardware for wear.

DeWalt’s TOOL CONNECT/Chip Ready capability is a nice bonus for crews managing fleets; if you’re on a jobsite with multiple teams, asset tracking can prevent “mystery migrations” of tools between trucks.

What’s in the box (and what’s not)

The blower includes the main unit and a concentrator nozzle. Batteries and charger are sold separately on the bare-tool version, and that’s easy to miss. If you don’t already own compatible 60V packs and a charger, factor that cost into your decision. A high-capacity pack is essential to get the experience this blower is designed to deliver.

Who it’s for

• Homeowners with medium to larger properties who want a cordless solution that can actually replace a gas blower for routine cleanup.
• Pros and facility crews working in noise-restricted areas where gas blowers are frowned upon or banned, and who can stage multiple batteries or opportunity charge during the day.
• Anyone who wants the control and comfort of a backpack format without the vibration, fumes, and cold starts of gas.

Who should look elsewhere: if your fall leaf cleanup consists of hours-long sessions moving soggy piles across acreage, a gas backpack blower still wins on endurance. Likewise, if you’re only cleaning a small patio and driveway, a lighter handheld blower might be more convenient.

The bottom line

The DeWalt 60V backpack blower delivers real, usable power with excellent control in a quiet, well-built package. Its limitations are the known ones for high-performance cordless: weight concentrated in the battery and finite runtime that depends heavily on mode selection. Treat Turbo as a tool, not a crutch; lean on ECO and Standard; and invest in a second battery if your work routinely runs past 20 minutes. Do that, and this blower shines.

Recommendation

I recommend the DeWalt 60V backpack blower for homeowners and pros who value strong, controllable airflow, lower noise, and the convenience of cordless, and who can live within 10–30 minutes of real-world runtime per pack. It’s a capable, comfortable machine for routine property maintenance and medium-duty cleanup. If you expect to run wide open for an hour at a time, budget for extra batteries—or stick with gas. For almost everyone else, this is a practical, well-executed step into high-output cordless blowing.