Doubling Down on Outdoor Tools Part 3 – The Makita LXT X2 Blower

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In part one of this series, I confessed that loud, gas-powered yard tools are one of my pet peeves, and leaf blowers make me downright ornery. Why, WHY are they SO loud, and why does the neighbor insist on blowing every single leaf all the way from the back yard to the street at 8 AM on Sunday? We were recently sent the Makita LXT X2 Blower (XBU02Z), and this quiet, powerful blower has rock-solid Makita 18V technology at its heart. Double batteries provide twice the power and lots of versatility. So can a battery powered blower cut it (or blow it in this case)?

Noise (or Lack Thereof)

The new Makita LXT X2 yard blower is quiet enough to make even the orneriest neighborhood curmudgeon smile, with a sound pressure rating coming in below even a lot of other electric models. The X2 blower runs at about 60 dB. Most of the smaller electric models from other manufacturers come in around 75 dB, and a gas two-stroke can easily run up over 100 dB. The LXT is quieter, if fact, than a Dust Buster handheld vacuum cleaner, which runs around 82.5 dB.

makita lxt blower
The LXT X2 totally BLOWS, quietly.

Makita LXT X2 Blower – Convenient & Easy

The LXT blower’s featherweight design (just under 10 pounds), push button and thumbwheel control and plentiful power makes it handy, even for smaller users. It features a six position variable speed selection dial, and the brushless motor delivers up to 120 MPH air velocity and 473 CFM of air volume. For any but the biggest suburban yards, this really should be a totally adequate alternative to the gas blower. The X2 comes with three blower nozzle tubes of varying lengths that can be stacked for a wide assortment of uses, from cleaning gutters to sidewalks to workbench tops.

Makita LXT X2 Blower
The bare tool is inexpensive and comes ready to use with your 18V Makita batteries.

The Beauty of X2 technology

For anyone who uses Makita’s cordless products, you know that they have made a serious commitment to the 18V platform and they REALLY have it dialed in. Last year they came out with the LXT lithium-ion 6 AH batteries, which have the same weight and dimensions as the lower-capacity 3.0Ah, 4.0Ah, and 5.0Ah LXT® batteries. The LXT batteries reach a full charge in only 55 minutes and have an onboard L.E.D. charge level indicator.

The dual charger keeps a set of lithium batteries ready for action.

“When contractors search for a cordless replacement for a corded tool, voltage is only part of the story,” said Carlos Quintana, Sr. Product Manager, Cordless, Makita U.S.A. “Watt hours, the product of amp hours and voltage, measures the amount of work performed by the tool and is a better performance indicator. The new 18-volt six amp-hour battery will create new standards in cordless efficiency and productivity. With two six amp hour batteries, an 18 volt X2 tool can meet and exceed corded tool performance, but with the same fast-charging 18-volt batteries that contractors use on their core 18-volt tools like drills and impact drivers, as well as flashlights, fans, radios, and much more. For contractors, it’s one 18 volt battery platform and one solution.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself, Mr. Quintana! To allow people to use the same batteries in a wide range of tools, both at work and at home, not only makes sense, but it shows a lot of respect for the customer. That is the kind of philosophy that creates brand loyalty. You can pick up the Makita LXT X2 Blower, bare tool model, for around $219 online.

Buy Now - via Tool Barn

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About Rich

Rich Dana loves to build things, to tinker on things, and to grow things. After more than a decade as a historic building remodeler in Brooklyn, New York, he and his wife Ericka moved to their back-to-the-land dream home (and fixer-uper nightmare), an 1870s farmhouse on 15 acres in eastern Iowa that they call “Catnip Farm.” For the last 18 years, Rich has specialized in super-efficient historical renovations and solar PV installation. He is working to convert much of the farm into perennial food crops like nut trees and berries, and he helps Ericka out with her heirloom seed project. His latest passion is learning to sew.

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