Greenworks 40V Cordless Leaf Blower UK Review – Full Test

The Greenworks 40V sits at the entry level of the cordless leaf blower market. It is noticeably more affordable than the Bosch AdvancedLeafBlower 36V and significantly less than the EGO LB5804E. That price point sets clear expectations – this is not competing with the premium options on raw performance, but on value and accessibility for gardeners who want a cordless blower without a significant investment.

We tested the Greenworks across the same autumn conditions as the EGO and Bosch to give a direct three-way comparison. This is the final individual review before our full best cordless leaf blowers UK comparison brings all three together. Here is the honest verdict on what the budget option can and cannot do.

Overview and first impressions

The Greenworks 40V is noticeably lighter and simpler than either of its rivals in this comparison – 2.1kg without battery, with a straightforward three-speed dial rather than a fully variable system. The build quality is adequate but a step below the Bosch and a significant step below the EGO – the plastic housing feels less substantial and the blower tube has a small amount of rattle that the premium options do not.

The design is functional rather than considered. The controls are simple and logical. The blower tube connects cleanly. The battery slides in easily and locks securely. It looks and feels like an entry-level tool, which is exactly what it is – and that is not necessarily a criticism if the performance delivers for the tasks it is designed for.

The three-speed dial covers low, medium and high settings with no variable control between them. For most domestic use this is entirely adequate – the majority of light leaf clearing tasks do not require the precision of a fully variable trigger, and the simplicity of the dial makes the tool approachable for gardeners who use it occasionally rather than regularly. The lack of a turbo boost mode is the meaningful absence when compared with the EGO, but at this price point its omission is expected.

Specifications and scores

Performance testing

On dry leaves in a typical suburban garden the Greenworks performs adequately. Dry leaves on a patio or path clear at maximum speed, though it takes noticeably more passes than the Bosch or EGO to achieve the same result. The lower airflow figure (480 m³/h vs 660 m³/h for the Bosch) is evident in use – there is less authority behind each burst of air and the effective working width is narrower.

On wet leaves the limitation becomes more pronounced. Wet leaves on a lawn require multiple passes and the blower struggles with any pile of significant depth. Matted wet leaves on a path need to be broken up before the Greenworks can move them effectively. This is not a criticism in isolation – it is the expected behaviour of an entry-level tool at this price point. The honest assessment is that it handles typical garden leaf clearance from a small to medium garden adequately, and fails to handle the heavy-duty scenarios that this price point was never designed for.

One area where the Greenworks genuinely outperforms its rivals in a meaningful way is weight and fatigue. At 2.1kg without battery it is significantly lighter than the Bosch (2.4kg) and meaningfully lighter than the EGO (3.4kg). Over a sustained 30-minute session – clearing a patio, a path and the lawn border of a small garden – the lighter weight translates to noticeably less arm fatigue. For older gardeners or anyone with limited upper body strength, this is a genuine functional advantage that the spec sheet numbers understate.

The noise level of 62 dB(A) is the lowest in the comparison – quieter than both the Bosch and the EGO. This is a genuine practical advantage for suburban gardens where early morning or weekend use is a neighbourly consideration. The lower power output produces less noise, which is the mechanical explanation, but the result is a tool that can be used at socially acceptable hours without comment.

Battery system and runtime

The Greenworks G40 battery platform covers the core garden tool categories – mowers, strimmers, hedge trimmers and blowers. It is not as widely supported as the Bosch Power for ALL or EGO systems but the range is adequate for a basic cordless garden tool collection. Runtime with the 2.0Ah battery is approximately 25-35 minutes at mixed speed – adequate for a small to medium garden in a single session.

The 4.0Ah battery extends runtime to 45-55 minutes. Relative to the tool’s entry-level positioning, a large-capacity battery represents a meaningful additional investment – worth factoring in when comparing total cost against the Bosch, which offers better performance at a proportionally smaller battery premium. For most small-garden users, the 2.0Ah battery included with the kit version covers a single autumn session without needing a top-up.

One genuine advantage of the Greenworks battery platform worth noting: the batteries are lighter than equivalent-capacity EGO and Bosch batteries, which keeps the tool’s overall in-use weight lower. On a tool that is already the lightest in the comparison at 2.1kg body-only, that lighter battery further reduces the fatigue advantage that makes the Greenworks genuinely more comfortable to use than its rivals for extended sessions.

Performance and limitations

The Greenworks 40V is an honest entry-level tool. It does not pretend to compete with the EGO or Bosch on raw performance, and in direct testing the gap is clear – particularly on wet leaves, where the lower airflow figure becomes a practical limitation rather than a spec sheet difference. For the right use case, however, none of those limitations matter: a small, regularly cleared garden with light annual leaf fall from shrubs and a small tree or two is exactly the scenario the Greenworks handles without complaint.

Final verdict

The Greenworks 40V does what its price suggests – it provides entry-level cordless leaf blowing capability at an entry-level price. In the right context – small garden, dry leaves, occasional use – it is perfectly adequate. Against the Bosch and EGO it is clearly outperformed, but at roughly half to a third of the cost that is expected rather than a criticism.

The buying decision is straightforward: if your garden is small and leaf fall is moderate, the Greenworks saves you a meaningful sum over the Bosch and delivers an acceptable result for the conditions it is designed for. If your garden is larger, leaf fall is heavy, or you need reliable performance on wet autumn leaves, spend more and buy the Bosch or EGO. The performance gap in demanding conditions is simply too large to paper over with price alone.

The warranty gap is also worth noting clearly. Two years from Greenworks versus three from Bosch and five from EGO – for a seasonal tool that is only used heavily for six to eight weeks each year, those differences translate into meaningful real-world coverage periods. A tool bought this autumn and used through five seasons is still within warranty with Bosch and well within warranty with EGO. With Greenworks it is not. For occasional light use that is unlikely to cause failure, this distinction matters less – but for anyone who plans to use the tool hard each autumn, the longer warranty cover offered by the premium options has genuine value.

For a full head-to-head comparison with detailed scoring across every category, our best cordless leaf blowers UK guide brings all three together and names an outright winner for each garden type and budget.