Customer Reviews: Read 184 more reviews...
 Pretty good - but don't get rid of your corded blower April 6, 2004
64 out of 67 found this review helpful
I just bought the B&D NS118 blower along with the NST2018 cordless string trimmer. I have a corner lot with long parkways and a lot of sidewalk footage, and have grown tired of dealing with up to 175 feet of extension cables for my corded trimmer and blower. I've had a nice battery-powered mower for several years, and felt it was time to go all cordless. This new pair of tools seemed promising, particularly because of the removable battery design.After only one use I can say I'm reasonably satisfied, but not fully sold. Handling: This is probably one of the lightest blowers available and is easy to handle. But the way the nozzle attaches is not good at all. It's difficult to remove, and the design invites finger accidents. Power: The blower is nowhere near as powerful as my corded one. B&D refers to this as a "broom" and that's an appropriate description. It works well on surfaces where you might otherwise use a push broom. It's not good at getting leaves out of grass or flowerbeds. But in a way, the lower airflow can be better for sweeping than a corded blower. My corded one, even at its low setting, can often send debris flying all over the place. This one calmly moves stuff where you want it to go. Battery: The batteries are compact. The blower comes with two of them, and I needed them both to complete one job. I guess I'm okay with this approach. It makes sense to lug around only as much weight as is necessary rather than carry a much heavier battery the whole time. If you buy this along with a trimmer as I did, you'll have four batteries and two chargers available for swapping. And if you happen to have a FireStorm 18v drill, you can apparently swap batteries with that system as well. Quality: Build quality seems similar to most B&D stuff, meaning it will probably work for a few years. Overall: Going cordless does simplify my work and save me time, but this tool isn't appropriate for all cleanup jobs. I have a month to make up my mind about keeping it. But even if it passes muster, I suspect I'll want to hang onto my corded blower for the occasional heavy job.
 No Mess. No Hassles. Gets the job done September 27, 2004
B. Chandler (Arlington, Texas)
63 out of 64 found this review helpful
I never was a cord person. This broom is a move up from my previous Black & Decker Versa Pack system. With a lawn under 2,000 sq ft it does not pay to have noisy messy gas powered equipment. And even thought it is well within range, I prefer not to drag around a cord. This Broom offers an excellent solution. I can not use up the first of two batteries on a standard lawn cleanup.
The only question I have is why does the charger stay on red even when the battery is obviously charged? I do not worry enough to take away form its efficiency.
One year later June 5, 2005
Terence Mcardle (Pittsford, NY USA)
52 out of 53 found this review helpful
I have a medium-size suburban house sitting on about half an acre.
In the past year I've used this to:
-clear the walks after mowing and/or trimming,
-keep the garage floor swept out (great especially in the fall) and
-clear off my deck in less than a minute.
Great complement to the cordless trimmer in this family (the batteries are interchangeable).
Big plusses: light and simple to use; enough wind for small-to-medium jobs (get a gas-powered blower if you can't use a rake for your leaves) and enough battery power for about 10-to- 15 minutes of blowing.
Minuses: Battery life a little short; not good for year-round outdoor use in the north (you shouldn't charge this thing in temps below 40); no easy way to buy a charging station and extra batteries.
Be CAREFUL! This is does NOT necessarily use the same battery as B&D Firestorm products. Some Firestorm batteries are the wrong size and voltage. Others have a stub which fits into the handle; the compatible B&D 18v products look like a big fat black Advil tablet (sort of).
I will probably buy most of the B&D products that are compatible, eventually. They seem to work for me.
Quick and light, just like a broom April 25, 2004
23 out of 23 found this review helpful
It's a great little product for those light jobs like blowing dirt and leaves off the patio or grass off the sidewalk after the lawn is mowed.
It's extremely easy to handle, much lighter than the large, corded "Hog" that I also own.
This product should be used to supplement, not replace, the larger, more powerful corded blower.
I found battery changing very simple and less difficult than the cordless weed trimmer I have (also a B&B product).
It was nice to not have to fuss with the 100-foot cord just to "sweep" some grass trimming. Quick and easy are the operative words.
Exceeded my expectations! September 27, 2004
John I. Charlesworth
23 out of 24 found this review helpful
This is a great little cordless blower. So light that my petite wife loves to use it, and so powerful that I love it. Each battery lasts at least 10 minutes--enough to do my large patio and garage. The battery is easy to insert into the blower and into the charger. This blower sure beats my former cordless blower, and is a lot more convenient than my corded one. It would be perfect if it also had a "low" setting (for tight places, etc.)
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