Flex 24V Jobsite Blower Prioritizes Power Without Losing Control
To quote PTR reviewer, Josh McGaffigan, the Flex 24V battery-powered jobsite blower is “adorable”. While his initial reaction may or may not be helpful, we were more interested in discovering how useful it might be for our cleanup chores.
Pros
- Strong performance from Flex’s brushless motor
- Lightweight, compact design
- Excellent control of airflow power and direction
- Comfortable handle design
- Flexible nozzle
- Includes attachments for inflating and deflating high-volume products
Cons
- No kit option available
- Some people may prefer a traditional trigger
Using the Flex 24V Battery-Powered Jobsite Blower
Design
Jobsite blowers aren’t supposed to be the same as the leaf blower you use in your yard. They tend to be smaller, lighter and are purpose-built for clearing off hard surfaces on construction sites.
Even compared to other cordless jobsite blowers, Flex’s design looks a bit different. It’s a little over 28 inches in length with a battery. That’s normal. Where it bucks tradition is around the handle and controls.
The handle is slim and contoured with an aggressive overmold texture. Overall, it’s comfortable to hold. The placement shifts to more of a rear-handle design, so instead of gripping the tool at the top like other leaf blowers, you grip it from behind. It felt a little odd at first but angles the blower down better than you might think.
The nozzle section is completely rubberized and soft. Compared to standard leaf blower nozzles that can crack or break when they banged around, this one just rolls with the punches and goes back to its original shape.
Performance
Flex went with a more efficient and powerful brushless motor for this blower. It boasts 115 CFM and 185 MPH. With battery-powered leaf blowers pushing beyond the 700 CFM mark, that might not sound very impressive. It’s intentional, though. By prioritizing airspeed as high as it is, the blower is able to move the larger debris that lower speed blower won’t budge. Everything from larger wood chips to pebbles moves along with no problem. It also hits a far more targetted area than leaf blowers.
The controls are interesting in that there’s no trigger. It’s just a cruise control dial and a turbo button, and the turbo works without engaging the cruise control. Personally, I really like it. While it may look like lefties are out of luck, we were able to control the speed easily using both hands.
According to Flex, you can expect up to 14 minutes of runtime with a 2.5Ah battery running at high speed. Turbo runs roughly 10 minutes. We tested with a 3.5Ah Stacked Lithium battery and got 19 minutes in high and just under 14 minutes using turbo.
Applications
As a jobsite blower, the Flex FX5441 does a great job cleaning off the evidence of our work when it’s time to pack up. One thing that’s nice is we’re able to clean up our shop with more control than with wide-nozzle leaf blowers that tend to send debris into the corners.
There are plenty of crossover uses, too. Its skinny flexible nozzle and strong airspeed do a nice job cleaning off lawn mowers after lawn chores and clearing porches, decks, and driveways.
Additional Field Notes
- Motor stops impressively fast when you turn the blower off
- 84 decibels in high, 84 decibels in turbo (dB(a) measured from the operator’s ear)
- The tone of the noise is somewhat irritating
- Weighs 2.8 pounds bare and 4.4 pounds with a 3.5Ah Stacked Lithium battery
- Includes inflator/deflator nozzles
Jobsite Blower Quick Comparison
| DeWalt DCE100 | Flex FX5441 | Milwaukee 0884 | |
| Motor | Brushed | Brushless | Brushed |
| Max Airspeed | 135 MPH | 185 MPH | 160 MPH |
| Max Air Volume | 100 CFM | 115 CFM | 100 CFM |
| Bare Weight | 2.5 lbs | 2.8 lbs | 2.6 lbs |
| Price | $149 | $119 | $129 |
Flex 24V Battery-Powered Jobsite Blower Price
Flex sells its jobsite blower as a bare tool for $119 and there are no kit options at the moment. Among premium professional brands, it’s on the lower end of the price scale. The tool has a 5-year warranty and if you register the tool, you get an upgrade to the Flex Founder’s lifetime warranty.
At the time we’re writing this review, the blower isn’t available, but we expect it to show up at Flex retailers soon.
The Bottom Line
The Flex 24V battery-powered jobsite blower is strong, well-designed, and less expensive than its competition. What more could you ask for? If you’re on the Flex 24V battery system, this blower is an excellent way to speed up your cleanup at the end of the day.
Flex 24V Battery-Powered Jobsite Blower Specifications
- Model: Flex FX5441
- Power Source: Flex 24V battery
- Max Airspeed: 185 MPH
- Max Air Volume: 115 CFM
- Estimated Runtime w/ 2.5Ah Battery: 14 min (high), 10 min (turbo)
- Weight: 2.8 lbs bare, 4.4 lbs w/3.5Ah Stacked Lithium battery
- Price: $119 bare
- Warranty: 5 years
