When Makita first announced a handheld cordless dust blower for the 40V max XGT system, I have to admit that my first reaction was skepticism as to how useful it would be. We’ve been using the GSA01 model for a while now and I’d like to explain how wrong I was.
Makita Cordless Dust Blower Performance
Makita starts with a brushless motor and tunes it to drive an impeller that’s capable of 39 CFM and 447 MPH. Before we go any further, we have to talk about those numbers. 39 CFM is relatively low compared to leaf blowers or even compact jobsite blowers. On the other hand, 447 MPH is crazy-high!
The reason the Makita GSA01 can accomplish that high airspeed is that there are five nozzles that come in the box. With the smallest nozzle opening, the brushless motor and inline design create super-high airspeeds.
You don’t have to work at the highest power level, though. There are four speeds you can use to dial it in along with those nozzle options. If you have a larger area to blow off, there’s also a lock-on button to help you out.
The runtime depends on what setting you use. On low, you can get up to 50 minutes with a 2.5Ah battery. We use it mostly on high to clean quicker and that netted us right at 13 minutes of continuous runtime in our test.
Makita 40V Max XGT Cordless Dust Blower Design Notes
Size and Weight
The GSA01 has a bulbous-looking head thanks to Makita bucking the trend of typical blowers and giving it a pistol grip. There are some advantages to that, though. For one, the head is only 7 1/8 inches long, so it gets into much tighter spaces than other compact blowers.
It also weighs just 1.85 pounds as a bare tool and the 2.5Ah XGT battery brings it up to a very reasonable 3.43 pounds.
Additional Highlights
- Tether point
- Lock out switch
Makita 40V Max XGT Cordless Dust Blower Price
You can grab the Makita GSA01 as a bare tool with five nozzles and a belt hook for $169. There’s no kit option, but that’s not a big surprise for a supplementary tool like this. Makita backs the blower with a 3-year warranty.
The Bottom Line
What you need to understand about the Makita 40V max XGT cordless dust blower is that it’s designed to use close to what you’re blowing. Whether it’s sawdust on a workbench or blowing out the crevices on your miter saw, this little blower is unbelievably useful and its high airspeed moves debris out of areas we normally grab the compressor hose for. As skeptical as I was when I first saw it, it’s an indispensable part of our cleanup and makes the chore much easier.
Makita 40V Max XGT Cordless Dust Blower Specifications
- Model: Makita GSA01
- Power Source: Makita 40V max XGT battery
- Max Airspeed: 447 MPH
- Max Airflow: 39 CFM
- Length: 7 1/8 inches
- Weight: 1.85 pounds bare
