Makita CBU02 Offers Landscapers a Replacement For Gas Backpack Blowers
As battery power becomes more advanced, we’re seeing the professional landscaping market start to adopt it more than ever before. Blowers are a great place for OPE Pros to start when looking for a battery-powered entry point. We’re looking at Makita’s ConnectX Backpack Blower to see how it can help you ditch the gas can without sacrificing performance.
Editor’s Note: Check out our best backpack leaf blower article to get our top picks.
Makita ConnectX Backpack Blower Performance
- Model: Makita CBU02
- Brushless motor
- 64cc gas blower equivalence
- 22N blowing force
- Variable speed trigger
- Speeds from 0 – 670 CFM
- Up to 4 hours of runtime with ConnectX 1200Wh Portable Backpack Power Supply (sold separately)
The Makita CBU02 backpack blower uses a brushless motor coupled with a Makita ConnectX 1200Wh Portable Backpack Power Supply (sold separately) to give it a power output equivalent to a 64cc gas engine.
Makita boasts up to four hours of runtime with this blower. A variable speed trigger also helps you expand your runtime and choose the right airspeed for the task. It reaches speeds up to 160 MPH and air velocity of up to 670 CFM, for a total blowing force of 22 Newtons.
Makita ConnectX Backpack Blower Design
- Length: 54 inches
- Weight: 35.1 pounds (with power supply)
- Sound pressure rating of 60dB(A)
- Downward endpoint nozzle
- 3-stage telescoping nozzle
- In-line fan design
- Control handle power button
- Rubberized soft-grip handle
- Adjustable harness with waist belt
- Integrated carry handle
- Upright-standing capability
- IPX4 weather-resistant design
Shifting to this blower’s design, the CBU02 features a downward-pointing nozzle similar to what we’ve seen in other backpack blowers. This blueprint makes for a more natural-feeling operation that reduces fatigue. Plus, the nozzle has a 3-stage telescoping length that lets you adjust how closely you want it to sit towards the ground.
The rubberized, soft-grip handle also houses the control panel, with a power button that lets you turn the blower on or off while wearing it.
With a weight of 35.1 pounds (including the backpack power supply), this blower is far from the lightest backpack blower on the market. However, the adjustable harness and waist belt allow you to shift some of that weight from your shoulders to the rest of your torso.
An IPX4 rating also means that it’s weather-resistant— you don’t have to rush back to the garage or work trailer the moment the clouds open up.
Makita ConnectX Backpack Blower Price
This backpack blower retails for $699 as a bare tool and it’s available at your favorite Makita retailer. There are no kit options at the time of writing. Makita backs your purchase with a 3-year warranty.
