We’ve come a long way with electric tools. Some still aren’t there yet (I still haven’t found an electric weed whacker I like), but ther are two in my toolbox now that I wouldn’t do without.
First is an electric blower. I’ve used a few different models, and with these, you get what you pay for. You want one with a turbo button, trust me, and those get pretty expensive. The more money you spend, the more power you get and the longer it will run before needing to be charged.
I like the 56V EGO brand, available on Amazon or Lowes. Use your best judgment; if you only need to blow off your deck and pathways, you will want a lighter-weight model without the turbo. Most people will appreciate having the extra power come fall though.
The second is hedge trimmers. I have a 40V Kobalt from Lowes that runs forever and tackles most jobs I throw at it. I much prefer the regular trimmer to an extendable one. It’s not worth the additional weight for how little the extensions get used.
Hedge trimmers are great for deadheading perennials like echinacea or lavender, especially if you are a “leave the crap there to compost” kinda person like I am.
I haven’t used any other brands besides my Kobalt, but they seem the same if you go by battery size. The 40V hits the sweet spot of weight to power ratio.