Flex 24V Jobsite Blower Prioritizes Power Without Losing Control
To quote PTR reviewer Josh McGaffigan, the Flex 24V battery-operated jobsite blower is "cute." While his initial response may or may not have been helpful, we were more interested in finding out how useful it was for our cleanup efforts.
advantage
- Powerful Performance of Flex Brushless Motors
- Lightweight and compact design
- Excellent control of airflow power and direction
- Comfortable handle design
- flexible nozzle
- Includes accessories for inflating and deflating large batches
shortcoming
- no package options available
- Some may prefer traditional flip flops
design
A jobsite blower shouldn't be the same as the leaf blower you use in your yard. They tend to be smaller and lighter and are designed specifically for cleaning hard surfaces on construction sites.
Even when compared to other cordless jobsite blowers, the Flex's design looks a little different. Length with battery is just over 28 inches. This is normal. Where it departs from tradition is the handle and controls.
The handle is slim and chiseled with an aggressive overmolded texture. Overall, it's comfortable to hold. The position shifts to more of a rear handle design, so instead of grabbing the tool from the top like other leaf blowers, you grab it from the back. It felt a bit odd at first, but the angle of the blower is better than you might think.
The nozzle part is fully rubberized and soft. In contrast to standard leaf blower nozzles which can crack or snap off on impact, this nozzle simply rolls with the punch and returns to its original shape.
Performance
Flex equipped this blower with a more efficient and powerful brushless motor. It has 115 CFM and 185 MPH. That might not sound very impressive as a battery-operated leaf blower crosses the 700 CFM mark. However, this is on purpose. By prioritizing airspeed as high as possible, the blower is able to move larger debris that lower speed blowers would not budge. Everything from larger wood chips to pebbles can be moved without any problem. It also hits more targeted areas than a leaf blower.
These controls are fun because there are no triggers. 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 seemed lefties were out of luck, we were able to control the speed with both hands easily.
According to the Flex, you can expect up to 14 minutes of runtime when running at high speed from the 2.5Ah battery. Turbo runs for about 10 minutes. We tested it with a 3.5Ah stacked lithium battery and ran it for 19 minutes on high power and just under 14 minutes on turbo boost.
application
As a construction site blower, the Flex FX5441 does a great job of cleaning up the smudges of our work while packing. One good thing is that we have more control over cleaning our shop than with a wide nozzle leaf blower, which tends to send debris into corners.
There are also many cross uses. Its slender, flexible nozzle and strong airspeed are great for lawn chores and cleaning the mower after clearing porches, decks, and driveways.
Additional Field Notes
- When you turn off the blower, the motor stops very quickly
- 84 dB HF, 84 dB Turbo (dB(a) measured from operator's ear)
- The tone of the noise is a bit annoying
- 2.8 lbs bare, 4.4 lbs with 3.5Ah stacked lithium battery
- Includes inflator/deflate nozzle
Construction Site Blowers Quick Comparison
| DeWalt DCE100 | Flextronics FX5441 | Milwaukee 0884 | |
| engine | drawing | brushless | drawing |
| maximum airspeed | 135 mph | 185 mph | 160 mph |
| Maximum air volume | 100 cubic feet | 115 cubic meters | 100 cubic feet |
| bare weight | 2.5 lbs | 2.8 lbs | 2.6 lbs |
| price | $149.00 | $119.99 | $129.00 |
Flex 24V Battery Operated Construction Site Blower Prices
Flex sells its jobsite blower as a bare-bones unit for $119.99, with no kit options currently available. Among high-end professional brands, it's at the lower end of the price spectrum. The tool comes with a 5 year warranty and if you register before 12/31/22 you will be upgraded to the Flex Founder's Lifetime Warranty.
The blower isn't available as we write this review, but we expect it to be at Flex retailers soon.
the bottom line
The Flex 24V battery powered job site blower is powerful, well designed, and less expensive than the competition. What more could you ask for? If you're using a Flex 24V battery system, this blower is a great way to speed up cleanup at the end of the day.
Flex 24V Battery Powered Construction Site Blower Specifications
- Model: Flextronics FX5441
- Power: Flex 24V battery
- Maximum airspeed: 185 MPH
- Maximum air volume: 115 CFM
- Estimated runtime with 2.5Ah battery: 14 minutes (high), 10 minutes (turbo)
- Weight: 2.8 lbs bare, 4.4 lbs w/3.5Ah stacked lithium battery
- Price: $119.99 bare metal
- Warranty: 5 years