You've seen them. Those neon-red tubes sticking out of the back of every contractor’s truck from Maine to California. If you’re standing in the aisle at Home Depot staring at the Milwaukee Blower 2724 20, you’re probably wondering if a battery-powered fan is actually worth two hundred bucks, or if it’s just another piece of plastic designed to sell more M18 batteries. Honestly? It's a bit of both, but mostly it's just a beast of a tool that changed how people think about yard work. Gas blowers are loud, they smell like a lawnmower’s exhaust pipe, and they’re a pain to start when it’s 40 degrees outside. This thing? You just pull the trigger and the leaves move.
It's not perfect. No tool is. But after years of people putting the M18 FUEL Cordless Handheld Blower through the wringer, we’ve finally figured out where it shines and where it kinda falls on its face.
The Reality of 450 CFM and 120 MPH
Marketing departments love big numbers. They put "450 CFM" on the box like it’s a magical spell that will make your lawn pristine in five minutes. CFM stands for Cubic Feet per Minute, which is basically the volume of air. The MPH is the speed. Think of it like a river. A wide, slow river (high CFM, low MPH) can move a lot of water, but it won't push a heavy rock. A pressure washer (low CFM, high MPH) can blast paint off a house but won't clear a parking lot.
The Milwaukee Blower 2724 20 hits a sweet spot. It reaches full throttle in under a second. That's the real advantage of the POWERSTATE Brushless Motor. Most gas blowers have a "ramp-up" time where you’re waiting for the engine to catch its breath. Here, it’s instant. You get 120 MPH of wind speed immediately.
Does it replace a backpack blower? No. Let's be real. If you have three acres of oak trees dropping wet leaves in November, you need a gas-powered Stihl or Husqvarna backpack. But for clearing grass clippings off a sidewalk or blowing out a dusty garage? This Milwaukee unit is overkill in the best way possible. It’s light. It’s balanced. You can hold it with one hand without your wrist feeling like it’s going to snap after ten minutes.
Battery Life: The Elephant in the Room
Here is the truth: this tool eats batteries for breakfast. If you’re running a small 2.0Ah or 3.0Ah battery, you’re going to be disappointed. You'll get maybe five to seven minutes of "High" setting use before the lights start flashing. To actually get work done, you need the M18 REDLITHIUM High Output HD12.0 battery.
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With a 12.0Ah battery, you’re looking at about 15 to 20 minutes of continuous, wide-open-throttle clearing. That sounds short. It is short. But in leaf-blowing world, twenty minutes of "trigger time" is actually a lot of territory covered. Most people use a "pulse" method anyway. You blast a pile, move, and blast again.
Why the 2724-20 Model Number Matters
You’ll see different variations of this tool. The Milwaukee Blower 2724 20 is the "tool-only" designation. That means no battery, no charger. If you already have a drill or an impact driver from the M18 line, this is the way to go. It saves you nearly a hundred dollars.
However, don't confuse this with the non-FUEL version. Milwaukee makes a cheaper, compact blower (the 0884-20) that looks like a little toy. It’s great for drying a motorcycle or blowing sawdust off a workbench, but it won't move a single wet leaf. The 2724-20 is the one with the "FUEL" branding. That means it has the upgraded electronics and the brushless motor. If you buy the cheap one for yard work, you're going to regret it within thirty seconds.
Dealing with the Noise (or lack thereof)
One of the biggest complaints about gas blowers isn't just the noise—it's the pitch. That high-pitched whine of a two-stroke engine can be heard three blocks away. It drives neighbors crazy. The Milwaukee 2724 20 is significantly quieter. It’s rated at around 62 or 63 decibels. To put that in perspective, a normal conversation is about 60 decibels.
You still get a "whoosh" sound because, well, you're moving a massive amount of air. But you don't need earplugs. You can actually hear if someone is calling your name or if a car is pulling into the driveway. For people living in HOAs with strict noise ordinances, this tool is basically a "get out of jail free" card.
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Design Wins and Annoying Quirks
Milwaukee got the ergonomics right on this one. The intake is at the back, not the side. Why does that matter? Because side-intake blowers love to suck your pants into the fan. It’s annoying, it’s loud, and it stops the airflow. By putting the intake at the rear, the Milwaukee Blower 2724 20 stays clear of your clothes.
- The Variable Speed Trigger: It’s sensitive. You can give it a tiny bit of air to move pine needles off mulch without blowing the mulch everywhere.
- The Lock-On Button: My thumb finds it easily. If you’re doing a long driveway, you just click it and let go of the trigger.
- The Weight: It’s roughly 4.9 lbs without the battery. With a big 12.0 battery, it climbs toward 8 lbs. It's manageable, but you’ll feel it in your forearm after a while.
The biggest quirk? The nozzle. It’s a straight tube. Some people complain that it should be tapered at the end to increase the air velocity. There are actually a ton of people on Etsy and eBay selling 3D-printed "stubby" nozzles for this specific model. These shorter, tapered attachments make it easier to use in tight spaces like a car interior or a shed.
Real World Use Cases
I’ve seen people use the Milwaukee Blower 2724 20 for stuff Milwaukee definitely didn't put in the manual.
- Drying Cars: It’s a favorite in the detailing community. Because the air isn't coming through an oily exhaust, it's clean. You can blow water out of side mirrors and door seals in seconds.
- Snow Removal: If you live somewhere with light, "dry" snow, this blower is better than a shovel. It will clear two inches of powder off a truck or a porch in about two minutes. If the snow is wet and slushy? Don't bother.
- Cleaning Gutters: It’s light enough to carry up a ladder. Just be careful with the kickback when you pull the trigger.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often compare this to a corded electric blower. "My $50 corded Toro has more CFM!" Sure, it might. But you're tethered to a 50-foot orange extension cord that gets tangled around every bush and lawn chair. The value of the 2724-20 isn't raw power; it's the "grab and go" factor.
If I see a few leaves on the porch, I’m not going to unroll an extension cord or mix gas and oil. I’m just going to grab the Milwaukee. That "frictionless" experience means your yard actually stays cleaner because the barrier to starting the job is basically zero.
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Maintenance (Or the Lack Thereof)
This is where the Milwaukee Blower 2724 20 wins the long game. Gas blowers need spark plugs. They need air filters. They need carburetors cleaned because the ethanol in modern gas gums them up if they sit for a month.
With this Milwaukee unit, you do nothing. You keep the battery charged. Occasionally, you might want to wipe the dust off the intake screen. That's it. No winterizing. No trips to the small engine repair shop. For most homeowners, the time saved on maintenance is worth the higher entry price of the M18 system.
Actionable Steps for New Owners
If you just picked one up or you're about to hit "buy," here is how to actually get the most out of it:
- Check your battery size. If you only have 5.0Ah batteries, consider buying the blower as a kit that includes the 8.0Ah or 12.0Ah. You’ll thank yourself later when the tool doesn't die halfway through the backyard.
- Invest in a "stubby" nozzle. If you plan on using this for drying your car or cleaning out a workshop, the standard long tube is too clumsy. Look for aftermarket nozzles that are about 6-8 inches long.
- Store it right. Don't leave your lithium-ion batteries in a freezing garage all winter. It kills the cell life. Keep the batteries in the house or a semi-conditioned space, even if the tool stays in the shed.
- Clear the intake. Every few uses, check the back of the blower. Leaves and dandelion fluff can get stuck to the plastic grate, which forces the motor to work harder and drains the battery faster.
The Milwaukee Blower 2724 20 isn't a miracle tool, but it's a remarkably solid piece of engineering. It bridges the gap between those wimpy little shop blowers and the heavy, vibrating gas monsters. As long as you manage your expectations regarding battery runtime, it’s probably going to be the most-used tool in your garage.