Hoto’s slick new leaf blower looks ready to blast away leaves or alien invaders

Hoto has a new cordless leaf blower that continues the company’s trend of redesigning power tools so they look more at home in an Apple Store – or in a sci-fi movie – than at Home Depot. It’s available now from Hoto’s online store for $239.99 or on Amazon, where it’s discounted from $249.99 to $189.99.

As with previous offerings from Hoto, including its screen-equipped PixelDrive electric screwdriver, the leaf blower has a minimalist design with a 4,000mAh battery at the end of a slim handle that helps counterbalance the blower.

There are three speed settings ranging from 480 up to 720 cubic feet per minute (CFM), and at maximum power, the leaf blower can generate up to a 120mph blast, theoretically ensuring even soggy piles of leaves will be sent flying into your neighbor’s yard. But don’t expect to spend the whole day cleaning up messes at full power. Battery life is rated at up to 30 minutes at 480CFM, and drops to just four minutes at 720CFM.

For larger messes, the blower has an adjustable siphon tube that slides forward and back to reduce wind speed while increasing the volume of air being pushed. Hoto says the whole thing weighs just 2.93 pounds, but that’s without its battery attached so you can expect to be hefting at least an extra pound while using it.

Instead of a dedicated charger, the blower’s battery can be recharged with a standard USB-C cable. If you pair it with a 100W adapter, you’ll only have to wait about 40 minutes for the battery to be back to 80 percent capacity.