REASONS TO BUY
Quiet
Nicely balanced
REASONS TO AVOID
Below average amounts of power
Little pricey
The Sun Joe iONBV has been discontinued.
Sun Joe iONBV Review
The Sun Joe received one of the lowest scores we have given to date, failing to impress
The Sun Joe iONBV ready for testing.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
By Austin Palmer ⋅ Senior Review Analyst ⋅ July 11, 2019
Contributions From: David Wise & Jenna Ammerman
RELATED: The Best Leaf Blowers of 2025
Our Verdict
Scoring close to the back of the group overall, the Sun Joe is far from our favorite cordless leaf blower. It has less than average amounts of power and a mediocre battery life, though it is quite ergonomic and quiet. However, these don't redeem its flaws, and overall, it's hard for us to recommend.
Our Analysis and Test Results
In terms of overall performance, the Sun Joe finished just behind the Worx Turbine and ahead of the Black+Decker. The Sun Joe costs a little bit less than the Worx, but it is also substantially less powerful. However, it does have a better battery life and runs a bit quieter. The Black+Decker is quite a bit less expensive than both the Worx and the Sun Joe, but is practically pitiful when it comes to comparing power, though it is quiet and has a respectable battery life.
The iONBV felt a little underwhelming. Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Power
In our tests, the Sun Joe iONBV levitated our inflated beach ball at a height of 40 inches — much less than the six or seven feet the top models could float the ball. It also did comparatively poorly in our effective range test, failing to move sand that was further than 8' or so from the leaf blower.
The iONBV giving us a show. Credit: Austin Palmer
Unsurprisingly, after those first two tests, the Sun Joe iONBV couldn't really compare to the best blowers when it came to clearing dirt, leaves, sand, and stones from several parking spaces. We thought it was average at best, easily stalled by larger clumps of pine needles, stuck-on dirt, or small rocks or stones. It isn't the worst and can effectively clean the area, but you should plan on walking around quite a bit due to its so-so range and power.
We would need to think about bringing the iONBV with us to the beach. Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Battery
Set to its most powerful continuous operating mode, the Sun Joe's 40-volt, 4 amp hour battery lasted for about 17.5 minutes before dying. It also takes a little more than an hour and a half to recharge, which is just a tiny bit faster than average.
Removing the battery on the iONBV. Credit: Jenna Ammerman
The iONBV is around average for charging time. Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Ergonomics
The iONBV is right in the middle of the pack when it comes to size, tipping our scales at about 8.8 pounds.
The air intake is on the bottom of the blower, which makes it one of the least likely to inadvertently suck in some of your clothes.
You can grip the iONBV anyway you want since there isn't a trigger to hold down. Credit: Jenna Ammerman
The iONBV continued to earn some extra points with its ergonomics when it comes to balance, naturally holding almost the perfect angle for clearing leaves with hardly any effort at all on your part. The grip is comfortable to hold, with our only complaint being that it is just a tiny bit weighted towards the back.
The iONBV is easy to turn on and off, but harder to adjust the speed with one hand. Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Noise
The iONBV is one of the quieter models that we have reviewed. The iONBV registered 85.2 dBa measured at ear level, which is quite a bit less than the loudest blowers, which are close to 95 dBa.
This model isn't our first choice for clearing a sidewalk or bike path. Credit: Jenna Ammerman
For a bystander 50 feet away from the blower, the sound of the Sun Joe fell off quite quickly, dropping to 68.6 dBa.
Value
The Sun Joe isn't a great value, pairing a solidly lackluster performance with a higher-than-average price.
The adjustable speed wheel on the iONBV. Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Conclusion
Overall, we aren't really that impressed with the Sun Joe and it definitely isn't one of the first blowers we would recommend to anyone.
—Austin Palmer, David Wise, and Jenna Ammerman
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