A portable blower having a motor unit that includes a drive motor disposed in an engine housing. The blower has a blower unit that is provided with a blower housing that is separate from the engine housing. The blower unit includes an axial fan that is driven by the drive motor via a drive shaft. During operation the axial fan conveys operating air in the direction of the axis of rotation of the axial fan through a blower tube disposed downstream of the axial fan. An ergonomic operation and a good operating result can be achieved if the motor unit includes a guide tube on which is secured at least one handle. The engine housing is disposed at one end of the guide tube and the blower unit is disposed at the other end of the guide tube. The drive shaft extends through the guide tube. The length of the guide tube between the engine housing and the blower unit corresponds to at least half of the length of the blower tube.