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Blower Vacs

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In this review:
  1. Cheap Leaf Blowers
  2. Gas Leaf Blowers
  3. Electric Leaf Blowers
  4. Blower Vacs
  1. Leaf Blower Reviews
  2. Best Leaf Blower
  3. Leaf Blower Deals
  4. Discount Leaf Blowers Features Comparison Table
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Related Guides: Lawn Mowers, Riding Mowers and Weed Eaters

Leaf Blowers Features (continued)

Blower Vacs.

While dedicated leaf blowers perform the basic function of blowing leaves and other debris, combination blower vacs such as the Toro 51599 Ultra, the Craftsman 74828, the Black & Decker BV2500, and the Worx TriVac WG500 have the added function of sucking up debris, which goes either into an attached bag or through an attached hose that leads to a collection bin.
Some users prefer the latter because a bag can get heavy, especially if you're vacuuming up wet leaves, and you don't have to worry about emptying the bag periodically. In reviews many say the best method is to blow the leaves into a pile and then vacuum the pile into a bag or directly into a bin. While combination blower vacs are usually electric, some gas blowers, such as the Troy-Bilt TB310QS, also have a vacuum function. In addition to blowing and vacuuming debris on the ground, many budget leaf blowers can be used to clean gutters when paired with a gutter accessory kit from the same manufacturer (usually $19 to $40).

Leaf Blower Impeller.

The impeller is the fan-like part that spins and pulls the air, creating either the blowing or vacuuming effect. Many cheap blower vacs have impellers with serrated blades that shred leaves into mulch. They can be made of heavy-duty plastic or metal. A metal impeller, found on the Toro 51599, the Craftsman 74828, and the Black & Decker BV2500, is the best choice for mulching. Plastic impellers, like the one on the Worx TriVac, tend to pit or break when objects such as small rocks get sucked into the mechanism, making the machine lose power. In a review on Amazon, a user reports that the plastic impeller on the Troy-Bilt TB310QS got chewed up after inhaling a ball from a sweetgum tree. An admirer of the Toro 51599 says in a review on Amazon that the metal impeller means users don't have to worry about what they're vacuuming up -- the impeller can handle it (though the machine does get clogged sometimes). Several people who have posted reviews of the Craftsman 74828 on the Sears website single out the metal impeller as the blower vac's best feature.

Blower Vacuum Mulchers.

Most blower vacs feature mulching ratios of at least 10:1, which means a pass through the impeller reduces 10 bushels of leaves to one bushel of mulch. Most vacuum bags hold between one and one-and-a-half bushels. The higher the ratio, the less often you'll need to stop and empty the collection bag. While most of the blower vacuum mulchers we looked at have a 10:1 ratio, our top picks, the Toro 51599 and the Craftsman 74828, have a 16:1 ratio.

Leaf Blower Nozzles.

Whereas a flat nozzle is ideal for sweeping hard services, a large, round nozzle is better for vacuuming leaves. A rounded nozzle can also be useful for loosening leaves embedded in lawns and flowerbeds. Typically regular leaf blowers come with a flat nozzle, while blower vacs come with both types of nozzles. The Husqvarna 125B comes with both a flat and a round nozzle even though it has no vacuum function. Depending on the terrain, one nozzle type may perform better than the other. A selling point for some leaf blowers, such as the Worx TriVac and the Troy-Bilt TB310QS, is a single nozzle that lets users flip a switch to change jobs instead of changing nozzles. The bent nozzle on the Worx TriVac is supposed to make it easier to clean under things, but several users who have posted reviews on Amazon find it awkward.

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Best Cheap Leaf Blowers

Toro 51599 Ultra
Gold Medal

Toro 51599 Ultra

 This electric blower vac wins acclaim from experts and consumers for its power. At the same time, it's quiet and easy to carry, at just 7.5 pounds. It also mulches the leaves it vacuums, and reviewers appreciate its metal impeller, which resists damage from pebbles, twigs, pinecones, and other debris. Read more »
Leaf Blowers Deals
Husqvarna 125B
Gold Medal

Husqvarna 125B

 This small, 9.4-pound blower packs a wallop with a strong, powerful engine that moves even wet leaves easily. Users seem to have almost no trouble getting it started, even after it's been sitting all winter. It also complies with California's strict emissions standards and is not too loud for a gas machine. Read more »
Leaf Blowers Deals

Good Cheap Leaf Blowers

Craftsman 74828
Gold Medal

Craftsman 74828

 In addition to its substantial power for the price, users like this electric blower vac's additional features, such as an oscillating tip, a leaf blaster, and a rake attachment. It can also reduce 16 bushels of leaves to a single bushel of mulch with its metal impeller. However, users complain that it is uncomfortably noisy at its highest speed. Read more »
Leaf Blowers Deals
Buy it from Sears
Weed Eater FB25
Gold Medal

Weed Eater FB25

 Remarkably light, at 8.1 pounds, this is an easy-to-carry gas blower that isn't uber-powerful but can still take care of most chores around a deck, driveway, or small yard. It just might not do the trick on huge piles of leaves. Users say it starts within three pulls for the most part, and they like that its handle minimizes vibration. This machine does not meet California's emissions requirements, and while it's not noisy for a gas blower, it's still pretty loud. Read more »
Leaf Blowers Deals
 
 
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Don't Bother Cheap Leaf Blowers

Black & Decker BV2500

Many users seem to like the Black & Decker BV2500, but it mulches at a lower ratio than other, more powerful mulching blowers and has a plastic impeller, which can be easily damaged. The real Achilles' heel of this model, though, is its lack of durability. Read more »

Troy-Bilt TB310QS

Rather than requiring users to switch nozzles when they move from blowing to vacuuming, this gas-powered machine lets them simply flip a switch, a feature that users admire. However, it's heavy, it's very loud, and its emission levels are too high to meet California standards. Many users complain that it's hard to start and doesn't last long. Read more »

 
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