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With air quality issues on the rise across the country, many municipalities are banning the use of leaf blowers. Not only do the old style blowers stir up dust and add to the air issues but they also end up relocating much of your debris into the street or an adjoining property. So rather than actually cleaning up the mess, leaf blowers are passing the buck. To eliminate both of these issues, many homeowners are turning to leaf vacuums to not only speed up their yard chores but also to eliminate the cloud of dirt that looms long after the chores are completed. But picking the right tool for the job is an important first step.
Black+Decker Electric High Performance Blower/Vac/Mulcher
The first perk of this model is that it is electric and will not require you to store gasoline to operate it. In addition, you have the ability to use this tool for multiple jobs as it could be converted to a blower to clean gutters or remove leaves from a roof. And the smaller size makes this easy to use when working in plant beds and smaller areas. The drawback to this model is that vacuuming a large area would be time consuming as you would need to empty the bag numerous times. But for a small yard, this $60 electric vacuum/blower is a great choice.
Remington Leaf Blower with Vacuum Kit
At just $89 this leaf blower and vacuum offers a few more features than the base model. While still being electric, this unit offers an upgraded titanium shredding blade and variable speed settings. It can still function as a blower for gutter and roof cleaning and the variable speeds offer a little more power when dealing with damp leaves or a larger roof area. But again, the bag is the limiting feature for vacuum capacity.
Worx Trivac Blower & Mulcher with Leaf Pro
This model is also electric and can function as a blower or a vacuum. But the feature that sets this unit apart is the fact that it offers an attachment which can be secured to any large garbage can rather than using a tiny bag to collect the debris. So you are eliminating all of the time that would be spent dumping the vacuum bag into a trashcan or a large lawn and leaf garbage bag. In addition to the time, you are also saving yourself the face full of trimmings each time you unzip and dump the blower bag. For a larger yard, this is a great deal at $161.
Yardwise Sweep It 21” Push Lawn Sweeper
If you are only removing leaves from a lawn or driveway area, then going old school could be the perfect solution for you. No gas or electric needed with this lawn sweeper. Simply push it along as you would a lawn mower and the leaves are swept into the 26 gallon hopper. When your chores are completed, this unit folds easily and can be hung on a wall for storage and at $48 it’s a bargain tool and will get you a little exercise while out enjoying the fresh air.
Agri-Fab Towable Leaf Vacuum
This is a serious tool for a large area, but this towable leaf vacuum will get big jobs done quickly. This machine can be towed with a riding lawn mower, tractor or even a recreational toy such as a quad or side by side. The vacuum wand had a large intake area and can easily remove leaves from both plant beds and lawn areas. And with a capacity of 32 cubic feet you will not spend half of your time dumping. Simply tow this machine to your garden or compost pile, open the rear hatch and dump the mulchedleaves that are the perfect nutrient for compost or to heal in delicate new plants for the winter. At $1,199 this unit will easily save you that much in labor in a single year.
Cyclone Rake Lawn and Leaf Vacuum
If you’re talking serious lawn clean up firepower, the kind that can be used to clean up golf courses, then look no further than the king of them all, the Cyclone Rake! Rated as America’s # 1 lawn and leaf vacuum, the Cyclone Rake packs a punch with it’s Briggs and Stratton Vanguard series of engines and is the only vacuum of it’s kind that folds down flat for easy storage in your garage or shed. Coupled with a number of other industry leading parts and an awesome warranty, the Cyclone Rake is those who have serious lawns to clean!
Pick the Right Tool for Your Job
The secret to selecting the right vacuum is understanding your needs and expectations for the tool. Small jobs don’t require a huge tool and in fact bigger is not always better. An oversized tool can make working in a confined area more difficult and time consuming. So evaluate the work that you will be doing and select the vacuum that will satisfy your needs at the most reasonable cost. The correct vacuum will get the job done quickly and efficiently and allow you to move on to more enjoyable activities.