Should I buy a leaf blower or vacuum?

[#1]

Blower or blower vacuum tools each have their merits. Currently, I have a blower as I'm happy to blow everything into a corner and then pick it up and place it in the green waste bin.

If you have nowhere to blow the material or a copious amount of it, then a blower vacuum could be the way to go. One key feature of the vacuums is that they mulch the material down before collecting it in the bag. This means far less material in your green bin, or you can use it to mulch around your plants. However, a blower vacuum is always larger and more cumbersome.

I've gone for a battery blower this time because they are light and very convenient to grab when needing to do a quick blowdown of an area. They lack the oomph of a corded 240v models but are always ready to go. I would only consider a petrol machine if you can't access power and need something very powerful. Otherwise, you're dealing with servicing and starting the machine, which can sometimes be troublesome.

If you're looking for suggestions, I'd recommend the Ryobi 18V ONE+ 4.0Ah Blower Kit or Ryobi 18V ONE+ Cordless Blower - Skin Only. We also have the Ryobi 36V 4.0Ah Leaf Blower Kit and Ryobi 36V 4.0Ah Brushless Blower Vac Kit in the 36v range if you're looking for more power.

Corded 240v options include the Ozito 1800W Electric Blower or Ryobi 2400W Electric Blower Vac.

If you want a powerful petrol model, I'd suggest the Ryobi 25.4cc 2-Stroke Easy Start Blower Vac.

You might also be interested in checking out @Adam_W's article on How to use a leaf blower. - MitchellMc

[Noyade]

Hi Mitchell.

I'm still a fan of the humble rake but I do own an old Ryobi blower.

I love this big fella form Bunnings...

[Noyade]

Dunno if it's just the people around me, but I see a lotta neighbours with blowers start in their backyards and blow and blow and blow at maximum RPM and eventually emerge on their driveways and then continue on and on with a snowball effect of a mountainous load of leaves...

...and eventually blow it into the gutter or in some cases, onto the middle of the road.

[MitchellMc]

I still use a rake alongside my blower @Noyade. The other day, my 18v blower was struggling with the voluminous number of leaves I was trying to relocate. It got to a point where the pile wasn't even moving. It was far easier to just bulldoze the leaves into submission with the rake rather than fluff around with the blower.

Mitchell

[Nham]

I couldn't agree more with @MitchellMc , we use the electric blower on the driveway, garage floor and the back porch to clear all the leaves. In the garden itself, I still use my handy rake. Everything is collected into a pile and then mulched down with the mower. I have the budget Ozito and it's taken a beating; very impressed with the quality. I also use the blower to clean the gutters, although you will need to get on the roof and be very careful. 

[MitchellMc]

It's great to hear you've found a method that works well for you @Nham. I haven't had a blower/vac with a mulching function in years, but when I did I remember it being fantastic at reducing the number of leaves for the green waste bin. Also, once the mulching function has cut the leaves up, they make a perfect mulch for around trees.

Mitchell