Which one to buy: Leaf blower or vacuum?

[Fane]

Hi,

I am Fane. Just joined the Workshop community.

Would you please advise me on buying a new Leaf Blower/vacuum unit. A couple of trees shedding lots of leaves, one at the backyard and another one near the letter box. A bit undecided on which one to buy : Petrol/ Battery/ Electric options, any suggestions on the Make and Model .  Thanks

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Fane. It's brilliant to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about selecting a leaf blower.

It's likely best to decide whether you want a blower or blower vacuum. That will narrow down the selection significantly. I've had both in the past, and they 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 240v models but are always ready to go. I'd 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, battery-wise, 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.

Plugin 240v would be the Ozito 1800W Electric Blower or Ryobi 2400W Electric Blower Vac.

Petrol, I'd suggest the Ryobi 25.4cc 2-Stroke Easy Start Blower Vac.

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

I'm keen to answer any questions you have and provide more information to assist you in selecting.

Mitchell
 

[Fane]

Hi Mitchell,

Thank you so much for your valuable guidance on choosing the Leaf Blower/ Vacuum.

I may go for the Ryobi One+ 18V 5.0Ah Cordless Blower Kit, as it is light  weight, easy to move around the house and suitable for my requirements. I had a confusion whether to buy a petrol one, but now I have decided for the Battery option after reading your remarks.

Have a great day.

Kind regards.

Fane

 

[MitchellMc]

That's the model I have and am quite pleased with the performance @Fane. I personally don't have any difficulties maintaining and starting a petrol machine, but I just find battery so much more convenient to use.

I trust you'll be satisfied with your purchase.

Mitchell

[MikeM84]

Hi Fane,

I hav head both blower and vacuum, I actually have Alexa take same 18v ryobi blower kit, does the job very well, and the 5ahm battery gives you hours and hours of blowing leaves and debris around.

enjoy.