Amazon.com Review

With 225 mph of maximum force, the Toro Ultra Blower is a three-in-one machine--blower, vacuum, and leaf shredder--that's ready to rip through leaf-covered lawns with the power of a small hurricane. Better yet, you'll likely find it to be not only one of the most powerful lawn tools in your garage, but one of the most versatile as well. To facilitate the different uses, the blower comes with a quick-release latch for easy conversion as well as infinitely variable air control. In addition, the metal impeller mulches leaves with fearsome efficiency, reducing 16 bags of leaves down to a single bag. For those looking for a blower that'll make quick work of acres of matted-down leaves, Toro's Ultra Blower is up to the task. --Rivers Janssen ... Read more

Features

• Variable air control
• 225-miles-per-hour maximum air force will clear just about any lawn
• Metal impeller for efficient mulching
• Reduces 16 bags of leaves to 1
• Converts from blower to vacuum mode with no tools necessary

Reviews (22)

Good, but they skimped on the details.
I've used this for 6 months now. My primary interest was for its mulching of leaves, so I can compost them. I've run out of space in my woods, and throwing them away seems like a waste. I've used the blower too.

It works great sucking up leaves. The pieces are generally chipped to perhaps half to 1 fingernail in size. As to how much it reduces the volume, I took a mostly dry slightly overfull wheelbarrow full of leaves - and it was reduced to a little less than half-full after running it thru the machine. So that's roughly a 2:1 reduction, not 16:1, as Toro advertises. It's good enough for my needs, in terms of composting. (Mulching the leaves adds an extra 40 degrees of heat to the composting process, in a compost tumbler, 160 vs. 120 degrees.)

The blower works well too. The variable speed makes it easier to control where leaves go. I gathered leaves from one tree into a pile in 5 minutes, and vacuumed them up in another 10 minutes, filling (stuffing) one 39 gallon 'lawn & leaf bag' (so 2 bags worth, unshredded). I've also blown dirt, weeds, rocks, gravel and other crud off my driveway (2500 sq. feet) in a matter of ~10 minutes, which would take perhaps an hour to sweep by hand.

And I suspect, and was told in correspondence with a well-known Consumer's magazine, that the magnesium impeller should last a lot longer than other models, which are typically made of plastic. That was my primary reason for buying it. We'll see on that score. So far, its holding up.

Where Toro missed:
it doesn't do well with leaves that have virtually any amount of moisture to them IF they've decayed (meaning last year's). They jam up the outlet passage within 1-3 minutes (going in to the bag), as well as the crevice area around the impeller. You have to unplug it, undo the bag attachment, and access the impeller region, and fish around with your finger, digging out all the wet gunk which has been chopped in a very fine mess. Freshly fallen leaves which are wet don't cause this problem. Skimp # 1: Toro didn't bother to include some plastic gadget for digging out the stuff, so you scrape your knuckles quite a bit (I'm afraid of using a screwdriver and ruining the impeller).

Skimp # 2: the bag, the cord, and the handles seem backward to me. But then, I'm left handed, and most of the world seems backward to me. The vac is still quite useable, backward though it is, but Toro seems to have chosen to ignore 10% of the population that is left handed, which doesn't impress me.

Skimp #3: in that it's electric, you're chained to a cord. The owner's manual says not to go over 150' in length, and to use 14 gauge for that distance. I happen to like 12 gauge cord for long distances, and that's what I own - and the 'cord lock' (a piece of plastic on the handle) is not big enough to handle 12 gauge cord. C'mon Toro! What's it cost to make it a smidgeon bigger to handle a larger size extension cord??

Skimp #4: in converting from blower to vac or the other way around, you have to omit certain pieces of equipment from the machine, both large and small. There's no place to store them, on the machine. So, I suspect they'll be either easy to lose or misplace. Or a pain to keep track of. It would be far nicer if the small pieces were storable, and Toro had figured out a way to make the large pieces in such a way so that they could be left on the machine at all times (e.g. the blower has a bottom cover that has to be removed so the vac has access to the impeller. Why not have a sliding door for that cover piece?)

Skimp #5: the bag is tiny. It fills up in ~3 minutes, and that is 1/3 of a lawn and leaf bag. And your property involves how many lawn and leaf bags for you? i.e. A lot of stopping and emptying. One company's product, as I recall, has a set up where the vac empties in to a garbage can directly.

Overall, it does what I want and need, and I'm happy. But it's not without its faults, and I expected better from a company of Toro's reputation.

Toro 51598 Ultra Blower
I purchased this itme last year and have been very happy with it. Its so easy to use and it is very powerful. I don't even have to have the power on all the way and it gets the job done. I love that adjustable power knob. And it is true what the description says about it reducing 16 bags of leaves to 1. It has a stainless steel mulching blade. The only bad thing i have to say about it is that there is no different shaped attachments for different jobs. Other than that i recommend this blower to everyone, it is the best! It will also work with 200 feet worth of cord. I bought 2 100 feet cords, and the blower works fine.

Died in less than a year
I purchased this blower last summer. I did not use it very much and now it has burned out. I am trying to get the warranty honored by Toro's service centers. I will see if they will honor the two year warranty, but I would not buy this blower again. Less than a year of service and it burns out, that is lousy workmanship.

Ultra Blower Rocks It!
I can't get over how hard the Toro blows. I live in a forested villa where I often get mounds of leaves falling into my drive-way. It used to be a big problem, but with my Toro, those leaves practically jump off my driveway, screaming in terror. Also works well against my ex-wife when she asks for the child support. Ha ha! I would recommend this for anyone who hates leaves as much as I do. And no one hates leaves as much as I do. Especially in fall.

good blower
If you don't need a gas blower this does the job very well. I use it mostly for cleaning off the driveway and patio. It can of course work the leaves too. You'll be pleased. ... Read more

Features

• Charger included recharges battery pack in as little as 3 hours
• Easily clears debris from hard surfaces
• 2-18.0V rechargeable NiCad battery packs provide plenty of run-time
• 120 mph air speed for efficient material removal
• Large switch for easy On/Off

Reviews (2)

Quick and light, just like a broom
It's a great little product for those light jobs like blowing dirt and leaves off the patio or grass off the sidewalk after the lawn is mowed.
It's extremely easy to handle, much lighter than the large, corded "Hog" that I also own.
This product should be used to supplement, not replace, the larger, more powerful corded blower.
I found battery changing very simple and less difficult than the cordless weed trimmer I have (also a B&B product).
It was nice to not have to fuss with the 100-foot cord just to "sweep" some grass trimming. Quick and easy are the operative words.

Pretty good - but don't get rid of your corded blower
I just bought the B&D NS118 blower along with the NST2018 cordless string trimmer. I have a corner lot with long parkways and a lot of sidewalk footage, and have grown tired of dealing with up to 175 feet of extension cables for my corded trimmer and blower. I've had a nice battery-powered mower for several years, and felt it was time to go all cordless. This new pair of tools seemed promising, particularly because of the removable battery design.

After only one use I can say I'm reasonably satisfied, but not fully sold.

Handling: This is probably one of the lightest blowers available and is easy to handle. But the way the nozzle attaches is not good at all. It's difficult to remove, and the design invites finger accidents.

Power: The blower is nowhere near as powerful as my corded one. B&D refers to this as a "broom" and that's an appropriate description. It works well on surfaces where you might otherwise use a push broom. It's not good at getting leaves out of grass or flowerbeds. But in a way, the lower airflow can be better for sweeping than a corded blower. My corded one, even at its low setting, can often send debris flying all over the place. This one calmly moves stuff where you want it to go.

Battery: The batteries are compact. The blower comes with two of them, and I needed them both to complete one job. I guess I'm okay with this approach. It makes sense to lug around only as much weight as is necessary rather than carry a much heavier battery the whole time. If you buy this along with a trimmer as I did, you'll have four batteries and two chargers available for swapping. And if you happen to have a FireStorm 18v drill, you can apparently swap batteries with that system as well.

Quality: Build quality seems similar to most B&D stuff, meaning it will probably work for a few years.

Overall: Going cordless does simplify my work and save me time, but this tool isn't appropriate for all cleanup jobs. I have a month to make up my mind about keeping it. But even if it passes muster, I suspect I'll want to hang onto my corded blower for the occasional heavy job. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Hang on to Toto when you fire this baby up--the air blast out ofthis blower is phenomenal! The literature says it produces up to a 215mph current, and they're not kidding. It converts in a few seconds to avacuum by removing the inlet tube and cover; just hook the front of thevacuum tube on and snap. Attach the generous bag and you're ready topick up the mountain of leaves you've blown. As it vacuums, the fanimpeller will mulch the leaves down, too, reducing 10 bags to 1. Welike the ergonomic handle and the comfortable strap. The tubes aresturdy and won't crack if you accidentally whack them. It's a lightunit at 7.3 pounds, and it's not nearly as loud as most, though at 69decibels, you'll still want to wear ear protection. Bravo, Toro!--Kris Jensen-Van Heste ... Read more

Features

• Two-year full warranty
• Blower's 210 mph maximum air force clears sticks, debris and large, heavy leaves
• Converts from blower to vacuum mode quickly--no tools needed
• Two-speed motor gives you control in both blower and vacuum modes
• Exclusive cord lock system holds the cord firmly in place

Reviews (32)

great for the price
I have been using this blower vac for a few months now and am really shocked by how well it works. I was a bit skeptical at first, but the blower changes very easily into a vacuum and vice versa. I use it to blow leaves into a pile then suck them up to use on my garden as mulch, bye bye leaves and bye bye weeds in my garden. The job of raking and sweeping leaves that used to take me hours, now only takes minutes. I can blow down my patio, suck up all the leaves and have the place looking great ten minutes before guests arrive. If you are like me and have a great backyard that you entertain in then pick this baby up and cut your work time by 50%!

Get yourself a long extension cord with this purchase also. The noise and pollution of this blower/vac is virtually non existent. I was shocked by how low the noise level was. I use the low setting for around other garden plants and when i really need the power switch it to high. Like another reviewer i had a small delay in shipping but it was worth the wait!

Great value for a very useful tool in a small yard
I wish I'd bought this Toro several months ago. We have a small yard in San Diego. Our next door neighbor has a huge ficus tree that sheds a lot of leaves in our yard. We already have 20 or so bags of debris stacked on the side of the house. I tried this blower out for the first time yesterday. In low power mode, it was able to push the leaves out of a cedar-chipped area without distuburbing the cedar chips too much. It's noisy, but not so noisy that you need ear protection. The vacuum mulcher seems to work well so far. Low power suction doesn't pull in too much, but high power works well. For a really large amount of leaves, it would probably be easier to rake, but for our small California yard it's perfect. I was concerned about the plastic impeller being able to handle all pea-sized seeds among the leaves, but so far so good. I'm not sure if the compression is really 10-to-1, but it definitely makes a difference. I haven't tried it with wet leaves, but in San Diego the leaves aren't wet very often so that's not a concern. The unit was easy to set up out of the box, and easy to switch back and forth between modes.

Great value. Awesome blower
THe blower is awesome, and not terribly loud.

The vac isnt good for vacuuming your van's carpet, but for clearing grass clippings off of your driveway, it is beautiful.

For the price this simply cannot be beaten.

Impeller info # 100-9068
Hey, all you whiny people who say they've looked all over heck and back for a new impeller. It's identified on the Toro site as # 100-9068 and my local hardware store charged $7 plus shipping, so I bought two. Yes, they do break easily, but I don't think I'll try sucking any more rocks...

The best blower in the market!!!
I love it because its 1) Easy to start 2) has superb power 3) runs smoothly...I am on the fairly small side and find its perfect for me over those big ol' gas blowers I simply can't handle much less start up. My husband loves it because, even though he is a big guy, it makes small work out of our large orchard of walnut leaves!!!! In fact, watching him go into the garage, I find he picks up that little blower of mine with all the power over his big monster gas blower...when asked, he declares, its simple...more air and less work!! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

With the Black & Decker Leaf Hog, you can clean up both the deck and the lawn with one reasonably priced and easy-to-maintain machine. This blower/vac is electric, so it requires an extension cord and an electric outlet to run, but there's nothing else to set up or maintain. The 12 amp motor has considerable power for its size, more than enough to clear driveways or decks or blow off sections of lawn. At just over 7 pounds, the Leaf Hog is light enough to use for long periods of time, and it's also quiet enough to use at any time of day. Switching from blowing to vacuuming is a snap--literally. The correct button took us a moment to find, but once you've located it, you simply depress it and remove the blowing unit, then attach the vacuum extension in its place. The extension has a bag for mulch, which attaches with a small clasp. When vacuuming, the unit mulches by sucking leaves through the fan assembly. Though this model, with its patented Vortex anticlog vacuum system, does a better job of remaining unclogged than most, you still need to be careful to avoid rocks and sticks. It also has a variable-speed control that lets you choose between 150 and 200 mph blower speed. ... Read more

Features

• 30 day no-risk satisfaction guarantee and full two-year warranty
• Patented Vortex anti-clog vacuum system allows for easy composting and disposal of material
• 3 tools in 1--blower, vacuum, and mulcher
• Push button release switches blower to vacuum
• Variable speed control

Reviews (53)

THE ANSWER IS BLOWING IN THE WIND: BUY IT, CLEAN UP.
Backyard looking like a pig sty? Are those leaves --- you know, those red and magenta or gold and orange souvenirs from Mother Nature that you praised just a few weeks ago --- making you crazy? Don't reach for the rake. Instead, rake in the Leaf Hog. Made by Black & Decker, this high-performance product is actually three products in one. It's a blower, vacuum and mulcher --- mulching leaves and yard debris in a ratio of 10 bags of leaves into one bag. And it does so with ease: The variable speed control "power slide" adjusts blowing speeds from a light-duty 150 mph to heavy-duty hurricane-like 200 mph;
the Anti-Clog Vortex Vacuum System is designed to resist clogging, allowing those annoying acorns and tiresome twigs to easily pass through the blades. The shoulder bag attachment holds up to two bushels of leaves and features a side zipper for easy emptying. And it weighs just seven pounds!

cheap parts- Impeller
To who it should concern,
I have enjoyed using my BV2500 Leaf hog Vac'N'Mulch for about three times to remove leaves from the surface of my yard which is covered in Decomposed Granite at a size of 1/4" minus. As a blower, I have never used better! However, don't give out any high fives! As a Vac 'N' Mulch it has a bit to be desired. It has the horse power, and plenty of wind speed as a blower however, as a vacuum it has become very whimpy and will hardly pickup a small amount of only dry leaves. Having gotten frustrated about it, I removed the attachment to find the impeller is almost half gone from the small amount af abrasion from the small rocks or debri other than leaves. In fact, one of the things that I bought it for was to help pickup pine needles and leaves. It does a poor job with pine needles and after only three uses it is half as good as it was new. The overall equipment is excellent but definitely not worth the money at half the price, if it doesn't last long enough to get it dirty or scratch it at least once! I would be willing to put a new impeller on mine and carry on using it only as a blower if I could find a way to get another one. Please advise your engineers to go for a bit more quality and help me fix mine if you can. I'd like to suggest an aluminum impeller or perhaps more of a high tech plastic. That might get some more longevity as a vacuum and you are already tooled for plastic. See what you can do for me, please....

When will the leaf hog be Recalled?
We have had ourleaf hog for a little over a year. After using it for three times the off button stopped working! the only way to turn it off was pulling the plug. Also the on / off button is labelled so poorly that when the unit is dusty one can not tell the difference between the on/off button and the button that takes of the housing covering the impeller. After my husband cut his leg with the rotating impeller and not able to turn off the unit we stopped using this horrilbe product. I just looked to see if it has been recalled. Watch out people!

Plastic Parts Easily Broken
I would not recommend this item. After a single use as a vacuum, the plastic housing and impellor will be damaged.

Seems like a strong blower (until you break the housing or wear down the impellor with a pebble, as I did on the very first usage).

B&D sent a replacement housing (begrudgingly), but refused to replace the impellor.

With shipping, a new impellor is about $15. You'd be better off spending the extra money on a better blower / vac from the get-go.

It was okay, but with a lot of problems
When I bought this, I bought it because my neighbor had a blower vac, which got hard to rake leaves up. I liked that it ate up leaves and got hard to rake leaves out of bushes. It's attachments where easy to put on and take off. Recently we had a major problem, it wouldn't turn off!! It wouldn't turn off unless you unplugged it. Also the propeller wore away after a month. Quite dusty too. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The wide 21-inch diameter funnel swallows leaves as fast as you can feed them, mincing them down to fine mulch. This little unit is surprisingly powerful, and at only 17 pounds it’s so light you can mount it atop a trash can or bungee-cord a plastic bag to the outfeed and collect the waste. Out of the box, it goes together literally in minutes with just a screwdriver. The hopper tilts to 45 degrees to make loading easier, and the sliding control lever is easy to read, with settings for grass, thatch, wet leaves, dry leaves and pine needles. Double cutting lines are powered by an 8-amp motor on regular household current, and the motor intake filter comes out easily for cleaning. A built-in storage compartment keeps extra line at the ready, and changing cutter lines is easy. It’s a great unit for the homeowner, reducing 11 bags of leaves to just one bag of mulch, ready for use in flower beds and vegetable gardens.--Kris Jensen-Van Heste ... Read more

Features

• Special tilt adjustment varies angle for easy loading and compact storage. Powerful 8.0 amp electric motor. Heavy duty double cutting line included.
• Coarse to fine adjustment settings with special positions for grass clippings, thatch and pine needles.
• Reduces 11 bags of leaves down to only 1 bag.
• Extra large 21" diameter funnel; inner lip prevents debris from escaping.
• Constructed of steel and rugged high-density polyethylene for long life and easy maintenance.

Reviews (22)

THE FLOWTRON LE-900 IS A GREAT LEAF MULCHER!!
I purchased the Flowtron LE-900 before I read Methodairman's review (see below) and fully expected I would be disappointed with it after it arrived. What a surprise when I immediately put it to work mulching more than 60 large bags of oak leaves and it performed flawlessly! Yes I had to change the trimmer lines after about 10 very large bags but the unit came with plenty of extra lines which were very quick and easy to change. For leaves smaller and softer than oak and for a less fine cut setting I'm sure the line change interval could be stretched to 15-20 bags. Bottom line: If you want to mulch leaves quickly and easily this is the mulcher for you!

The Ultimate Mulcher ???? Not quite Dear Flowtron
We have had three Flowtron mulchers in the past. All have just about lasted 1-2 years.. They were essentially the LE-800. When we saw the Ultimate Mulcher, the LE-900, we thought "let's go this route again.. " It completely stopped after only three bags of DRY leaves that were picked up with a lawn mower (that is, pretty small pieces). By hunting through the manual, I noticed a Circuit Breaker was mentioned. Inconveniently located underneath the unit which was on a barrel and full of leaves...Great design !!! After a cool down period, I pressed it and the unit started... So the improvement is that it now blows it's own circuit breaker rather than the one in the house which was the previous problem we had!!!!!

I would NOT recommend this unit but it is the only electric powered one available so unless you want to play the gas engine plus metal blade game, you are stuck... You would think on a unit that lists for 150 dollares, they could spend an extra few dollars and put a decent motor on it.

Post Script.... I upgraded to 2 stars because I discovered that the unit had been incorrectly assembled as received from Amazon. This allowed leaf mulchings to be sucked into the motor cloggng air flow and hence causing the circuit breaker to Blow. ...

Fine for the Price
I also expected to be disappointed, but with a little TLC this mulcher works just fine. I did not want a giant mulcher to store and this is the only alternative. You have to understand it is basically a string trimmer used to cut up leaves. The strings do break if large sticks get in, but are easy to replace and available at any hardware store. Many twigs will fall right through without damage. You can't dump piles of packed leaves in, just put in moderate amounts of loose leaves slowly and it will handle them. The motor seems strong. It did stop running when I first started with too many leaves and I thought I'd be sending it back, but a customer service rep told me where the reset button is hidden ('duh' I could have read the manual). At this new low price it's a real bargain.

For a One Season Solution
I bought this leaf shredder in 2003 Spring and used it for about 10 or 15 bags of leaves. It works pretty well, but is difficult
to set up, the stand works loose with just a little use and has to be continually tightened. Parts are difficult to reorder.
You have to send a check, the manufacturer does not accept any
credit cards so it sometimes takes 2 weeks to get trimmer line and parts that break. I have already had to replace the spool which holds the cutter line. I have not been able to find any dealer who carries the parts online.

Wait for a mulcher with metal blades.
I bought this machine, or its clone, at Sears a few years ago. It didn't last one season. In fact, the first time I used it a part came loose and was lost, and it took a couple of weeks for it to be shipped. It's hard to rake leaves without picking up some small twigs, and small twigs cause this machine to hangup. Someone needs to design a machine just like this, but with metal blades. Many of us don't need the larger chipper/shredders that are the only alternative. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Remember when snow days meant snowball fights, building forts, and a day off from school? Now, they just mean having to shovel the driveway and walkway. Lucky for us, the Toro 1800 Power Curve snow thrower can make that job a lot less arduous and time-consuming. Powered by a 12 amp electric motor, the Power Curve can clear 4 inches of snow off a 50-by-20-foot driveway in 10 minutes flat. The thrower cuts to a depth of 10 inches and width of 18 inches per pass. A patented two-blade curved rotor scrapes the snow all the way to the pavement and throws it up to 30 feet. The chute rotates 160 degrees, too, for better snow control. Best of all, the Power Curve is lightweight, compact, and maneuverable. Startups are easy. Just squeeze the trigger on the control bar, then release it when you want to stop. A key lock helps prevent unauthorized use, so you don't have to worry about kids, or even the neighbor borrowing it without permission. With the Power Curve, snow removal is quick and easy, so you can spend your time on more important things, like having snowball fights. --Carl Thress ... Read more

Features

• Lightweight (24 lbs.) and easy to handle
• Maintenance-free: no gas and oil to mix; no parts to lubricate; and no recoil to pull
• 10-inch depth of cut and 18-inch clearing width
• Throws snow up to 30 feet
• Clears 700 lbs. of snow per minute and scrapes it down to the pavement

Reviews (42)

Man! I am so happy
I live in Northern Va. We had our first two snows of the year. One of those heavy wet snows that Doctors tell us 63 year olds to avoid. Total snowfall 10 inches. I live in a townhouse, but with a lot of sidewalk (40 feet X 8 feet wide) plus two parking spaces and a patio. Now, with this machine (It dosent look like much when it's delivered.) I did the entire thing in 30mins which includes a little break. It did'nt throw slushy snow 30 feet but it threw it a heck of a lot farther than I could with a shovel. I believe it would throw fluffy snow 30 feet. Cord is a hassle, but something has to be( but no rope to pull or carburators to fool with or gasoline to store. I don't have a garage.) It weighs about 25 lbs, easy to carry and store. A job that used to take all morning ( with numerous rests now is over in 30mins. When I was 40 I would have laughed at a snow blower, but now, at 63 I am delighted.

Great value
Great value and it did what it promised. Compact, light weight, no maintenance, and always started. After last President's Day snow, I decided never to break my back again. Looked around for a snow thrower. Most everything was expensive gas-powered lawn-mower size machines. In this part of Maryland we don't get that many snow storms and I have only a 30 feet 2-car drive-way. So, I wasn't willing to spend that much for using 5 or 6 times a year. This is under $300 and has sufficient power to get me out of the house in 15 minutes, including few extra minutes for untangling the extension chord (not included), clearing about 4-5 inches this morning. Good job Toro.

The Greatest Invention since the George Foreman Grill
I live in NYC and I just used this snow thrower during the last nor'easter, in which we received 6 inches of snow. I just got home from work and there were my three neighbors: Mr. Nosey and Mr. and Mrs. Know-it-all half way done shoveling their driveways. "A lot of snow we got, eh, Crab. You got your work cut out for you!" With that the three of them started to smirk. Little did they know I had a secret weapon: The Toro 38025 1800 Power Curve Snow Thrower which I had sent to me under the cover of darkness away from their prying eyes. Tired, cold, hungry and scared, I plugged that bad boy in and off I went. Within 30 minutes, I plowed my driveway to concrete while my snoopy neighbors were still digging away. I guess I got the last laugh. There was no hassle,no fuss, no gas, no oil, no spark plugs. It's also light weight and I was able to lift it and plow a snow drift. It's so small and compact that it takes little space inside my house. Just a caveat: you should spend the 10 extra bucks for the 100' cord. My only regret is that I should have bought the Toro last year!

WE LOVE THIS THING!
No more shoveling for us! Using this easy to use snowblower is like pushing a vaccumm cleaner! We whrrrr down our sidewalks in half an hour - compared to what used to take us an hour and a half! We even do the neighbors' walks now - it goes so fast! Handles a pretty heavy snowfall with two passes sometimes - but its still very fast, and easier on us than the old shovel.

Something we first time snowblowers learned pretty fast: just be careful to make sure the chute is pointed downwind of you. :D

Save your back!
I had back surgery a couple of years ago and find it impossible to shovel snow without my back hurting. I bought this lightweight Toro and it is great; no more back pain after removing snow.The cord can be in the way sometimes, but it is a minor inconvenience considering how well it removes the snow. ... Read more

Features

• 6" lockable caster front wheels with 10" x 4" pneumatic rear wheels
• 6.5HP B&S OHV Engine
• 3" diameter chipper capapcity 10:1 reduction with 2 hardened steel blades and 9 hardened cast steel flail knives
• 24" vacuum capacity with 1/4" to 4.75" adjustment height
• 3-bushel bag capacity

Reviews (3)

Once Started, Good Tool for the Money
I have now been using the 6.5 HP Troy Built C/S/V for three months. To make this simple, I'll get straight to the pro's and cons...

Pro's...
1) The factory did an excellent job of packaging and crating the unit for shipment
2) The unit feels substantial and this was reinforced for me as I went through the very simple set-up process (takes about an hour to unbox and set-up)
3) Directions for set-up were flawless
4) Once started, the unit does an excellent job of picking up dry leaves and twigs through the vaccuum nozzle -- it cleared my 1/3 acre yard in about 2 hours (including the time it took me to get the refuse to the street for pick-up)
5) When the suction power of the nozzle is overhwelmed by leaves, it is very easy to unclog the nozzle -- I just use a twig
6) I found that the unit hungrily accepted branches up to 2.5 inches in diameter (I measured) -- the unit does start to bog down on branches larger than this
7) Does a fantastic job of mulching yard waste -- I can't say it does this to a 10:1 ratio like the company claims (how do they measure this?), but I am very please with how few lawn bags I am using this season

Cons...
1) This unit is EXTREMELY difficult to start. For context, I am 6' 2" and before that third helping of Christmas dinner, I weighed in around 235 lbs. My wife, 5' 3" and around 120 (if she reads this I'm a dead man!), was never able to start the unit. I would guess that the pull weight on the starter cord exceeds 60 lbs. Exascerbating the issue is the rather awkward position in which the pull starter is located.
2) Branches can get jammed in the feeder shoot, and the plunger is never quit long enough to drive a lot of branches to the grinding teeth. Freeing these items from the feeder tube can be a frustrating process.
3) Awkward position of zipper on the catch bag makes it difficult to transfer mulched waste into garbage bags

Net/net: If you have a lot of trees and want to save time and think you're man enough to start it ; ) -- BUY IT!

It worked great until...
I bought this product and I used it to do a heavily wooded property. It handled the wet leaves but the twiggs and leaves clogged the inlet. I was able to unclog it with a stick. Plenty of power, for the propulsion and the chipping / vacuum. It worked great until the transmission fell off. I bought it assembled. The bolts just loosened and fell out. Somebody didn't use lock nuts. 2 yr warranty is nice. It's a week now waiting for the parts.

Not bad for the money
I just received this item by freight yesterday so take this review for what it's worth. I was pleasantly surprised the truck driver unloaded it and put it in my garage. It would have been impossible for me to have unloaded it by myself.(see shipping restrictions). This is my second troy-bilt chipper/vac so I can compare them. The first was the 8 hp model purchased about 8 years ago. It only lasted 3 years and then the motor seized. It cost over twice as much and I definitely did not get my moneys worth. So I'm taking a chance on this one. I have about 1 acre with about 30 mature trees, many of them black walnuts so my yard is pretty harsh on equipment.
The shredder/vac portion is fantastic. If I were to rate this product just on that portion it would get five stars. The chipper part is a little disappointing. It seems to have a little trouble with 1 inch twigs. I stopped it once thinking it had finished chipping only to find out I couldn't restart until I took off the nozzle and worked the twig out of the blade.
Other things that drop it from five stars are the seemingly flimsy plastic parts, the bag design and the troy-bilt customer service. Some parts didn't fit together causing me not to be able to start it. I called customer service and had to wait about ten minutes for the guy to tell me to call my local dealer. I don't think it was a toll-free call but I could be wrong. Fortunately I was able to fix it myself. It had shipped from the factor with the safety button assembly upside down.
All said, if it last, I will probably be happy with the purchase. The general design is much better than the 8 hp and the nozzle doesn't seem to get clogged as much. Perhaps the added 1.5 hp made the former a better chippper. ... Read more

Features

• 6-inch lockable caster front wheels; 10-by-4-inch pneumatic rear wheels
• 6HP YardMan XL engine
• 2-inch diameter chipper capacity; 10:1 reduction; 2 hardened steel blades; 9 hardened cast steel flail knives
• 24-inch vacuum capacity; 1/4- to 4.75-inch adjustment height
• 3-bushel bag capacity

Amazon.com Review

Where was this last fall when we were knee-deep in rakes,plastic bags, and complaining teenagers? What a spiffy contraption thisis. The collection system--an 8-foot hose and can cover--fits all Black& Decker blower/vacs. The idea is genius: Attach the adjustabledrawstring cover to your garbage can, attach the hose to yourblower/vac. Pretend you're in your living room and vacuum the yard. Theleaves are sucked directly into your garbage can. No more bending,scooping, lifting, sweating, or cajoling grumpy teens into doingautumn's most bedeviling chore. The system is simple, clean, and adarned good idea. Kudos, Black & Decker. --Kris Jensen-Van Heste ... Read more

Features

• 30 day no-risk satisfaction guarantee and full two-year warranty
• Deposits leaves and debris directly into trash can
• 8 foot hose covers a 16 foot circular diameter from the trash can
• Fits all Black & Decker blower vac bags
• Adjustable top with draw string adjusts to any size trash can

Reviews (9)

well blow me down!
Our garden at home is huge, and we have lots of big trees. In the autumn holidays I get pocket-money for clearing away the leaves on the lawn. My dad has always had a Fu-qing Blower but now has the Black & Decker BV-006 Blower/Vacuum Leaf Collection System, and my life is so much easier! Forget the Fu-qing Blower... the Black & Decker BV-006 Blower/Vacuum Leaf Collection System rocks my leaf collecting world.

Worth it's weight in gold!
I ordered this product in early September planning ahead for the season, and received it the end of October because it was backordered. Now I know why! It works great! It's a very powerful vacuum and when used with the Kangaroo container it's perfect for what I need! I bought a Sears push mulcher that looks like a lawn mower but is a dedicated mulcher and it stinks compared to this!!! Not only is this attachment at least 2-3 times more powerful, but because it's portable, it's a lot easier to use than lugging around a lawn mower mulcher. I can easily carry it to my patio, or anywhere else I need to do some spot pick-ups. Unfortunately, though, when leaves fall, twigs fall along with them, and it's probably not the best thing for the motor, so try to avoid them. I use the mulched leaves around my flower beds and delicate plants when I'm finished. Get it! You'll love how well it works. Word of caution: By the time this attachment came, I had misplaced my blower instructions, so I ended up taking it apart to put on the attachment, until I realized there's a button above the power button which was a simple release. Live and learn... Great product!

Time on your hands?
I have a rather large, corner lot with a lot of leaves. This works well if you are not in a hurry. It works very well in a sunken contrete patio area that collects leaves, vacuuming it all up well. But for clearing a large lot efficiently, it takes too long.

Works great with my Stihl Gas Blower
I saw a neighbor using this and thought what a great idea. Since I already had a Stihl blower, I searched the internet for a version of this for my blower. When I didn't find one, I decided I would try this system even though my blower is not a Black and Decker brand.

Without this system, the bag that you carry around fills up too fast and gets heavy to haul around. Since I bought this, no more stopping every minute to empty the bag.

To install on my Stihl blower, I had to remove the special attachment for B&D Blower and it easly fit onto where the leaf bag would normally attach. I had no trouble using this with a round trash can, but it has a lip which keeps the mesh portion from coming loose. I also found that I could get a really dense bag by pushing the leaves down when it fills up and mulch up some more leaves. Since I pay per bag for pickup, this saves me some money.

A DREAM COME TRUE
I was daydreaming of just such a system this year as I spent many hours sucking up the leaves from the corners of my yard. I have a 2 acre lot and its quite a chore. The original bag was quick to fill up, but then it took ages to go through the routine of detaching, emptying the bag into the old paper leaf bags, and then re-attaching the bag.
I saw this system in a store and thought I'd take a risk to order just the collection system from Amazon for my gas blower. With a bit of modification I attached it to my gas powered Homelite blower, got some Extra Large trash bags (45 gallon) for my 45 gallon square trash can.
WOW! I was off - what a system. Now I was sending most of my time sucking and almost no time bagging.
I'd recommend you use the largest trash can possible (the bag fits better) - with wheels (to help your mobility) - and put a couple of bricks in the bottom (to keep it stable as you move around the yard).
I LOVE THIS SYSTEM. If you want to take a chunk of time out of the annual chore, do not hesitate, buy it now. ... Read more

Product Description

52CC Backpack Gas Air Blower, Cuts Operating Noise In Half, Operates At 64.5 Decibels, Features Include Increased Power With Up To A 50% Reduction In Engine Speed, Decreased Fuel Consumption - Nearly 2 Hour Run Time On 1 Tank Of Gas, 4,500 RPM, 705 CFM Air Volume, 235 MPH Air Velocity, Anti-Vibration System, Padded Backrest, Easy To Maneuver Swivel Blower Tube & Adjustable Wide Carry Straps With Quick Release Buckles, This Is The First & Only Gas Powered Backpack Blower To Meet Category I Sound Levels Of The New ANSI Standards, ANSI Standard: Equipment Must Operate At Less Than 65 Decibels Of Sound When Measured At 50 Feet From The Operator, 2 Year Unlimited Warranty, Not Available In California. ... Read more

Features

• 52CC Backpack Gas Air Blower, Cuts Operating Noise In Half, Operates At 64.5 Decibels...
• Features Include Increased Power With Up To A 50% Reduction In Engine Speed, Decreased Fuel Consumption - Nearly 2 Hour Run Time On 1 Tank Of Gas...
• 4,500 RPM, 705 CFM Air Volume, 235 MPH Air Velocity, Anti-Vibration System, Padded Backrest, Easy To Maneuver Swivel Blower Tube & Adjustable Wide Carry Straps With Quick Release Buckles...
• This Is The First & Only Gas Powered Backpack Blower To Meet Category I Sound Levels Of The New ANSI Standards, ANSI Standard...
• Equipment Must Operate At Less Than 65 Decibels Of Sound When Measured At 50 Feet From The Operator, 2 Year Unlimited Warranty, Not Available In California...

Amazon.com Review

We popped this out of the box, snapped it together, strapped iton, and were ready to move some leaves. What a delight this littlemachine is for cleaning up debris in the yard. It's lighter than thebackpacks kids are hauling to school these days, the shoulder strap iscomfortable, adjustable, and distributes the weight evenly, and theFlexTube is a great innovation that takes the strain off your arm andshoulder. Black & Decker crafted a joystick handle onto the FlexTube,letting you direct the 140 mph airflow with absolute ease. You can alsotake off the FlexTube and carry the tool by the handle to use it as atraditional blower--but the strap and FlexTube are so cool that wecan't imagine using it any other way. Another nice plus--it's quieterthan you'd expect for this much power. --Kris Jensen-Van Heste ... Read more

Features

• Cord retention prevents blower from coming unplugged
• Flex-tube with joystick handle for improved control
• Shoulder strap moves weight from arms to shoulders
• Powerful 140 mph maximum air speed
• Low noise design

Reviews (2)

It Will Blow You Away
I ordered this item on May 1st and it was delivered on May 7th, all while choosing the free shipping and handling option!!! WOW !!! It works great and is exactly what I was looking for and at a great price, 50% off the manufactured listed price. Thanks Amazon.com you have a member and continued shopper for life!!!

NEW, EASY AND EFFICIENT!
Wow! What a difference the adjustable shoulder strap makes. With our old blower I felt as if I were engaged in a wrestling match just trying to clean off our driveway. Now, with the shoulder strap the weight of the blower is evenly distributed so that I can work with ease. Why didn't someone think of this before? Another feature I like is the sound quality - this blower doesn't wake the neighbors! It can be used either with the flex tube or straight tube. Thank you, Black & Decker! ... Read more

Features

• 5-7 minutes to dry complete motorcycle
• 4.0 horsepower
• Twin fan motor
• Complete set of accessories
• Cuts drying time by 80%

Features

• Uses 18-volt battery (not included)
• Can be used as a blower or as a vacuum with dust bag attached
• Up to 9.5 minutes of continuous operation from a single charge at high speed
• High performance "Makita" motor
• Variable speed (0-18,000 RPM) for controlled operation

Reviews (5)

Battery charger issue
I recently purchased this blower and the separate ...battery you need, but have yet to use it because I have had trouble finding an 18v battery charger. Amazon doesn't have one as a separate product, nor [do local stores](18 volt chargers are rare items, I am told). I wound up ordering a new Makita 18 volt 1/2" drill kit with two batteries and a charger for about $209 (not much more than the price of two batteries). A reconditioned drill kit would be even better, as recommended in another review here, but when I looked Amazon no longer carried this item.

Point is, think about how you are going to buy your batteries (cheaper in a kit) and where you will get a charger if not in a kit.

I give it 5 stars because I assume it is a great product, and the review system requires a stars to be selected.

A convenient light duty blower.
I bought this blower because I wanted to clean off my driveway without the hassle of plugging in my larger electric blower. I've owned it for about a year now.

The first thing that you notice about this blower is that it's much smaller than it looks in the photos. It's closer in size to your hand saw than it is to a standard leaf blower.

This has it's advantages and disadvantages. It's easy to set up, just twist the nozzle onto the front and plug the battery in the handle and you're ready to go. If you have a small outdoor job like blowing leaves or twigs off your front porch it works great. But being physically smaller in size than other blowers you don't move nearly the volume of air as a full size blower and sometimes you need to bend over and "push" the debris around with the air stream. The trigger style variable speed switch is great in that it allows you to dust off items that wouldn't survive a more powerful blast. It would be great for jobs like blowing sawdust out of your shop area as you could lightly dust the shelves and then sweep the floors full blast.

Even with an 18 volt battery the Makita doesn't have enough power to do the big jobs or work well on grassy surfaces. Even a large driveway would be a strain as it would require too much bending over and you would probably run out of power before you were done.

This blower is for hard surfaces and small jobs. In this role it is a mini powerhouse. It's build quality is high and it is light weight. It's designed for those "in between" size jobs.

It might even make a good blow dryer for a wet dog.

In summary, do NOT purchase this blower for regular yard work. Buy a full size.

DO purchase this blower for jobs of convenience and you will enjoy it. It is well built and nice to have when you're willing to start a five minute job but not a 20 minute one. :^)

Update: Dec 5, 2002 This morning I used the blower to blow off the powder snow that fell on my vehicle overnight. It took less than a minute and I didn't get my hands snowy just before I had to leave for work. Because you can whip this blower out quickly, there are a lot of different things that you can use it for that you might not think of otherwise.

Great little toy !!!
This Makita blower is fantastic. It has a variable speed switch that sets the blower from low to high. Don't get me wrong, you can't blow a whole yard clean, etc...I would recommend the 18 volt because you will get about 12 minutes of full blower time with it before you have to re-charge the battery. The lower voltage models will give you less time before the battery runs out. It is rather expensive ..,, but it is worth every penny. I use it to blow the bed of my pick-up truck clean and to blow the debris out of our gardens. It also has a suction feature for quick vacuum jobs, etc..., and a bag to hold the debris in. Let's just say, it gets small jobs done fast !!! This little gem is environmentally friendly, not too noisy and there are no electric cords to worry about. It surpasses broom clean-up by 101% !!! Once again Makita proves to be the best !!!

A much better blower than expected
I read the only previously written review before I purchased this blower and I almost didn't buy it. However, it seemed to be the best available alternative. I was very happy that I did.
I use it around the patio and pool and it works very well. You'll need a battery and charger. Hint: buy the factory reconditioned 18 volt 1/2 inch drill for only a few dollars more
than the battery and charger. You'll get the drill, a charger and two batteries.

Weak -- at best
This "tool" comes without a battery or charger. What's more, there appears to be no way to order a battery for it.

Got sawdust on a workbench? This thing would *probably* work okay.

Got leaves in your front yard? Get a real tool instead. ... Read more

Product Description

32cc blower delivers 425 CFM for speedy cleanups. Features anti-vibration system for easy, long-running use. Includes backpack and straps. 24-oz. fuel tank capacity for extended run time. 3000-3500 idle speed RPM and 7500 no-load RPM max. Factory refurbished to perform like new. ... Read more

Features

• Install and take off in seconds with Clink-Link shaft
• Add-on snow thrower handles snow up to 6 inches deep
• Works with any gas-powered Ryobi TrimmerPlus
• Clears a 12-inch wide path and tosses snow up to 20 feet
• Reliable belt-drive transmission and adjustable throw direction for easy operation

Reviews (9)

Awesome!
My husband cleared our 60 foot driveway of 6 inches of snow in about half an hour. When I wanted to try it out I had to go clear the neighbors'. The only reason I am not giving it five stars is that I don't know how long it will last. The blade being plastic does concern me, but it seems sturdy.

Auger Replacement
Ryobi service: 1-800-345-8746
Rotor Part #181382
Price: $39.00

Solution: Didn't buy. This is a ripoff.

Not worth the price
I bought this snow thrower and used it once. The poorly designed plastic auger broke within the first hour of using it. I would not waste my money on this product. I would recommend buying a regular snow thrower.

Very useful
This snow thrower for the trimmer plus system works very well. I am amazed by how quickly it clears the snow and how easily my trimmer starts in winter. This little gem clears my driveway quickly and easily and takes up very little space in my garage. The click link systems is such a smart idea. I've been using it for years and will have no other product. Even if the power head goes bad and I have to replace it (which I had to after 8 years), it is still more cost effective than buying all the yard tools separately. Great item and worth the money (...) 2 years with this item and still works great. I have no complaints about a good item.

customer support
I have owned the Ryobi Click Link system for more than a year now and have been very satisfied with its performance. I utilize the blower and weed cutter attachments a lot and so far I hadn't had any problems. My concern is the support that we as consumers should be getting from the manufacturer. I have not been able to get the snowblower attachment for the system though. I have tried countless stores who are listed in the Ryobi homepage as providers of their garden products but have not been very lucky. ... Read more

Features

• No gas and oil to mix - simply plug it in and go
• Clears snow up to 6 inches deep from side-walks, steps, and decks
• Powerful 7.5 amp motor throws snow up to 20 feet
• Clears debris from most hard surfaces
• Great for seasonal outdoor clean-up projects

Features

• 36 heavy-duty double cutting lines, and legs included in carton
• Full one-bushel hopper capacity
• Extra large 21" diameter funnel for easy loading. Unique hopper & funnel design prevents material throwback.
• Fine, medium and coarse settings gives from 8 to 1, down to 30 to 1 particle reduction.
• Lightweight and rugged polyethylene funnel & housing for maintenance free care.

Features

• 140 mph maximum air force
• Light weight - only 5 pounds
• Exclusive cordlock system

Features

• Two-year full warranty
• Increased power and performance - up to 190 mph air speed
• Reduces 8 bags of leaves to 1
• Exclusive cord lock system
• Converts from blower to vacuum mode with no tools needed

Reviews (3)

Blowing power is great; haven't tried vac/mulching yet
After cutting our lawn, we'd always have grass clippings lying over our front porch, sidewalk, and driveway. I got so tired of always getting out there with a broom - which only cleared about half of the mess - that I decided to buy a blower. When I saw the difference in price between a blower and a blower/vac/mulcher was very little, I decided to give the Toro 51573 a try.

After cutting the lawn again, I was anxious to try out my new toy. The first time I turned it on I literally elevated on to my toes... That's how much power this thing has. It was so liberating to watch our grass leftovers be COMPLETELY cleared from every area in less than ten miutes. I also blew all of the little pebbles off of our driveway, and I plan on tackling all the dirt and debris that's found a resting spot on our garage floor. Of course, when using the blower you have to be careful where you aim. Once I accidently let the blowing stream get too close to my mulch and had to go patch that spot later - LOL.

I can actually say that I'm looking forward to fall when all the leaves drop so I can try out the vac/mulching capabilities. My father - who is near 60 - has two giant trees in his front yard and three in his back yard. Every year he has to rake around 30 bags of leaves, and I'd like to give him a break. After the Toro 51573 and I have a go at his yard later this year, I'll update my review with the results...

Great product
The toro rake and vac is a great product. I am disabled and have problems raking so many leaves in my yard, and then cleaning them up. This has helped so much because it shortens the time i need to be raking, then mulches the leaves down real great.

Excellent power for the money!
Bought it last Summer, works great for blow/vac leaves, etc. Used to blow the rocks out of my yard after a long winter season of sanding and salting. Worked great. Would certainly recommend. Has a lot of power for the price. ... Read more

Product Description

2 Cycle, Backpack Gas Blower, 40.2 CC High Output Engine, 250 MPH Air Speed & 490 CFM Air Volume, Variable Speed Trigger Throttle Allows For Precise Speed Control, Shoulder Pads For Comfort, 2 Year Limited Warranty. ... Read more

Features

• 2 Cycle, Backpack Gas Blower, 40.2 CC High Output Engine...
• 250 MPH Air Speed & 490 CFM Air Volume...
• Variable Speed Trigger Throttle Allows For Precise Speed Control...
• Shoulder Pads For Comfort...
• 2 Year Limited Warranty., Made In The USA...