Toro 51619 Ultra Electric Blower Vac, 250 mph, Red

My review is based solely on performance and not durability as I just received it and have only used it today. I cannot say how long this blower/vac will last, but I can tell you it appears very well-mad and I bought it to replace a much older version that was all plastic. This model has a metal toothed wheel in the housing that is far superior to previous models. And you can tell in performance. I had previously switched to a 2-cycle blower and just used the Toro vac on my old model because I have a long driveway, large yard and lots of trees. But the maintenance and waste factor of the gas blower, frankly, was getting old and the performance was unreliable. So I decided to try out the new Toro blower/vac 250, buy some extension cords and alleviate the need to mix and store gas/oil and deal with fumes. Wish I had done it sooner. The power in this blower is AMAZING---it even blew mushrooms out of the ground around an old tree! You don't even need top speed to clear a driveway or sidewalk in minutes. I also love that you can power down to do flower beds to avoid tearing up mulch yet still take those surface leaves away. Overall, it easily took me half the time to clear my yard and of leaves because there was no need to stop and refuel or restart due to stalls. Love the power setting, the lightweight handle of the equipment and the fact that it takes no time to switch to the vacuum to pick up debris and leaves. I dump the mulched leaves right into my composter and I'm done. Cleanup and storage are a breeze. I also found this made blowing out gutters and rooftops also quicker and less hassle. The power will literally blow your mind. I can honestly say it does a far better job than my gas model did. I had my older version for at least fifteen years but that blower was not anywhere near as powerful as this one, though the vac was okay. This 250 speed, however, is a real game changer. No more cleaning carburetors and mixing gas for me.

I bought this specifically for vacuuming up leaves. I was a bit unsure due to several of the poor reviews from people mentioning all sorts of terrible things that have happened to their blower/vac and how the bag isn't durable and all sorts of complaints, but I figured I'd give it a shot. Well, I've had this for the past 6 months and have been thoroughly impressed and am very happy with it.I used this in the fall the vacuum up and disintegrate the leaves that were all over my yard. This thing did it wonderfully. The manufacturer claims 16:1 reduction in volume, and that's probably correct. A big pile of leaves piled about 3 feet tall was reduced to a dense pile of pieces that barely came halfway up one of those paper lawn yard-waste bags. Amazing.I've also used this to suck up bush and leaf trimmings after I trim up the hedges and holly trees around my house, and it does a great job and has no problem chewing through stems and branches up to about 1/8 inch thick. Anything thicker tends to get bound up or bogs down the motor and makes a sickening noise. It's really amazing how much it reduces my use of those lawn bags. And the vacuum is strong enough to suck up clumps of freshly trimmed hedge chunks. No more raking and picking up hedge trimmings by hand!Also, the variable speed means that I can set the vacuum power low enough where it picks up the leaves and whatnot, but the mulch stays on the ground where it needs to be. And so far the bag has worked well and the zipper hasn't broken.The only complaint I have is that it's a bit clumsy to work with. I'm 5'11 and sometimes I feel like I'm a few inches too short to use it comfortably, and sometimes I feel like a few inches too tall to use it comfortably. I know, it sounds idiotic and I'm baffled that such a strange paradox exists with this thing. But the time (and back pain) I save by not having to pick up leaves and stuff and the reduction in the use of lawn bags. Actually there is one more complaint: when the grinder bit does get clogged up and need manual disimpaction, the blower piece is a bit difficult to remove... but it's definitely not a deal breaker.I haven't used the blower function since I already own a battery powered blower, so can't comment on that aspect.

Ii bought it for the vacuum part. I had an older model which died. This one is definitely more bulky and heavier. The pick up tube alone would be very difficult for anyone shorter than 5'8". Great if you are stronger or a man. ( but my husband doesn't do anything.) It works good. I really wanted a cordless one but I took what I could get and toro is a good brand