Toro Ultra 12 Amp Variable Speed Electric Blower/Vacuum With Metal Impeller #51599

I used to use my ShopVac to blow the leaves, but that was a real pain. I hired landscapers and they were great for the first year. I was raking the leaves and it took forever, and then the handle snapped in two and hit me in the mouth. I bought this that same night. I was tempted to give it four stars, but then I realized this is as good as they get. There is no way that you will get the power of the blowers that you have to push. With that said, let me tell you that I have about half an acre with a lot of trees. The fall looks beautiful.....for a few weeks....and then, it's a killer. So, having this blower is very helpful. Blowing the leaves is very easy and this is relatively light, my 5 year old can hold it and walk around with it....he carries it for me when I am finished. I would not recommend letting a child use this, for multiple reasons. As far as blowing, well first thing, try blow dry leaves. If they get wet it will be harder to blow them as they pile up. Having said that, it is hard to blow even dry leaves when the pile is big. Keep in mind, however, that even the backpack gas blowers have their limitations and are not much better than this (you need a team of two people to really be effective). It takes me about two hours to blow all the leaves. Keep in mind that I being followed by my five year old helper. So, why do I think you should purchase this over others....well, first, it's a Toro. They usually make a long lasting product, I have two other Toro products and they are awesome as well. The cost for this is really what makes it a great deal. Low cost, good function, solid reputation....these are the things that make an item not only a good buy, but also a great value. One note, as with any of these products, the cord can come off and you should ONLY use this on a GFCI.

A great machine. The best I've ever owned. The variable speed makes it handy when blowing leaves to cover tree and bush bases. The vac is powerful enough to pickup acorns, and the metal impeller grinds them easily. The mulch it produces is finer than that produced by my walk-behind mulcher/vac.

This Toro Ultra 12 Amp Variable Speed Electric Blower/Vacuum With Metal Impeller #51599 is fantastic, by Far the BEST and should be the only one sold by TORO, the others I bought were not sturdy enough this one gets the job done and more... I am the envy of the guy nest door with his gas powered sorry unit. Thanks Toro for finally having this unit!

I've used this only as a vacuum.

1) Very handy in places where there aren't enough leaves to create a large pile of leaves.

2) Vacuuming a lawn isn't practical. I rake into piles and then use the vacuum to deal with piles. I empty the vacuum into a large dumping area in my yard. It's not clear that this actually is more efficient than placing the raked leaves into bags and having the bags hauled away.

3) Maximum range is limited to 150 feet according to the instructions. And to get to 150 feet a 12 gauge extension cord must be used. For distances up to 100 feet a 14 gauge extension cord must be used. So plan on spending a lot on extension cords. In my case (I bought 150 feet of 12 gauge) I spent more on the cords than on the vacuum. Those orange heavy duty exension cords that you already own are only 16 gauge and 12 gauge cords are much more expensive than 16 cage cords.

After breaking the plastic impeller of another Toro when I was using the vacuum function in a ditch, I purchased the Toro #51599 with the metal impeller. This is simply the best unit you can buy for less than $100. It is particularly suited for areas with numerous twigs and rocks. Superior power and very well-built. Amazon is always the best place to buy.