Retiring Your Old Leaf Blower? Ryobi Has A Brand New 2-In-1 Alternative At Home Depot
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Many people love fall because of pumpkin spice coffee, Oktoberfest beers, or cooler weather. However, fall can also bring the frustration of dealing with too many fallen leaves across your lawn. If the leaf blower that you trusted in the past is now on its last legs, one new option is available at Home Depot: the Ryobi 40-Volt Cordless Battery Leaf Vacuum and Mulcher ($199 for the tool only, or $299 with a battery and charger).
This tool attempts to negate some of the disadvantages of handheld leaf blowers, featuring stronger power and greater convenience. Although leaf blowing is a time-saver compared to raking them by hand, once you make a pile of leaves, you have to do something with it or it could kill the grass underneath. You can blow the leaves onto a tarp to simplify the final collection, use a rake and bags to remove the pile, or deploy a combination of the two collection methods. Bagging can take a lot of time, though.
With this two-in-one Ryobi tool, you'll eliminate the need to bag fallen leaves altogether, which should save significant time. It features a vacuum that pulls in the downed leaves before the mulching feature takes over and chews them up. Home Depot claims that the durable metal mulching function can reduce the organic matter in a 16:1 ratio, saving you money because you won't have to purchase as many bags to dispose of it. Alternatively, you can use the mulch in your lawn, adding nutrients and organic matter.
This 2-in-1 leaf tool delivers upgraded power and features
Extra power and performance is a key advantage of this model, which is an upgrade to Ryobi's previous 40-volt vacuum and mulcher. The new model reduces the weight of the machine by 20%, while providing 70% more vacuuming power, according to Home Depot. One customer reviewer said the new model reduced the time required to remove leaves down to just a few minutes. Another customer reviewer said the easier maneuverability of this Ryobi model is especially noticeable compared to a gas leaf blower. By adding a shoulder strap for supporting the mulched leaf collection bag, the unit is even more comfortable to use. "This leaf vac saves time and energy!! It is not uncomfortably heavy either. I like the shoulder strap and bag features," a reviewer said.
The Ryobi vacuum and mulcher run on a 40-volt battery, and electric-powered leaf blowers and mulchers run significantly quieter than gas-powered models. Still, the Ryobi model delivers power that reminds customers of gas-powered units. "As far as performance, I am already impressed. This unit had no problem sucking up leaves and other small yard debris," one Home Depot customer reviewer said. Some HOAs and municipalities may have ordinances against using noisy equipment during certain hours, meaning the battery-powered Ryobi model could let you do your yard work with less risk of violating local rules.
You can save money by going with the Ryobi brand
Ryobi, which is an indoor and outdoor power tool brand that exclusively partners with Home Depot for sales, is generally considered a budget-priced brand. You can save even more money if you own more than one Ryobi outdoor power tool. The 40-volt batteries that operate these machines are all compatible with each other. In other words, you don't have to buy a separate battery and charger for each 40-volt Ryobi tool that you own; you can share batteries among them. (However, if you own power tools that use Ryobi's 18-volt batteries, these batteries are not compatible with the 40-volt models.)
You can also save time and money on maintenance with a battery-powered tool like this one. Gas-powered models require oil changes, fuel and air filter replacements, and other upkeep. Battery-powered units don't require these steps to keep them running. "I also appreciate the convenience of being cordless. There's no gas, no extension cord, and much less maintenance compared with a traditional gas-powered leaf vacuum," one Home Depot customer reviewer said.
Even though Ryobi is a budget brand, the manufacturer delivers longevity with its products. The leaf mulcher and vacuum carries a five-year manufacturer's warranty (as long as it's primarily a personal-use tool rather than a commercial-use tool). If you purchase a kit that includes the tool, battery, and charger, the 40-volt battery and charger each have a three-year warranty, giving you some peace of mind as you continue to use the leaf blower and mulcher for multiple seasons.