What to look for when buying an electric leaf blower vacuum mulcher?

If you want to buy an electric leaf blower mulcher, keep in mind:

Blowing speed;
Bladder volume;
The ease of converting from leaf blower to leaf vacuum mulcher;
The importance of the collection bag and the ease with which it can be emptied;
The weight of the leaf blower.
We explain a little more below.

From leaf blower to leaf vacuum mulcher

Something to remember in any case: with the lesser brands, another essential point of criticism is that converting from leaf blower to leaf vacuum mulcher is time-consuming. The better brands have now devised more convenient systems with click closures.

Tip: to only have to convert once. It is more convenient if you first blow all the leaves on one or more mountains before you start vacuuming. But that method doesn't work well on windy days or if you live in a windy location. The leaves then blow off the heap again.



Weight of the collection bag

And also something to keep in mind: with many models, the collection bag hangs at the bottom of the best leaf blower vacuum. As the bag fills, it becomes heavier, especially with moist leaves.

Tip: If you have a lot of leaves in your garden, choose a leaf blower mulcher where the carrying strap supports the collection bag.

Such models are easier to handle if the tube has good wheels. You don't have to lift the weight completely.

But: those wheels are only practical on the pavement. Not if you want to blow/suck over dirt, gravel, and grass. Then you have to lift the leaf blower again.

Preventing leaf vacuum blockage

A common complaint when using a leaf vacuum mulcher is that the pipe and/or the rotor housing gets clogged.

This often occurs when you try to suck up too much and too moist leaves at once. Wet leaves are difficult to shred. It sticks to the inside of the pipe and the rotor housing, causing blockages.

Our country's autumn leaves are almost always damp due to rain and fog. Should you then refrain from leaf sucking? No, you don't have to, but note the following:

Work as much as possible on drier days;

Suck up little bits of leaf every time; then you're done the fastest;
Avoid vacuuming damp earth or wet sand because then you increase the chance of blockage;

Do you have many and/or larger leaves in your garden? Choose a leaf blower/vacuum leaf mulcher with a lot of power and large pipe diameter.

More tips?

Do you want the best buy leaf blower vacuum mulcher for you? Then we recommend you read our full article with the tips and pitfalls when purchasing a leaf blower.

Protection is needed!

Many leaf blower mulchers make more noise than is good for you. According to the National Hearing Foundation, your hearing can be damaged in less than 5 minutes at 103 decibels.
Hence the advice: use good hearing protection. For example, the highly appreciated 3M Earmuffs in various colors: