Does Anyone Have Any Advice On The Best Electric Leaf Blower/vac To Buy?

[ladybirder]

I have looked at the Ryobi RBV3000, the Bosch ALS2500 and the Flymo Scirocco 3000, and none of them have 5 star reviews. May garden is small and I don't mind spending up to £100. Anybody got a good one they would recommend? Thank you.

[Tilly2]

We have one you can have. We've only used it once.

[woofgang]

well they are fun on a sunny autumn day but I wouldn't call them useful.

[Tilly2]

I wouldn't bother, ladybirder. A waste of money.

[Canary42]

Try this - twice as effective and far less hard work than lugging a great wind machine around.

http://www.robertdyas.co.uk/indoor-outdoor-brooms

[ladybirder]

I already have those thank you canary. And the machines I'm looking at are only between 4-5kg.

Oh, woof, I was expecting a bit more enthusiasm - are they really that useless?

Tilly that's very kind of you but why don't you use it?

[woofgang]

well they whirl dry leaves up beautifully but its not that easy to get them all into one place and if the leaves are wet and soggy, don't bother. i have had two decent brand powerful petrol driven ones and honestly i dont think they are worth the effort. they are fun though.

[ladybirder]

Thanks woof, maybe I'd better have another think about this. Thanks for your input.

[P-Kasso]

Blowers are usually only worthwhile for large gardens with lots of trees shedding leaves.
But ,if you DO decide to buy one, I'd choose either the Bosch or the Flymo because they have better after-sales networks and better servicing than Ryobi.
I've used the same Bosch blower for 16 years...quite heavy usage, two hour sessions every 10 days or so...and its only just now begun to have teething problems...running out of puff like me!

[Old_Geezer]

I quite like the idea of a vac sucking up and bagging all the stuff that is such a pain to try to rake together on the lawn; but have to say I didn't use my Flymo (I think) one a lot and eventually gave it to my woman. I'd still like to have one but it would be the same issue, little actual use. Still if powerful enough (not allowed whilst we are in the EU) then it would be useful every now and again, and presumably last for years.

[woofgang]

OG again you can only suck up and bag the dry stuff because the wet stuff gets chopped to porridge and gums up the works. I have got a decent sized garden with about eight trees (was eleven and will be again) and many deciduous shrubs, I just keep the patio clear and safe and leave the rest where they fall. They compost down and don't even seem to make bald spots on the lawn.

[ladybirder]

Thanks P-Kasso (love the user name BTW). My garden is smothered in leaves as it is overhung by some very large trees, which I love, and which have TP's on them. Yes the garden is small but there are a LOT of leaves and like you I am running out of puff:-). I have discounted the Flymo - too many not good reports plus it has one year's guarantee only, whereas the others I mention have two. I am favouring the Bosch at present but in view of what others have said I shall procrastinate a bit longer.

[beso]

Leaf blowers are the most pointless, annoying invention ever. Most people use them once and never get them out again, thankfully.

[woofgang]

My late DH found mine very useful for blowdrying his motorbikes after he had washed them.

[ladybirder]

Woof if I still had the grass area (can't in all conscience call it a lawn really) I would do the same as you and just let it lie. However I have had my garden hard landscaped this spring and 70% is now patio and wide steps and the other 30% is fruit tree and shrub borders. Brushing the steps and patio is easy enough but it's the actual leaf removal that causes me problems. Not as young as I was I'm afraid and I've already fallen backwards down the steps once.

[ladybirder]

They do seem to be very noisy beso. IF I get one I shall use it when my neighbours are at work.

[Old_Geezer]

Sounds like they just need a redesign woofie. Chop chop chop and ensure the result gets bagged not in the works. Commercial opportunity there methinks.

[woofgang]

Og they have got choppers in which is why you end up with leaf porridge.