Ultra Blower Vac

This works perfectly. Just what I was looking for. The vacuum and blower work great. It is a little heavy but quality made product usually are.

After buying a new house with a beautiful yard and gardens, I started to realize just how much work was in store to maintain said yard and gardens. Then I turned my gaze up at the enormous trees shading the front and back yards. They're amazing trees, but they have an amazing number of leaves. Now that fall is wrapping up here in the Texas, those leaves are making their annual migration south for the winter. I've never seen so many leaves! I mean, I live in a land of junipers and live oaks and other evergreens trees. But whatever I have in my yards is just dumping massive quantities of dead leaves upon my entire property. In no time, my entire lawn was covered, so something had to be done. I can't have leave them there to choke out the grass while the weather is still warm. So I knew I would need a powerful leaf blower. I opted to try my luck with a battery powered mower and string trimmer. But I thought I might need more leaf blowing longevity than a cordless model could offer. And while a backpack style gas blower would be pretty sweet, it would nullify one of the great advantages of electric lawn equipment--no gasoline and associated maintenance. And so, I did some research and settled on this Toro blower/vac. I've used it a half dozen times so far (in addition to mulching leaves into the lawn with the mower), and I haven't even made a dent. But this thing is powerful and reliable and effective. It is lightweight and easy to use. My wife even likes using it (it's like vacuuming, and I like vacuuming). And that was before I showed her that she can actually _vacuum_ the leaves, too! Once you get a hang for how everything is attached and changed for different functions, it's super simple to get up and running, and to switch from blower to vac, quickly. I like the placement and design of handles, allowing for different holding positions. The big dial makes it easy to modulate the speed/power, even while wearing gloves. I find it better to loop the power cord through the handle to prevent it from coming unplugged. But man, can this thing blow. Even when the leaves have piled up one or two _feet_ thick around the shed, this blower moves more than enough air to expose bare ground in no time. I can quickly gather the pesky leaves into convenient piles, and then I take a break and swap out the blower tube for the vacuum tube for some efficient leaf mulching. I remove any sticks bigger than a small twig to prevent snagging in the impeller, but otherwise, I just don the collection bag, assume the position, and let 'er rip. The bag itself is small, so I do need to get a trash barrel with the hose/mesh attachment. That will just give me more time between emptying. But man, this thing will go to town on a pile of leaves, big or small. It really does a great job of chopping things up and reducing the total volume of leaves into manageable quantities for curbside collection or composting. All in all, I'm totally satisfied so far. I'm supremely happy with the purchase, and with my foresight that led to my choosing a corded blower rather than a battery powered model. I can easily run this thing for 30-40 minutes at a time with no concern for battery life, gas refills, or any interruptions at all. It's also lightweight, so I feel no ill effects in my back after a long session, nor do I get the uncomfortable buzzing in my hands after I've finished for the day. Solid blower/vac. Would recommend at this price point.

Confusing Inaccurate Amazon Presentation: As of May 15 2015, Amazon presents 4 models of Toro corded electric blowers. All models are rated by airspeed power varying from 160 mph to 235 mph. The 210 mph model is more expensive than the 230 mph one. Both models appear to be the same, but the 210 mph (51617) is called a Rake and Vac; and the 230 mph (51618) is called a Super Leaf Blower Vac. The Rake and Vac name would be more plausible if Toro included some little tines on the end of the vacuum tube. Ergo rake and vac. Who knows? There might be someone looking for exactly that kind of thing. The Toro I ordered replaces an older, impossibly troublesome gas powered Poulan "Pro" which required repairing every season. The Poulan was a gift from well meaning children purchased before internet resources were around to check product reviews. I used it a lot, as it used me. The "Pro" designation obviously meant you needed a Pro to start it and keep it running. Now, I've reached the age that if I can get it started, I'm too worn out to work it. After noticing the overwhelmingly favorable reviews of the Toro electrics, I needed to decide which one is best for me. I wanted one at least as powerful as the Poulan beater. I do not require a vacuum feature, just a good blower under $60. I also wasn't interested in gas nor rechargeable models. 100' cords are no trouble at all compared to my past power-on-board-appliance experiences. The Amazon presentations do not mention the amp rating for the 51617 nor the 51618, so I went with the 230 mph device. Also, Amazon's notice, "This item will be visible when delivered." found in the 160 mph model description caused me concern as I prefer receiving the more novel invisible items despite the challenges for claiming credit when it becomes necessary to return an invisible item. I signed on for the 1 month trial of Amazon Prime and also ordered an external hard drive for my laptop. I received both items packed in a common box less than 24 hours later. WOW! That's quicker than standing in a Walmart line! The Amazon description of the 230 mph machine (51618) lists, "Blower inserts for multiple applcations", and clearly shows an accessory package of three tubes described as "Multiple Tubes for Specialized Uses"; the main tube and two others, one described as a power insert and the other described as a concentrator insert. I only received the main tube and a concentrator insert. The manufacturer's box I received containing the 51618 only mentions the two tubes and boasts a 225 mph rather than the 230 mph spec as described by Amazon. Fortunately, the 51618 is rated at 12 amps which helps offset the $15 price difference over the 160 mph 7 amp machine. Despite the raves, I would not have been pleased by the lesser and visible 7 amp blower. The plastic vs metal impeller is a non issue for me as I don't require a vacuum feature. Upon opening the box and assembling the blower, I quickly returned to the job the Poulan quit on; flipped the switch and finished the work. The 51618 seems 2/3 as heavy as the exhausted gas unit, has no odors from 2 cycle smoke, half as noisy, starts easily, and blows 10% better than the Poulan running at its peak. I even had enough physical energy left over to mix and pour a yard of concrete if I needed to. So why a 4 star rating? Subtract 1 star because Toro should offer a model 51618WCVA for about $42.17 (without the cumbersome vacuum accessories) just as it does with the 160 mph 51585. I'll keep the unit because it does what I need it to do. About a week after I received the Toro, Harbor Freight offered a seemingly identical unit for a couple bucks less. Nevertheless, I'm delighted.

THIS ITEM WAS SUPPLIED WITH A PLUG WHICH IS FOR USE IN NORTH AMERICA. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND A CONNECTOR TO USE IT IN THE UK. I WAS INFORMED BY A LOCAL DEALER THAT IT IS ILLEGAL TO SELL THIS ITEM FOR USE IN THE UK.

an excellent product- durable and effective.

For collecting fallen leaves

Works great, my 9 year old granddaughter had fun using it too. Good power in both blowing and suctioning. My husband found the only issue was with the mulching bag. They didn't put an adjustable strap and he found it hung a bit low.

Todo es muy buena y tiene bastante potencia Quiero pedir una disculpa ya que anteriormente les había mandado una opinión diferente les había mandado decir qué el producto no servía pero la culpa era mía ya que no había leído bien las instrucciones. Pero funciona perfectamente Gracias