’m not a big fan of yardwork but I do love raking leaves.
There’s something gratifying about watching a leaf pile grow larger and larger. That’s where my infatuation fades. You see, I hate picking up the leaves from the leaf pile. Then, I stumbled upon a power garden tool in Home Depot that stopped me dead in my tracks in aisle 51.
It was the RYOBI 40V Vac Attack Cordless Battery Leaf Vacuum/Mulcher. Yes, a vacuum for leaves! I will get to the price point right away. I paid $149 at Home Depot for the tool. Batteries are sold separately but I was lucky that I already own a few 40V batteries at home from my other compatible RYOBI tools.
Although I impulsively bought the leaf vacuum on the spot, I did some quick research on similar products when I arrived home from the store. I was surprised to see that there were walk-behind, push leaf vacuums in the shape of lawn mowers that looked amazing, but they cost $1,500 to $2,699 and seemed to be more for commercial landscapers. Those ridiculously high costs justified my $149 leaf vacuum model.
The question is: Did the RYOBI 40V Vac Attack Cordless Battery Leaf Vacuum/Mulcher live up to my expectations?
What is a Leaf Vacuum?
A leaf vacuum is an outdoor power tool designed to collect fallen leaves, grass clippings, tiny twigs, and other debris from your yard and garden. While a rake is good to gather leaves and a broom is good to sweep debris, a leaf vacuum automates the chore.
How does a leaf vacuum operate? Just as your carpet vacuum does, a leaf vacuum powerfully suctions the leaves from the ground and funnels them directly into the attached leaf collection bag. It’s basically designed to resemble a leaf blower but instead of blowing air out to move the leaves, the air pulls the leaves in. A leaf vacuum is relatively lightweight and portable so you can carry it with ease around your yard.
While the process is automated, you still need to hold the leaf vacuum in your hands to suck up the leaves. You will also need to stop vacuuming and empty the collection bag when it is filled. The collection bag is typically made of sturdy fabric and comes in different sizes.
Amazing Mulching Feature of the RYOBI 40V Vac Attack Cordless Battery Leaf Vacuum
The RYOBI 40V Leaf Vacuum not only suctions the leaves. As the leaves pass through the intake, a mulcher chops the leaves down into tiny pieces. That means, you can fit more leaf debris in the collection bag. According to RYOBI, the 40V technology delivers the power to mulch 16 bags of leaves down to 1 bag!
That makes the 2-in-1 vacuum/mulcher ideal to add to your yardwork tools. It’s not too cumbersome so it will store nicely in a shed or garage when not in use.
Other features include:
:: Vacuum is part of the versatile RYOBI 40V System so any 40V battery works
:: Offers 30+ minutes of battery runtime so you can get the job done
:: Equipped with a durable metal impeller for mulching
:: Large, heavy-duty leaf collector bag holds a lot of mulched leaves
:: Wheels attached to vacuum tube makes it easy to move around yard
:: Variable speed dial allows adjustable airflow based on vacuum uses
:: Comes with a 5-Year Manufacturer’s Tool Warranty
5 Benefits of Using a RYOBI 40V Vac Attack Cordless Leaf Vacuum/Mulcher
Using a leaf vacuum/mulcher helps make clearing leaves and doing yard work easier.
<1> Saves valuable time – Rather than spend hours manually bagging leaves by hand after spending hours raking, the leaf vacuum collects leaves and debris quickly and efficiently.
<2> Reduces physical strain on your body – No more bending over to pick up piles of leaves by hand resulting in a sore back, arms, and legs. The leaf vacuum eliminates this task by automating the suction of leaves from the ground into the tool, through the mulcher, and into the collection bag.
<3> Mulches leaves to make less waste – Rather than have dozens of leaf bags filled up with leaves, the mulching aspect of the leaf vacuum reduces 16 bags of full size leaves into just 1 bag. In addition, the mulch from this tool can be used for composting, landscaping, or gardening.
<4> Adjustable air flow – You can easily adjust to maximum airflow for large piles of leaves or reduce the airflow for delicate areas around garden plants to avoid suctioning cedar mulch and decorative stones.
<5> Wheels attach to leaf collection tube – As you’re collecting leaves, the leaf collection tube is on wheels so you can maneuver around your yard, on the grass, in the driveway, on the patio or deck, even in the garden. The wheels help take some of the weight off your back and arms.
Product Specifications of the RYOBI 40V Vac Attack Cordless Leaf Vacuum/Mulcher
Right out of the box, the assembly of the RYOBI 40V Vac Attack Cordless Leaf Vacuum/Mulcher is easy and no tools are required. You just snap the 2 leaf tubes together and attach them to the main vacuum head. Attach the wheels to the collection tube and then attach the collection bag to the vacuum. Click a 40V battery (not included) in place and set the adjustable suction power level. A few simple assembly steps and you’re ready to vacuum the leaves.
Box includes:
:: RY40405 40V Leaf Vacuum
:: Wheels, Bag
:: Operator’s Manual
Specifications:
:: Brand: RYOBI
:: Model #: RY40405BTL
:: Color: Black/Green
:: Weight: 12.7 lbs.
:: Style: Handheld
:: Input: 120V, 60Hz, 60W
:: Mulching Ratio: 16:1
:: Runs on 40V battery (sold separately unless specified)
:: Noise Level: 30 dB
As always, be sure to read the Operator’s Manual before assembling and operating your RYOBI 40V Vac Attack Cordless Leaf Vacuum/Mulcher.
Here’s the Best Use of the RYOBI Cordless Leaf Vacuum/Mulcher
Besides raking leaves into a big pile and then sucking up the leaves into the collection bag, I found an even better use for my RYOBI 40V Vac Attack Cordless Leaf Vacuum/Mulcher.
Backstory: After I mow and edge my front lawn, I am so hot and tired from mowing that I hate cleaning up the cut grass and weeds that are left on the sidewalk and in the driveaway. Typically, I would use my Ryobi leaf blower to attempt to blow the grass into multiple neat piles of debris and then, by hand, transfer the debris into a trash bag. Most times, I’d make even more of a mess and waste about 30 minutes.
Well, now I just leave the grass on the sidewalk and simply grab my Ryobi leaf vacuum to suck up the debris. It’s AMAZING! That saves me so much time and energy; it makes me so appreciative for this tool.
Here are a few last observations about the leaf vacuum:
:: Don’t try to vacuum wet leaves or cedar chips or you’ll clog the mulcher.
:: Don’t overfill the leaf collection bag or you risk it ripping.
:: Empty the collection bag often because it will feel heavier as the bag fills.
:: Battery life lasted for an impressive 40 minutes.
So, YES, I love my RYOBI 40V Vac Attack Cordless Leaf Vacuum!
