Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. How we test gear.

After you pile up lawn debris, turn it into garden mulch with one of these leaf vacuums.

People have the idea that using a leaf vacuum is a lot like vacuuming indoors, as if you just move smoothly along, leaving a clean path behind you. However, in practice, the process is not that simple. If that’s what you want, a lawn mower with a bag works better. Leaf vacuums do have their place in cleaning up yard debris in the great outdoors, but it's up to you to find their optimal use.

Our test results show that leaf vacuums are more effective at removing leaves from hard surfaces than a lawn. For example, they work well at removing leaves from concrete, pavers, flagstone, brick, and asphalt. To some degree, they work on decks, but you’ll find it’s easier to blow off leaves and debris rather than trying to pull out material that’s stuck between deck boards.

Vacuums work pretty well on small patches of grass, but for larger areas, you’ll find it more effective to rake up a small pile and then vacuum that up. Their portable design and narrow tubes also make them perfect for accessing areas that your lawn mower or rake could not, like against walls, in corners, and stuck in bushes or against fencing.

Gas-engine leaf vacuums are far more powerful than corded or cordless models and more resistant to clogging, especially when pulling in twigs or wet leaves, or a combination of the two. Those materials can be particularly difficult to pull, and it takes a lot of torque and air movement to do it. Also, gas-engine vacs are far more mobile than corded machines. If you’re working a small, manicured yard, either a corded or cordless model would be perfect.

For a large lawn, especially where you have to remove nuts, twigs, pine cones, and pine needles along with the leaves, go with a gas-engine vac. Also, note that air movement speed and volumes stated by manufacturers usually refers to blowing, not vacuum mode. There is no standard test for vacuuming lawn debris, and air movement is only part of the story. How well a machine does at vacuuming has a lot to do with the material you’re removing, its shape, friction, and dampness.

Also, the data for the mulching ratio for these machines strikes us as irrelevant. When you spill out a leaf vacuum’s debris bag and inspect it closely, you’ll notice most of the leaves are only partially shredded. And this shouldn’t be surprising. What accounts for the reduction in the pile’s size has as much to do with flattening and packing created by forcing the leaves into the bag as it does by the shredding created by the machine’s impeller.

When assembling this list of options, we researched and selected the most promising blower-vacuum combination machines. We selected machines from manufacturers with a proven track record in our tests, including Echo, Greenworks, Husqvarna, and Worx. We ran our test on dry, freshly fallen hardwood leaves, acorns, pine cones, and pine needles. We also did extensive testing on damp and wet leaves, as well as damp and wet mixed debris, such as a combination of pine needles, leaves, and twigs. We cleared lawns, a parking lot, the curb line of a commercial building, and the perimeters around garden beds. Here’s how the testing shook out.

There are a couple of vacuums that we didn’t test, but that we think look promising based on their features and price. If you don’t see anything you like among our tested products, scroll down to the end of the story, and have a look at the pair of non-tested vacuums there.

The Echo handled dry and uniform debris easily, gobbling it up at full throttle, quickly filling its bag. Conversion from blower to vacuum is fast and easy. In this respect, it was the best of the three gas-engine machines. To remove the vacuum tube, grip the large plastic lugs molded into the tube and twist it off. The debris bag, held with a large Velcro strap, is easy to mount and empty.

The machine received only one small demerit, and that was for the fixed-position sliding on/off switch. Our experience shows that a momentary rocker switch is better because after the machine is switched off, the switch automatically springs back to the Start position. We inadvertently went to restart the Echo in the off position when we remembered to switch it on.

The Husqvarna is very well built, starts extremely easily (with one pull), and handles dry leaves with a vengeance. It did clog, however, when gathering damp mixed debris, such as oak leaves and pine needles. We were mystified by that, since it has more than enough airflow. We suspect that its vacuum tubes, which are slightly narrower and longer than others, may be the culprits. A deal-breaker? No.

We did have a beef, however, with its bag attachment, which is by means of a heavy-duty spring sewn into the bag’s collar. Its grip on the discharge tube is so tenacious that once attached, the bag cannot be easily removed. You end up lugging the filled bag and the machine to dump the shredded contents. Given that a bag of shredded debris weighs anywhere from 5 to 12 pounds (according to our tests), that’s inconvenient.

This Worx model is, hands down, the easiest machine to switch from blower to vacuum. Its tube stays put. You simply turn a dial on the machine’s side to rotate the motor 90 degrees. Easily slip the vacuum collection bag into place over the impeller; just press on the bag’s small spring-loaded collar and release when it’s seated. We timed it as taking less than 20 seconds. It’s a brilliant piece of engineering. And this Worx is no slouch when it comes to scooping up dried leaves. Its 12-amp motor is up to the job.

Still, it won’t compete with the gas-engine machines, particularly with damp debris or when loads of twigs are mixed. Also, you do notice that cord drag adds to the machine’s weight once its bag starts filling up, and with dry, consistently-shaped leaves, it can fill that bag in minutes.

The bottom line: We see the Worx as a good fit for a small, manicured yard where cord drag is kept to a minimum and you spend most of your time cleaning leaves from between shrubs by vacuuming or blowing.

This Greenworks leaf vacuum proves how far 40 volts will take you today—a long way, as it turns out. We ran out of leaves before its battery ran out of juice.

We see this machine as filling a role in conjunction with the trimmer and mower—the mower handles the grass and some leaf bagging, the trimmer cleans up the edges. You blow the remaining leaves into a pile and quickly switch to vacuum mode by flipping down the impeller hatch, detaching the blower tube with a simple press on the detent. Then click the oval-shaped vacuum tube into place over the impeller.

The debris bag has a stubby collar on it that clicks into place where the blower tube was located. Vacuum up the leaves, and you’re done. This is a great little blower-vac, but we don’t see it as being fast enough for a yard full of leaves. It did prove ideal, however, for a small cleanup.

We haven’t used this Toro model yet, but if it’s anything like its predecessor, it’s an air-moving beast. An important design feature that distinguishes this machine from its competitors is that it has a metal impeller, not one made from high-impact plastic.

We didn’t notice any impeller breakage on our vacuums, but when given the choice of metal versus plastic for this part, we’d opt for metal for its durability.

Other features we find attractive here are its dial-adjust speed control and a wide-mouth zippered opening on its debris bag to facilitate dumping.

We haven’t tested this blower vac, but with a long track record of testing other similar products from Black+Decker, we see it as being a likely choice for folks who need the dual-capability of a low-cost blower vac. Its manufacturer is known for its inexpensive homeowner-grade products that hit a sweet spot in terms of performance and price.

These are not heavy-duty products (you have to look to the company’s DeWalt brand for that). On the other hand, for many homeowners, they’re a good fit to get the job done.

Here’s what you get for your money: a metal impeller powered by a 12-amp motor, high- and low-speed selection, and tool-free changeover from blower to vacuum.

If a multifunctional tool is your priority, then consider this 4-in-1 Sun Joe vacuum and its variety of attachments. We haven’t physically tested this model, but have great experiences with Sun Joe products in general, and have typically found them to be reliable, albeit somewhat light-duty products.

This vacuum features a standard blower and extra-wide vacuum nozzle, as well as a detachable tube that allows you to safely blow debris from gutters up to 15 feet in the air. Plus, a set of small wheels at the end of the vacuum tube allow you to rest it on the ground as you go, taking the weight off your back and shoulders.