Black & Decker BV2500 12-AMP Electric Blower/Vacuum/Mulcher

With the Black & Decker Leaf Hog, you can clean up both the deck and the lawn with one reasonably priced and easy-to-maintain machine. This blower/vac is electric, so it requires an extension cord and an electric outlet to run, but there's nothing else to set up or maintain. The 12 amp motor has considerable power for its size, more than enough to clear driveways or decks or blow off sections of lawn. At just over 7 pounds, the Leaf Hog is light enough to use for long periods of time, and it's also quiet enough to use at any time of day. Switching from blowing to vacuuming is a snap--literally. The correct button took us a moment to find, but once you've located it, you simply depress it and remove the blowing unit, then attach the vacuum extension in its place. The extension has a bag for mulch, which attaches with a small clasp. When vacuuming, the unit mulches by sucking leaves through the fan assembly. Though this model, with its patented Vortex anticlog vacuum system, does a better job of remaining unclogged than most, you still need to be careful to avoid rocks and sticks. It also has a variable-speed control that lets you choose between 150 and 200 mph blower speed.