Cleaning the backyard territory from fallen autumn leaves with a rake is a tedious and time consuming job. However, if you use a garden vacuum cleaner for this purpose, the whole process will take very little time. At the same time, you don’t even have to manually clean the leaves collected in a pile: with one press of a button, and they will be sucked into a special bag without residue. Let's look at what kind of garden vacuum cleaner is better to choose when buying, and what criteria you need to pay attention to.
Types of vacuum cleaners
There are many garden vacuum cleaners on the market, as well as leaf blowers: petrol, electric, and battery powered. They are also available in various forms: from hand-held devices to backpacks and wheeled models.
There are three main types of garden vacuum cleaners:
- Leaf blowers - A strong stream of air blows the leaves in a heap. They are best suited for small gardens or for areas with a lot of growing leaf trees and shrubs. Blowers will help to blow garbage from hard-to-reach places (from under bushes, from corners and cracks between a fence or a house). These devices only blow, but they are ideal for moving large amounts of garden waste into one large pile, which can be easily collected later.
- Sheet vacuum pickers - work on the opposite principle: they suck the leaves into the bag. The garbage bag of these devices is sealed and waterproof, it is easy to remove and shake out the garbage. Bags for vacuum collectors are voluminous (40-50 liters), but as they are filled, they become heavy, and they often have to be shaken out.
- Combined garden vacuum cleaners - Some machines combine in themselves the function of vacuum leaf assembly with the function of blowing, there may also be a function of grinding garbage. There are devices with plastic and metal shredder blades. When buying, you need to remember that metal blades are more durable and durable than plastic. Some models allow switching between modes (blower-vacuum chopper) at the touch of a button, while in other models switching between modes is not so convenient (you need to change the nozzles and so on). Combined sheet blowers and garden vacuum cleaners are best suited to their goals due to their versatility. Some inconveniences deliver models with nozzles that are removable and changing during the cleaning process.
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Electric
Electric garden vacuum cleaners come in two forms: limited by an electrical cord and on a battery.
From the outlet
Electric wire garden vacuum cleaners are not only the quietest and cheapest option, but also the easiest in weight and nimble at work. However, the limited electrical cord means that they are best suited for small country gardens. Wired models typically weigh 4 kg or less and are designed for manual use.
The simple and clear principle of control of the device and no exhaust gases - this undoubtedly pleases, as well as the power that is close to the power of devices with a gasoline engine. But the power cord limits the area covered, and it can also be an obstacle when working around trees and bushes. Such a device can be bought if the outlet is always within 30 meters from the area to be cleaned.
From battery
With a cordless garden vacuum cleaner working on a battery, it is much more convenient to get to the far end of a large garden. It’s easy to climb into hard-to-reach places (gazebos, ravines). Rechargeable electric blowers usually weigh less than 4.5 kg and have excellent maneuverability.
These garden machines are gaining popularity among people who do not want to mess with a gasoline engine, and also do not want to depend on the length of the power cord. But we must remember that, having a light and maneuverable device, the user will be limited in time of work. Rechargeable batteries last for about an hour (it depends on the power of the battery) so if the area is large, once or twice the user will have to rest, relax and wait until the battery is charged again.
Did you know? The first person in the world to be fined for driving into lawn mowers was a Norwegian gardener. This funny event happened in Norway in 1995.
Petrol
Models operating on gasoline can be transferred anywhere in the process, they are not tied to a specific territory. Most models weigh five kilograms or more and the weight of the device increases with the weight of the fuel poured into the tank. However, for really large gardens or areas with a lot of wet, heavy leaves and other debris, such a vacuum cleaner would be the best choice.
Models range from small, portable blowers to heavy, noisy and expensive - whose engine regularly needs maintenance. Most garden vacuum cleaners of this variety have two-stroke engines that require refueling with a mixture of gasoline and oil. Models that have four-stroke engines pollute the air less with exhaust fumes.
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Gasoline engine garden vacuum cleaners produce a fairly loud noise when used. And although modern petrol garden vacuum cleaners began to work a little quieter than before, but they still make quite a loud sound when turned on. The user should always wear headphones, thereby protecting hearing organs. In the characteristics of the model, the decibels of the noise it produces are always indicated, so when buying, you can choose a quieter device.
Important! It must be remembered that devices that make such loud sounds are forbidden to use where people live: before eight in the morning and after 21 in the evening.
Wheel
There are also garden vacuum cleaners in the form of a two- or four-wheeled cart. It is very convenient to work with such blowers, since the weight of the device does not fall on the hands of a working person. The user simply pushes the cart forward or back like a lawnmower. A wheeled garden vacuum cleaner that has passed through the territory leaves behind it a clean track, the collected leaves are placed in a bag specially designed for them.
Among all models of garden vacuum cleaners wheel blowers have the greatest power and ease of use. But at the same time, they take up more storage space and have the highest cost.
With and without shredder
Any of the models (electric, mains powered, battery powered or gasoline) can be equipped with a garbage shredder. This device during the work of the garden vacuum cleaner crushes all the garbage (leaves, small twigs) that have fallen into the apparatus, and the already shredded litter enters the bag for collection.
Usually the ratio of the collected and crushed garbage is indicated as one to ten. That is, five kilograms of the collected leaves during grinding will lose 10 times in volume and compactly fall to the bottom of the collection bag.
If the consumer wants to purchase a model of garden vacuum cleaner with a grinder, then you need to choose among the devices that have this function.
Important! The current legislation of the Russian Federation prohibits the burning of leaves and other organic residues on the territory of homestead homes. It pollutes the environment and also serves as a source of fires. Violators face administrative liability and an impressive fine. In this case, the machine for collecting leaves and their processing into mulch will be an excellent way out. Mulching flower beds or beds will be an obstacle to the growth of weeds, and also, gradually rotting, will enrich the soil with organic matter.
How does it work
From the network - such models are available to everyone, they are inexpensive and very effective. Such a blower does not just directionally blows the leaves into a neat pile - it can, sucking, collect them in a special bag for garbage collection. And if a chopper is provided in this model, the machine will also grind them very quickly, so that a working person will have to empty the bag infrequently.
Electric models are small, for the convenience of carrying them provides a shoulder strap or mount that resembles a backpack. Quite often there are models with a long pipe, reaching the ground, at the end of which two small wheels are attached - this helps to move the device without lifting its air unnecessarily.
Pay attention to the rules for choosing an electric trimmer, electric lawn mower.By the way, it can be used to clean up and quite a large area - the main thing is that additional electrical outlets (on the wall of a garage or a shed) are provided on the outer walls of the outbuildings, or you can use one or several consecutive transports electrical outlet. The device works so quietly that even work in the early morning will not prevent neighbors from sleeping.
On battery - such models work quietly, they are not too heavy. With their help, you can quickly remove debris from a small garden, clean the lawn, flower beds and patio. The garden vacuum cleaner on the battery easily copes even with wet leaves in narrow corners.
About the end of the user's charge warns flashing LED. Different batteries have different power, and, accordingly, different operating time. When the battery is discharged, the user must connect it to the network for charging and wait for the time specified in the characteristics of the device, after which you can resume work.
The models on batteries usually look the same as garden vacuum cleaners working from the network: there is a shoulder mount, there are devices equipped with two small wheels at the base of the collecting pipe. They work quietly, without polluting the environment with noise decibels.
On gasoline - these garden vacuum cleaners are very powerful, but noisy. Each of these models has a two-stroke or four-stroke engine. One tank filling is enough for the device to operate for an hour.
The four-stroke engine of the model means that the car uses little gasoline, does not use oil at all, and has low exhaust emissions. Models with a two-stroke engine have a smaller body, they are easier to store than most gasoline devices, but during operation, engine oil is always used.
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Gasoline blowers are usually heavier than their electrical counterparts. Since during operation their weight falls on the hands of the worker, to lighten the weight, the device is mounted on a sturdy tape for carrying on the shoulder, or in the form of a backpack fastening.
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Main pros and cons
All the above varieties have their advantages and disadvantages.
Wired garden vacuum cleaners
Pros:
- Working time is not limited - you can work as long as you need to completely clean the area.
- Large capacity collector (45-50 liters), do not often need to empty the bag to collect the leaves.
- Low weight and quiet operation of the device.
- Longer service life compared to rechargeable vacuum cleaners, no depletion of battery power or suction power.
- Limited cord length.
- Severity - a large bag capacity means a greater weight of a long-running apparatus.
Battery Garden Vacuum Cleaners
Pros:
- Lightweight, when working they are easy to carry on the shoulder.
- Compact, does not require large storage space.
- Ease of use - the area covered is not limited to the power cord, so the device can be transferred anywhere.
It is important to know what characteristics to pay attention to when choosing a screwdriver, cart, sprinkler, weed removal tool, chopper, grain crusher, pruner, lawn mower, garden sprayer, snow shovel.Minuses:
Limited runtime: The battery runs out after a certain time, and the device needs recharging.
Gasoline engine garden vacuum cleaners
Pros:
- High power, and as a result, high performance.
- Mobility - the device does not have a power cord, so a working person does not need to be constantly near a source of electricity.
- Great for cleaning large areas.
Many things with a certain skill can be done by hand - a snow blower, a wind generator, a rocking chair, a summer shower, concrete tracks, an extruder, warm beds, rock arias, a pergola, a mini-tractor, a greenhouse with an opening roof.Minuses:
- The device produces much more noise than electrical models (neighbors may object to noise).
- Big weight blower. The device itself usually weighs more than 5.5 kg, the weight of gasoline poured into the tank and the weight of the collected leaves are added.
- Difficult switching between fan and vacuum assembly modes.
- The device is difficult to start on a cold morning.
- High cost (five to six times higher than that of electric garden vacuum cleaners).
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How to choose when buying
To determine which model of garden vacuum cleaner is more suitable for a specific consumer, you need to get answers to the following questions:
- What territory needs to be cleaned is the most important criterion. If the garden is small, you can choose an electric model (from the mains or on the battery), with powerful suction or blowing. For large areas, choose a model with higher performance (with a gasoline engine). If the garden surface is large and flat, a four-wheeled garden vacuum cleaner with a gasoline engine is optimal. If in a large garden there are ravines, banks of streams and other obstacles, then the blower is chosen with a gasoline engine, but portable (shoulder).
- Whether it will be necessary to collect the leaves - if so, then absorption without chopping is the most acceptable option. Machines that provide only vacuum suction are not so good at collecting and storing wet leaves, but dry leaves are collected very quickly and this will save a lot of time.
- Will it be necessary to shred the leaves to produce mulch - if so, then the garden vacuum cleaner should be equipped with a shredder. This device is built into the device and works simultaneously with the suction of the leaves inside. Already crushed leaves come into the bag for collecting leaves, which can be used to mulch the beds or flower beds.
- The strength of the blades in a shredder - there are models with plastic or steel blades. It is preferable to choose a model with iron blades, as they are stronger and will last longer.
- The ergonomics of the garden vacuum cleaner - any tool should be easy to use. So you need to pay attention to whether it is convenient to switch the buttons and how strong the shoulder strap is. If you choose a blower on a gasoline engine, it is better to choose a device in the form of a backpack, equipped with a shoulder mount - this will ease and evenly distribute the load on the shoulders of the working person.
- When choosing, it is also necessary to take into account how heavy and noisy the device is, whether it produces vibration during operation and how strong it is.
- It should be considered whether it is easy to start the garden vacuum cleaner, whether the suction or blowing power is sufficient.
- As far as the device is convenient in storage, is it not necessary to allocate a room specially for it (wheel models).
- For battery powered models, battery capacity is taken into account. In the future, this will be a decisive factor in limiting the time of work.
- Additional equipment - collapsible pipes and removable nozzles are attached to some models, which is not bad if there is not enough space to store the device. When buying, you must also take into account the simplicity and ease of assembly and disassembly.
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- наденьте наушники, защищающие уши от шума;
- наденьте очки и пылезащитную маску;
- не допускайте людей и домашних животных на территорию, где ведутся работы по очищению;
- Do not run even the most silent blowers in the early morning or late evening, so as not to interfere with the rest of other people.
Garden vacuum cleaner will make life easier for owners of summer cottages and private houses. The best choice would be a model in which all three functions are combined: vacuum (suction), fan (blowing) and chopper. Such a device will help to carry out weekly and seasonal cleaning of the house and garden territory. And if the area for cleaning is large, you should not save on a garden car, so that later you don’t regret the wasted money.
Video review of the garden vacuum cleaner
Advantages and disadvantages of garden vacuum cleaners: reviews
limitations:
1. Does not collect wet leaves but very many types of light mulch
2. uncomfortable to use
3. very strong vibration so the hands go numb after 10 minutes of work
4. noise is such that the neighbors after the second application begin to panic
5. very high fuel consumption because something they have to collect have to work at the highest speed
in one word, its name, vacuum cleaner, it does not justify. As for the secondary function of the wind blower, it’s a very useful thing, but the drawbacks are just noise, although you can work slowly at low speeds.
This applies to almost all models worth up to 15,000 rubles, while expensive models are not encountered.
