Leaf Vacuum Tool

[Paula]

Does anyone have one of these things that hoover up leaves? Are they any good? I saw some in Lidls the other week and now wish I had bought one. I seem to be forever sweeping terraces, which is a never ending battle while the wind blows, sweep a nice little pile together and it blows around again before I have time to scoop it up

[El Cid]

It's the most used tool in our garden as we have a huge number of flowering plants that can make a real mess.

I have one of the Lidl ones as well as a Bauhaus one. The Lidl one is quite light which is important.

The problem with all of them is that the bags wear rapidly as they tend to drag along the ground and get holes in.

You can buy replacement bags but they aren't covered by the Lidl 3 year warranty.

Sid

[Paula]

OK sold Sid!! Has to be quicker and easier, just didn't want to find that they are useless.
I'm fighting a losing battle what with all the falling bouganvillea petals and everything else. All very nice all these flowering plants but yes they do make a mess.
Where do you buy the bags for the lidls one? Or are they a standard bag fits all?

[El Cid]

It should last you at least a year of heavy use. I haven't yet ordered a new bag but there is a part number and contact in the back of the manual. Unfortunately they are all different.

They also work as a leaf blower which can speed things up.

Sid

[Paula]

Thanks Sid.

[Martin Page]

You might be lucky ... ALDI have them instock right now - if you have one close to you.

With a 3 year guarentee, it cant be bad

[Trooperman]

I'm not necessarily up to speed on the latest models, but did use them 10 years ago as part of my business in the UK. Then, the best was probably the EKO brand (aka Little Wonder) but I'm talking 2 stroke petrol rather than electric. They were good tools for blowing, slightly less so for sucking.

There were two main problems for the latter activity: one has been touched on in the previous posts in that the bags wear out (zips mainly and the "entrance" to the bag from the motor body) and the second problem was an inherent fault in that all leaves/debris is sucked through the impeller, requiring the replacement of that part after a time as particles of grit (that inevitably get sucked up with the leaves) wore the vanes away. The impeller housing also became liable to being blocked if leaves were wet.

In both cases, spares were readily available from landscape machinery suppliers and I suppose it's the availability of spares that should be important when considering which to buy. Inevitably, the petrol engine lasted for ages and that was even true using them professionally.

[Campo Steve]

I bought mine in Bauhaus and it picks up leaves fine. Unfortunately most of my leaves fall on chino (the small white stones). Have to be careful you don't suck up the stones as well as they will quickly wear out the impeller.