WG509 WORX Electric TriVac Leaf Blower/Mulcher/Vacuum & Metal Impeller
Mar 06, 2017
Beats a rake but not a game changer
I have been killing myself for the last 3 years trying to deal with a yard-full of mature trees that drop leaves from September through December. I had high hopes for the WG509. Unfortunately it fell a bit short of my expectations. First, the good. The price for a refurbished unit is great. Frankly, I don't even think these are refurbished but product over-runs. The unit had no scratches or any sign of wear whatsoever. I also bought the optional LeafPro (it is a must--do not try using the included bag it will fill up in 3 seconds) so that one can vacuum straight into a large garbage can. The LeafPro is also very reasonably priced. Both the WG509 and the LeafPro do work. With that said, the two in tandem aren't a miracle product. A pile of leaves takes quite awhile to scoop up. The unit frequently gets bogged down at the nozzle. One also has to be careful not to accidentally run over any mulch which can cause a terrible sound as it hits the blade. Worse is when mulch gets stuck and shuts the blade down (this happened to me 3 times in an hour--I had to unscrew the nozzle each time and use a pair of plyers to free the blade). Even very brittle mulch seems to cause problems. I don't really see the WG509 as a solution for a whole yard. I mainly use it in garden areas and between bushes/plants (probably because I also recently bought a used Yard Man push vacuum which looks like a lawnmower--also not a total game changer). I'd rate this puppy as a C+, it is useful but not something that will totally revolutionize the dreaded time I spend bagging leaves.