Toro 51599 Ultra 12 amp Variable-Speed Electric Blower/Vacuum with Metal Impeller

You can't buy a more powerful handheld blower, gas or electric! The Ultra delivers all the power and all the versatility you need to tackle every clean-up chore. It is the only electric blower vac to offer a rugged metal impeller and an infinite variable speed motor! 235 mph maximum air speed, Infinitely variable air control, Match the power to the task. Variable speed motor for better control - low speed for hard surfaces and tight areas and high speed for the tough lawn chores. The Quick-Release Latch lets you convert your blower into a vacuum in seconds without tools. 3-in-1 machine: blower, vacuum, leaf shredder. The serrated metal blades on the impeller shred leaves and debris into fine mulch. Reduces 16 bags of leaves down to 1. All Toro electric Blowers and Blower/Vacs are covered by a two-year full warranty.

I bought this Toro electric blow and vac in utter frustration after spending a small fortune on similar gasoline powered products. I use it as a vac several times per week and even daily in the Fall. I found that the very cheap gasoline blow and vacs start falling apart very quickly indeed as the result of poor and shoddy design so I moved up to the top of the line, Echo, which appears to be very well made and engineered. My first one, an ES211, did outlast its 2 year warranty, it had a starter assembly and cord replaced under warranty but then just wore out during the third year. The second ES211 lasted 18 months until something broke inside the engine and it wouldn't even rotate. The third one (a $290+tax ES231 heavy duty model) is just over a year old and overheats very quickly, smokes badly, and is melting the plastic grill surrounding the engine.

The dealers lie and tell me that it's my fault and that the problem is lack of lubrication. As a lifelong, now retired, professional mechanical engineer and having owned 2-stroke engines since a teenager I have always used the correct gas/oil mixture in 2-stroke engines including motorcycles of course.

The Toro Ultra Blower and Vac does everything I need. Let's list the advantages. It is amazingly light and doesn't strain your back lugging its bulk plus a heavy bag of leaves around the way a gas powered model does - this is very important and not to be dismissed as you get up in years. It always starts when you turn the knob - you sure can't say that about gasoline powered garden equipment. It converts from a blower to a vac very quickly without needing a screwdriver and undue force - Toro obviously corrected this problem from the prior model. It is very quiet compared with gas models - your neighbors will appreciate this. It doesn't have a spark plug or an air filter that needs frequent attention. It doesn't get dirty, grimy, and oily from gasoline exhaust and leaky carburetors and tubing. You don't have to buy expensive gasoline and oil and be required to mix and find a place to store a separate highly inflammable gas/oil mixture. The Toro has a cast magnesium impeller that handles the occasional twig or stone quite handily. The leaf bag is well designed, it disconnects easily and is a snap to empty. The vac suction and air blast from the blower seems equivalent to the Echo. Last but not least is P R I C E , my Toro was $69.99, at that price I could buy four of them for the price of one Echo ES231.

Now for the only disadvantage I can think of. I use a 100 ft. 13amp. electric cord and reel. You sacrifice some ease of mobility because you have a cord dragging behind you all of the time - nothing in life is perfect I guess.
 
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