Exploring the Differences Between Leaf Vacuums and Leaf Mulchers

You know how all squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares? Well, all leaf vacuums are leaf mulchers, but not all leaf mulchers are leaf vacuums.

All leaf vacuums use an impeller or a blade to grind up the leaves after they’re vacuumed up, so they can fit more leaves in the collection bag. Thus, all leaf vacuums are technically mulchers.

Types of Leaf Mulchers

However, there are also other kinds of leaf mulchers: Standalone leaf mulchers, for example, give you a larger impeller on a stand, so you can drop piles of leaves in for shredding. It’s a good option if you don’t want to carry a heavy machine, or prefer to mulch leaves directly into a waste bag for easy disposal.

Can Leaf Vacuums Pick Up Wet Leaves?

Yes, most leaf vacuums will pick up wet leaves, but your success may vary, depending on the size of your leaf vacuum’s engine. Since wet leaves are heavier and clump together, you need a more powerful leaf vacuum than you do with dry foliage. Gas engine leaf vacuums offer the most power and are best suited for picking up wet leaves.

Do I Still Need a Rake if I Have a Leaf Vacuum?

While you can collect leaves on small areas of grass with a vacuum, most leaf vacuums are made to collect pockets or piles of leaves, rather than suck up everything in their paths. Raking or blowing the leaves into a pile before vacuuming them up will actually take less time and energy.

You really start to see the benefits of the vacuum once you’ve gathered all your leaves. When you vacuum leaves, you’re also chopping them up into small pieces, turning them into mulch. This allows you to fit many more leaves into a trash bag than you normally could, reducing the amount of bags you need to use. Better yet, you can skip the bagging altogether and use those shredded leaves as mulch or compost, to add nutrients to a garden or lawn.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while all leaf vacuums are technically leaf mulchers, there are differences between the two types of machines. Standalone leaf mulchers offer a larger impeller for shredding piles of leaves, while leaf vacuums are designed to vacuum and mulch leaves for easy disposal or use as mulch. Leaf vacuums can pick up wet leaves, but more powerful engines are needed for success. And while a leaf vacuum can help with leaf collection, using a rake to gather leaves into piles before vacuuming can be more efficient. Ultimately, both leaf vacuums and leaf mulchers have their own unique benefits and purposes in maintaining a tidy outdoor space.