If you own or work on a property with a yard to take care of, sooner or later you’re going to have to clean up some debris. Fallen leaves and twigs, grass clippings, and garden waste can all end up on the lawn and you’ll want a better way to pick them up than by hand. Dirt and debris also get on paved surfaces and you’ll want tools for cleaning that up as well.
Shredders, lawn vacuums, blowers, and powered sweepers are the top tools for yard clean-up tasks. Different tools are best suited to different jobs, though there’s plenty of overlap. This guide will help you decide which of these tools will work best for you.
Shredder Vacs
Manufactures typically combine leaf shredders and vacuums in the same tool. They’ll vacuum up the leaves and small twigs then shred them into a bag. You can get hand-held models or walk-behind leaf vacuums that shred yard debris as you push them like a lawnmower. Shredder-vacs work equally well for debris on lawns and pavement. Using them on earth or sand isn’t going to work as well, though, since they’ll suck up any loose dirt as well as leaves.
Vacuums
Most leaf vacuums are also shredders. Shredding means the debris you vacuum up won’t take up as much space, so adding a shredding feature is good for you. Vacuums designed for other outdoor debris are also available. Stihl’s wet-dry vac is suited to both indoor and outdoor cleaning tasks. It can pick up things like wood chips, grass clippings, and dirt.
Blowers
Blowers offer you a way to move debris around so it’s easier to collect. You can also use them as snow blowers. Blowers are often combined with shredder-vacs to make a 2-in-1 tool. Stihl offers shredder-vac blowers that quickly convert between modes so you have a more versatile tool. You can also get dedicated blower tools and blower attachments are available for both Stihl and Echo’s multi-tool systems.
Sweepers
Sometimes blowing or vacuuming isn’t the best choice for cleaning up an area. A sweeper works best when you’re dealing with hardened dirt on pavement or you’re trying to clean debris off packed dirt or sandy surfaces. They’re available as attachments for Stihl and Echo’s multi-tool systems. Choose between bristle brushes and durable rubber paddle sweepers.
Where To Buy
Here at Richardson Saw, we offer a selection of shredder-vacs, outdoor vacuums, 2-in-1 shredder/blowers, blower attachments, and sweeper attachments. We carry top brands like Stihl, Echo, and Billy Goat to help you handle your outdoor cleanup needs. Stop by our store to see these tools in-person and get what you need to keep your yard in order.
