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Comment by arbitrage | Hacker News Reader

Leaf blowers are very overrated, unless you buy the industrial grade backpack type. And that's only a niche application.

I use a rake, which works faster for my consumer-level yard than a mid to high-range blower, to get the leaves all in once place. Then, I use the blower in reverse to chop the leaves for compost. Not the intended purpose at all, but it works for me.

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Exactly how I use mine, and how my father taught me when I was a kid. I thought this was normal.

You can also drop the leaves into a large trash can and use a string trimmer lowered into the can to chop them as finely as you like. Works just like a giant immersion blender, plus it's cool to take a huge pile and reduce it down to almost nothing.

And I have one of those "Why didn't I think of that" moments.... Thanks!

If you want to avoid purchasing a blower altogether, especially one with reversible operation (1), a bagged lawnmower works equally well. I have a SunJoe electric bagged mower and I just place it on top of the leaf pile and let it hoover up the leaves into its bag.

1: As I read your post more, it seems that your blower does not officially have a reverse - you just rig it that way. That is pretty cool though any bit of debris in the leaf pile might break up the impeller if the latter is plastic.

Not only is the rake faster, it is also quiet, a property that will be mostly appreciated by other people than the wielder.

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