The Ryobi’s 40V Leaf Vacuum/Mulcher was great for clearing fallen leaves from your yard. Now there’s an upgraded version with a brushless motor designed to make the process even better.
Leaf blowers can be helpful, but sadly, fallen leaves don’t disappear when you blow them into a pile. Ryobi’s newest Brushless Leaf Vacuum/Mulcher tackles the collection stage instead, simultaneously shredding leaves and vacuuming them into a bag. It’s a big upgrade over the previous version, including new electronics and the aforementioned brushless motor. Alongside a new lithium battery, Ryobi says the brushless model delivers 70% more suction than the older model.
While it may qualify as one of the coolest new Ryobi tools, there are a number of similarities with the earlier version. Both are advertised to mulch the equivalent of 16 bags of leaves down to a single bag, both use a metal impeller to mulch leaves, and both use Ryobi’s interchangeable 40V batteries.
Battery requirements, pricing, and operating limitations
The mulcher is a great upgrade from a standard leaf blower — particularly when you consider some of the issues Ryobi’s leaf blowers are commonly saddled with. Additionally, bundles for this leaf vacuum include a larger battery than the older model: 6Ah rather than 4Ah. The brushless version is a bit more expensive, however. As of this writing, it’s currently listed for $199 without a battery or charger; the older version is sitting at $169 (also with no included battery or charger). There’s also a package currently on sale on Ryobi’s site that includes that new, larger battery and the charger for $259, reduced from an MSRP of $299.
If you invest in a new mulcher, be aware that there are some safety considerations to keep in mind before blitzing your lawn. Ryobi is clear that you shouldn’t use it for wet debris, which can gum up the works and kill some of that upgraded suction. You should also be careful running it over beds full of mulch or any part of your lawn/property where there’s likely to be rocks, pieces of gravel, or other similar debris, which can damage the unit or even create an injury risk.
