Any reccomondations for a leaf Vac?

I have a cheapo corded blower that works fine cleaning off the deck and patio but I think it's time to make the step up to a gas unit that also vacuums.

I have a 50 foot maple in the yard and she is starting to shed again. I figure I would vacuum as I go.

Home depot has a couple Ryobi models for 100 bucks but the reviews aren't so hot.

Do I need to spend big bucks to get something decent? It will only get used 4 or 5 times a year.

Any ideas??

Thnks

One 50 ft Maple doesn't seem to justify the cost of a leaf vac as a standalone machine.

I have a Snapper Hi-Vac mower with a 2.5 CuFt rear bag that sucks up leaves fairly well in a yard with 3 smaller Maples, especially when you use a mulching blade. For about $500 you get a great mower that can handle leaves as well.

My first try with a leaf blower was a Toro electric model that came with a Vac Bag as well. It works OK cleaning out planting beds but for any kind of volume is incredibly slow and jams constantly.

About 2 years ago I moved to a home with a dozen 50ft Oak Trees on a half acre that simply overwhelmed the Snapper mower. A landscaper or should I say scalper charged me $300 the 1st year for leaf pickup... it looks 3 guys with gas powered blowers 6 hours.

I went with the MightyMac vac/chipper last year. It will pay for itself in 5 years, even less after "renting" it to a few neighbors with just as many trees.

I agree with the previous poster. A good lawn mower with a bag will do a good job if you don't wait until the leaves are a foot deep. If it gets away from you, then a quick raking to get the lion's share then the mower. If you had a huge yard with many trees, then that would be a different story. Save the money and buy a few extra beers

The neighbors.

I just used the neighbors, and it works great. ( all the leaves are on their property, lol.)
http://www.troybilt.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_14102_17303_54992_-1

That's why my parents had kids. We had a more than a dozen oaks on 3/4 acre.

I used to rake (30 bags a year) but now I mow with a bag. So much easier and so fewer bags (less than 10) as well with the concentrated mulched leaves.

scalper

A "scalper" charged you $300.00 for THREE men and SIX hours? Shame on him, that works out to $100.00 apiece or $16.00 an hour. That is about one sixth of what I would charge just to start the engine on my truck, but then I would not be cleaning your yard. Before you buy anything, pick it up and see how its balance and weight suits you. If it is too heavy or out of equilibrium, you will get tired of it long before you run out of leaves.

This fall my birch trees lost most of their leaves during a time I was unable to get to them until they were too deep for my mower to handle. Three young boys knocked on my door and offered to rake them for $5 apiece. I hired them. They worked like little beavers and got most of the leave off of the yard. Then a couple of times with my mower as the rest of the leaves came off and I was done. BTW, I gave the boys a generous tip. I probably violated a couple of laws by hiring young kids and undocumented workers, but I got away with it.