Worx WG430 13 Amp Electric Leaf Mulcher

First off, if you have a lot of leaves to deal with I can't imagine not getting one of these. It is great!! But to get the most out of it here are a few things to pay attention to:Shredding Performance - For me, it shreds about 95-98% of what I put into it. The other 2-5% somehow misses getting shredded. I say this because when you look at the output you will still see some whole or partial whole leaves. However, most of what it produces is fine fragments. I can't tell you the exact reduction % but I can say that it is a MASSIVE reduction and don't doubt the numbers the MFG states.Dumping Leaves - You can't just dump and dump into it. You have to dump and then pause and then dump again. The cadence isn't quite a fast as I would like, if it was 30-40% faster it would be perfect. That said you still can get through huge piles of leaves very quickly, but the pausing is noticeable. If you are finding you are having to fuss with getting the leaves through you are likely putting too many in at once or putting them in too fast.Stand or Not To Stand - I didn't use the stand and instead stuck it on a 32 gallon round garbage can. It sits on it perfectly and then is easy to deal with when you need to empty it. Maybe the legs are good but I didn't want to mess with them, plus I can easily dump them in the compost area and in my yard debris bin. Also I read multiple people talking about how it does't fit a normal leaf bag, so what would be the point anyway? In the instructions, which aren't great but not terrible, it appears you are supposed to roll the top of the bag down to get it to fit?? Why not just make the legs longer? Anyway, I am using the 32 gallon can and it is great.Noise - It is loud, but not incredibly loud. I would recommend wearing some sort of hearing protection though as hearing damage is cumulative.Mess - It is a little messy but not terrible. If you are just doing your work outside, and say not inside your garage, who cares about some leaf pulp around the shredder? But I suppose if you are shredding leaves in an area where some spillage of shredded leaves will be a problem you might be annoyed.Twine - Finally this thing is essentially an upside down weed whacker. The plastic twine they use with it I had read did not hold up. I have done two sessions with leaves and light twigs. Each session I filled the 32 gallon can about 5 times. I am still going strong on the original twine that came attached. I did get the plastic coated metal twine that was recommended in a different review, but I am not sure what the others were doing to need to change it out so quickly. But if someone cares, I got the Anleolife Round Heavy Duty .095-Inch-by-190-ft Steel String Trimmer Line in Donut. Again, haven't needed to try it, but this is what someone else had said fit and could be a stronger replacement.OVERALL - Super happy with the purchase. If you are someone who has to spend multiple days each year dealing with leaves you owe it to yourself to get this thing. It is a great tool from the firs time using it, in fact my neighbors all borrow this thing and we are trading it around, LOL

I think that this machine is excellent for its intended use. It works best with dry leaves, just like every other leaf mulcher out there. Here are a few thoughts:PROSIncredibly easy to assembleReplacing the "blades", is easily done in about one minuteOversized on/off switch - a very good safety measurePowerful to chew through leaves and stemsNot too cumbersome to move, but the top part is a little heavyCONS"Blades" - these are plastic trimmer like lines that rotate just like a trimmer. Any non leaf/stem debris will wear down the blade quicker. On average, you will be able to use one set of blades every 45-60 minutes. The more larger debris you put in, the quicker you will have to replace them. They begin to shear from the outside in, and when they lose 4-5 inches of their 13 inch length, the outside of the machine will clog with leaves and debris. A quick shake of the machine will tend to agitate the material, but at some point, you need to power off and replace.Tips:Buy extra "blades" right away. The are not expensive and you won't stress about using them up. After about an hour, replace them. It says to cut them, but you can undo them and replace them without any need for a cutting device.You can buy a collapsible bag, but only do this if you are going to actually use it as mulch. Fill the bag, remove the top of the machine to remove the bag, and dump wherever you need it. This can also be accomplished with a leaf bag. You will need to rip it a bit to get it to fit, but it can be done and at a fraction of the price. If you are just going to use it to get more into the leaf bags to dispose of, I wouldn't use the collapsible bag, or else you'll be filling up one bag to then empty into another...makes no sense.Make sure you have extension cords at the ready. Place this machine right where you need it. Use a blower to gather the leaves in a pile, and then I use a snow shovel to scoop the leaves right into the machine. It works faster if you don't put a massive pile in. A blower and shovel will do wonders on your back, since you won't have to bend down to pick up the leaves (that's what kids are for).If you really have the time, and the patience to do so, you can run the leaves through twice. This will grind them completely and give you an incredibly mulchy base. Like I said, IF YOU HAVE THE TIME.Overall - 4 out of 5 stars, because the "blades" have to be replaced every 60 minutes.