Craftsman 190cc* 4-in-1 Yard Vacuum System- 49 State —
This product has been a real lifesaver. I live in FL and have a large front and back yard, flanked on three sides by 50+ trees. Raking in the past has been a relentless chore, often taking several weekends to fully complete, if finished at all. YardVac makes picking up leaves a snap. Even my wife, who is usually allergic to yardwork, has used it TWICE in the first two weeks of ownership.
It pushes like a mower and does an excellent job picking up dry leaves, but is only fair to good with wet leaves. The hose is definitely worth the extra money because it picks up wet, clumpy leaves and acorns better than pushing, though it jams a little too often. Emptying the bag can be tricky, but using a lined 32 gallon outdoor trash can has helped with that issue.
While it is by no means a perfect machine, it will eliminate the need to spend countless hours raking and picking up leaves in the yard. It has allowed me to do in several hours what used to take days. Despite its hefty pricetag, I am EXTREMELY happy that I purchased this machine and would strongly recommend it to anyone with more than a few trees.