“Great purchase for the money!”
First, the hard bagger is the way to go. It is very durable. I just used it for the first time to clean up an enormous amount of leaves on over half of an acre. It worked beautifully. You need to realize that the bins will fill up quickly if you are picking up alot of leaves. I had to empty it frequently. However, when I got to sections that had few leaves it went a while without filling up. Also, as the other reviews say, you will need to unclog the chute after it fills up. Make sure the mower is off when you do this, as the blade is exposed at the bottom of the chute!!! I got an excellent deal on this bagger, as I bought it on clearance (it had been returned). It was already put together and was only $199. For all the work it saved me this season, I am grateful. Also, if you think getting a bagger will eliminate ALL of the hard work when picking up leaves for the season, think again. There will obviously still be raking around the edges, in bushes, etc., but as for the bulk of the work, it is MUCH easier than the old fashioned way. If you want literally no work picking up leaves, hire somebody else to do it, otherwise get a hard bagger.
“Craftsman 9 bushel 3-Bin Soft Bagger for 46 in. Deck is great.”