Having resisted my wife's pleas to get a leaf blower for years I borrowed a neighbours Flymo machine and was so impressed I researched other models. I plumped for the Ryobi as it had a metal blade as opposed to the replaceable plastic cutters in other makes. The mulching aspect is very impressive - a large pile of leaves is condensed to a much smaller size. Ryobi claim a 15:1 reduction which seems generous, but there is definitely a noticeable reduction. Other reviewers say it's noisy and it certainly is, but no noisier than my neighbour's Flymo and possibly even less so. Depending on the amount of leaf drop this machine will certainly save you time and effort, with the bonus that it will mulch the leaves for easier disposal or composting.