Choosing a collection tool
Compare gas, EGO and Greenworks blower-vac packages
Start with what the machine must do after it moves leaves
A blower-vac can solve two different jobs with one motor, but the same machine does not blow and collect at once. Decide whether you will mainly push dry leaves into a pile, vacuum them into a bag, or switch between both setups. Then decide whether gasoline mixing or battery charging better fits your routine. The ECHO ES-250, EGO LV5005 and EGO LV5000 all offer blower and vacuum/mulcher arrangements, yet their power and box contents differ enough that a single peak number is a poor shortcut.
ECHO ES-250: gas handheld with the larger listed bag
The ES-250 is a 25.4 cc two-stroke handheld. ECHO's current page says it converts from blower to vacuum/shredder and includes the tubes; its rear-zip bag is listed at two bushels, about 70.5 liters by conversion, and the four-blade shredder carries a manufacturer-stated 12:1 debris-reduction ratio. The current manual and support table agree on 391 CFM, while the product page says 392 CFM, so use 391 if the airflow floor is firm. The product page lists 12.6 pounds dry; ECHO support and the indexed manual say 9.5 pounds dry. The weight basis is not reconciled, so neither figure should be mistaken for a confirmed complete vacuum-mode mass.
This is the gas choice for someone who wants a larger stated bag and accepts the ownership routine: fresh fuel mixed 50:1, recoil starting, exhaust, maintenance and safe fuel storage. ECHO's manual directs vacuuming toward leaves and small twigs, warns against wet leaves and hard debris, and says to blow material into a pile first. A two-bushel label does not guarantee a yard can be handled without stopping to empty it.
EGO LV5005 and LV5000: the same cordless tool, different kits
The LV5005 is the package for a buyer who needs the vacuum/mulcher tool and wants a 6.0 Ah EGO battery and 320 W charger in that box. EGO lists a 500 CFM maximum in blower mode, a 40-liter collection bag and a 16:1 reduction ratio. The LV5000 is the tool-only configuration of the same 3-in-1 system: it does not include a battery or charger. That can make sense if a compatible EGO pack and charger are already on hand; it is not a complete ready-to-run kit for someone starting from zero.
The EGO manual-listed vacuum-mode weight is 13.45 pounds before the battery and nozzle, so that figure is not its complete carrying weight. The extra battery adds mass, and a hard weight limit needs a full setup figure rather than a bare-tool specification. The LV5005 kit changes fuel preparation into battery charging, but it does not remove runtime planning, bag-emptying stops or the need to swap between blower and vacuum attachments.
Let the requirements filter the options
If gasoline is essential, the battery EGO kits are out regardless of airflow. If you require a battery system with its battery and charger already included, the LV5000 is out; the LV5005 is the relevant package. If a two-bushel bag is essential, ECHO's listed capacity is larger than the EGO kits' 40 liters. Conversely, a 400 CFM minimum in blower mode separates the ECHO's conservative 391 CFM manual value from both EGO configurations' listed 500 CFM, but that is not evidence that either one collects leaves faster in every yard. If your limit is strict ready-to-use vacuum weight, neither a page's dry-weight number nor the EGO's before-battery number settles it.
For any of these, the useful workflow is to clear hard surfaces with the blower setup, gather suitable dry material, stop the engine or tool before changing attachments, and vacuum within the manual's limits. If you will rarely bag leaves, a blower-only model avoids unused collection parts. If you will bag regularly, compare bag size, mode-changing steps, power source and exact kit contents before comparing CFM. Read the ECHO ES-250 assessment · Read the EGO LV5005 assessment · Read the EGO LV5000 assessment
Greenworks 40V: tool-only BL40L02 or 5.0 Ah BL40L511 kit
The two Greenworks listings share a 40V brushless blower-vacuum design and publish the same up-to-505-CFM, 230-mph and 12:1 reduction figures. BL40L02 (SKU 2427002) is the tool-only choice: its product page says the battery and charger are sold separately. BL40L511 (SKU 2427802) is listed with one 5.0 Ah battery and charger, so it is the more complete starting package if you do not already own a compatible Greenworks 40V setup. These package differences matter more than the shared headline airflow when estimating the actual purchase you need.
Both Greenworks pages state 9.92 pounds without the battery. That is not the mass of a ready-to-use vacuum with its collection tube, bag and pack. Neither reviewed page gives a bag volume or a complete vacuum-mode weight, so do not treat an unknown capacity or carried weight as meeting a firm limit. The BL40L02 page lists a tube and collection bag, but its linked manual carries the other product’s SKU 2427802 and cover model BL40L5111. The kit page’s written included-items list does not itemize the vacuum tubes and bag, even though its product title and exact kit image show a bagged vacuum configuration. If precise attachment contents or setup instructions are essential, confirm them for the exact package rather than transferring the neighboring manual code.
Compared with the EGO LV5000/LV5005, Greenworks publishes a slightly higher 505 CFM maximum than EGO’s 500 CFM, but the unreported Greenworks bag capacity and vacuum-mode weight prevent a complete collection comparison. The BL40L511’s 5.0 Ah kit pack is also different from the EGO LV5005’s 6.0 Ah kit battery; a larger Ah label alone does not establish longer runtime across different tools and modes. Choose by the battery platform you already own, whether a charger is in the box, bag volume and mode-specific weight information—not by assuming a five-CFM gap predicts a faster cleanup. Read the BL40L02 assessment and BL40L511 assessment before deciding which configuration fits.