WORX WG505 TRIVAC Blower, Mulcher and Vacuum review

A practical choice only if the corded vacuum plan fits

The WORX WG505 TRIVAC combines a 120-volt, 12-amp blower with a vacuum-and-mulching mode and an included debris bag. It is intended for a homeowner who values having both jobs in one handheld body and can manage an extension cord while moving around the yard. It is not a cordless alternative, and it does not blow leaves and vacuum them simultaneously. The exact product page calls it a 3-in-1 and advertises one-handed operation in both modes; treat that as the manufacturer's description, not a personal comfort test or a guarantee that the bagged setup will feel light over a long session.

WORX publishes 350 CFM and 80–210 mph. The numbers identify the product's stated performance class, but the manual calls the value simply “airflow” and does not distinguish blower-mode from vacuum-mode CFM. A hard 350-CFM blower-mode threshold is therefore not confirmed by the evidence used for this review. Do not let the title or a combined-tool specification substitute for a mode-specific result. The unit may still suit ordinary cleanup where that particular CFM threshold is not essential.

Its collection package is useful but not large

The manufacturer manual identifies the WG505 separately from the older WG500.2 in a two-column specification table. For the WG505, it lists a 16:1 mulching ratio and a 1.2-bushel bag; the product page also lists 16:1 and one collection bag in the package. About 1.2 U.S. bushels converts to roughly 42 liters, which clears a 40-liter minimum but not a 45-liter requirement. That conversion is a comparison aid, not a manufacturer-published promise that every bag of leaves will compress to a predictable volume. Emptying frequency depends on the material and how it is used.

WORX describes a metal impeller and says the machine can switch between blower and vacuum using a selector. The manual directs the user to assemble the tube while the tool is unplugged, use the bag with its zipper closed, keep the vacuum tube just above the debris, and avoid forcing material into the intake. Hard objects such as rocks, nails, wires and staples are outside the stated vacuum plan. If you want a blower only, the WG505's collection hardware is unnecessary; if vacuuming is essential, the included bag and bag collar make this package more complete than buying a blower and assuming the accessories will be available later.

Speed-control wording deserves caution

WORX's page describes adjustable airflow and also says the blower has two speeds. Its FAQ says the WG505 does not have variable-speed control, while the linked manual labels a “Variable Blower Speed Knob” and explains how to rotate it to change blower speed. These are conflicting manufacturer descriptions. I would not count the WG505 as satisfying a hard requirement for a particular variable-speed behavior or speed-hold function unless the current model-specific instructions or the seller's exact package documentation settles the question. The manual still confirms a selector lever and on/off switch; that does not resolve the disagreement about the speed control itself.

The same care applies to weight. The product page lists 9.5 pounds, but the WG505 column of the manual gives 9.7 pounds. Neither source defines a bare-tool, vacuum-mode or ready-to-use basis. The difference is small, but it is enough to make a strict weight filter unreliable; this review does not reinterpret either number as the weight of a fully assembled working setup. No numeric sound rating or blowing-force specification was established here.

Build the operating plan around an outdoor cord

The WG505 draws 12 amps. The manual calls for a suitable polarized outdoor extension cord, provides wire-gauge guidance by length, sets 150 feet as the maximum cord length, and warns not to route the cord through standing water or wet grass. A cord is not a minor accessory in the buying decision: it can snag at corners, gates, shrubs or furniture, and it limits how far from an outlet you can work. The manual says not to use the appliance in rain or damp locations. If your yard is wet during the leaf season or has no safe cord route, choose a different power plan rather than forcing this tool into that job.

WORX's model page shows the WG505 as temporarily out of stock in the captured listing, while the U.S. catalogue and product page still identify the exact model. That status is not evidence that every seller has inventory or that the tool has been permanently discontinued. Verify the model and box contents if a listing becomes available; do not substitute a WG500.2 or the related WG509 merely because the names are similar.

How it differs from the WG509 and other alternatives

The WG509 keeps the same 350-CFM and 80–210-mph figures but advances the stated mulch ratio to 18:1 and has a clearer six-position speed dial in its manual. The WG505's own speed-control documents conflict, so the safer reason to choose it is that the 16:1, 1.2-bushel package meets the work you actually need, not an assumption that it offers a smoother dial. If bag volume is the deciding limit, both standard packages are listed at the same 1.2 bushels; neither gives you a documented 45-liter bag. The corded WG518 has higher published speed but also leaves CFM mode basis unresolved. For a cordless vacuum/mulcher, EGO's LV5005 is a distinct battery-kit option with a 40-liter bag; compare its included battery and the handling tradeoff rather than treating CFM labels as direct clearing-time tests.

The WG505 is most defensible for a residential owner who wants corded blowing and bagged leaf pickup, is comfortable checking its exact speed-control behavior, and does not require a guaranteed blower-mode CFM or ready-to-use weight. The main alternative is the WG509 if its 18:1 claim and more consistent speed-control documentation matter. If either the cord, bag size or unresolved weight basis is a deal-breaker, another configuration is a better fit.