Example of Electrical Apparatus that draw leading VARS and Electrical Apparatus that draw lagging VARS
Induction motors are responsible for most lagging vars. Transformers, relays, solenoids and universal motors also contribute. The primary sources of leading vars are power factor compensation capacitors and wound-field synchronous generators.

Current distortion due to non-linear loads causes lagging power factor, but that is not quite the same thing as lagging vars.