I got this after getting rid of my high performance black and decker electric model. I loved it, but with a bigger yard now, I needed gas. I considered independent gas blowers, but to get something decent I'd have to spend $100 or more I decided. I also wanted a vacuum for leaves which was hard to find with an independent blower. Following that, if I'm not going to find a decent gas blower with a vacuum that's affordable, I might as well consider something like this. I like the idea of only having to take care of one motor.