Keeping your yard clean and tidy is made a lot easier if you have a good leaf blower mulcher.
The WORX Trivac Blower Mulcher with Leaf Pro is one of the most popular around, but there are a few variations of this on the market.
To clear up any confusion we have reviewed the WORX WG500, WG505 and WG509.
Review At A Glance
The WORX WG509 offers the best performance and value for money and you can use the LeafPro with it.
Editor’s Note
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Specifications
WG500 | WG505 | WG509 | |
Voltage | 120V~60hz | 120V~60hz | 120V~60hz |
Power Input | 12 Amps | 12 Amps | 12 Amps |
Air Speed | 80-210 Mph | 80-210 Mph | 80-210 Mph |
Air Volume | 350 Cfm | 350 Cfm | 350 Cfm |
Bag Capacity | 1.2 Bushels | 1.2 Bushels | 1.2 Bushels |
Mulch Ratio | 10:1 | 16:1 | 18:1 |
Weight | 9.5 lbs | 9.5 lbs | 9.3 lbs |
Warranty | 3 Years | 3 Years | 3 Years |
Price | $$ | $$ | $$ |
Overview Of The WORX Trivac Models
There are three main versions of the WORX Trivac, they are broadly similar, but there are some differentiating factors.
The WORX Trivac WG500
The WG500 is the oldest iteration of this blower mulcher. It has a 12 Amp electric motor and a regulated air flow that allows you to vary the speed from between 80mph and 210mph.
You switch from leaf blowing mode to leaf vacuuming mode with the simple flick of a switch. It mulches at a ratio of 10:1 (meaning ten bags of waste are converted down to one) and weighs 9.5 lbs.
The WORX Trivac WG505
As with its predecessor the WG505 has a 12 Amp electric motor and an air flow that can be varied from between 80mph and 210mph.
Changing mode from blowing to vacuuming is done with the flick of a switch and it also weighs 9.5lbs. However this has a mulch ratio of 16:1
The WORX Trivac WG509
You might be able to guess where we are going here! Yes this also has a 12 Amp electric motor and a variable airflow from 80 mph to 210mph and changing mode is done with the flick of a switch.
However this weighs 9.3lbs and mulches at a ratio of 18:1.
Differences Between the WORX Trivac Models
From reading the above you might be able to see the obvious difference in each model – that being the mulch ratio. This refers to how the unit condense the debris.
So a 10:1 mulch ratio means that every ten bags full of leaves is reduced in size to a single bag of mulched leaves. So we have:
- WG500 mulch ratio – 10:1
- WG505 mulch ratio – 16:1
- WG509 mulch ratio – 18:1
So obviously the higher mulch ratio the better. You can see this is one factor that has gradually improved with each version of the Trivac.
Looking at the models you would be hard pressed to notice any changes as they look the same, so what are the other differences?
The WG500 – Has a plastic impeller which is used to mulch the leaves. It also has one valve, for switching between blowing and sucking the leaves and a sleeve valve for flow control.
The WG505 – The plastic impeller has been upgraded to a metal impeller. It also has two valves, one for blowing and suction and the other to control the flow rate.
The WG509 – The motor has been beefed up slightly and the mulching system improved all round – the first stage blades chop soft material and then at the second stage you have the magnesium impeller which literally pulverises stems, sticks and twigs. It also has a quick-connect and disconnect collection bag. These changes account for the improved mulch ratio.
What Is The LeafPro?
The LeafPro by WORX is a piece of kit that makes collecting lots of leaves much easier and quicker. It fits all major leaf blower/vacuum brands, whether they be gas, electric or battery powered.
Pretty useful eh?
It has a ventilated mesh hood that you place on top of a trash can and a flexible 8 to 16 foot hose that you attached to your blower/mulcher.
This allows you to collect and mulch a much higher capacity of leaves as they go straight into a 32 to 96 gallon trash can, rather into a small bag you carry around with you.
With me so far?
The mesh hood has a plastic tab that locks it in so it fits around most trash cans. It pretty much acts as a lid for the trashcan. Then one end of the hose screws into the top of the net and the other end goes into an adapter that fits into your leaf blower/vacuum.
Essentially you would use your blower to blow the leaves all into one big pile, then attach the LeafPro to your trash can and your blower and then suck up and mulch all your leaves dumping them into your trash can.
And that is great for you.
It fits securely and it saves time. All in all if you are dealing with a lot of leaves in your garden and want to turn them quickly into mulch, this is a fantastic investment.
Please note there are two variations of the Leaf Pro:
The LeafPro WA4054.1 – comes with a wide number of adapters to fit numerous kinds and makes of leaf blowers/vacuums.
The LeafPro WA4054.2 – comes with just one adapter to fit WORX leaf blowers
Check the best price on the WORX Trivac Blower WG509 here and the best price on the LeafPro here.
Reviews
The WORX WG500
The Good
The WORX WG500 is the original TRIVAC model. It is ergonomically nicely made and well thought out in terms of the collection bag.
The bag to blower attachment points stay in place and the large opening on the collection bag allows it to be quickly and easily cleaned out. The bag itself is robust and seems like it will last for a reasonable amount of time, and the zipper is nice and smooth to use.
Down to the meat and bones:
The blowing power is adequate, but probably no more. On hard surfaces it gets the job done well but it struggles a little more blowing leaves that are wet or in wet grass. The power in this respect definitely isn’t comparable with a gas blower.
On the other hand the vacuuming and mulching power is really good. It pulls in all kinds of debris – including wet leaves which are often tricky for a gas vacuum and mulches them really well.
The ability to quickly shift between blower and vacuum/mulcher is excellent. It may rob the blower of a certain amount of power, but it more than makes up for it as it is so easy to use.
Here is the rub:
The bent nozzle is probably a blessing and course in equal measures – it makes certain tasks really easy – ie getting under objects like tables or around the bottom of bushes, but on the other hand it makes it more difficult to pick leaves up from level surfaces.
The Bad
The on/off switch is in a really awkward place – not easy to get to. So if you suddenly need to switch off the machine as you have forgotten to properly close the zipper on the mulch bag for instance, it is not something you can do quickly.
Not only that:
It could be more comfortable. The strap for the collector bag is very thin and not well designed. If you have the strap on the opposite shoulder to the bag the bag gets wrapped around you, if you have it on the same side the bag slides off. It also becomes quite heavy when it is full.
Because this mulches at a 10:1 ratio, the small bag also fills quickly and has to be empty quite regularly.
Finally:
The impeller is plastic, and as a result struggles to mulch more stubborn debris. The part is also obsolete now so if it does break there is no replacement available aside from buying either a whole new engine or a new blower.
The WORX WG505
The Good
The WG505 definitely improves on the WG500 in terms of its mulching capabilities, and this is no doubt due to the impeller which is no longer plastic and is now metal.
The suction, which was already good, seems better too. It collects small waxy leaves and the impeller has no problems dealing with larger twigs that the WG500 would no doubt struggle with so you get a better quality of mulch.
The good thing is:
The bag is still easy to secure and release, so quick emptying is possible and as before switching between functions couldn’t be much simpler. The mulch ratio has been bumped up to 16:1, so the bag doesn’t fill so quickly either.
The change from a sleeve valve to a standard switch valve seems to have given the leaf blower a bit more umph as well and it can move wetter leaves as well as dry leaves.
And:
It still has the bent nozzle, which as I mentioned above is both good and bad, but the additional vacuuming and blowing power takes away some of the issues around using it on a flat surface.
The Bad
The collection bag seems to have taken a big step backwards here. It is flimsy and tears easily and is made of poor material. The zipper seems of a worse quality too. In fact the whole bag just seems to be poor quality.
Ouch!
The strap is still uncomfortable and doesn’t sufficiently take the weight of the unit off of your shoulder. It isn’t adjustable enough and is too short for tall people.
The WORX WG509
The Good
The WG509 takes things on one notch further as the build and engine has undoubtedly been improved from the WG505.
The motor is stronger and more solid and leaves and twigs disappear up the chute and are carried to the impeller and chewed up by a combination of the motor and an improved design, which allows momentum play a part.
It doesn’t end there as:
There have also been further improvements with regards to the mulching side of things. It has a two stage metal impeller that reduces leaves to an 18:1 ratio and it seems to be able to handle larger debris without missing much of a beat.
Both the blower and the vacuum function remain better on a par with the WG505 and better than the WG500 and it does seem a little more evenly balanced now and there is not so much of an issue with the weight.
Lastly:
The collection bag connects quickly and easily to the blower and takes longer to fill up owing to the improved mulch ratio. And this still has the quick shift mechanism to make changing from blower to vacuum really easy.
The Bad
WORX still haven’t rectified the issues with the collection bag strap, which is still too short and the on/off switch is again difficult to engage.
What is more:
This also requires a higher gauge, and heavier duty, extension cord than either of its predecessors which is a pain and an additional expense.
Ratings
WORX WG500 | WORX WG505 | WORX WG509 | LEAF MULCHER PRO | |
Design | 86% | 86% | 88% | 92% |
Performance | 83% | 86% | 89% | 90% |
Price | 78% | 90% | 90% | 88% |
Overall | 84% | 86% | 89% | 90% |
Conclusion
For me it is a no brainer – go for the WORX WG509. It has the best mulch ratio, an improved, dual stage, all metal impeller and the price is pretty much on a par with the WG505.
If you have a lot of leaves to clear and want a quick and efficient way of mulching them then I’d definitely recommend the LeafPro.
If you have just a WORX leaf blower/vacuum then get the LeafPro WG4054.2. If you have anything other than a WORX leaf blower/vacuum get the LeafPro WG4054.1 – as it has multi-fit adapters for any model.
It is cheaper to buy them both separately from Amazon – you can buy the WORX WG509 here or the LeafPro WG4054.2 here.
Steve,
Thanks for the review.
Any idea how the WG509 is going to handle dried pine cones? We have 10 large trees that drop a TON of cones in the back yard. I’m getting tired of raking them and would prefer that I could turn then into mulch.
Also, are there any aftermarket bag / cans for the WG509? It seems like the bag that comes with the Worx blowers are crap.
Thanks again!
If I am honest this isn’t great with dried pine cones in terms of mulching them, and I am yet to find a blower mulcher that handles them ok. If you are after a good blower to move them I recommend the Echo PB-250LN which works well.
Re the bag, it isn’t great, but you could try this WORX bag which is better made and less flimsy.
Steve, I find this information very useful. I will keep you in mind the next time I am looking for a leaf blower. I really appreciate that you have given the negative points of view about this product as well Thank You
Thanks Sherry! Glad it was of use.
Hi Steve
Thank you for this helpful article. I have been considering the blower mulcher for some time already and your post helped me to finally understand which direction to go. There are so many options out there that it is really confusing and challenging to make the choice. So it is really great that you help others with your opinion and investigation as it is a time saver (and in my case – a life saver :)).
I agree with you that WORX WG509 is a no-brainer due to the best mulch ratio and the other positive features you have mentioned. And I also think that the good things definitely outweigh the bad ones that you have mentioned.
Thank you for your kind comment Arta. Glad I finally helped you make a choice! All of the WORX blower/vacuum/mulcher models are pretty good, but the WG509 is the best I think. I hope you are happy with your purchase!
All the best
Steve
4.5
Can you reccomend a shoulder harness for the WG505 or 509? I’m using a Leaf Pro with a 505, but find the vacuum a bi toot heavy. A plain strap would keep slipping off the shoulder, & a harness would also distribute the weight better & reduce back strain.
Hi Pam, sorry for the delayed reply and thank you for your message. I am sorry I am not 100% up on shoulder harnesses, but I understand what you mean about you struggling with the vacuum. You might want to try the Hanperal Shoulder Harness, I think that fits with most brands or the WeiBonD Shoulder Harness. Hope you find something that helps.