Toro 51621 UltraPlus Review: Does Vacuuming Leaves Save Work?

The Toro 51621 UltraPlus answers a different question from a dedicated blower: what happens after the leaves are in a pile? Its vacuum and shredding functions can help with pickup, but you still carry the tool, manage a cord, and empty the bag. Whether that is easier depends on the amount of material and where it collects.

This review uses manufacturer information, published hands-on testing, and owner feedback. We have not personally tested the UltraPlus. Research checked September 6, 2026.

The Short Answer

The UltraPlus is worth considering for manageable leaf pickup around a small or midsize property, especially when leaves gather along patios and borders. Its ability to blow, vacuum, and shred gives it a useful role beyond shifting debris. It is less appealing when you expect a handheld bag to process an entire yard’s deep leaf fall quickly.

Choose it because you have a practical use for the vacuum. If you only need blowing, compare the WORX WG520. If you want collection, allow for tube changes and bag-emptying stops rather than assuming the vacuum turns leaf removal into one continuous pass.

Toro 51621 UltraPlus — corded blower, vacuum, and shredder

Corded leaf pickup and shredding

Toro 51621 UltraPlus

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Blower Airflow and Vacuum Airflow Are Different

Toro’s current product page lists 340 CFM in blow mode and 405 CFM in vacuum mode, along with a maximum airspeed of 260 MPH. It also describes the oscillating nozzle and leaf-shredding ring. Those are the manufacturer’s current figures. Toro 51621 product information.

The linked Amazon title still advertises up to 250 MPH, and older reviews use different airflow figures. We cannot establish from those pages whether every offer represents identical production specifications. Check the manual and model label for the unit being sold rather than combining the highest numbers from different sources. Amazon model listing.

Most importantly, do not compare the Toro’s vacuum CFM with another tool’s blower CFM and call it a blowing-performance comparison. If pickup is your priority, the more useful questions are what material it handles, how comfortable it is, and how often you will need to stop.

What Published Testing Found

In a 2021 hands-on review, Bob Vila’s test article reported easy pickup of dry leaves and slower progress through old, matted material. The tester also found that coarse debris and pushing the tube deeply into a pile could cause clogs. Changing between blower and vacuum required reconfiguring the tubes, and the control placement was a handling complaint. Bob Vila’s UltraPlus test.

Those findings help describe the job, but the older test is not proof of current-unit specifications or long-term durability. We have not adopted its mulching ratio as a guaranteed result. Leaf size, moisture, and how tightly material is packed make a fixed “bags saved” claim a poor basis for planning.

The Owner Detail Worth Paying Attention To

In a Reddit discussion about leaf collection, an owner specifically using the Toro 51621 liked the shredding results but still needed to empty its bag frequently when working through large piles. That owner used the Toro for localized accumulations while handling much of the lawn’s leaf cover with a mower. Toro 51621 owner account.

This is one person’s experience, not a survey. Still, it raises a good buying question: do you need a tool for awkward pockets of leaves, or a system for clearing the whole property? A blower/vacuum can be useful for the first without being the fastest answer to the second.

Plan the Whole Pickup Cycle

Picture where you will stand while vacuuming and where the bag contents will go. If the disposal point is far away, every full bag adds another trip. Bringing an appropriate collection container closer may reduce walking, but you still need to allow time for transferring material.

For an illustrative comparison, six bag-emptying stops that each take two minutes add twelve minutes to a session. That is arithmetic, not a measured result for this Toro. The point is to count the interruptions when deciding whether a vacuum will save you work.

Also consider material mixed in with the leaves. A patio border may contain gravel, sticks, or other debris you should remove rather than deliberately feed into a leaf vacuum. Follow the unit’s manual for acceptable material and disconnect power before clearing a blockage or changing attachments.

Cord Reach and Working Comfort

This is a corded tool. Measure the actual path from the outlet around furniture and planting beds, then choose an outdoor extension cord that meets the manual’s length and capacity requirements. Keep electrical connections dry and follow the operating instructions.

Remember that the carried bag becomes heavier as it fills. The question is not just whether you can lift the empty machine; it is whether the working position, tube length, and repeated emptying feel manageable. If you can see the tool in person, evaluate that posture before buying.

Is It the Right Choice?

For dedicated blowing within cord reach, compare the WORX WG520. For freedom to move around the property, consider the EGO LB7654, while remembering that it does not vacuum. For larger collection jobs, our blower versus lawn sweeper guide covers another approach.

The UltraPlus has a useful place where leaves collect in manageable amounts and pickup is the annoying part. Buy it with a realistic collection routine in mind, rather than expecting the vacuum attachment to eliminate the handling work of autumn cleanup.