Finds: Leaf Eater
By Sean O'Hara
Doc Brown mounted a Mr. Fusion proudly on his time machine because it converted whatever you could shove down in there into fuel for the Delorean. The Leaf Eater by FlowTron works (sort of) the same way: It coverts whatever leaves you cram in it into fuel for your lawn.
The Leaf Eater has a heavy-duty design that quickly reduces grass cuttings, wet or dry leaves and pine needles by more than 8 to 1. Once leaves are shredded they compost faster and make an effective mulch you can add straight to your garden.
The unit uses an 8 amp motor, and (like Mr. Fusion) operates on regular household current. The Leaf Eater can engulf a great verity of potential victims with its 21″ diameter feeder funnel, allowing you to stuff armfuls of future mulch down its gullet. (OK, ok. Keep your Fargo references to yourself.)
The Leaf Eater also fits over a trash can if you’re looking to simply dispose of the rotten refuse that currently inhabits your lawn. If you happen to live in a neighborhood that only picks up grass clippings in overpriced paper approved bags, that means less $$ spent on each mow. Or, you can use the Leaf Eater with its stand to shoot the refined bits-o-stuff right out out the bottom into the compost heap.
In either the self standing or trash can mounted mode, the Leaf Eater can make fuel for your yard and get rid of troublesome organic clutter at the same time. Not since Paris Hilton cleaned some poor dude’s house with a leaf blower has lawncare been this fun. Look at it this way: It takes stuff you hate and shreds the living tar out of it. That always makes us happy.
Street Pricing starts at around $120.
The Leaf Eater [FlowTron]
Street Pricing [Froogle]
August 29th, 2006 at 12:08 am
Interesting idea, still have the problem of raking the leaves up. Still a better solution than using my cheesy leaf blower with the munchin’ attachment . It cries when fall in Connecticut occurs.
February 12th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
Hi, I’ve got to many twigs in with the leaves. This makes the cutting strings break. I am having trouble constantly cutting string and reloading it into the leaf mulcher.
I might try using wire tomorrow.
May 4th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Not a very good design!!!
The flow funnel is does not match up with the body - making assembly very difficult.
The strings can not handle any workload.
The slighted hint of lawn clipping with moisture - just sits there.
The motor died from heat after 30 min.
Group I bought it from denies anything like this.
Try to reach customer service at Armaton/Flowtron. What a joke.
Can’t get a hold of anyone - no one will return a call.
I am just going to send by unit back to the president.
See how he likes junk being delivered to him.