The 77055 4-in-1 Plus Yard Vacuum--manufactured by reputable outdoor products maker MTD for Craftsman--is smartly designed and useful. It is configured like a walk-behind lawnmower--which makes it different from other vertically oriented chipper/shredders. This allows the gasoline-powered device to be easily maneuvered for vacuuming purposes and even light snowblowing (although the unit's Briggs & Stratton engine proved difficult to start after being stored in cold weather; it started on one pull otherwise). The chipper chute easily manages twigs and branches up to 1.5 inches in diameter, nicely drawing them in once they're slightly fed into the chute. The front 24-inch-wide vacuum nozzle can be adjusted to five height settings. This way, you can vacuum and blow over differing ground conditions. The vacuum hose is easy to activate; a built-in mechanism automatically shuts the opening to the blade-chamber when the vacuum hose is disengaged for safety's sake. Likewise, a cut-off switch is incorporated into the rear of the unit, so the chipper/shredder can not be run without the rear bag or blower chute attached. Consumer Guide highly recommends shoppers seek out chipper/shredders with vacuuming capability, as that greatly eases the process of leaf collection, particularly in flower beds, etc. Craftsman says the device delivers a 10:1 chipping/shredding reduction ratio. The collector bag is large (2 bushels) and sturdy, but emptying it is not as easy as we would like. Some assembly is required, but the parts that can be tough and time-consuming to assemble are already in place. Noise output is significant.