If you dread the tedious task of raking leaves each fall, you’ll be amazed at the ease of using a leaf blower. These gasoline or electric-powered machines force a stream of fast-moving air through a handheld nozzle. The air stream quickly propels into neat piles of leaves and debris from your lawn, driveway, walkway or patio. Some models also vacuum and deposit leaves into attached bags or shred them into small “mulch” particles, which protect your plants and soil from the winter cold.