Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Like with many other buyers, the first one I bought worked for five minutes and then died, leaving a smell like burned carbon bushings (I suspect the cause). But it was easy with Amazon to return the item AT NO COST with one click. They contacted UPS and the next day the UPS man stopped by with a shipping label and took the piece back. All I had to do was print out a packing slip and put it inside the box and re-seal it with tape. Three days later, a new one arrived that worked great. Why did the original fail? Infant mortality and burn-in. At this price, they cannot afford to run these for an hour to test them to make sure they don't fail due to what we call "infant mortality" in the EE world. So the odds of getting a "bad" one are somewhat higher, but the return policy is so painless, it is not a big deal. I could have asked for a REFUND but I liked the unit and gave it a second try. It is lightweight and powerful for its size. Fairly quiet, too. Perfect for blowing leaves off sidewalks and driveways and patios and roofs. No, it will not blow leaves off your lawn like my neighbor's "yard man" does with his obnoxiously loud gasoline powered leaf blower (which also blows away the topsoil at the same time). I am not sure why people want to blow leaves off grass when a lawnmower just ingests them - far easier in my opinion. For a homeowner wanting to clear leaves and pine needles from walkways, this is perfect. Cheap and powerful and it doesn't cost a lot. If you are starting a yard service or using this for industrial applications, no, this isn't for you. It is a consumer-grade device. If you buy one, run it for at least a half-hour or so to make sure it is working right. If it goes bad, don't try to take it apart to "fix" it (as one reviewer did) or whine about the "cost of postage" (as another reviewer did) as you can return it for FREE to Amazon and they will send you another one within a week. This is my second greenworks product and I am happy with both (weedeater was my other purchase). As for the product being "green" or not (the subject of another reviewer's complaint) who gives a darn? Nice product and about what I expect for under $30!!!! UPDATE: The owner's manual is explicit about using a correct-sized power cord and not using an excessively long power cord. We had this unit for almost four years and the power switch went bad. I jumpered it (so it went on when you plugged it in) figuring that my $25 leaf blower was about to become history. I was right. Yesterday, it was working fine (and it does have a lot of power for its size!) and then it started slowing down. Sparks flew from the top where the contact brushes are. I suspect it is toast. I am sad to see it go, but I guess for 25 bucks, this is all you can expect. It is like those cordless electric drills. You can buy an 18-volt drill at Tractor Supply for less than a dollar-a-volt. But they only last a year or two, it seems. The really nice ones cost hundreds, and if you are a contractor, that is a worthwhile expense. But as a homeowner, maybe not so much. I am thinking of getting a cordless leaf blower this time around as it seems the world is going cordless, and it is so much easier not to have to deal with cords. We have a cordless vacuum now and my neighbor has a cordless lawn mower. And for not much more than a corded blower, you can get a cordless one.