It's fall. That means it's time to haul out all of your weapons for the annual war on leaves. If you're a lazy homeowner like me, you're bringing in the big guns: the tools and technology that make the task as easy as possible.

My personal favorite is a blower/vac. Look for blower/vacs with at least two air speeds - a lower speed for sweeping out the garage and gathering leaves into smaller piles, and a higher speed to tackle the heavy wet leaves. I own a Toro Ultra Blower/Vac - the most powerful handheld blower/vac you can buy. It features a true variable speed control, so I can control the power - anywhere from a 225-mph jet stream of air, down to a 90-mph breeze.

The Ultra Blower/Vac is also a powerful vacuuming, mulching machine. A magnesium impeller grinds leaves and twigs into a fine mulch, reducing as much as sixteen bags of leaves down to one.

For those of you who would rather hit the yard with a low-tech approach, it might be time for a new rake. There are a number of new models on the market, most geared toward making the task more comfortable. For my money, an old-fashioned steel tine rake is the most durable rake you can buy. It's great for clearing loose or compacted leaves, getting under bushes and around trees. Steel tine rakes can also be used as light de-thatching tools. If you're looking for a lightweight rake, poly or plastic rakes are a good choice. They're easy to handle and good for raking leaves, grass and other loose materials. Combination rakes that are made with both poly and steel can incorporate the best features of both types.

Whether your approach is high-tech or traditional, choosing the right lawn tools can help you get the job done quicker. Then you can get