1) Does the Gold Duster come ready to run, right out of the box?

No, You need to have a leaf blower to make the fan operate, we recommend a blower that blows 150 to 185 mph. There are many good blowers on the market, our choice is a Sears Leaf Blower. For 2 reasons 1st. they have a very good warrantee. and 2nd. you can find a Sears store almost anywhere. Other than the blower everything is included.