What Are The Best Lawn Sweepers? Reviews & Buyer’s Guide
Sweeping up leaves or grass clippings from your freshly cut yard is an arduous task. There is no worse feeling than finally finishing cutting your yard to then have to spend time sweeping up the clippings left behind as well.
That unwelcomed feeling is also felt after a windy night in which it seems all of the leaves in the neighborhood landed on your property.
Luckily, we no longer have to spend so much time raking the mess up. The solution is a lawn sweeper.
A lawn sweeper allows us to quickly and efficiently sweep up any grass clippings, leaves, or other debris that may have accumulated on our yards.
Gone are the days of painstakingly clearing your yard of debris. Instead, you can now spend no time at all clearing your yard with little effort needed.
To help you find the best lawn sweeper for you, we have put together a list of the 5 best lawn sweepers on the market.
Whether you’re an expert gardener looking for the right tool to make your job easier or simply want a lawn sweeper to help keep your yard tidy, there is a lawn sweeper on this list for you.
In this article, we will look at each sweeper, its features, and any pros and cons. We have also included a buyers guide and a frequently asked questions section.
Quick Comparison: Top Picks For Lawn Sweepers
[wptb id="507797" not found ]AT A GLANCE: Our Top Picks for Best Lawn Sweepers
What Is A Lawn Sweeper?
Before we get stuck into the list, for those of you who don’t know a lawn sweeper, also referred to as a leaf sweeper, is a mechanical garden tool used to remove grass clippings, debris, fallen leaves, pine needles, twigs, or litter from a paved area or lawn.
Lawn sweepers are an easy-to-use tool to help you efficiently clean up your yard. They commonly utilize a simple system of rotating brushes to sweep up the debris and collect it into a hopper ready for disposal.
Owning a lawn sweeper makes life a lot easier. With little effort and no bending down you can quickly collect waste and store it in the collection bag ready to be emptied into your compost bin in the green-waste dump.
Now you know exactly what a lawn sweeper is, let’s get into the list.
Best Overall: Brinly STS-42BHDK Pull Behind Lawn Sweeper
This model has a strong poly weave fabric hamper that can haul and store 20 cubic feet of material. This allows you to clear a large area of your yard in one go.
The 6 high-velocity brushes continuously rotate to pick up the debris, even when making sharp turns.
The Brinly has a simple adjustable brush-to-ground contact which provides a higher performance level and reduces the amount of waste the sweeper misses.
This lawn sweeper has a useful 5:1 brush-to-wheel ratio design which allows increased brush-to-ground contact, resulting in a cleaner sweep of grass clippings, leaves, and other debris.
The Brinly also has a unique twist and lock feature that makes it easy to adjust the height of the tool to ensure that the brush height setting stays in place for the duration of the sweeping, no matter what terrain you go over.
This smart tool is connected to the back of your tractor seat. This makes it so easy and effortless for you to sweep your yard.
Instead of using a rake and having to lean over as you work, you can now sit comfortably and let the tool do all the work for you.
Once the work is finished you the sweeper collapses down into an upright position to be easily stored away.
Features
- 2-in-1 sweeper and dethatcher
- 20 cubic foot hamper
- 42-inch sweep
- 5:1 brush-to-ground ratio
- 6 high-velocity brushes
- Collapsable for storage
- Patented storage design
Pros
- Large capacity: The 20 cubic foot hamper allows for longer use before needing to be emptied.
- Storage capabilities: The collapsable storage capability makes it easy to store the tool after using it. It won’t take up much space on your property.
- Adjustable brushes: Adjustable brushes reduce the amount of debris missed and increases how many different types of garden waste you can pick up.
Cons
- Assembly: The assembly of this lawn sweeper is quite difficult.
- Pull behind only: This sweeper can only be pulled along making it unsuitable for anybody who doesn’t have a tractor or mower that can pull it.
Runner Up: Agri-Fab 45-01218 Push Leaf Sweeper
The Agri-Fab 45-01218 is arguably the best push lawn sweeper on the market. It is an easy to push lightweight tool that takes minimal effort to use.
This sweeper has adjustable height features, a strong, yet light poly design, and a removable hopper bag that is easily disconnected once it’s full.
The hopper bag has a capacity of 7 cubic feet. This is a lot less than the Brinly so it could be better suited to smaller yards.
You do have to remember though that this tool is pushed or pulled by you so it can’t hold too much weight because you’d never move it.
Weighing only 25lbs and with a width of 26” this sweeper can be stored away fairly easily. It doesn’t fold down but its size makes it easy to hang up on a wall in the garage.
This durable sweeper quickly picks up leaves and grass clippings whether they are whole or have been broken down into smaller pieces.
Using this sweeper will massively reduce how much time you have to spend on your yard.
Its completely adjustable sweeper level and zinc-plated steel frame give the mechanical tool a sturdy and flexible feel when it comes to moveability.
There is one downside to this lawn sweeper but it does make up for it with its easy maneuverability.
This sweeper is unfortunately not suitable for use in wet conditions. It will struggle to pick up wet or matted down leaves.
With this lawn sweeper, stick to dry mid-autumn conditions or summer if you want the best results.
Features
- Weight: 25lbs
- Width: 26”
- Capacity: 7 cubic feet
- Operation: Manual
- 50% more effective than using a rake
Pros
- Durability: This product is designed to last.
- Minimum assembly: It is always nice when something you buy is pretty much ready to use.
- Collapsable hopper: The hopper on this lawn sweeper can be stored away.
Cons
- Tough to push up hills: As this is a manual lawn sweeper you may struggle when pushing it up hilly terrain.
Alternative: Agri-Fab 45-0492 Tow Behind Lawn Sweeper
This model of lawn sweeper features an improved dump lever that can run without you having to get off your seat.
Its durable, tough brushes clean up leaves, clippings, and pine cones with no trouble.
This lawn sweeper has a bigger collection bag than the others on the list so far.
The collection bag on the 45-0492 holds 25 cubic feet of garden debris. This is two to three times bigger than a typical two-bin bagger.
Brush height is easily adjusted to alter the sweeping height required. This height can actually be adjusted whilst the tool is in operation.
A big hit with Agri-Fab customers is the easy adjustment to the side or center patented offset switch, which allows sweeping and mowing at the same time.
Conveniently the 45-0492 can also be collapsed down and folded up. This will save you precious storage space.
If you’re not already tempted by this lawn sweeper, maybe its versatility will be what twists your arm. You can attach the Agri-Fab de-thatcher to the front so you can sweep and detach at the same time.
A dethatcher is perfect for clearing any dead or compact garden waste.
When it comes to assembling this product you will be glad to hear it is very straightforward. Once your lawn sweeper has arrived only 2 of the nuts and bolts need tools to put together clevis pins.
Features
- Capacity: 25 cubic feet
- Adjustable brushes: Change the height of the brushes as you work
- Width: 44-inch sweep
- Weight: 90lbs
- Color: Orange
Pros
- Storage capacity: This lawn sweeper has an incredible amount of hopper space. It can hold 25 cubic feet of organic matter.
- Offset on either side of the tractor: The sweeper can be offset on either side of your tractor without any problems.
- Sweep and dethatch: With this model of lawn sweeper you can sweep up and dethatch at the same time.
Cons
- Weight: This lawn sweeper weighs 90lbs.
- Plastic gear-teeth: The plastic gear-teeth in the wheels are breakable.
Alternative: VonHaus 2-in-1 Electrical Lawn Sweeper
This lawn sweeper is a great option for anyone looking to clear their yard of any debris.
If you clear average-sized yards for a living this sweeper would also be a great choice if you don’t want a pull-behind tool.
This sweeper comes with two interchangeable scarifier drums that are operated by a 1800W motor.
These interchangeable drums let you remove garden waste from a yard whilst also perforating the soil in the yard to promote healthy grass growth.
With 5 depth settings, you can be guaranteed that this sweeper will get even the toughest of debris from your yard or a paved area.
It is a great model for clearing leaves, grass clippings, pine cones, and other pieces of debris and litter.
The cable attached to this electric tool easily lets you work quickly in small and medium-sized yards.
With a collection bag that can hold 55l of material and a sweeper that is 38cm in width, you can clear a lot of debris in one go.
Once you have finished using the machine the collection bag can be removed and the machine folded for easy storage.
We would just like to note the appearance of this sweeper too. This sweeper looks great. It is designed to look like a normal lawn mower but it looks even better.
The smartly designed tool only weighs 38lbs and can be easily moved thanks to the flexibility of its design.
Features
- Electric: The sweeper is connected via an electric cable and motor
- Weight: 38lbs
- Width: 38cm
- Collection bag: 55l
- Depth settings: 5
- 2-in-1
Pros
- Variety of settings: The range of height settings lets you clear even the smallest piece of organic material.
- Lightweight: The VonHaus 2 is easily moved thanks to its lightweight design.
- Storage capabilities: This lawn sweeper is foldable and collapsable making it easy to store, without taking up much space.
Cons
- Electric: This sweeper has to be plugged into work. This can make it hard to clear larger yards.
Alternative: Ohio Steel 42SWP22 Tow Behind Sweeper
This professional-grade sweeper features an extra-wide sweeping path of 42”, and a 22 cubic foot collection bag which allows quick and efficient lawn care.
This heavy-duty machine has a patented design. It’s patented 11” spiral brushes sweep more effectively than any other standard sweepers on the market whilst also putting a lot less stress on the gears to ensure a longer-lasting tool.
The hopper on this sweeper empties easily. All you need to do is pull the rope whilst sitting on your tractor.
Ohio Steel 42SWP22 features sealed ball bearings on the brush axle, a hitch pin, and a 5-position hitch adjustment to give a custom fit for any brand of tractor.
It also has a lock “no-slip” height adjustment that ensures that the sweeper won’t vibrate out of the correct position when on the move.
An added advantage to this model of sweeper is the wider 9” chute which clogs less often than other sweepers.
This feature makes it a lot easier to sweep wet grass clippings that may have become clumped together.
Weighing 84lbs and working with a 42” sweeper this lawn tool is a bit of a beast.
For us, this model offers a very well-rounded tool that can do it all. It has most of the key aspects from other brands of sweepers all in one.
We can’t see what else you would want from a tow behind lawn sweeper.
Features
- Weight: 84lbs
- Width: 42”
- Hopper capacity: 22 cubic feet
- Brushes: 11
- 5-position hitch adjustment
Pros
- Super wide chute: The wide 9” chute helps prevent the lawn sweeper from getting clogged.
- Removable hopper: Remove the hopper quickly for rapid, compact storage.
- Hitches to any brand of tractor: The adjustable hitch positions help the lawn sweeper work with any brand of tractor.
Cons
- Difficult to assemble: Some parts of this lawn sweeper are difficult to put together for example the tensioning rods.
Buyers Guide
It is important you consider a number of key factors when buying a lawn sweeper.
By considering the factors below you can purchase a lawn sweeper with confidence that what you are getting is exactly what you need.
Lawn Size
The size of your lawn or paved area is probably the most important thing you need to think about when looking to buy a lawn sweeper. Lawn sweepers come in many different shapes and sizes.
There are smaller models with smaller brushes, designed to clear smaller yards and there are larger models that will easily clear a large area.
If you only have a small yard that requires little clearing you can save yourself some money by buying a smaller sweeper.
Alternatively, if you have a large yard you will be better off buying a bigger lawn sweeper that has a larger collection bag and more brushes.
By getting this factor right you can be sure you are buying a tool that will allow you to quickly and easily clear your garden.
Type Of Lawn Sweeper
The type of lawn sweeper you buy is something you will want to consider. In this article, we have spoken about 3 different types of lawn sweeper. These are electric, pull behind and push sweepers.
Electric sweepers are normally connected via electricity cables so if you have a larger yard or no access to electricity you should probably avoid these sweepers.
However, if you only have a small yard this could be a good, affordable option. Pull behind sweepers are the most readily available tool.
These are excellent for attaching to a tractor before clearing a large area. They might not be the choice for you though.
If you don’t have the means of pulling the sweeper then obviously you shouldn’t choose this one. If you do have a small tractor this is probably the type of lawn sweeper we recommend the most.
Finally push sweepers are smaller tools that are manually moved. They are better suited to those of you who have smaller yards.
These lawn sweepers also do an excellent job and can more often than not be stored very easily.
Storage Capability
You are going to have to store your lawn sweeper when you have finished using it. We highly recommend you look for a lawn sweeper that can be stored effortlessly.
Most lawn sweepers on the market are designed with foldability in mind. It is uncommon to find one that isn’t produced with this in mind.
Find yourself a sweeper that’s collection bag can be removed with the rest of the tool being folded up to fit in a small storage space.
If you don’t want to buy a model that folds down consider buying a model that can be hung on the wall. These models are normally lightweight and smaller.
Weather Conditions
Not all lawn sweepers can handle wet weather well. Some sweepers struggle with leaves and grass that get wet and start to clump.
This clump then causes clogs in the chute which results in poorer performance.
The obvious way to avoid this is by using the machine in dry conditions, however what if you need to get some clearing done and the weather is bad every day.
For professionals, this could be a real problem. To prevent this from happening look for a lawn sweeper that has a larger chute.
A lawn sweeper with a bigger chute will be able to deal with wet conditions better, in turn eliminating clogging issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Should I Sweep Up Leaves?
Most lawn sweepers have the capability to sweep up leaves whenever you want to do it. However, it is always easier to sweep leaves up when they are dry.
We recommend if you want the easiest sweeping experience, you should try and sweep up the leaves when the ground is dry.
Don’t worry if you can’t though, most lawn sweepers still work well if the ground is wet.
Do Yard Sweepers Actually Work?
Yes, yard sweepers work brilliantly. If you have a large garden you can easily clear any debris, dead grass, or leaves in no time at all.
They use rotating brushes to pick up waste before throwing it into a collection bag attached to the sweeper.
Is A Lawn Sweeper Worth It?
Lawn sweepers are worth it. If you have a large garden or simply want an easier way to clear any debris then purchasing a lawn sweeper is a great option.
You no longer need to go through the painstaking process of breaking your back raking your yard.
By using a lawn sweeper the hard work is done for you in 50% of the time. As well as saving hours of time the brush adjustments on lawn sweepers allows you to get even the smallest pieces of waste.
By saving so much time you can better manage your yard and also do a lot more with your day.
Conclusion
As you can see from our list alone there are a variety of different lawn sweepers on the market, all of which have their own unique features that they believe make them better than the others on the market.
Most lawn sweepers will successfully be able to clear small-medium-sized yards. Others will be able to clear much larger yards in no time at all.
Lawn sweepers are a great addition to our arsenal.
After cutting our yard or when we simply want to clear it we can effortlessly clear leaves, grass, pine needles, pine cones, and other pieces of debris in no time at all.
If it wasn’t for lawn sweepers we would still be struggling to rake our yards. If you have a large yard spending long periods of time raking could get quite uncomfortable for your back.
When looking to buy a lawn sweeper it is important to consider the size of the lawn being swept. This will help you make a better judgment when finding the most suitable model.
It doesn’t matter what you need a lawn sweeper for there will be one on this list for you.
The sweepers on this list are great for those of you who just want a tidy yard and professionals out there who want to do their job more effectively and efficiently.
Now you have our list at your fingertips, narrow it down and do some research of your own to find the best lawn sweeper for you.