There are a lot of different types of lawn sweepers on the market, ranging in price, features and even the type of power they use – so, how do you choose the best lawn sweeper?
Take a look at our ultimate guide, which not only reviews the best lawn sweepers of 2020, but answers common questions about the features, maintenance and uses of this equipment.
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Benefits of a Lawn Sweeper
Source: Amazon.com
A lawn sweeper is a must-have piece of gardening equipment if you enjoy having a neat, pristine yard. If you own a rake or a lawnmower with a grass catcher attachment, you’re probably thinking that you don’t really need a leaf sweeper.
However, the right lawn sweeper is one of the best tools for lawn care on the market. Here are some of the benefits of this lawn care equipment to see if it’s the right option for you.
- It saves time and energy – A rake may be cheaper to buy, but you’ll have to spend hours using it while you go about the back-straining task of clearing leaves and debris off your lawn.
With a lawn sweeper, you’ll be done in a fraction of the time – and your back will fee just fine! - It’s more effective – A lawn sweeper is far more effective at gathering leaves and garden debris than a lawnmower grass catcher attachment, which isn’t tough enough to handle debris like twigs and small branches.
It is also more effective, faster and quieter than a leaf blower, which is a significant bonus for most homeowners. - It doesn’t damage the grass – A lawn sweeper is specifically designed to sweep over the grass using soft brushes, so it doesn’t damage the delicate blades.
If you want your lawn to be the envy of all your neighbors, a leaf sweeper is gentle enough to get the job done right.
Do Lawn Sweepers Work Well?
Lawn sweepers work so well that they are considered a must-have piece of equipment for anyone who wants their lawn to be a showpiece for their home.
In addition to making clearing grass clippings, twigs and leaves easy, it can also be used for nuisance jobs like clearing bird or livestock droppings off the lawn, clearing up pine needles for mulch or clearing acorns.
Do Lawn Sweepers Pick Up Grass Clippings?
Yes! This is one of the most common uses for lawn sweepers. They gently brush up grass clippings into a catchment bag that you can then empty into the trash or into your compost.
There are units that you can attach directly to your riding mower or tractor to collect the grass clippings as you mow.
Will a Lawn Sweeper Pick Up Acorns?
Yes! Acorns can be sharp underfoot, clutter your yard, attract pests and even inhibit the growth of your grass. When caught up in a mower, acorns may damage your equipment or fly out at a high speed, making them potentially hazardous.
It’s best to clear the acorns from your yard on a regular basis using your lawn sweeper. You can always place your collected acorns in a designated spot that is out of your way but where wildlife can reach it easily.
What Will a Lawn Sweeper Pick Up?
Source: Amazon.com
- Twigs
- Grass clippings
- Leaves
- Acorns
- Pine needles
- Pine cones
- Wild bird/goose droppings
- Horse and livestock droppings
Video of using a tow behind sweeper to clear livestock droppings
How to Choose the Best Lawn Sweeper
Just like when choosing any other piece of gardening equipment, it’s important to understand the different types of lawn sweeper and the features they offer in order to find a suitable option.
Different Types of Lawn Sweeper
The Manual Lawn Sweeper
Also called a push lawn sweeper, this machine is operated by pushing it across the lawn. This momentum powers the sweeper brushes, which carry the debris up into the bag.
Once full, you can detach the bag and either place the debris in the trash or use them in your compost. Because this option requires physical effort to operate, it is best-suited to small yards that don’t have much lawn.
It works quietly and efficiently, is very affordably priced, and is ideal for weekly maintenance, including picking up pine needles. It’s not recommended for larger lawns or for people who suffer from back pain because of the physical effort required.
It is also not suited to working on slopes or with wet, heavy debris. Check out our Best Push Lawn Sweeper Reviews.
Tow Lawn Sweeper
Also called a tow behind lawn sweeper, this sweeper is a unit you can attach to the back of your lawnmower, riding mower or garden tractor.
As you operate your lawn mower, so the momentum powers the brushes of the lawn sweeper, allowing it to clear away leaves, grass and pine needles as you mow.
Usually, this type of lawn sweeper is bigger and has a larger catchment bag, which is useful if you are clearing a larger piece of lawn.
It is therefore ideally suited to homes with gardens that are over 1 acre in size. Because it is towed, it is also the best lawn sweeper for anyone who suffers from back pain.
As for the disadvantages, these lawn sweepers are usually more expensive than manual push lawn sweepers, and require a mower or tractor to tow them along as you mow. If you don’t have a tractor, read our reviews of the best garden tractor for 2020.
Here’s a video of a tow lawn sweeper in action:
Who Makes the Best Tow Behind Lawn Sweeper?
There are several top brands making high quality lawn sweepers, all of which we have reviewed below. The best tow behind lawn sweepers and commercial lawn sweepers include Ohio steel lawn sweepers, Brinly lawn sweepers, and Agri-Fab lawn sweepers.
Features to Look for in the Best Lawn Sweepers
- Durability – Lawn grass sweepers get used every single week except in the winter months in locations where it snows, so it needs to be built well with high-quality materials to ensure it lasts.
The better quality lawn sweepers will cost you a bit more at the till, but they will save you in the long-term by avoiding repairs and breakdowns. - Capacity – The size of the catchment bag will differ from model to model, so look for a size that suits you. The larger your lawn is, the larger you want the capacity to be in order to save you multiple trips to the trash or compost heap.
- Ease of use – Because you’ll be using this equipment every week, you want it to be easy to set up and use. A simple, high quality design that easily attaches onto your mower or that is sturdy when you push it is worth paying a little more for.
How to Use Your Lawn Sweeper
Source: Amazon.com
Use on Dry Ground
Lawn grass sweepers work best when the grass and debris on your lawn is dry, so wait a day or so after it has rained or after you’ve watered your yard.
Wet leaves and grass can clog and even damage your lawn sweeper.
Use as You Mow Your Lawn
The lawn grass sweeper will be most effective when the lawn is level as the soft brushes work best off an even surface, so try to use it directly after you have mowed your grass.
Select the Right Brush Height
The best lawn sweepers allow you to adjust the height of the sweeper brushes according to the length of the lawn. In general, you should position the brushes so that they are just below the tips of the grass.
How to Maintain Your Lawn Sweeper
Source: Amazon.com
Assemble It Properly
When you buy your lawn grass sweeper, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to the letter when assembling it.
If something is skipped during the assembly process, the machine won’t perform as promised, which is not only frustrating but can also damage the equipment.
Inspect Your Lawn Sweeper Regularly
Inspect your lawn sweeper every 3 months or so, looking for cracks, damage and rust. This will ensure you can repair or replace any worn parts without your equipment breaking down.
Look at the wheels, brushes, hopper (catchment bag/container) and chute for wear, damage and blockages.
Clean After Use
Clean out any debris left in the lawn sweeper, including build up in the hopper and chute, and look for debris that can get wrapped around the wheels and axel.
Winterize for Cold Months
Source: Amazon.com
If you live in an area that gets snow in winter, you are likely going to leave your lawn sweeper in the shed or garage until the spring.
Before storing, clean it thoroughly and make any repairs to ensure it’s in good working condition. Lubricate all moving parts with oil and, if your sweeper has this feature, fold away the brushes to keep them out of the way.
Hang it on a wall if possible and cover with plastic tarp to protect it from moisture and dust.
5 Best Lawn Sweeper 2020
via Amazon
Agri-Fab 45-0492 Lawn Sweeper, 44-Inch features a hopper that measures 25 feet. It is well designed for optimum durability and efficiency.
It has a lever at the bottom, which can be pulled to help the height be adjusted. This will surely assist you in to enjoy the performance of your lawn sweeper.
The Agri-Fab lawn sweeper has a tongue, which is used to help cut and sweep the grass in one pass, without the need of using any other tools.
The dump level feature that it has had the ability to operate without any tractor seat left.
Another good thing about this sweeper is that it can easily be collapsed and folded, which means that storing it with less space won't be a problem.
Pros
- Can collect debris without raking
- Can work for both dry and wet leaves
- Can also be used to pick up sticks and soda cans
- Constructed well, stable and sturdy
- Can hold a lot of grass clippings
- Can easily be assembled
- Hitch is adjustable
Cons
- Expensive
via Amazon
Brinly STS-427LXH 20 Cubic Feet Tow Behind Lawn Sweeper 42-Inch is equipped with brushes that are high velocity with a height adjustment that can help you pick up more debris.
The hamper measures 20 foot, which will ensure that all the collected debris will be stored inside. The sweeper is perfect for sweeping up old grass, grass clippings, pine needles, and leaves.
Brinly lawn sweeper will also let you buy an aerator or a dethatcher, which will both help you in cleaning up your yard than just picking up the leaves.
Another good thing about this lawn sweeper is that it is made out of high-quality material and one that can work on areas that are large.
Pros
- Complete efficiency with six brushes
- Additional attachments
- Easy storage because it is collapsible
- Adjustable brush
- Works perfectly with pine needles
- Durable materials for long lasting use
Cons
- Can’t hold big amount of leaves
- Not easy to assemble
via Amazon
Ohio Steel 42SWP22 Sweeper Spiral Brush, 42”/22 Cubic Feet is equipped with a patented spiral brush, which is designed for maximum efficiency.
It has a 9 inch chute, which will help reduce the possibility of clogging. The sweeper has a rope which can be pulled for you to be able to empty the hopper easily.
This means that you can empty the hopper without pausing your work. The Ohio lawn sweeper has an adjustable hitch; wherein you can attach it to any tractor without the need or purchasing any other parts.
This lawn sweeper is easy to use, so working on your garden will be more convenient.
Pros
- No-slip height adjustment
- Hopper is collapsible and detachable
- Three position adjustment for the hitch
- Hopper can easily be emptied
- Good value for money
- Brushes are perfectly useful
Cons
- Struggles with pine needles
- Dethatcher is not available
- Difficult to assemble
via Amazon
Agri-Fab Tow-Behind Lawn Sweeper, 52” is equipped with a rope that can be pulled to help the hopper emptied out for the seat tractor. The brush has a lock, which will avoid slips while you are working on your lawn.
The brush can also be adjusted easily for optimal performance, while the sealed brush bearing will help you to work on your lawn more efficiently.
The Agri-Fab lawn sweeper’s hopper is big enough to accommodate all the collected debris, which means that you don’t have to take a break just to empty it.
Easily picks up dead matter that has compacted during the previous season. It also picks up pine needles and straw, which is essential for composting.
Pros
- Heavy duty
- Easy to assemble
- Can pick up debris quickly
Cons
- Rope can take some time to be pulled
via Amazon
Ohio Steel 50SWP26 Pro Sweeper, 50”/26 Cubic Feet is equipped with a heavy-duty bag that collects the debris that you sweep off the lawn.
The brush is designed patently spiral for more efficiency, compared to the regular brush that most lawn sweeper has.
The hopper, on the other hand, has a rope that can be pulled for easy disposal. The Ohio Steel Lawn Sweeper has a chute that is 9 inches in width, which can help the debris from clogging your brush.
The hitch can be adjusted to 5 different positions, which can be custom fit for all of the tractor brands.
Pros
- Can easily be operated
- Assembling it is easy
- Can pick up every debris in the way
- Heavy duty
- Made out of durable materials
Cons
- Lack of brush disengagement
Best Lawn Sweeper WINNER for 2020
Via Amazon
These are the best lawn sweeper machines to choose from if you want to experience convenience when it comes to cleaning your yard.
All of the sweepers mentioned are the best lawn sweepers on the market today, but the winner for this review is the Agri-Fab 45-0492 Lawn Sweeper, 44-Inch.
This is because of its ability to be filled completely, which will help reduce the time for you to empty it.
The lever's height can easily be adjusted as well to provide you with the best performance when it comes to height.
Another good thing about this product is that the sweeper tongue that it has can cut and as well as sweep in just one pass, which means that no other tools will be needed making it the best lawn sweeper for us.
Make Your Lawn a Showpiece with the Best Lawn Sweepers of 2020!
A perfect lawn is a joy to behold, and buying a high-quality yard sweeper will help your lawn reach its full potential.
Ideal for picking up grass clippings, leaves, twigs, acorns, pine needles and even wildlife droppings, a lawn sweeper makes the backbreaking task of raking your lawn clear easy and fast.
Remember to choose a manual push lawn grass sweeper if you have a small yard and a tow behind lawn sweeper if you have a bigger yard or a bad back.
We hope you enjoyed this article on the best lawn sweepers of 2020!
