If your yard is home to a lot of trees, then you’re already well acquainted with how obnoxious the Autumn season can be. Instead of enjoying Fall fun with your family in friends, you’ll be in the yard, raking up what feels like your 120th bag of leaves.
There has to be a better way, right? Thankfully, there is. With a lawn sweeper, you’ll be able to make quick work of leaves, grass clippings, and anything else that may be on your lawn. Today, we’ll take a closer look at the best lawn sweeper options on the market, and clue you in on some important things to look for before deciding on the best model for your yard.
Quick Look: Top Five Lawn Sweepers
If you’re looking for the best lawn sweeper, there’s a good chance you’ll find it here. These are some of the most popular options that are on the market. Read on as we take a closer look at the features and benefits of these capable tools.
Earthwise Sweep It! LSW70021
If you’re looking for an economical push sweeper to tackle the leaves and yard waste on your lawn, this might be the perfect option for you.
This easy to use push sweeper features a 21” clearing path and a 2.6-bushel bag, which helps you make quick work of your lawn maintenance needs without having to empty the bag every five seconds.
This sweeper features an intuitive height adjustment knob which allows you to cater the height of the brushes to your lawn in a matter of seconds. The large 2.6-bushel hopper is also easily removable for dumping, and it attaches in a few short seconds.
The LSW70021 also folds up for easy storage about as quickly as you can snap your fingers, allowing you to store the sweeper away quickly in your shed or garage.
While it’s designed specifically for lawn maintenance, this tool also makes quick work of any leaves and debris on sidewalks and driveways as well, thanks to the easy to adjust dial on the front of the machine.
While it’s far from the largest or most comprehensive lawn sweeper available, this model gets the job done well at a price point that won’t break the bank.
What We Like
- Easy to use
- Intuitive height adjustment dial
- Folds away for easy storage
What Could Be Better
- Doesn’t work well with wet leaves
Agri-Fab 45-0492 Lawn Sweeper
If you’re looking for an affordable option to tow behind your ride-on lawn mower or tractor, the 45-0492 from Agri-Fab may be a good option for you.
This model from Agri-Fab boasts some intuitive features designed to make it much easier to take care of your lawn maintenance needs, including an easy dump handle which allows you to empty the hopper bag without getting off your mower or tractor.
Large 12” semi-pneumatic tires allow you to easily move over the entirety of your lawn, even if the terrain is uneven. This model uses a total of four brushes to sweep lawn debris into an extra-large 25 cubic foot hopper bag. The 44” wide hopper bag also allows you to make quick work of your lawn maintenance needs without making a ton of unnecessary passes across your lawn.
While this lawn sweeper is perfectly adept at picking up leaves on lawn debris, it’s also perfect for sweeping up lawn clippings thanks to its unique offset design. It features a universal hitch which attaches to virtually any tractor or mower with ease.
When it comes time to store your sweeper, it collapses down to 30% of its original size, which is ideal for garage or shed storage, and perfect for guys who are running out of storage space in their shed or garage.
What We Like
- Wide sweeping path
- Universal hitch attaches to any mower or tractor
- Easy height adjustment
What Could Be Better
- Difficult to assemble
Ohio Steel 50SWP26 Pro Sweeper
If you’re looking for a top-of-the-line option, look no further than the 50SWP26 Pro Sweeper from Ohio Steel.
Ohio Steel has developed a reputation as the premier manufacturer of tow-behind lawn sweepers, and the 50SWP26 is also one of their flagship products.
This sweeper features a 50” clearing path and a 26 cubic foot hopper which allows you to make quick work of your lawn sweeping projects.
Ohio Steel’s patented spiral brush technology allows this sweeper to quickly and easily maintain your entire lawn, while putting less stress on the gears of the brush, resulting in longer life for your sweeper.
The extra large 9” chute is practically clog-proof, so you won’t have to worry about time-consuming clogs and jams, and the sealed ball bearings in the axle allow for smooth operation, whether you’re using a tractor, mower, or ATV to tow your sweeper.
What We Like
- Attaches to virtually any tractor, mower, or ATV
- Built to last in the United States
- Unique brush design for a beautifully clean lawn
What Could Be Better
- Hopper wears quickly
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Karcher S650 Sweeper
If you have a small lawn to contend with, the S650 sweeper from Karcher may be the ideal tool for you.
This tool closely resembles a push mower, with an onboard container that holds 4.2 gallons worth of leaves and lawn debris. The unique design of this sweeper makes it especially capable of handling corners and joints, which makes it ideal for homes that have landscaping features.
This sweeper is easy to push and weighs only 22 pounds. It has an ergonomic handle, and it’s also one of the most comfortable push sweepers to use.
This sweeper also collapses for easy storage, making it a good choice for anyone with a limited area to store tools.
While this sweeper is only recommended for small yards, it’s ideal for people looking to maintain their yard and landscaping features with one easy to use product.
What We Like
- Easy to use
- Collapsable
What Could Be Better
- Small hopper isn’t suitable for large yards
Scotts LSW70026S Lawn Sweeper
This extra large lawn sweeper from Scotts is ideal for yards that are fairly large but not large enough to justify purchasing a tow-behind sweeper.
This sweeper offers a large 26” sweeping width and a massive 3.6-bushel hopper. This minimizes the number of times it must be emptied as you clean your lawn.
This machine is easy to assemble and features a comfortable foam grip, so you’ll be able to use this sweeper on large properties with less fatigue.
This hopper features an easy to use adjustable dial which sets the height of the sweeper, and it also has three independent brushes which spotlessly clean your lawn with minimal effort.
If you’re in the market for a push sweeper that’s capable of tackling larger properties, the Scotts LSW60026S may be the best choice for your needs.
What We Like
- Large capacity
- Easy to use
- Folds up for easy storage
What Could Be Better
- Doesn’t work well with wet leaves
Lawn Sweeper Buying Guide
Now that we’ve seen some of the best products available let’s take a closer look at the features you’ll need to consider when evaluating which is the best option for your yard.
Types of Sweepers
Lawn sweepers fall under two categories: push sweepers and tow-behind sweepers.
A push sweeper is operated by hand, and it’s also similar to a push lawn mower in the sense that you push the sweeper in front of you to collect the leaves and yard waste on your lawn.
These sweepers are more economical and make much more sense for smaller yards than tow-behind sweepers do. Typically, they have hoppers that hold under ten cubic feet of material.
A tow-behind sweeper attaches to a ride-on lawn mower or tractor. You can also tow them behind a 4×4 vehicle. The tow-behind varieties are significantly wider than push sweepers, and they can collect much more material. Usually, their hoppers can collect up to 25 cubic feet of material or more.
For large properties, a tow-behind sweeper is practically a requirement. However, you’ll need to have a vehicle to tow it with if you plan on opting for a tow-behind model.
Features to Look Out For
Once you’ve identified which type of sweeper is best for your yard, you’ll want to take a closer look at some key features that will help point you in the direction of the best lawn sweeper for your yard.
Build Quality
The single most important thing you’ll want to evaluate is how well made the different components of the sweeper are. Two areas are particularly important when you evaluate build quality: both the hopper and the brushes.
So, you’ll want to select a sweeper that has a hopper bag that’s made from thick, quality material that isn’t likely to rip or tear with normal use. Examine the brushes for quality as well because they’re the real star of the show. Consequently, if your sweeper has poor quality brushes, it’s not going to provide the spotless lawn you’re hoping for.
Hopper Size
Perhaps the biggest consideration, the size of the hopper will play a major role in the decision-making process. A larger hopper means you’ll be able to get more work done before you need to empty the hopper, which will help save time, especially if you have a larger yard.
The width of your hopper is also another consideration to make. A wider hopper also means you’ll need to make fewer passes to complete the job. For instance, a hopper around 20” wide works perfectly well for most yards. Meanwhile, for huge yards, you may want to look for a tow-behind hopper that’s 80” or wider.
Ease of Adjustment
Look for models that allow you to easily adjust the brush height. You’re likely to find that the brushes are either too close or too far from your lawn when you first set up your lawn sweeper.
The best sweepers make it easy to adjust the height of the brushes to the exact specifications you need for your lawn so that you’re able to pick up every leaf or bit of debris in your yard with a single pass.
Ease of Storage
A lawn sweeper takes up a large amount of space in your shed or garage, especially if we’re talking about one of the large tow-behind models. For instance, if you’re starved for space, or if you like to make sure that all your tools are stored as neatly as possible, you’ll want to look for a sweeper that collapses down for easy storage.
FAQ
Q: How much does a lawn sweeper cost?
Like most yard tools, there’s a wide price range for the category, especially if you’re comparing push sweepers to tow-behind sweepers.
Usually, push sweepers cost somewhere in the $50-200 range, while tow-behind sweepers can cost up to $500. Tow-behind sweepers are not only larger, but they’re built tougher to withstand being towed, which adds quite a bit of cost compared to their smaller cousin the push sweeper.
Q: Do I need a ride-on mower or tractor to use one?
No, but it sure is helpful if you have a large yard. That said, if your yard is big enough to own a ride-on mower than having a tow-behind sweeper is usually your best bet. Even if you have a large yard, you may find that a push sweeper is perfect for your needs because the trees only drop leaves in one confined area of the yard.
Q: Does a lawn sweeper only pick up leaves?
Actually, a lawn sweeper will pick up virtually any debris you have in your yard, except large sticks and branches. Pinecones, acorns, grass clippings, leaves, and more are no match for the lawn sweeper, and when you’re finished, every piece of debris on your yard should be neatly picked up by your sweeper.
Final Verdict
When it comes to the question of the best lawn sweeper for your yard, there are several products that fit the bill, and we covered five of the top-rated models above.
But, there can only be one winner and considering that we select the Ohio Steel Pro Sweeper as our favorite. This sweeper also features a robust build quality. It’s also well-suited for tackling all your lawn cleaning needs.
Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a push sweeper, we recommend the Earthwise Sweep It! This product offers both a fairly large working path and hopper. Above all, it outperforms every other push sweeper by virtually every measure. All things considered, what lawn sweeper will you choose? Tell us in the comments.
