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Lawn sweepers quickly and efficiently gather green waste like leaves, grass clippings, and pine needles to give your yard a pristine look. These clever machines use cylindrical brushes to reach into the grass, pull out debris, and collect it in a hopper, which you can then add to a burn pile or load into eco-friendly lawn bags.
To help you choose the right lawn sweeper for your lawn care needs, we researched top tow-behind and push-style models, evaluating them based on features like sweeping path size and hopper capacity. We then tested five of the best options to see how easy they were to assemble and use and how thoroughly they cleaned up our yard. We also talked to Ben McInerney, a horticulture expert and Certified Arborist, to gain additional insight into choosing the right lawn sweeping equipment for your property.
Once our research and tests were complete, we assigned awards to each option. The Agri-Fab 45-0492 44-Inch Lawn Sweeper earned our top spot for its high brush-to-wheel ratio, heavy-duty frame, and sturdy dump handle. Read on for reviews of the best lawn sweepers, details on the most important features, and a quick list of use and maintenance tips.
- BEST OVERALL: Agri-Fab 45-0492 44-Inch Tow-Behind Lawn Sweeper
↓ Jump to Review - BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Agri-Fab 45-0218 26-Inch Push Lawn Sweeper
↓ Jump to Review - BEST HEAVY-DUTY: Ohio Steel 50-Inch 26 cu. ft. Tow-Behind Lawn Sweeper
↓ Jump to Review - BEST COMBO KIT: Agri-Fab 48-Inch Plug Aerator and 44-Inch Sweeper
↓ Jump to Review - ALSO CONSIDER: Agri-Fab 45-0320 42-Inch Tow Lawn Sweeper
↓ Jump to Review
Before You Buy a Lawn Sweeper
Lawn sweepers, also known as leaf sweepers, are best suited to property owners and managers who want lawns with manicured appearances. Keep in mind, however, that these devices sometimes fill up with grass clippings and leaves quickly, particularly in yards with dense foliage.
If your yard is particularly dense, using a lawn sweeper may be time-consuming as you’ll likely need to stop several times to empty the hopper, which is a sturdy bag attached to the frame for capturing debris. Says McInerney, founder of GoTreeQuotes.com, “Think of the hopper as your sweeper’s fuel tank—the bigger it is, the fewer stops you’ll need to make. But remember, a larger hopper means a heavier machine, which can be a pain to maneuver and might compact your soil.”
You’ll also need a place to dump the debris, whether beyond a tree line or near a burn pile. Another option, though far less convenient, is to empty the hopper bag onto the ground and then scoop the debris into a lawn waste bag or clean it up using one of the best mulching lawn mowers.
For larger properties that don’t require perfectly manicured yards or those that have a garden along with a lawn, a riding mower for mulching leaves and grass that fertilizes the land may be the better option.
| Testing Stats | |
| Products tested: | 6 |
| Hours spent testing: | 10 |
| Tests performed: | 8 |
| Price range: | $200 to $800 |
Our Top Picks
Cleaning up your yard can be easier with one of the best lawn sweepers. We tested the following models in our backyard lawn sweeper trials, cleaning up grass clippings, fallen leaves, and other yard debris. If you are looking for the right tool to keep your lawn looking great, read on to see which of these top picks will work for you.
Best Overall
Agri-Fab 45-0492 44-Inch Tow-Behind Lawn Sweeper
Our Ratings: Assembly 3/5; Ease of Use 4.5/5; Performance 5/5; Value 5/5
Product Specs
- Sweeper type: Tow behind
- Brush size: 44 inches
- Hopper size: 25 cubic feet
What We Like
- Straight or offset attachment
- Sturdy steel dump rod and brush height pin
- Large hopper capacity makes it a great sweeper for leaves
- High-speed brush
What We Don’t Like
- Assembly instructions not clear
- Tight hopper bag, difficult to attach
- Full weight may be too heavy
Agri-Fab’s top-of-the-line model cleans up lawns quickly and efficiently. This sweeper uses a 5.6:1 brush-to-wheel ratio, rotating the brushes faster than many other models and putting more bristles to work grooming the grass. It also boasts a massive 25-cubic-foot hopper, which empties easily from the back with a lever accessible from the tractor seat. On our test runs with wet grass clippings, the hopper became too heavy at half capacity for our 22-horsepower riding lawn mower to easily tow uphill. However, in another test, the large capacity was perfect for bulky, lightweight dried leaves.
Another nice feature of our favorite lawn sweeper is the ability to adjust the position of the trailer tongue, changing how the sweeper trails. Setting the sweeper off-center using this option makes it possible to mow and sweep simultaneously. When we initially tested this model, it had plastic wheels. We’re happy to see Agri-Fab has since upgraded them to semi-pneumatic rubber tires, which are more heavy duty.
Read our full review: Agri-Fab 45-0492 44-Inch Lawn Sweeper
Get the Agri-Fab 44-inch lawn sweeper at Amazon, Tractor Supply Co., Ace Hardware, The Home Depot, or Walmart.
Best Bang for the Buck
Agri-Fab 45-0218 26-Inch Push Lawn Sweeper
Our Ratings: Assembly 5/5; Ease of Use 4/5; Performance 4.5/5; Value 4.5/5
Product Specs
- Sweeper type: Push
- Brush size: 26 inches
- Hopper size: 6.2 cubic feet
What We Like
- Weighs just 26 pounds
- 5.0:1 brush-to-wheel ratio is similar to tow-behind models
- Hangable and stores flat
What We Don’t Like
- Can become too heavy to push
- Awkward debris transfer from hopper to disposal bag
- Hopper cover feels somewhat flimsy
This compact, lightweight push model distills all the cleaning capability of Agri-Fab’s larger tow-behind lawn sweepers into a smaller, manual tool. A 5.0:1 brush-to-wheel ratio ensures powerful sweeping action to pick up all kinds of organic debris, including acorns and pine cones. The 6.2-cubic-foot hopper provides enough space to efficiently pick up shredded or unshredded fall leaves, and the adjustable-height brush makes it easy to stay within the top half-inch of grass. In our tests, we noted that the sweeper becomes too heavy to easily push uphill once it’s about half full with wet grass clippings.
Although emptying the hopper is as simple as turning it over, which is easy even when full, buyers who plan to bag their lawn debris may be frustrated that there is not an easy hopper-to-bag solution. Leaves need to be hand-loaded into the disposable bag or cleaned up using the best leaf vacuum after dumping. However, debris collection with this sweeper is quieter than blowing and easier than raking, and filling bags is the same with any of those three options. Once your work is complete, the sweeper stores flat and is light enough to hang on the wall by its handle.
Get the Agri-Fab 26-inch lawn sweeper at Amazon, Lowe’s, Tractor Supply Co., Northern Tool + Equipment, or Walmart.
Best Heavy-Duty
Ohio Steel 50-Inch 26 cu. ft. Tow-Behind Lawn Sweeper
Our Ratings: Assembly 3/5; Ease of Use 4/5; Performance 5/5; Value 4.5/5
Product Specs
- Sweeper type: Tow behind
- Brush size: 50 inches
- Hopper size: 26 cubic feet
What We Like
- Efficient spiral brush design
- Bagger shape allows excellent maneuverability
- Widest path and largest volume of tested options
What We Don’t Like
- Complicated hitch assembly
- Large hopper may become too heavy to tow
- Cannot adjust the wheel height independently of the hitch
The 50-inch sweeper from Ohio Steel is an excellent choice for DIYers looking for a high-quality sweeper with features and adjustments galore. This model uses a patented spiral brush to efficiently pick up debris. The sweeper features a hearty 4.5:1 brush-to-wheel ratio and 11-inch brushes, keeping clogging to a minimum on the way to the sizable 26-cubic-foot hopper.
In our tests, this sweeper did an outstanding job picking up acorns, pine cones, and other heavy, dense debris. It’s also a great option for grass or as a lawn sweeper for leaves. Unfortunately, it was the most difficult unit to put together, primarily due to the complicated hitch assembly. Once in action, though, it was a top performer, with plenty of cleaning power and load capacity.
We found the Ohio Steel lawn sweeper’s rubber tires helped maintain grip, and its brush speed was easy to adjust. We also appreciated how simple it was to lower the deck for a deep clean that gathers pine needles and light grass clippings or to raise it up to help keep the machine from clogging and jamming when cleaning heavy leaf piles or long grass clippings. Shoppers should note that the tension rods made to hold open the hopper can be a little precarious to install, so be careful and patient.
Get the Ohio Steel lawn sweeper at Amazon, Lowe’s, Tractor Supply Co., The Home Depot, Northern Tool + Equipment, or Walmart.
Best Combo Kit
Agri-Fab 48-Inch Plug Aerator and 44-Inch Sweeper
Our Ratings: Assembly 3/5; Ease of Use 4.5/5; Performance 5/5; Value 5/5
Product Specs
- Sweeper type: Tow behind
- Brush size: 44 inches
- Hopper size: 25 cubic feet
What We Like
- Heavy-duty construction
- High-speed brush
- Sized for medium to large lawns
What We Don’t Like
- Assembly is a bit complicated assembly
- Heavy towing weight
- Requires lots of storage space
For a double-duty lawn tool, consider this combo kit from Agri-Fab, which offers cleanup and aeration. By aerating the soil, you allow as much oxygen as possible to reach the grass’s roots, improving growth and health. You then simply follow aeration with a final pass of the lawn sweeper to pick up the 3-inch plugs.
The lawn sweeper included in this combo is the same model as our pick for best overall. It features a 44-inch-wide path and semi-pneumatic wheels that drive the brushes at a 5.6:1 ratio. The hopper has a 25-cubic-foot capacity, giving it enough onboard clipping storage for most medium-sized yards. There’s a dump lever to empty the hopper and a height adjustment lever for comfort, both of which are easy to access from the seat of a lawn tractor.
Get the Agri-Fab lawn sweeper kit at Amazon.
Also Consider
Agri-Fab 45-0320 42-Inch Tow Lawn Sweeper
Our Ratings: Assembly 3/5; Ease of Use 4.5/5; Performance 4.5/5; Value 5/5
Product Specs
- Sweeper type: Tow behind
- Brush size: 42 inches
- Hopper size: 12 cubic feet
What We Like
- Unlikely to become overweight when full
- Good size for maneuverability
- Lightweight materials, easy to tow
- Narrow body for easier access
What We Don’t Like
- Smaller hopper means more trips to the dump pile
- Thin rope for dumping the hopper
- Didn’t pick up acorns as well as other options
Anyone looking to add an affordable lawn sweeper to their lawn maintenance fleet may want to consider this 42-inch model from Agri-Fab. Its sweep path makes quick work of cleaning smaller properties, and it easily weaves between trees and down footpaths. With a 5.1:1 brush-to-wheel ratio, the Agri-Fab quickly snatches debris from the lawn’s surface. We noticed that this sweeper left behind more acorns and heavier debris than others we tested, although the quantity remaining was definitely lower than before sweeping.
A dumping rope helps the user empty the hopper without getting down from the tractor seat, but the hopper is still small enough to maneuver by hand for those who struggle with backing up a trailer. Most users will have to stop and dump the 12-cubic-foot hopper at least a few times before completing the job, but this unit’s smaller size and lightweight build meant our 22-horsepower riding mower did not struggle with a load of wet grass clippings. We could also navigate through close plantings more easily with this unit than with larger ones.
Get the Agri-Fab 42-inch lawn sweeper at Amazon, Lowe’s, Tractor Supply Co., or Walmart.
Jump to Our Top Picks
How We Tested the Best Lawn Sweepers
The sweepers shipped from online retailers, so the testing process began with assembly according to the manufacturer’s instructions. We picked up larger sticks and other foreign objects and cleaned up after our dogs as normal before mowing. To gauge each unit’s overall performance, we left the lawn a bit longer than usual.
After mowing, a rain shower wetted the clippings, adding an unexpected real-life element to the test. We then used these multitasking tools to pick up the wet lawn clippings and other late-summer landscape debris, including fallen leaves, pine cones, acorns, and more.
To complete our evaluation, we tested the units’ various brush heights (all models instruct the operator to keep the brush tips within the top half-inch of grass), sweeping speeds, maneuverability around tight corners and up and down hills, and dumping ability.
What to Consider When Choosing a Lawn Sweeper
Lawn sweepers can save time cleaning up leaves, grass, and other green waste and are available at a fairly broad price range. Familiarizing yourself with their important features will help you make an informed decision. Here are some key shopping considerations to keep in mind.
Types of Lawn Sweepers
There are a few different styles of lawn sweepers available. Knowing which one best suits a lawn’s size and cleaning needs is essential. Whether you have a tiny yard that requires an occasional cleanup or a larger property heavily covered in fallen leaves, there’s sure to be a sweeper style right for your job.
Tow-Behind
A tow-behind or pull-behind lawn sweeper offers the most convenience of all styles. These sweepers hook to the best riding lawn mower, ATV, or side-by-side to pull across a property. They’re designed with capacity in mind, as they can hold a large amount of debris before emptying.
When it comes time to empty the hopper, users may appreciate the convenient dump feature of many tow-behind models. With a simple lift of a handle or a pull of a rope, the hopper dumps its entire contents. Once the handle latches again, you can immediately return to tidying the yard.
While tow-behind sweepers are good for large properties, they might not be a wise choice for property sections that hold water. The tow vehicle can get stuck or cause ruts, and the sweeper can get clogged with mud.
Push-Style
Push-style lawn sweepers are great for cleaning small properties without many trees. They’ll do a reasonably good job of picking up grass clippings and leaves, but they typically take more effort to operate than tow-behind models.
As the name implies, these sweepers require you to push the unit, requiring some legwork to complete a yard cleanup. A manual lawn sweeper also won’t hold as much as a tow-behind model, so frequent stops to empty the hopper may be necessary.
Power
For those with large properties who want to get the job done as quickly as possible, a gas-powered lawn sweeper might fit the bill. Power sweepers come in both push-style models and those designed to be trailered behind a mower or tractor (just like tow-behind models). The main difference is power sweepers run on gasoline engines.
Power sweepers are usually about the size of a push mower but can come in large tow-behind versions. Like push-style sweepers and tow-behinds, they use brushes, but the brushes spin at a much faster rate. This allows them to accomplish more thorough grooming in one pass than the other styles. Some also have huge hoppers, making short work of cleaning big properties.
Sweeping Path
Manufacturers categorize lawn sweepers by the size of their sweeping path, the amount of ground the brushes can cover in one pass. Typical paths for both powered and push-style sweepers measure between 21 and 26 inches. Smaller-path models will be easier to push but require more passes to finish the job compared to models with a larger sweeping width.
Tow-behind sweepers have much wider sweeping paths—some upward of 50 inches in width, meaning they’ll take far fewer passes than a push leaf sweeper. A wide sweeping width is often combined with a larger hopper, enabling them to hold more debris. This means fewer stops to dump collected waste.
Still, it’s best to consider your personal property and its obstacles when deciding on the right sweeping path. According to horticulture expert Ben McInerney, “When it comes to sweeping width, bigger isn’t always better. It’s about finding the sweet spot for your specific lawn. A wider path covers ground quickly but can be a headache in tight spaces.”
Lawn Size
The size of the turf matters when it comes to choosing a sweeper style. For a small patch of front yard grass that must be kept tidy for curb appeal, a push-style sweeper will be more than adequate. By the time the hopper bag fills, you’ll likely be done with the yard.
Those with lots of land may be better off investing in a tow-behind large yard sweeper. They’re far less taxing to use and can make quick work of cleaning an entire field. When the hopper fills, you can quickly dump it and get back to finishing the job.
Hopper Capacity
Hopper capacity depends somewhat on the size of the machine, but it’s still worth considering when shopping for a sweeper. Those who don’t enjoy making repeated stops to dump the hopper may choose a larger model, even for a smaller property.
Large-capacity hoppers measure upward of 25 cubic feet, and that amount of damp grass clippings can be mighty hefty. If purchasing a model with a large hopper, make sure it has an easy-dump feature to save on back and arm strain.
Brush-to-Wheel Ratio
Lawn sweepers use cylindrical brushes to sweep debris up from the lawn and into the hopper. The wheels drive the brushes, which spin even faster than the wheels turn. They accomplish this through a transmission that multiplies the number of times the brushes spin in relation to the wheels. The higher this brush-to-wheel ratio, the more times the brushes will rotate per spin of the wheels.
Quality
As with any tool, buy the best-quality option you can afford, within reason. Most users won’t need a top-of-the-line industrial model, but it might be worth spending a little extra for a sturdy, well-made unit that won’t jam or break after minimal use. The higher-end models often cause far less frustration during both setup and use.
High-quality lawn sweepers feature components made of durable materials, providing for a much longer usable lifespan. Though plastic parts are commonplace, the best lawn sweepers are strong where it matters most, such as in the drive gear that spins the brush. Also, the highest-quality lawn sweepers have built-in, adjustable brush heights, allowing users to select how aggressively they want their sweeper to operate.
The Advantages of Owning a Lawn Sweeper
Owning a lawn sweeper helps keep turf from being smothered by leaves and clippings. The machines offer a great level of detail beyond simply raking or blowing debris across the lawn, and they make it easier to complete several smaller cleanups rather than face an overwhelming effort when leaves fall in autumn
The following lawn debris will benefit from a lawn sweeper:
- Grass clippings can be a real hassle to collect. Even when they’re raked into small piles across the lawn, getting clippings from the ground and into a bag is usually pretty messy. With a yard sweeper, raking is unnecessary. The sweeper will dig down to the surface and lift the clippings into the hopper.
- Acorns can be tough to collect—and easy to roll an ankle on, causing injury. A lawn sweeper can handle acorns more quickly, safely, and efficiently than attempting collection with any types of rake.
- When pine needles collect in a thick blanket on the lawn, they can kill grass and detract from landscaping. Dragging a lawn sweeper over a blanket of needles may take several passes, but sweeping regularly will keep a pine thatch to a minimum.
- Pine cones are tripping hazards that can wreck the look of a lawn. They’re also incredibly difficult to rake, and leaf blowers often have a hard time budging them. Lawn sweepers can help remove them, though it might take a few passes to clear these bulky bits of debris.
Owning a lawn sweeper can make yard cleanup quicker and easier, giving a lawn a tidy look you can be proud of.
Tips for Using a Lawn Sweeper
Make the most of a lawn sweeper with these helpful tips:
- Wait for the lawn to dry. Waiting for grass, pine needles, and other debris to dry will make them much lighter and easier for a lawn sweeper to pick up.
- Find the best speed. Adjusting the speed of the tow vehicle will affect how well the sweeper operates. While sweepers do have drive wheels, going too fast might not increase their efficiency, and going too slow might not work well either. Experiment with speed until you find what’s right for the lawn condition.
- Sweep the lawn regularly. Lawn sweepers are easy to use, but waiting until grass clippings and debris pile up is not the best strategy. Using the machine after every mow or weekly during the fall will make managing debris easier.
Lawn Sweeper Maintenance Checklist
Even a budget-friendly lawn sweeper is an investment, and keeping it in tip-top shape is a great way to make it last as long as possible. This maintenance checklist can help.
- Empty the bag after every use. Leaving damp grass clippings in the hopper can lead to mold and cause the hopper bag material to wear down faster. After dumping, check the nooks and crannies of the metal components for clumps of grass.
- Lubricate the drive wheel and sweeper. Dust, dirt, and grime can build up in the drive wheel and the components that drive the sweeper, which can lead to built-up moisture and rust. Keep those components moving freely and smoothly with a spray lubricant like WD-40. Spraying once a season should be sufficient, but also spray anytime the unit feels rough or starts squeaking. According to Ben McInerney, Certified Arborist, horticulture expert, and founder of GoTreeQuotes.com, lubrication is key to keeping your machine working. “In my experience, this simple step can add years to your sweeper’s life,” he says.
- Check the chute for debris. Sticky substances, like pine sap, can cause debris to pile up inside the chute. Such debris will trap moisture that can lead to rust, obstruct flow, and cause other issues. Ensuring the chute is clear is helpful, but wash the chute and treat it with a bit of automotive wax to keep it as smooth as possible.
FAQs
Lawn sweepers don’t fall into the common lawn tool category, so not everyone knows what they do and how they work. If you want more information, consider the answers to these common questions.
Lawn sweepers use a transmission driven by one of the wheels to turn cylindrical brushes. These brushes grab debris and propel them down a chute into a hopper.
Most lawn sweepers have dump functions. The hoppers empty by either lifting a handle or pulling an attached rope. The hopper opens and releases its contents onto the ground.
Lawn sweepers work very well on grass clippings, but some models pick up clippings better than others. The Agri-Fab 45-0492 44-Inch Tow-Behind Lawn Sweeper and Ohio Steel 50-Inch 26 cu. ft. Tow-Behind Lawn Sweeper each earned a 5/5 for their performances.
Wet lawns are a challenge for lawn sweepers. Wet clippings tend to clump together, getting stuck in the brushes and the collection chute, so it’s ideal to let them dry before sweeping.
Artificial grass still accumulates fallen leaves, pine needles, and other debris that needs picking up. But if you have stiff and thick turf or are trying to collect larger pieces of debris, a lawn sweeper may not be the right tool for the job. Even if you lower a regular lawn sweeper’s brushes and use multiple passes, a machine specifically made for artificial grass will likely perform better.
Meet the Testers
Mark Wolfe is a writer and product tester with a background in the nursery and landscaping industry. For more than 20 years he mowed, edged, planted, pruned, cultivated, irrigated, and renovated beautiful landscapes. Now he tests and writes reviews about the latest outdoor power equipment, hand tools, lawn care products, and other outdoor-living goods.
Tom Scalisi is a freelance writer specializing in the home design, construction, tools, and automotive industries. He has been involved in the trades for over 15 years as both a contractor and a commercial building mechanic. His work has been featured on This Old House, Family Handyman, and Forbes. He also owns and operates a pest control blog RiddaBugs.com. As a lover of all things tools, construction, and DIY, he’s always looking for new tools and techniques while also sharing his knowledge with the DIY world.
