Do Lawn Sweepers Work? (Product Review)
Walking through a big box hardware store can be overwhelming. There’s thousands of tools ready for you to buy. But some of them are so specific it makes you wonder if they’re even worth it. This brings us to the following question: do lawn sweepers work?
Yes, lawn sweepers work best for picking up grass clippings, small twigs, and mulched leaves. They are capable of cleaning up regular leaves, however, the bag will need to be emptied more often.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to the specific type. Push lawn sweepers can be useful for small jobs and lawns, while a lawn sweeper attachment for riding mowers will work better on more acreage.
What is a Lawn Sweeper?
A lawn sweeper (also known as a leaf sweeper) is a yard tool that utilizes a rotating brush to gather up debris. The debris are then collected in a bag located at the rear end of the the device.
Lawn sweepers are designed to gather up leaves, grass clippings, and small twigs. Some lawn sweepers can be attached to the back of a riding lawn mower, while others will need to be pushed.
Walk-behind sweepers are smaller and require momentum to spin the brush and gather up debris. Where the lawn mower versions are usually larger – which means you won’t have to empty the bag as often.
But at the end of the day, both tools will clean up your yard. And even though a riding lawn sweeper might sound better, the push version is lightweight and excellent at gathering debris from a small area.
Lawn Sweeper vs Bagger
Comparing a lawn sweeper and bagger isn’t a fair competition. At first glance it might seem like both tools do the same thing, that is, picking up leaves and grass clippings from the surface of your lawn.
But a bagger can accomplish these tasks while you’re mowing the lawn – which makes it the superior tool. A lawn sweeper is a standalone product that can only be used before, or after mowing (not during).
This is what makes a bagger better. However, not all lawn mowers might come with this attachment. In other words, if your machine doesn’t offer a bag, you might as well invest in a lawn sweeper.
Both lawn sweepers and baggers will need to be emptied when full. But riding mowers are larger than lawn sweepers and are generally capable of holding bigger bags. That means a bagger attachment will need to be emptied less often.
Do Lawn Sweepers Pick Up Leaves?
Yes, lawn sweepers can pick up leaves. However, in my opinion they are not the greatest device when it comes to fall lawn care. The problem comes down to cleaning up leaves with a push lawn sweeper.
The built-in bag is too small to hold that many leaves at one time. As a result, the bag will need to be emptied more frequently – which means more work for you. On the flip side, sweepers attached to mowers can hold a larger quantity.
The best solution is to use a lawn sweeper on mulched leaves. After you’re done mowing, leaves will be cut into small pieces. The bag is then able to hold more leaves when they are broken down like this.
Do Lawn Sweepers Work on Grass Clippings?
Yes, lawn sweepers work excellent when picking up grass clippings. This is actually the main reason why I purchased my lawn sweeper. I find this tool to be better at cleaning up grass clippings than it is with leaves.
If your mower doesn’t have a bag attachment, I would highly recommend purchasing a lawn sweeper. But can’t you just leave grass clippings on the ground? You will hear many different answers to this question, but here’s what I have found:
- Picking up grass clippings can stop the spread of lawn disease.
- If you have a small yard there’s only so many places grass clippings can go.
- Gathering clippings on the edge of your lawn is respectful to your neighbors.
Lawn sweepers are also ideal if you go too long between mowing. Let’s face it, sometimes life gets in the way and you forget to cut the lawn. But there comes a certain point where grass can get to long to leave on the ground.
If you don’t mow frequently, you’re going to see large amounts of grass clumps in the yard. It’s most common in the spring when grass grows faster. This can be avoided by using a lawn sweeper after you mow.
Do Lawn Sweepers Pick Up Sticks?
Yes and no. Lawn sweepers can gather small sticks and twigs, but they are not capable of picking up large debris. When it comes to tree branches, you will have to clean up your yard the old fashioned way (using your hands).
Problems will arise while attempting to run over large sticks with the lawn sweeper. The rotating brush is simply too small and it will end up clogging the mechanism. You will then need to reach in the front end in order to remove the stick.
This issue will get very annoying if you’re using a lawn sweeper attached to a riding lawn mower. Every time the rotating brush jams, you will need to stop, turn off the engine, and get off the machine to unclog the stick.
Do Lawn Sweepers Pick Up Acorns?
Yes, a lawn sweeper works well for picking up acorns. It can be a useful tool to use if you have oak trees in your yard. These trees have “boom cycles” and will produce large amounts of acorns every 2-5 years.
If you have a push lawn sweeper, I’ve found that it’s more effective to walk slower. If you walk too fast the acorns will shoot out from the rotating brush and land on the lawn again.
But when you slow down your speed the acorns will disperse at a manageable pace and land in the bag. This tip may sound kind of silly, but once you try it out yourself it will make more sense.
Final Thoughts
So, are lawn sweepers worth it? The answer will vary depending on your tools and lawn size. Lawn sweepers are definitely worth it if you have a push mower.
It will help you pick up grass clippings in the summer and leaves in the fall. Lawn sweepers can also clean up small yards very quickly. But if you have a riding mower, a bag attachment might be the better option.
Search Terms
- Do lawn sweepers work?
- Lawn sweeper vs bagger
- Do lawn sweepers work on grass clippings?
