2024’s Best Lawn Sweepers for a Well-Groomed Yard, Tested
Hello, my friend, hello again; today we come together to talk about 2024’s Best Lawn Sweepers for a Well-Groomed Yard, Tested and hope the blog can help you.
Keep your yard clear of grass clippings, leaves, and other organic debris with one of these helpful turf-tidying devices.
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
Photo: Amazon
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
Photo: Amazon
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
Photo: Amazon
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
Photo: Amazon
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
Photo: amazon.com
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.