If you own a house with a yard, then you know what a pain leaves can be. When autumn rolls around, leaves fall down and start rotting in your yard. While a bit of composting plant material can actually be a very good thing for your yard, too much can choke out your grass and plants and also ruins the aesthetic appearance of your yard.
Of course, raking leaves up can be a frustrating and annoying process.
What Is a Push Lawn Sweeper?
A push lawn sweeper is basically a lawn vacuum cleaner. You push it around your lawn, and the brushes on the underside can pick up leaves, grass clippings, and other types of debris. Push lawn sweepers are operated manually. When you push them around, the spinning of the wheels turns the brushes, which then sweep up and debris on your lawn.
Since push lawn sweepers are manually powered, they do not have complex electronic components. This means that they are often much less expensive than other, more sophisticated laws sweepers that might have electric or gas motors. They also tend to be fairly light and maneuverable, so they are easy to use.
In general, push lawn sweepers are a good choice if you have a smaller lawn or like to get some exercise while cleaning. They are much more ergonomic than raking as you do not have to stop and bend down to pick up any raked leaves.
How Do Push Lawn Sweepers Work?
Push lawn sweepers have a rotating sweep brush on the bottom, similar to the kind that you might find on the bottom of your vacuum cleaner in your house. As you push the sweeper and turn the wheels, attached gears spin and turn the brush sweeper. The brush sweeper’s motion pulls up debris and transfers it to a detachable bag on the back, which you can then take off and empty into your dumpster. You can also take the swept up leaves and grass clippings and turn them into compost for your yard.
Do Push Lawn Sweepers Work?
If you have a large yard or you have trouble doing the physical work of cleaning up your yard, a push lawn sweeper can be an efficient and ergonomic investment. A good push lawn sweeper can save you a lot of time and effort you would otherwise spend raking up leaves in your yard.
But, push lawn sweepers are not perfect. They have some limitations that can impact their overall effectiveness.
First off, push lawn sweepers cannot pick up everything. They work great for leaves, grass clippings, nuts, and small sticks, but they will not work for larger debris like rocks, branches, and dirt clumps. In fact, trying to sweep up rocks with your push lawn sweeper can damage the brushes and axles.
Also, push brush sweepers need to be frequently emptied. If you have a huge yard, then you might have to make several passes to get everything while emptying your bag in between passes. The more full a push lawn sweeper gets, the less effective it is. The more the bag fills up, the less able it will be to put more leaves inside.
Where Can I Buy a Push Lawn Sweeper?
You can find a push lawn sweeper at your local hardware or home & garden store. Big box stores like Lowes and Home Depot have a wide selection of push lawn sweepers available for sale. You can also buy a push lawn sweeper from an online retailer such as Amazon or eBay.
There is also the option of buying a used push lawn sweeper from an individual seller. All other things being equal, we would not recommend this option as you can never be sure that you are getting something that is good quality and that is not broken.
You can also rent a push lawn sweeper if you desire. This can be a good idea if you want to try one out before committing and purchasing.
How Much Does a Push Lawn Sweeper Cost?
It depends on the specific make and model, but a good quality push lawn sweeper will cost anywhere between $200-$400. You can also find good models for around $100-$200. Amazon, in particular, has several well-reviewed models that cost only $100-$150.
Tips for Using a Push Lawn Sweeper
- It is easier to use a push lawn sweeper on a freshly mowed lawn
- Do no use a push mow sweeper when the lawn is wet
- Make sure that your push lawn sweeper is put together correctly. If the settings are incorrect, then it can be hard to use.
- Don’t use your push sweeper when the bag is mostly full. It will not be effective.
What Is the Best Push Lawn Sweeper?
There are a lot of great quality push lawn sweepers out there. In our opinion, though, the best lawn sweeper is the Scotts LSW70026S. This manually powered lawn sweeper is exceptionally affordable and has an efficient tow-behind sweeper that works for patios, yards, sidewalks, and driveways. Best of all, Scotts push lawn sweeper is also very affordable and won’t break the bank.