Tired of raking up that stubborn yard debris every time you mow? It might be time to find the best lawn sweepers. And no, that doesn’t mean you’ll be out there in the yard with a broom. Instead, lawn sweepers — sometimes called grass or yard sweepers — are a quick and easy way to clean up grass clippings, acorns, pine needles, and other kinds of difficult yard debris.
For a small yard, it can mean nothing more than pushing and emptying the sweeper. For bigger properties, hook your sweeper up to a garden tractor or an ATV. And most tow-behind yard sweepers empty by simply pulling a cord, so there’s no need to leave the seat of your riding lawn mower — pretty convenient!
If you’re sick of reading lawn sweeper reviews, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve done the hard work for you. Coming up next are the 8 best lawn sweepers from push to tow-behind, and tackling everything from leaves to pinecones.
Our Top Picks
What is the best lawn sweeper? Keep reading ’coz you’re about to find out. Take a clean-sweep through each grass sweepers in our ranking:
Best Tow-Behind: Agri-Fab 45-0320 With pneumatic wheels and a universal hitch, the Agri-Fab 45-0320 is the best tow-behind lawn sweeper on the market. | |
Best Push: Agri-Fab 45-0218 Cheaper and easier to store than many tow-behind sweepers, the best push lawn sweeper is the Agri-Fab 45-0218 | |
Best for Leaves: Yard Commander 48” Tow-Behind Lawn Sweeper Put the rake away and clean up those leaf piles more efficiently with Yard Commander, in our estimation, the best lawn sweeper for leaves. | |
Best for Acorns: Ohio Steel 50SWP26 Because you’re not a squirrel, it’s time to clean up those tricky acorns with the Ohio Steel 50SWP26. | |
Best for Grass Clippings: Brinly STS-42BHDK The Brinly STS-42BHDK is not only the best lawn sweeper for grass clippings, it’s also a dethatcher. |
Best for Pine Needles: Yard Tuff YTF-42STQA With a wide sweeping path, the best lawn sweeper for pine needles is made by Yard Tuff. | |
Best for Pinecones: Craftsman CMXGZBF7124266 Tougher to pick up than the typical yard debris, the best lawn sweeper for pinecones comes from Craftsman. | |
Best for ATV: John Deere Tow-Behind Lawn Sweeper The best lawn sweeper for ATV is the John Deere tow-behind, compatible with all rear-hitch plate models. |
Best Lawn Sweepers: A Closer Look
Pick up everything we liked about each grass sweeper in our next section.
1. Agri-Fab 45-0320
The best tow-behind lawn sweeper
Brand: Agri-Fab | Capacity: 12.2 cu. ft. | Brushes: 4 | Hitch: Universal | Price: 💰💰
With four brushes, 12.2-cubic foot capacity, and a 42” sweeping path, the Agri-Fab 45-0320 is the best yard sweeper to buy. The wheels are semi-pneumatic, and the hopper collapses for easy and convenient storage. We also like the adjustable brush height and the dumping rope, making it simple to empty your load without even leaving the seat.
Agri-Fab also offers a universal hitch, meaning you can hook up this lawn sweeper up to a wide-variety of vehicles. Contributing to our decision to award Agri-Fab best tow-behind sweeper on the market, were reports that it works well behind lawn tractors. It’s also easy to assemble, and the wheels are very stable. It’s not great for acorns, though.
Reviewers Like
- Easy to operate
- Best on flat dry ground
- Good for leaves and pine straw
Reviewers Dislike
- Not the smoothest in reverse
- Bit difficult to dump one large pile
- T-handle adjusting depth can rub on tire
2. Agri-Fab 45-0218
The best push lawn sweeper
Brand: Agri-Fab | Capacity: 7 cu. ft. | Brushes: 4 | Hitch: N/A | Price: 💰
If a tow-behind is more than you need, consider the Agri-Fab 45-0218, our pick for the best push lawn sweeper on the market. With 9” wheels and a 5:1 wheel ratio (meaning for every one spin of the wheels, there are five brush rotations), the 45-0218 has a 7-cubic foot capacity and easy-to-adjust height settings.
Those who’ve tried the leaf sweeper say it assembles quickly and that it’s good for both grass and acorns. It’s easy to push, according to some, and the adjustable brush height is handy. The leaf catcher is also simple to remove and reattach when it’s time to dump what you’ve collected, but some do wish the catcher was just a little bit larger.
Reviewers Like
- Picks up beech nutshells
- Jammed wheels easy to fix
- Gives the lawn a nice “brush”
Reviewers Dislike
- Not so good for moss
- Bit “fiddly” to put together
- Bag a little heavy when full
3. Yard Commander 48” Tow Behind Lawn Sweeper
The best lawn sweeper for leaves
Brand: Yard Commander | Capacity: 14.6 cu. ft. | Brushes: 4 | Hitch: Universal | Price: 💰💰
Buried in leaves and sick of raking? Dig your way out with Yard Commander, the best lawn sweeper for leaves in our ranking. With a 14.6-cubic foot capacity, four brushes, and a universal hitch, this leaf sweeper offers an impressive 48” clearing width and 10” brush diameter, making quick work of those stubborn leaves. There’s also durable, all-terrain rubber tires, and the lawn sweeper attaches easily to lawn tractors and ATVs.
Some call the assembly instructions confusing, but others comment that the Yard Commander is easy to assemble, and good value for the money. The construction is good, according to reports, and it’s easy to dump once the hopper is full. Once full, though, it can be a little too heavy for some. Many more, however, call the sweeper a great pick, especially if you’ll be composting your leaves and grass clippings.
Reviewers Like
- Good customer support
- Brush height easy to adjust
- Not a lot of tools required for assembly
Reviewers Dislike
- Not great for pine needles
- Assembly instructions receive mixed reviews
4. Ohio Steel 50SWP26
The best lawn sweeper for acorns
Brand: Ohio Steel | Capacity: 22 cu. ft. | Brushes: 4.5 | Hitch: Universal | Price: 💰💰
With a sturdy steel frame, Ohio Steel is without a doubt the best lawn sweeper for acorns. With a 22-cubic foot capacity and a 42” sweeping path, Ohio Steel uses a patented spiral brush system with no-slip height adjustment — important when gathering tough debris like acorns. Also notable, the chute is nice and wide, and at 9”, it’s particularly clog-resistant. Don’t miss the 3-position hitch adjustment.
Users say this yard sweeper is impressive, calling assembly a breeze. Well built, Ohio Steel makes quick work of yard clean-up, including acorns, but also leaves and grass clippings. And with a universal hitch, it’s easy to attach to a mower. It cleaned up a half-acre quickly, according to reports, and empties out with nothing more than the pull of a rope.
Reviewers Like
- Big capacity bag
- Replaceable parts
- 20-minute assembly
Reviewers Dislike
- Won’t collapse for storage
- Confusing assembly instructions
- Axle rivets poorly designed; some say
5. Brinly STS-42BHDK
The best lawn sweeper for grass clippings
Brand: Brinly | Capacity: 20 cu. ft. | Brushes: 6 | Hitch: Sleeve | Price: 💰💰💰💰
With a unique 6-brush system and a dethatcher, the Brinly STS-42BHDK is the lawn sweeper for grass clippings. With Brinly, the capacity is 20-cubic feet, the cutting width is 42”, and the tines on the dethatcher are steel. They can also be locked in the transport position, meaning there’s no need to remove the dethatcher when not in use.
Also convenient, the grass sweeper folds up for easy storage. Otherwise, according to user feedback, the sweeper is sturdy, effectively cleaning up grass clippings while also dethatching. The capacity is large, and the lawn sweeper empties easily, we learned. Some say it isn’t for detail work around trees and flower beds, however.
Reviewers Like
- Picks up walnuts
- Sweeper/thatcher combo a plus
- Handles small rocks on lowest setting
Reviewers Dislike
- Bit difficult to assemble
- Can’t take turns too sharply
- Still have to rake around trees
6. Yard Tuff YTF-42STQA
The best lawn sweeper for pine needles
Brand: Yard Tuff | Capacity: 13 cu. ft. | Brushes: 4 | Hitch: Pin-style | Price: 💰💰💰
Pine needles are like the glitter of yard debris: Pretty at the time, but difficult to clean up. To make pine needle clean up less of a chore, choose Yard Tuff. Their YTF-42STQA yard sweeper has four brushes and a 13-cubic foot capacity. The hitch is pin style, and each brush has a 10” diameter, and the brush height adjustment is anti-slip. We also like the durable steel construction, poly tires, and durable mesh bag.
You can empty the hopper right from your seat, and one user said they were amazed how much the sweeper can pick up, particularly grass and twigs. Some lawn sweeper reviews say it’s difficult to put together, while others had an easier time. But once assembled, the sweeper works great, with good construction, many say.
Reviewers Like
- Took care of pine needles
- Handles Magnolia seed pods
- Did well on inches-deep pile of leaves
Reviewers Dislike
- Bit better in small yards
- Confusing assembly instructions
- Wheels lose traction in wet grass
7. Craftsman CMXGZBF7124266
The best lawn sweeper for pinecones
Brand: Craftsman | Capacity: 22 cu. ft. | Brushes: 6 | Hitch: Universal | Price: 💰💰💰
The best rated lawn sweeper for pinecones needs to be pretty tough, and we found that sweeper in the Craftsman CMX. With six reinforced brushes and a 22-cubic foot capacity, this Craftsman also has an 8.5:1 brush to wheel ratio, and a heavy-duty, steel-stamped housing. There are also large, 11.5-inch wheels with diamond tread, good for all-terrain, and at 42-inches, the sweeping path is also sizable.
The Craftsman CMX handled a large amount of wet leaves and pine needles in a single pass, according to one report. We were also pleased to hear it did a good job picking up pine straw. As far as acorns, it’s up for the challenge, just be sure to empty the bagger a little more often since acorns tend to get heavy. And like many yard sweepers, you can empty the Craftsman by simply pulling a rope.
Reviewers Like
- Sticks not a problem
- No need to rake debris first
- Matches Craftsman tractors
Reviewers Dislike
- Take it slow and steady
- Bit bulky and hard to store
- Not great around tree roots
8. John Deere Tow-Behind Lawn Sweeper
The best lawn sweeper for ATV
Brand: John Deere | Capacity: 24 cu. ft. | Brushes: 6 | Hitch: Universal | Price: 💰💰💰💰
This John Deere lawn sweeper is the best choice to pull behind an ATV. We like the large capacity at 24-cubic feet, and six brushes with higher tip velocity, touching the ground more frequently than many other brush designs. The extra-large hamper means you’ll be emptying less than you might with another sweeper, but when it’s time, emptying the John Deere is easily done with the T-handle dump cord.
We had no problems recommending the John Deere grass sweeper for use with an ATV based on reports it handles twigs, grass, and fallen leaves with ease. The tires are also heavy-duty, with larger diameter and wider tread, creating the traction required to drive the brushes even on rough and uneven lawns. It is a bit tricky to put together, some say, but others report it just takes some time. Overall, though, you can’t go wrong with the John Deere brand.
Reviewers Like
- Picks up loose twigs
- Only dump twice on an acre property
- Good for leaves and grass in a large yard
Reviewers Dislike
- Wobbly wheel issues
- Careful with Weeping Willow twigs
- Assembly instructions receive mixed reviews
What to Look for in Lawn Sweepers
Here’s what we looked for in each lawn sweeper we listed:
1
Sweeping Width
Ranging from 21” to as much as 100”, sweeping width means you’ll clean up more stuff and get on with your day. For the average lot, 21” is usually sufficient.
2
Hopper Volume
Once those leaves, grass clippings, pine needles, and pine cones are swept up, they’ve got to be stored somewhere until it’s time to dump them out. That’s where hopper volume comes into play. A hopper capacity of between 12 and 26-cubic feet should do just fine for most yards. Still, some grass sweepers have multiple hoppers, or a capacity reaching up to 78-cubic feet.
3
Hitch
Though you can push some lawn sweepers, if you’re looking for a tow-behind sweeper for an ATV or lawn tractors, be sure to check the hitch to make sure it works with your vehicle.
Our Process
For this guide on the best lawn sweepers, our team spent 5 hours researching the most popular options from over 45 brands and manufacturers big and small. We then read about forty user reviews (both positive and negative) to discover what shoppers thought about each lawn sweeper. After comparing this data, we narrowed our list down to the top 8 on the market. You can count on this research to guide you to a mindful purchasing decision.
If you enjoyed this read, sign up for our newsletter below and get special online shopping deals delivered straight to your inbox.
Further Reading