On the modern market, there are near countless devices and pieces of equipment designed to make lawn maintenance easier and more efficient – with one such example being the push lawn sweeper.
But what exactly is a push lawn sweeper, and is it really as effective (and necessary) as its reputation suggests?
What Is A Push Lawn Sweeper?
Also known as a leaf sweeper and lawn brush, a push lawn sweeper is a mechanical piece of equipment – similar in appearance to a modern lawn mower – which is used to remove debris from the lawn.
Such debris can include pine needles, leaves, twigs, pebbles, and anything else that can be found in a regular garden.
These can be especially handy for those with mobility issues, and elderly people who might find it difficult to rake or sweep a garden manually, and as such they are widely popular throughout the world.
How Do They Work?
Generally speaking, lawn sweepers work by using a rotating brush mechanism that sweeps up the debris on the lawn, and feeds it into an adjoined bag or sack, which can then be removed for disposal.
What Makes A Good Lawn Sweeper?
When purchasing a lawn sweeper, there are several traits to look for.
Firstly, you want to find one that has as many sweeping brushes attached as possible. A tighter arrangement will ensure that smaller debris gets swept into the attached bag, and that you will not need to have a second run over the grass.
You should also choose a model that is focused for your main gardening peeve.
If you have a lot of leaves, then focus on that, and if you have a lot of issues with acorns and other small, harder pieces of debris, then you might want to get yourself a model with a little more oomph.
The model you choose also depends on the size of your yard, and the nature of your problem.
What Are The Benefits Of Push Lawn Sweepers?
As we have already mentioned, push lawn sweepers can also have numerous benefits to the right user – benefits that continue to make them a popular must-have for many people.
Labor Saving
First and foremost, push lawn sweepers can be far more labor saving than more manual methods like raking and sweeping with a push broom.
With these two tools can undoubtedly be effective in capable hands, not everyone has the physical ability to be able to use them – especially on larger lawns.
As such, a push lawn sweeper allows them to cover a larger surface area in a manner that is more thorough, less intensive, and time saving.
Efficacy
Push lawn sweepers also have the benefit of, by and large, being more effective at the job than manual methods. This means that you can easily achieve a clean and pristine lawn in half the time and effort.
Yard Maintenance
They are also really good for picking up stones and pebbles, which if unseen could damage your lawn mower during use.
These pieces of debris are the kinds of things that could easily be missed during manual sweeping or raking, and as such, this saves you from potential costs and heartache down the road.
Are There Any Downsides?
However, as with anything, there are certain downsides that homeowners should be aware of before buying.
Unsuitable For Larger Debris
One of the main downsides is that they are only really useful for smaller debris and pebbles.
While this fact can be useful for those with minimal debris on their lawns, it does mean that those with bigger messes to clear up will need to pick the larger pieces separately – thus creating two jobs effectively.
Those with large trees that shed their branches, or with ones that contain large pine cones, will need to do this by hand, and as such they are unsuitable for people who live in really rural areas and woodlands.
Require Self Assembly
As with any consumer product, there is some assembly required, and if you are the kind of person who shuns such activities due to difficulty, then these might not be the items for you.
There is also the question as to whether the amount of effort involved to find, pay for, and then assemble the sweeper is worth it, when a simple broom or rake would probably suffice.
Can Be Expensive
They can also be quite expensive to buy, which for people on limited incomes might be enough to dissuade them entirely.
As many will know, lawn mowers aren’t cheap, and lawn sweepers follow suit, sometimes costing as much as $400 or $500 dollars in some cases.
What Are Some Factors To Consider?
Of course, if you are on the fence about whether or not to purchase a lawn sweeper, then there are certain things you should consider during the browsing process.
How Big Is Your Lawn?
This is obviously an important question, and one that some people might overlook when choosing the right equipment.
There is no doubt about it, lawn sweepers are great for larger yards, and can minimize the effort and time it would take to properly clean and maintain such an area.
However, for those in the suburbs with much smaller yards, these might be a little overkill – especially if you don’t have a lot of grass to sweep. For these smaller yards, a broom or a rake might be the better and cheaper option.
Will Your Budget Allow It?
As we mentioned above, lawn sweepers can be fairly pricey, which means that you need to ascertain whether it is something that is a) suitable for your space, and is b) something that you would realistically use on a regular basis.
If either of those answers is no, then you might be better looking around for something more suitable, finding cheaper models, or settling for the tried and tested methods of using a broom or rake.
Do You Have The Storage?
While lawn sweepers are generally light, they are still the size of a lawn mower, and as such you need to ensure you have the proper storage space before buying.
This is especially important if you already have a lawn mower in your shed or garage – after all, adding something of equivalent size and dimensions to that same space could leave it cramped and unfit for use.
Is This Just A Gimmick?
You also need to ascertain whether you actually need this item for your yard, or if you are just attracted to the quirky gimmick. If you have mobility issues, or if you tire easily, then these could be a great labor saving device.
However, if you are more than capable of cleaning your yard manually, then why spend the money on some new fangled piece of equipment?
Where Can You Purchase One?
Push lawn sweepers are becoming more and more popular in modern times, and as such they can be found in most common hardware stores such as Home Depot.
They can also be purchased online through marketplaces like Amazon, and you can usually grab yourself a bargain too – taking an expensive item and making it more affordable, which is a win-win for those with limited financial resources.
Are Lawn Sweepers Worth It?
This is really the million dollar question, and one we cannot really answer outright.
At the end of the day, this fact comes down to personal preference, not to mention the circumstances that the individual homeowner is working with – i.e. in terms of free storage space, budget, need, and yard space.
Perfect For Some
I think it is safe to say that they are a great idea for those with mobility issues, the elderly, and those who want to work outside but don’t have the physicality for manual yard work.
They can also be great for those with larger yards, who would otherwise find the cleaning process a tiresome and difficult task when using manual methods.
However, if you have a small, manageable yard, or indeed one that is somewhat prone to unruliness, then these might not serve the purpose you would like them to.
Are There Any Alternatives?
For those who either don’t want the expense, or feel like a lawn sweeper wouldn’t be suitable for their space or needs, then there are also some other alternatives that they can choose from.
Leaf Blowers
Leaf blowers are becoming more and more common amongst private homeowners, and they are a great way to remove leaves, twigs, pine cones, acorns, small stones, and other debris from an otherwise clean and pristine lawn.
These are generally around the same price range as lawn sweepers, so those with the money but not the need for a sweeper could always invest in one of these instead.
Rakes
As we have mentioned throughout this article, the classic rake is a classic for a reason. These have been used to tidy gardens for centuries, and are a sure fire way of removing leaves and other sources of debris from otherwise pristine grass.
However, as we have also mentioned, these can be tiresome and labor intensive to use, so those with physical disabilities or ailments might want to choose another method.
Brooms
Another thing we have mentioned throughout is the classic broom. These are good for incredibly short, trimmed lawns, or indeed for those with artificial grass on their gardens.
A simple broom is a cheap and cheerful method of removing pebbles, twigs, and other forms of debris from your lawn, but can also be labor intensive, so as with the rakes, the same advice applies.
Vacuum Sweepers
For those with the money and the means, they could also use professional vacuum sweepers to clean their lawns of debris. This is more suited to large properties, and are generally more commonly seen as a piece of equipment used by professional yard cleaners.
However, they can be bought by homeowners themselves, and if you have a ride-on mower, they can be a useful addition to your yard cleanup regimen – however, be prepared to pay through the nose.
Final Thoughts
And there we have it, everything you need to know about push lawn sweepers, and whether they are actually as effective as people say.
It’s true that push lawn sweepers can be useful, at least when it comes to maintaining the clean and pristine appearance of a lawn, but the question remains: are they actually necessary or not – especially when a rake is so affordable!
But if you have the means and the inclination, and are looking for an easier way to maintain the appearance of your lawn, then why not try a push lawn sweeper?