5 Best Lawn Sweepers of 2026, Tested and Reviewed

Tested by Kamron Sanders

Adding a lawn sweeper to your landscaping tool arsenal will ensure no leaf or grass clipping is left behind. Whether you're looking to tidy up a small backyard with a push-style lawn sweeper or you need a pull-behind lawn sweeper to tackle an expansive lawn, there's sure to be a lawn sweeper perfectly tailored to your needs.

On our farm property, we're no strangers to fall cleanup. While we don't regularly remove our grass clippings, the abundance of mature deciduous trees on our property means the lawn is covered in a blanket of leaves each fall. Though we try to mulch as many leaves as possible with the mower, some areas are too thick and require complete removal, which involves long hours of raking.

Enter: the lawn sweeper. These highly effective tools made quick work of removing leaves and lawn debris from our grass, making raking a thing of the past and giving us more time to enjoy fall festivities. Below, we've chosen the best lawn sweepers, according to thorough testing, so you can spend more time carving pumpkins this fall and less time raking leaves.

How We Tested

To find the best lawn sweepers, we put 11 popular models at various price points from top retailers like Amazon and The Home Depot through a rigorous testing process on multiple lawns with varying terrain. These properties were covered with fall leaves, grass clippings, twigs, walnuts, acorns and an assortment of lawn debris. Here are the tests we chose to showcase the strengths and weaknesses of each lawn sweeper.

Assembly Test: Our testing of the lawn sweepers started with the assembly process, as each product was shipped in pieces to reduce the size of the packaging. We noted how long it took to assemble each lawn sweeper, what the process was like, how helpful the included instructions were, and if the process required any specialty tools that weren't included.

Sweep Test: Once assembled, we tested each lawn sweeper's sweeping functionality by using it to sweep up debris on the lawn. We noted how each sweeper performed across different levels of lawn debris and surface conditions, as well as how easy each model was to use.

Dump Test: Once full, we assessed each lawn sweeper's dumping process, noting how easy it was to dump the leaves and lawn debris gathered during the sweeping test.

Maneuverability Test: To test each lawn sweeper's maneuverability, we pushed and pulled them around the yard as needed to gather all the leaves and grass clippings, noting how easy it was to push the push-style lawn sweepers and how effortlessly we could steer the tow-behind lawn sweepers. We also noted how easy it was to back up while towing each lawn sweeper.

Terrain Test: During the sweeping test, we crossed various lawn conditions with different terrains, such as turf, weeds, dirt, gravel and a mix of everything, and noted how the sweepers adjusted to these changes. Some of the tires ceased rolling on certain surfaces, while others didn't skip a beat.

What to Consider When Buying a Lawn Sweeper

Type: The main consideration you'll need to make when buying a lawn sweeper is whether you purchase a push option or a tow-behind option, which requires a riding lawn mower.

Hopper Capacity: The hopper capacity directly determines how much debris the sweeper can collect before you need to dump it. You may think the bigger the better, but some larger models that we tested required a significant amount of strength to dump once full.

Sweeping Path: The sweeping path (width of the sweeper) determines how much ground you can sweep in one pass. For larger yards, the wider the better, but be sure you check the width of gates and other tight spots before purchasing a large lawn sweeper.

Features: The main additional features you should consider when purchasing a lawn sweeper are whether they have an adjustable height, an adjustable hitch, and if they're collapsible for more efficient storage. Adjustable tow bars will also allow you to tow the unit at an offset, helping to pick up debris as you mow.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does a lawn sweeper compare to a leaf blower?

Lawn sweepers and leaf blowers are both helpful in tackling lawn debris and fall cleanup, but they're not directly comparable. We found that, while the lawn sweepers are very helpful for picking up debris in the middle of the lawn, it was impossible to get close to structures and garden beds, which necessitated the use of the leaf blower to move the debris into the center of the lawn.

What type of lawn debris can a lawn sweeper pick up?

Lawn sweepers will pick up leaves, grass clippings, twigs and nearly any other organic lawn debris. Most models even swept up a few toys our kids left lying beneath the leaves. However, they won't reliably pick up heavier items like walnuts and rocks.

Will a lawn sweeper work on a wet lawn?

Most lawn sweeper models are not designed for use on wet lawns. While the sweepers do an okay job of picking up damp leaves and debris, the tires are prone to slipping on the wet grass surface, preventing the brushes from spinning.

What's the best way to maintain a lawn sweeper?

To maintain a lawn sweeper, keep it clean, dry and store it in a covered area. Some models specified seasonal greasing of certain components, which helps everything operate smoothly.

Other Lawn Sweepers We Tested

The John Deere 44-inch Tow-Behind Lawn Sweeper is identical to the Agri-Fab sweeper that was our "Best Overall" pick, except it is painted green, rebranded and priced higher. Thus, we chose the more affordable option from Agri-Fab instead. It's a solid option, but you should only spend more if you want it to match your John Deere mower.

A similar occurrence happened among the push-style lawn sweepers, as the Scotts and the Earthwise shared an identical design, though the Scotts model was slightly wider, which justifies the higher price point. We weren't impressed by either option, as their smooth tires slid through the grass at times, even if it was dry.

After testing the tow-behind style, we had high hopes for the Agri-Fab Push-Behind Lawn Sweeper, but we were pretty disappointed with its performance. We had to set the brushes to barely touch the grass to make the sweeper easier to push. Worst of all, the height adjustment bolt would not tighten after the first use and simply spun in place, making the sweeper useless.

Why You Should Trust Our Tester

This article was written by Kamron Sanders, a freelance home improvement writer and professional product tester with over 15 years of experience with DIYs, remodeling, construction and woodworking. For this article, Kamron put 11 popular lawn sweeper models from various brands to the test on a large farm property. With everything from manicured lawns covered in thick grass clippings to rougher grassy areas full of fallen leaves, this property had a little of everything to showcase each lawn sweeper's strengths and weaknesses.

Why You Should Trust HGTV Shopping Experts

HGTV Shopping Experts believe the best method for testing products is based on how our fans are going to use them in the real world. In each of our Tested and Reviewed stories, products are not tested in sterile laboratory settings that don't mimic real life. Instead, we test products in real homes that reflect our readers' real lives, which can also include pets, kids, partners and more. We follow rigorous testing rubrics designed by our expert editors and take copious notes during the testing process. When choosing our top picks, we evaluate all of our testing data and take into consideration many factors, including ease of use, price, product availability and practicality. Our goal is to choose the best products for our readers.