What is a Yard Sweeper
A yard sweeper is essentially a cylindrical drum with spinning brushes attached to the bottom. The main purpose of a yard sweeper is to clean the debris off your lawn. It picks up leaves and clippings that clutter your yard. This promotes healthy growth of grass and fewer weeds.
As you push or tow your yard sweeper, the brush lifts debris and tosses it into a hopper. After you’re done, all you need to do is take the hopper off and empty it out. There are two main types of yard sweepers available based on your requirements.
Manual Push
A manual push sweeper is a hand-powered sweeper that is lightweight and sturdy. These are small in size, making them ideal for smaller yards. It also allows you to clean up better than a rake would. Push them along while you walk to gather scattered leaves in the hopper. This machine might also have a collapsible hopper or bag resulting in easy storage and maintenance. Some yard sweepers even have adjustable brush heights to increase their efficiency.
Tow Behind
Tow behind lawn sweepers don’t work manually and require to be attached to a powered machine like a riding mower or lawn tractor. These are essentially power sweepers that require gas or electricity to work. They are larger and consequently collect more debris and clippings. This makes them perfect for larger yards since they cover more ground space.
Benefits of Yard Sweeper
These benefits of a yard sweeper can help you decide if this is the right choice for your yard-cleaning needs.
Minimal Noise
Since the lawn sweeper has to be manually pushed to collect the debris, it does not make any engine or power noise.
Maintenance
What is a Bagger?
The main purpose of a bagger is to collect grass while mowing. It acts as a tag-along to a lawn mower and can be attached to the rear or side of the mower. You can attach it either directly or through a chute.
As the mower clips the grass, it collects in a fabric bag that allows air to circulate. Disposal becomes easy since these bags can be removed when you need to empty them. It has a large capacity and is ideal for mulching and bagging of grass.
Benefits of Bagger
Both the lawn sweeper and bagger work differently to give your yard a neat look. Based on whether you have a riding mower or self-propelled mower, there is a bagger available for each type. Glance through these benefits to know if a bagger suits your needs better.
Lawn Care
Grass clippings and leaves may give nutrients to the grass but they may also harm the soil. When your lawn is scattered with grass clippings, it can lead to thatch buildup. This may prevent air and water from reaching the roots of the grass. It can also reduce weed growth.
Neat Look
Since baggers provide a clean look without scattered leaves, twigs and grass clippings, it makes your lawn look neat and pristine. Just make sure your bag doesn’t overflow as that may lead to clogging.
Is a Lawn Sweeper Better Than a Bagger?
When you consider getting a lawn sweeper or bagger for your lawn cleanup needs, the choice depends entirely on your needs. For a small lawn, a push yard sweeper might work the best as it makes little noise and can be efficient in picking up debris. Tow-behind tools are best when you want to cover large areas. A sweeper might be more helpful for collecting twigs and leaves while grass clippings can be eliminated best with a bagger.
Yard Sweeper vs Bagger
Now you know the types of sweepers and the benefits of both the yard sweeper and bagger. Take a look at an overview to help you come to a decision.
Debris Collection
A lawn sweeper is mostly used for twigs, leaves, pine cones and other debris. A bagger is primarily used for grass clippings. However, it can clog with wet or heavy materials.
Efficiency
A sweeper might require multiple rounds to deal with heavy debris. Thus, it can be slower than using a bagger. Conversely, a bagger might be quicker, especially for grass but might require frequent emptying.
Lawn Size
For lawn sweepers, the push models are popularly used for smaller yards while the tow-behind ones are best suited for large lawns. On the other hand, since baggers are attached to lawn mowers, they might not be appropriate for small and tight spaces.