If you’re a homeowner, one of the most annoying tasks you’ll be faced with is keeping a clean yard. Yeah, all of those leaves, twigs, grass clippings, pine needles, and more can put a real damper on your yard.
Not only do these types of debris not look nice, but they can also hamper the growth of your grass. Therefore, using various tools to take care of your lawn is recommended, but with that being said, basic raking and bagging of lawn debris takes way too much time. This is where something like the VEVOR Leaf Sweeper comes into play.
Tools like these leaf sweepers make life much easier as far as leaf and lawn debris collection is concerned. In today’s article, we’re going to talk about what a leaf sweeper is, how it works, and why the particular one we just mentioned is one of the best in the industry. Let’s figure out if we sweepers really work.
Table of contents
What Is a Leaf Sweeper?
A leaf sweeper is also known as a lawn sweeper. Generally speaking, this is a manual garden tool that is meant to collect leaves, grass clippings, and other types of debris from lawns, patios, and driveways. With that being said, leaf sweepers may also be powered, although technically speaking, today we’re here to talk about the manual versions.
Unlike leaf blowers that push the debris around, a leaf sweeper uses a series of brushes to pull debris up into a bag or hopper, therefore allowing for easy and fast disposal of leaves and other yard debris. There are many types of leaf sweepers, including ones you push in front of you, ones you tow behind you, and even ones with motors for large properties.
How Does a Leaf Sweeper Work?
If you are wondering how leaf sweepers work, their function is actually very simple, and it’s all based on a series of rotating brushes. There are rotating brushes mounted on an axle, the same axle as the wheels are mounted on.
When you push or pull the lawn sweeper, the movement of the wheels causes the brushes to move, and they spin quite quickly. Their quick-spinning nature allows them to easily pick up a variety of leaves, grass clippings, pine needles, small twigs, and in some cases even very small rocks.
The debris is then taken and put into a large bag in the hopper that is attached to the rear of the sweeper. As you can see, the function of leaf sweepers is actually quite simple and straightforward.
What Can a Leaf Sweeper Pick Up?
Something that you’re probably wondering is what a leaf sweeper can actually pick up. Well, the number one point of a leaf sweeper is to pick up leaves. This is especially beneficial in the fall or autumn seasons when plenty of leaves are coming down from the trees, and you don’t want to rake and bag them all.
However, collecting leaves isn’t the only point of a leaf sweeper. Leaf sweepers are also ideal for collecting grass clippings after you’ve mowed the lawn. It’s all about keeping a well-maintained and tidy-looking lawn.
What is however important to note is that although we have sweepers that are generally designed for smaller debris, they can also pick up slightly heavier and larger objects.
The higher-quality leaf sweepers, such as the one we are going to review below, have adjustable brush heights. This means that they’re also able to pick up other debris, such as pine needles, small twigs, and even small rocks. With that being said, these tools have their limits, so heavier sticks and rocks will have to be manually removed from your yard.
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How to Use a Leaf Sweeper for the Best Results
The great thing about leaf sweepers is that they are extremely easy to use. All you have to do is adjust the brush height, move over flat ground, and work in a relatively systematic pattern. If you follow these tips, you should be able to use a leaf sweeper efficiently and without any trouble. Follow the tips as below in order to use your leaf sweeper for the best results.
Properly Adjust the Brushes
One of the most important aspects of using a leaf sweeper properly is to adjust the brush height adequately. What you need to do is adjust the brush height to match the type of debris that you are picking up, as well as the terrain. For instance, if you’re picking up smaller debris like pine needles, you’ll want to place the brushes lower, but for larger items, such as leaves, placing the brushes higher up is recommended.
Work Systematically
Next, you also have to work systematically when using a leaf sweeper. There’s no point in just walking around in random patterns. Instead, you want to walk back and forth in straight lines. Not only should these lines be straight, but they should also overlap one another. Making sure that your passes overlap one another means that you’ll pick up as much debris as possible, resulting in a clean and tidy yard.
Use it Regularly
Another tip you should follow when using a leaf sweeper is to use it regularly. During the fall months, when leaves are constantly coming down off of trees, sweeping your lawn at least once per week is recommended, if not more. The simple fact is that the less often you use your lawn sweeper, the more work it will be once you finally take it out of the garage.
Keep the Hopper Empty
To make life easier, you should also empty the bag or hopper on a regular basis, well before it’s actually full. If the hopper or leaf collection bag becomes overloaded, it can make the leaf sweeper harder to maneuver, and heavier, and it may not function properly.
The Right Time Matters
Something else to keep in mind when using a leaf sweeper is that you want to use it when the leaves are dry. Generally speaking, this means using a leaf sweeper in the afternoon, as in the morning, the grass will generally still be wet from the morning dew.
The Best in Class: The VEVOR Leaf Sweeper
What we want to do now is take a look at one of the best leaf sweepers that the market has to offer, the VEVOR Leaf Sweeper. What’s surprising about this particular unit is that it is as affordable as it is.
The simple reality is that leaf sweepers of this nature and quality level generally cost much more, but surprisingly enough, this one is quite budget-friendly. Let’s move on and take a look at some of the best features that this leaf sweeper has to offer.
Heavy Duty Build
Something that everyone should be able to appreciate about this leaf sweeper is that it comes with a heavy-duty build. What we’re talking about here are reinforced steel pipes combined with high-quality plastics, resulting in a robust and durable tool that should be able to withstand many years of use.
Large Rubber Wheels
Another standout feature of the VEVOR Leaf Sweeper is that it comes with large, rubber wheels. These rubber wheels are designed to easily roll over virtually any terrain. Being large and durable means that you don’t have to worry about them falling to pieces just from picking up some leaves. Being large also makes it easier to roll over uneven terrain.
Dual Spinning Brushes
Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of this leaf sweeper is that it chooses dual brushes. Many leaf sweepers out there only feature a single row of brushes, but that’s not the case here, and you can rest assured that this virtually doubles the efficiency of the leaf sweeper. Thanks to two spinning brushes, it picks up leaves twice as fast. Furthermore, it also features an adjustable brush height, so you can adjust the unit to meet your needs.
Good Size Yet Maneuverable
Yet another aspect of this leaf sweeper that many should be able to appreciate is that it comes in a variety of sizes, ranging from 21 all the way up to 50 inches. The 21-inch model is more than suitable for smaller yards where leaf collection needs are limited.
However, if you have a large yard with plenty of leaves to pick up, then we recommend going for the 50-inch model. Whatever the case may be, even the 50-inch model is quite lightweight and compact, making it maneuverable and ideal for efficient use.
FAQs
Before we call it a day, let’s quickly answer some of your most frequently asked questions about leaf sweepers.
When is the best time of day to use a leaf sweeper?
The best time of day to use a leaf sweeper is usually in the late morning or early afternoon. This is when your lawn should be at its driest, making picking up leaves as easy as can be. Remember, any time when your lawn is wet should be avoided.
Are there any types of lawn debris that a leaf sweeper cannot pick up?
Leaf sweepers such as the model from VEVOR are surprisingly efficient and powerful. This particular one is able to pick up leaves, grass clippings, twigs, pine needles, and even small rocks. However, leaf sweepers may have problems with excessively wet leaves or other heavy and large objects, such as large sticks and rocks.
Are leaf sweepers eco-friendly?
Something you’ll appreciate about leaf sweepers is that they are indeed eco-friendly. The vast majority of them aren’t powered and don’t use any kind of electricity or fuel.
What are the benefits of using a leaf sweeper compared to raking and bagging leaves?
Compared to raking and bagging leaves, leaf sweepers are much faster and more efficient. They require far less physical labor while also allowing you to finish the job in less time. You also don’t need to deal with constantly filling leaves into that pesky bag.
Final Thoughts – Do Leaf Sweepers Really Work?
When all has been said and done, the bottom line is that leaf sweepers do really work, and quite well at that. Leaf sweepers are simple yet efficient tools that use a series of brushes to pick up leaves, pine needles, grass clippings, and plenty of other debris from your yard. All without the hassle and labor associated with raking and bagging. Remember, if you’re looking for the best of the best, then the VEVOR Lawn Sweeper is what you should go for.
