Lawn sweepers come in three basic types, and each is best suited for a particular situation. Your options are a “push” sweeper, a “towed” version, or a powered one. The push lawn sweeper is self-explanatory, it works by pushing it along manually. A rotating brush connected to the wheels picks up leaves, grass, and other debris. These are ideal for small lawns, and the exercise you gain might be a bonus too! A towed lawn sweeper may work for you if you have a lot of lawn to cover. If you already own an ATV or garden tractor, you can simply attach these sweepers to the back and tow them along. However, many people have lawns somewhere in between the two. Going over the whole thing by hand would be a pain – quite literally – but at the same time, your place is nowhere near big enough to justify a riding mower. Do you need a gas powered lawn sweeper? For most people, some sort of powered sweeper is ideal – especially those with an in-built shredder.
Powered sweepers are driven by either gas or electricity. One thing to consider is the environmental impact. An electric lawn sweeper is cleaner and more efficient than a gas-powered model, and if you are concerned about the long-term footprint you’re leaving on the world, this might influence your purchase decision. An electric model will have a lower cost to run, too.
However, one downside to most electric devices is the power cable. Not only is it awkward to drag around, it is also a trip hazard and could even be very dangerous if it were damaged. A gas-powered lawn sweeper is self-contained, and for many people its advantages will vastly outweigh its disadvantages. A gas-powered sweeper will likely be more powerful too, and have a higher speed of collecting leaves. Beware, though, that gas-powered sweepers are noisier, and if you live in an area with stringent noise regulations, that might be a problem.