Is your yard buried under a mountain of fallen leaves every autumn? Raking those crunchy piles can feel like a never-ending chore, leaving your back aching and your weekend gone. You know you need a better solution, and that’s where a lawn mower that can also pick up leaves comes in handy. It seems like a dream tool, but choosing the right one is tricky. Do you need a mulching mower, a bagger, or something else entirely?
Finding a mower that handles both cutting grass and efficiently collecting leaves without clogging or leaving streaks can feel overwhelming. You want power, reliability, and ease of use, but the options are confusing. Don’t worry! This guide cuts through the clutter. We will explore exactly what features make a mower excellent for leaf cleanup.
By the end of this post, you will clearly understand the best types of mowers for leaf collection and which features matter most for your yard size. Ready to trade that rake for a powerful machine that makes fall cleanup fast and easy? Let’s dive into finding your perfect leaf-collecting lawn mower.
Top Lawn Mower To Pick Up Leaves Recommendations
- Keep Your Lawn Spotless: Unlike most lawn sweepers, our lawn sweeper has thickened and densified brushes to increase the overall sweeping force and prevent deformation. With a sweeping width of 21"/53.5 cm, it can pick up 80% of the debris in one pass.
- Adjust to Any Terrain: The lawn sweep is designed with an adjustable spinning brush height–simply adjust the knob by hand to move brushes up and down without the need for any special tools. You can use it on any terrain, whether it's a sidewalk, driveway, yard, or garden.
- Collect More Debris: Our yard sweeper has a high-quality non-woven hopper bag with a large capacity of 3.5 ft³, allowing you to collect more grass, leaves, and debris at once without frequent dumping. It's easy to remove from the frame and quickly dump when cleaning is complete.
- Install & Store with Ease: Our hand push lawn sweeper has an advanced storage design, making it easy to install and store with quick clips on both sides. Once the yard work is complete, it can be stored in a shed or hung on a garage wall. The bottom support feet lean against the wall without tipping over.
- Effortless Cleaning: Just grab the ergonomic handle, push your yard leaf sweeper from behind for easy cleaning. It quickly picks up leaves, small twigs, grass clippings, and other dry debris, cleaning your entire lawn with fantastic speed.
- Keep Your Lawn Spotless: Unlike most lawn sweepers, our lawn sweeper has thickened and densified four brushes to increase the overall sweeping force and prevent deformation. With a sweeping width of 26"/66 cm, it can pick up 80% of the debris in one pass.
- Adjust to Any Terrain: The lawn sweep is designed with an adjustable spinning brush height–simply adjust the knob by hand to move brushes up and down without the need for any special tools. You can use it on any terrain, whether it's a sidewalk, driveway, yard, or garden.
- Heavy-Duty Construction: Our hand push lawn sweeper is built to last with reinforced steel pipes, providing a stable and sturdy frame that won't tip over even when the hopper bag is full. Plus, we've added a height scale guide next to the knob for easy adjustment before cleaning.
- Collect More Debris: Our yard sweeper has a high-quality non-woven hopper bag with a large capacity of 7 ft³, allowing you to collect more grass, leaves, and debris at once without frequent dumping. It's easy to remove from the frame and quickly dump when cleaning is complete.
- Effortless Cleaning: Just grab the ergonomic handle, push your yard leaf sweeper from behind, and watch the powerful spinning brushes scoop up everything in their path! It quickly picks up leaves, small twigs, grass clippings, and other dry debris, cleaning your entire lawn with fantastic speed.
- CLEAR & COLLECT: The PickUp Pro 2 is the best and fastest way to clear leaves and grass clippings from lawns, paths and driveways. Our unique barbed spinning brush sweeps the debris into the collection bag as you walk. Not suitable for wet leaves, large debris, fruit/nuts or pet waste.
- PUSH & GO: There’s no motor to worry about here, our Push & Go design means that the PickUp Pro 2 is ready to go whenever you are. Simply walk the device forwards and watch the brush spin 6 times for every wheel rotation.
- LARGE HOPPER: The Pickup Pro 2 has a large capacity, 3.65ft³ hopper to collect a high volume of waste to reduce emptying times. The non-woven bag material is hard wearing and tear resistant and is supported by an easy-to-handle metal frame to make emptying a breeze.
- QUICK HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT: No tools are needed to adjust the working height on the go. Easily dial in the right height for your surface using the central handwheel to move the axel up and down. We recommend starting high and working down to find the optimal height for your surface.
- NEW & IMPROVED: This second-generation model features a new and improved barbed brush, larger and more ergonomic hopper and simplified assembly. From extensive testing we have designed this new mode to be the best.
- KEEP YOUR LAWN SPOTLESS: Unlike typical lawn sweepers, our model features thickened and reinforced brushes that enhance sweeping power and resist deformation. With a sweeping width of 21 inches, it effectively picks up up to 95% of debris in a single pass
- ADJUST TO ANY TERRAIN: Designed with an adjustable spinning brush height, this sweeper allows for easy customization by simply turning the hand-operated knob. This feature accommodates various surfaces, from sidewalks and driveways to yards and gardens, ensuring optimal performance on any terrain.
- COLLECT MORE DEBRIS: Equipped with a high-quality non-woven hopper bag boasting a spacious 3.5 cubic feet capacity, our yard sweeper enables you to gather more grass, leaves, and debris in one go, reducing the need for frequent dumping. The hopper is easily removable from the frame for quick and convenient disposal.
- INSTALL & STORE WITH EASE: Featuring an advanced storage design, this hand-push lawn sweeper is simple to install and store. Quick clips on both sides facilitate easy assembly and disassembly. Once your yard work is done, it can be neatly stored in a shed or hung on a garage wall, with the bottom support feet providing stability against tipping.
- DAPPER SUPPLY WARRANTY: Covered by a 1-year limited warranty. Dapper Supply products ensure high-powered performance and unparalleled ease of use.
- Quick Leaf Pickup in the Autumn: This motor-free lawn sweeper is ideal for saving time when collecting leaves and grass cuttings on large lawns. Adjustable height works on Articial Lawn Turf as a sweeper as well.
- Keeping Your Back Safe as You Work: Thanks to its ergonomically shaped handles, you can work in an upright position. It is also easy to push the leaf sweeper with its integrated bag around the yard and collect all debris.
- Integrated Sweeping Mechanism for Easy Leaf Pick Up: Another impressive feature of the leaf picker upper grabber is the height adjustment - this allows you to adapt the sweeping height to different surfaces and also allows to pick up other debris.
- Space-saving Storage: The leaf and grass collector does not take up much storage space. Replaces cumbersome and difficult to use Leaf Rakes or Lawn Vacuums.
- Delivery includes: 1x Gardena leaf and grass collector
- Ultra lightweight and easy to use, 21" brush width yard sweeper, Leaf Sweeper with spinning rake-like action with 70% pick-up on the first pass; multiple passes required to pick up 100% of the leaves.
- Works best on flat surfaces, short or recently cut grass; good for dry leaves only. Does not collect any other yard debris.
- Do NOT use in wet or windy conditions. For best results: only use in dry non-windy conditions. Wet material is difficult to sweep up and wind increases material blown out before reaching the collection bin.
- Adjustable leaf sweeper rake height for easy and efficient collection of debris. Height adjustments needs to be set just below your grass height for the sweeper to sweep up your leaves
- Not ideal for collecting rocks, nuts, pinecones, or any other material besides dry leaves. Does not work well in wet or windy conditions.
- 🍃 4-Brush Superior Sweeping Power-- Experience a new level of clean with our heavy-duty push lawn sweeper. Unlike ordinary leaf sweepers with only 2 brushes, our system features four thickened, high-density brushes that resist bending and provide unmatched sweeping force. Effortlessly capture 95% of debris in a single pass across your lawn, yard, or garden, leaving it impeccably spotless. This is the ultimate grass clippings collector and leaf collector.
- ⚙️ Tool-Free Height Adjustment for Any Terrain-- Master every inch of your property with incredible ease. Our lawn sweeper push design requires no tools for adjustments—simply turn the knob to raise or lower the brushes. Perfectly adapt from delicate grass to rugged sidewalks, driveways, and gardens. The integrated height scale allows for quick, precise pre-sweep settings, making it the most user-friendly push leaf sweeper on the market.
- 💪 Durable ABS & Reinforced Steel Frame-- Invest in a yard sweeper that endures seasons of hard work. Constructed with a robust reinforced steel frame and durable ABS components, this push lawn sweeper for leaves remains stable and upright, even with a fully loaded bag. It outperforms and outlasts flimsier alternatives, offering unparalleled sturdiness and reliability for all your lawn sweep needs.
- 🗑️ Massive 7 cu. ft. Hopper: collect More, Empty Less-- Maximize efficiency with a giant, high-quality non-woven collection bag. This grass collector and leaf collector lawn sweeper boasts a massive 7-cubic-foot capacity—one of the largest available—significantly reducing interruptions to empty the hopper. When full, the bag detaches in seconds for quick and clean disposal, making cleanup a breeze.
- 🚜 Effortless Push-Powered Operation & Wide Coverage-- Enjoy truly effortless cleaning. Just grip the ergonomic handle and push this push lawn sweeper for grass and leaves. The powerful brushes spin rapidly, lifting and funneling grass clippings, pine needles, leaves, and small twigs into the hopper. The wide 26-inch path ensures fast, thorough cleaning, transforming a tedious chore into a quick, satisfying task.
- CLEAR THE WAY: Effortlessly pickup and collect leaves and debris from your lawn with ease. No more back breaking raking or endless bending, let the PickUp Pro do the hard work for you. Please Note that the machine is not capable of collecting heavy debris or working on uneven ground. If you use the machine on uneven ground, it will not work even if the debris is not heavy. This would result in the item not functioning as
- SIMPLE IS BEST: There’s no motor to worry about here, our Push and Go design means that the PickUp Pro is ready to go whenever you are. Simply push the device along and watch the brushes sweep the debris away.
- CATCH & COLLECT: The Pickup Pro has a large capacity, 3.5ft hopper to collect a high volume of waste to reduce emptying times. The non-woven bag material is hard wearing and tear resistant and is supported by an easy-to-handle metal frame to make emptying a breeze.
- HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE: Easily adjust the height of the brushes to suit the surface using the single point, tool free axle adjustment. Set to the lowest point for short lawns or the highest point for longer grass.
- COMFORT & CONVENIENCE: The adjustable height, foam padded handle is comfortable and ergonomic. At only 14lbs, the PickPro is easy to manoeuvre and can be wall hung by the handle for convenient storage.
Choosing the Best Lawn Mower to Conquer Fall Leaves
Fall brings beautiful colors, but it also means a huge mess of leaves. A good lawn mower designed to pick up leaves can save you hours of back-breaking raking. This guide helps you pick the perfect machine for your yard cleanup.
Key Features to Look For
When shopping for a leaf-collecting mower, several features really matter. These features determine how efficiently the mower handles wet, thick piles of leaves.
Power Source
- Gas Power: These mowers offer the most power. They handle large yards and thick leaf layers easily.
- Electric (Corded): These are lighter and quieter. They work best for smaller yards where you stay close to an outlet.
- Battery (Cordless): These provide freedom without gas fumes. Look for high voltage (like 56V or 80V) for better performance on heavy loads.
Bagging and Mulching Capabilities
- High-Volume Bagging: A large collection bag means you stop less often to empty it. Check the bag’s capacity in bushels.
- Strong Suction/Airflow: This is crucial. Good airflow pulls leaves up from the grass even if they are slightly damp.
- Mulching Ratio: If you want to turn leaves into natural fertilizer, look for a high mulching ratio (e.g., 10:1). This means one pass chops the leaves into ten tiny pieces.
Deck Size and Adjustments
A wider deck cuts more grass (and sucks up more leaves) in a single pass. For easier storage, some models fold down.
Important Materials and Build Quality
The materials used affect how long your mower lasts and how well it performs under stress.
Deck Material
- Steel Decks: These are very common and strong. They offer good durability for everyday use.
- Aluminum Decks: These resist rust better than steel. They are often found on higher-end models. Rust is a major enemy of lawn equipment.
Blade Quality
Look for thick, sharp blades made from hardened steel. Better blades chop leaves more effectively. Some specialized mulching blades have unique curves that improve airflow and cutting power.
Factors That Improve or Reduce Quality
Quality isn’t just about the price tag. Smart design choices make a huge difference in your yard work.
Quality Boosters
- Self-Propelled Drive: If you have hills or a large yard, a self-propelled feature reduces fatigue significantly.
- Easy Emptying System: Some bags feature a handle or a chute that lets you dump the clippings without touching the messy leaves.
- Variable Speed Control: This lets you slow down for thick piles or speed up for light debris.
Quality Reducers (What to Avoid)
- Flimsy Plastic Housings: Plastic parts that feel thin can crack easily when hitting sticks or rocks hidden in the leaves.
- Small or Weak Engines/Motors: Underpowered machines bog down when they meet a thick drift of wet oak leaves.
- Difficult Bag Attachment: If connecting or removing the bag takes wrestling and tools, you will dread using the mower.
User Experience and Use Cases
Think about your yard size and what you plan to do with the leaves afterward.
For Small, Flat Yards
A lightweight electric or battery-powered push mower often works best. Focus on good suction and easy maneuverability around flower beds.
For Large, Hilly Yards
Gas-powered, self-propelled mowers with large fuel tanks and powerful engines are necessary. You need sustained power to climb hills while pulling a full bag of leaves.
The Leaf Collector vs. The Standard Mower
Remember, a dedicated leaf vacuum or collection system offers the absolute best pickup, often sucking up pine needles and small twigs too. However, a good dedicated bagging mower offers the best all-around value if you also need to cut grass regularly.
10 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Can any regular lawn mower pick up leaves?
A: Yes, most standard mowers can pick up some dry leaves. However, mowers specifically designed for leaves have better airflow and stronger blades to handle thick or wet piles.
Q: What is the difference between mulching and bagging leaves?
A: Bagging collects the leaves into a container for disposal or composting. Mulching chops the leaves into tiny pieces that fall back onto the lawn, acting as natural fertilizer.
Q: Should I wait until all the leaves fall before mowing?
A: No. It is better to mow every week or so. This prevents thick layers from suffocating your grass. Multiple light passes are better than one heavy pass.
Q: How does suction power relate to wet leaves?
A: Wet leaves are heavy and stick together. Mowers with high CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) ratings or strong vacuum action are needed to lift wet debris effectively.
Q: Are battery-powered mowers strong enough for heavy leaf cleanup?
A: Modern, high-voltage battery mowers are surprisingly powerful. For yards under half an acre, they often perform just as well as gas models for leaves.
Q: Do I need a special blade for picking up leaves?
A: Yes. Mulching blades or high-lift bagging blades are designed to circulate the air better, creating a stronger vacuum to pull leaves into the bag.
Q: How often should I empty the bag?
A: This depends on how thick the leaves are. If you are mowing over thick drifts, you might need to stop every 5 to 10 minutes.
Q: What is deck wash-out port?
A: This is a small opening on the deck that lets you attach a hose to clean out stuck grass and leaf debris easily after use.
Q: What size yard needs a self-propelled mower for leaf pickup?
A: If your yard is over a quarter-acre, especially if it has slopes, self-propel features save a lot of energy when the mower is heavy with leaves.
Q: Is it okay to leave finely mulched leaves on the grass?
A: Yes, it is great for your lawn! The fine pieces break down quickly, adding nutrients back into the soil. Avoid mulching if the leaf layer is extremely thick, though.