Rating By Owners for the Agri-Fab 44″ Lawn Sweeper

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: $399.99

Who Is The Agri-Fab 44″ Lawn Sweeper For?

Overview

Review Background

• Author: Sid
• Research Sources: Amazon.com and HomeDepot.com
• Verified Purchases (?) Used For This Review: 172 (89 from Amazon and 83 from Home Depot)
• Average Amazon Rating*: 4.3 out of 5.0
• Average Home Depot Rating*: 4.3 out of 5.0
• Average Total Owner Rating (Amazon + Home Depot)*: 4.3 out of 5.0

* On Publishing Date.

Product Facts

• Official Homepage.
• Model Number: 45-0492.
• Lawn Type Compatibility: works with all common residential lawns.
• Lawn Tractor/Riding Mower Compatibility: works with machines that have a universal hitch (check with the manufacturer about your specific towing machine).
• Weight: 92.6 lbs (42 kg)
• Assembled Product Size (L x W x H): 78″ x 55″ x 52″ (198.12 x 139.7 x 132.08 cm)

Riding Lawn Mower Required

The Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper needs to be towed by a riding lawn mower or lawn tractor. They come in compact and easy-to-use residential versions.Are you looking for one?

Then check out the best selling riding lawn mowers on Amazon. Most are shipped for free to your door if you live in the USA.

The Agri-Fab 44″ has a universal hitch attachment that works on standard hitches. Riding lawn mowers with a standard hitch should work with it.

Residential riding lawn mower
(this one is hybrid gas-electric)

The Agri-Fab 44″ has a universal hitch attachment that works on standard hitches. Riding lawn mowers with a standard hitch should work with it.

Product Video

Official manufacturer’s video.

What Owners Say About The Agri-Fab 44″ Lawn Sweeper

Video Review By Owner

What Owners Like

Easy To Use And Good For Health

Many people report the ease of gathering leaves and grass clippings after starting to use the Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper.

As well, lots of people praise the benefits to their health that comes with this lawn sweeper. Some anticipate reduced medical costs over the long-term because they will not have to do back-breaking raking again.

The Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper is better for your back

Many mentions are made about how the Agri-Fab 44″ saves backs. The health benefit is a point repeatedly expressed with immense gratitude by happy customers, especially seniors.

The Agri-Fab 44″ is capable of sweeping up many different kinds of debris, including larger items such as branches, newspapers, bottles, and even beer cans. The strong capacity to sweep a variety of items is due to the relatively large size of the model.

Powerful

The lawn sweeper holds more grass clippings than a lawn tractor/mower bagger. People who have experience with both prefer using the lawn sweeper over a bagger due to ease of use, hassle-free dumping of collected debris, and immense time savings. The Agri-Fab 44″ is also generally more affordable than bagger systems.

The Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper is reported as capable of picking up larger sticks and branches, which jam up smaller sized machines.

People love not having to leave their lawn tractor/riding lawn mower when dumping a load of collected debris. It is possible to remain comfortably seated on the tractor/mower seat because of a lever dumping mechanism that can be controlled by hand.

Handles Wet Conditions

While rain makes it difficult for smaller tow behind lawn sweepers to work properly, the Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper is reported to function well even while it is raining. However, it is recommended to sweep a dry lawn for the sake of maximum efficiency and time savings.

The lawn sweeper dumps material in a tight clump, which makes it easier to compost, because the composting process works better when organic material is squeezed tight together.

Easy Height Adjustment

The height adjustment of the brushes is easy to use, and the height adjustment remains stable. The lawn sweeper has 7 height settings, which makes it adjustable to many different lawn conditions and allows for an increase in the amount of debris it collects.

People also report that the controls for setting the height of the lawn sweeper work well, contrary to many other makes that are difficult to operate in this regard.

The hopper bag is easy to remove for storage after use.

Sense Of Satisfaction

People report that the Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper makes their lawns look very clean after just a few passes. A woman says her lawn now looks “immaculate” after each mow and sweep.

Many owners report that cleaning their lawn has now become enjoyable thanks to the Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper, whereas it was a daunting task before.

The Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper is easy and fun to operate

The collecting bin is large, which means that more lawn debris can be collected without having to constantly stop to dump. This results in time savings, especially with a larger lawn.

The warranty period is three years, which is a long time and provides users with peace of mind.

Many people happily report that no extra tools are needed for assembly.

What Owners Dislike

Packaging Issues

Inadequate packaging quality is mentioned several times, with parts getting bent and even missing due to lack of sufficient protection. Many people report that the bends are cosmetic and can be fixed through hammering them out.

Assembly

A lot of owners say that their least favorite thing about the Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper is the assembly instructions, which can cause wasted time and energy due to being poorly written.

As well, some users report that they experienced no difficulty with the assembly instructions, and that perhaps the manufacturer has recently updated the manual. Contact the manufacturer for the most up-to-date assembly manual.

Pine Straw Issues

Pine straw can get annoyingly caught around the wheel axles and stop them from turning. This requires clearing the jam, so pay regular attention to the wheels if you have pine on your property.

There is no disengage feature for the brushes, which people report as problematic when they get off the lawn and on the driveway. The problem is that the machine sweeps all the time without a way to turn off the sweeping. This is a common issue with lawn sweepers.

Plastic Components

The non-sturdy plastic build of pins and bolts has resulted in many people replacing them with their own metal pins and bolts.

Several people say that the tires do not have strong grip when the lawn is damp or wet. However, this is to be expected, as the tires are made of plastic and the machine is not extremely large and heavy. The laws of physics stand in the way of supreme grip.

There is a common issue with the wheels due to the plastic material used in the gear teeth. The plastic seems to wear out fast, as it gets brushed against metal parts.

Other Issues

Since this lawn sweeper is large, some people express difficulty in finding storage room for it.

Going faster than a certain speed (unspecified) can lock up the wheels.

The Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper is large and can struggle when there is an incline to move across. It is best suited for flatter lawns.

When it is empty, the wheels may not turn properly due to lack of sufficient weight, which can cause increased wear and tear.

What The Lawn Sweeper Picks Up Well

• Leaves
• White pine
• Grass clippings
• Thatch
• Pine cones
• Pine straw (though there are reports of wheels getting locked with pine straw)
• Gravel
• Burr balls/sweet gum tree balls
• Acorns
• Sticks, including larger ones
• Small branches
• Wet grass (some people report positively and some negatively about wet grass)
• Wet leaves (not many problems reported here, however, slightly damp leaves do better than really wet leaves)
• Hay
• Manure
• Helicopters
• Empty cans
• Beer bottles (yes, really)
• Newspapers

What The Lawn Sweeper Does Not Pick Up Well

No issues reported with any debris.

Reported Lawn Sweeping Time Savings

One owner says that he gets more lawn sweeping done with the Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper in 5 minutes than he used to in 30 minutes with a rake.

The Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper is a time saver

Another owner, who has 2 acres with lots of trees (and therefore lots of leaves), says that around 90% of all leaves were cleared in 4 hours with the Agri-Fab 44″. It used to take him days to do the same work before he purchased the machine.

Fun Factor

The verdict from many owners is that the Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper makes sweeping the lawn much more fun than using a rake, especially because you get to ride around the lawn on your lawn tractor or riding mower.

The kid in you will probably enjoy whizzing around on a sunny day, pulling a lawn sweeper (like a mini train) to do the work of creating a beautiful lawn for you.

Ease Of Assembly (With Approximate Assembly Time)

There are many reports that the instruction manual of the Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper is of poor quality. Specifically, the issue seems to be that the manual lacks clear written directions and consists mostly of pictures. That makes it difficult to know what to do.

As well, many people report that by properly following instructions, they had no trouble setting up the lawn sweeper. One owner who is satisfied with the assembly process says that the most bulky parts are pre-assembled at the factory, which reduces the amount of time it takes to completely assemble the final product.

The assembly time reported by different people ranges from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

No additional tools are required for assembly. The parts snap together and are held together by pins.

Ease Of Use

The Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper is easy to operate, especially with the metal bar for tipping the debris collection hopper. The bar is easier to operate than a rope and is also sturdier. There are people who struggle with the height setting, however, there are also many who say it is easy to work with if one learns how to operate it properly.

Ease Of Storage

The lawn sweeper breaks down so that it takes up less space for storage. However, it is a large machine and therefore requires ample storage space.

There is a handle for folding up the lawn sweeper, making it easier to prepare for storage.

Fatigue Reduction

There are many reports that the lawn sweeper has saved people energy, and made the chore of sweeping the lawn tremendously easier on their backs.

Packaging Quality

There are instances of missing pieces, including screws, in the shipping box.

Also, there can be issues with metal parts getting bent during shipping as the package is large and heavy. At over 90 lbs, it is difficult for delivery personnel to lift the Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper in a box. So they may just push it off the back of their trucks and then drag it. Inquire with the delivery company after purchasing it and provide them with special instructions to treat your package with care.

Build Quality

There are several complaints about the Agri-Fab 44″ not being sturdy enough, and requiring repairs and part replacement after the first season of use. Parts are readily available from Agri-Fab.

Emptying Mechanism

The Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper has a metal handle for tipping the hopper and dumping the collected debris. This is more sturdy and easier to use than a rope, which many other lawn sweepers use.

The easy-to-use Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper emptying handle

Owners, including several who have experience with rope-based lawn sweepers, express preference for using the metal handle due to its sturdiness and ease of use.

Safety Issues

No safety issues are reported for the Agri-Fab 44″.

Customer Service Experiences

People have reported being ignored after contacting the manufacturer for replacement of parts. It is unclear, however, if they were not being patient enough for the manufacturer to respond.

There are reports of emails taking over one week to be replied to by the manufacturer.

There are also reports of customer service responding within 24 hours.

There are many people who say that the manufacturer replaces any missing or faulty parts.

Performance Tips From Owners

• Because the hopper (collection basket) is so large, it can collect a lot of debris. Owners caution against filling it too much, because that can make it too heavy and therefore difficult to empty out.
• If leaves are wet or damp, then several passes will be required to pick them up. It is recommended that the leaves be allowed to dry before sweeping, as that will speed things up and save you time. After mowing the lawn, you can leave the clippings to dry for one hour before running the lawn sweeper over them.
• Make sure the lock bolts are tight around the sweeping brushes before you begin using the Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper. There are reports of the factory-installed brushes not being properly secured to the shaft, and thus getting loosened during operation.
• It is important to have a strategy in place for what to do with the debris you will be collecting off your lawn before you start using the lawn sweeper. Ask yourself: where will I dump the material collected, and what will I do with it?
• If the metal gets bent, you can hammer it back into shape, as the metal is malleable.
• If the height is set too close to the ground, it can cause the wheels to lock, so it is very important that you set the proper height.
• Just as with other lawn sweepers, the faster you go, the more efficiently it will pick up debris.
• Some satisfied owners suggest that the difficulties experienced by people who have given the product negative ratings are due to insufficient understanding about how to operate the machine, and therefore getting poor performance back in return.
• For owners of riding lawn mowers (as opposed to lawn tractors): if you wish to save additional time when mowing, you can mow your lawn and then sweep the clippings right away by hitching the lawn sweeper to your riding mower.

Additional Details

About The Manufacturer

The manufacturer is Agri-Fab, an American company based in Illinois that specializes in the manufacturing of lawn care equipment. Lawn sweepers are their primary product, with over 40 years of experience in building them.

Manufacturing Country

United States of America.

Warranty Coverage

Three years.

Return Policy

The return policy depends on the retailer you buy it from. The product is not available directly from the manufacturer.

Replacement Part Availability And Cost

Replacement parts for this lawn sweeper are available online from Agri-Fab.

Product Manual Download

You can download a PDF copy from the manufacturer’s web site.

The Verdict

Buy The Agri-Fab 44″
Lawn Sweeper From Amazon

The Agri-Fab 44″ lawn sweeper is one of the most powerful and popular tow behind lawn sweepers on the market today. It is one of the best lawn sweepers we have reviewed.

It has a very high customer satisfaction rating and can pick up a variety of debris efficiently. If you have a larger lawn and speed is a priority, this is a good choice. The assembly may be cumbersome so make sure to read the manual carefully.

The Agri-Fab 44″ is one of the larger lawn sweepers without being too large and cumbersome to store.