Carpet sweepers are great if you need a lightweight and quiet tool for cleaning floors. On this page, we review our nine favourite floor sweepers to help you make an informed decision.
#1 Pick: Gtech SW22
So if you want the best and don’t mind paying a bit extra to get it, the SW22 is your model! If the price is too high, or you want a manual sweeper, check out the rest of our favourites below.
Do you often need to clean your carpets when other people are asleep? Or do you get fed up using a large vacuum just to clean every little spill?
If so, then a carpet sweeper might be the perfect option.
These relatively simple and inexpensive machines are great for quick clean-ups. Many people also use them as a backup to their regular vacuum when making noise isn’t an option.
But what does a carpet cleaner actually do?
A Quick Overview of Carpet Sweepers
Before vacuums were invented, sweepers were the primary device for keeping carpets clean. Vacuum cleaners have largely replaced them, but you might be surprised to know that many people still use sweepers in 2023.
The original sweepers were simple mechanical tools consisting of rollers and a dirt container. When pushed over carpets, the rollers are forced to turn. This allows the brushes to sweep dirt and other debris into the container without requiring electricity or expensive motors.
While modern sweepers still use much the same process as those produced in the 1800s, there are also some differences. You can now buy an electric carpet sweeper, for example, which uses a motor to spin the brushes and collect more debris. Modern sweepers are also available for very reasonable prices, which makes them a cheap alternative to a vacuum cleaner – although for cleaning performance a powered vacuum (such as one of these carpet vacuums) is always going to be a better choice.
In this article, we’ve written carpet sweeper reviews for each of our top 9 models, along with information about features, performance and price. While we think all the models on this list provide excellent value, make sure you read the reviews to find out exactly which sweeper best meets your personal requirements.
Our Selection Process
Many of the factors affecting sweepers are the same as vacuum cleaners – although there are some obvious differences. The main things we look for in a sweeper are ease of use, ability to pick up dirt and dust and value for money. Reviews written by people who have bought and used the product also played a vital role in constructing this list.
But before we get to the top models, we think it’s important to have the right expectations of a sweeper. While it should be capable of picking up reasonable amounts of dirt, you also shouldn’t expect anywhere close to the pickup performance of a regular vacuum from a carpet sweeper.
To help you make the right choice, we’ve chosen a varied selection of sweepers in our top list. Each has been highly rated by buyers, but we’ve included a range of types, styles and price ranges.
Which are the Best Carpet Sweepers of 2023?
We’ve listed nine of the best carpet sweepers below. Each has different features, and there is a mix of electric and manual models.
Image | Product Name | Type | Weight | Read More |
---|---|---|---|---|
Gtech SW22 | Electric/Rechargeable | 1.4kg | Read More | |
Bissell Natural Sweep | Manual | 1.6kg | Read More | |
Bissell Supreme Sweep | Electric/Rechargeable | 1.2kg | Read More | |
BISSELL 2314E | Manual | 1.4kg | Read More | |
Ewbank Speed Sweep | Manual | 0.91kg | Read More | |
Dustcare Sweeper | Manual | 1.4kg | Read More | |
Beldray BEL0387 | Electric/Rechargeable | 1.6kg | Read More | |
Ewbank Evo 3 | Manual | 1.6kg | Read More | |
BISSELL Supreme Sweep Turbo | Electric/Rechargeable | 1.8kg | Read More |
1. Best Rechargeable Cordless Carpet Sweeper: Gtech SW22 Power Sweep
If you’re looking for the best electric sweeper, then the Gtech SW22 is definitely an option to consider. It’s expensive for this type of product, yet has a range of features not found on competing models.
To start with, the SW22 comes with a 7.4V battery. This powers the motor and allows for up to two hours of run-time (depending on the surface), which is plenty for any cleaning task.
It also comes with a charging station. This charges the battery from empty to full in approximately three hours, which is relatively quick considering the long run-time. Additionally, the handle can be removed to make it easier to clean stairs, and the model is built with the familiar Gtech style.
Most importantly, the SW22 excels at picking up dust and dirt. It can even handle pet hair, due to the powerful motor, making it a convenient option for keeping your home as “hair-free” as possible between using your vacuum. We also like the edge brushes for getting close to walls.
In summary, the Gtech SW22 is an impressive cordless carpet sweeper. We love the Gtech AirRam – the company’s cordless vacuum – and the SW22 is built to the same standard. It does a great job of picking up dirt and hair and is convenient to use around the home. It’s relatively pricey, but if you want the best sweeper it’s an excellent option.
- Powerful battery sweeper
- Easy to steer and adjustable handle
- Eco charging system
- Weight: 1.4kg
- Type: Cordless
- Run-Time: 120 minutes
2. Best Manual Carpet Sweeper: Bissell Natural Sweep
The Bissell Natural Sweep is an excellent manual carpet and hard floor sweeper. It’s durable, easy to use, and has excellent pickup.
Bissell has included two rotating brushes with the Natural Sweep. One brush is designed to pickup larger debris, such as cereal, while the other is for fine dust and dirt. Unlike many carpet sweepers, there are also two corner brushes. These help to pull in more dust and dirt and allow you to clean right up to the edge of walls.
The Bissell Natural Sweep is also easy to empty. Dirt, dust, and hair is deposited into two small dirt pans, which can be emptied directly into a bin.
Other features include a durable design, rubber grip for extra comfort, and a design that’s suitable for both carpets and hard floors. A bonus is that it’s made with 100% recycled plastic. Our only complaint is that there’s no height adjustment for the head, but this is a minor issue considering the excellent pickup for a manual sweeper.
The Bissell Natural Sweep is undoubtedly one of the best manual sweepers on the market at the moment. It provides excellent value for money, especially with the combination dual rotating brushes and corner brushes.
- Dual brushes for a more effective clean
- Corner brushes for edge and corner cleaning
- Durable sweeper
- Weight: 1.6kg
- Type: Manual
3. Best Budget Rechargeable Carpet Sweeper: Bissell Supreme Sweep
One of the best rechargeable carpet sweepers is the excellent Bissell Supreme Sweep. It’s a cordless model that’s built with a 4.8V battery, allowing for a generous 45 minutes of run-time. This makes it great for both short and extended cleaning sessions between your regular vacuuming.
The battery-powered brush means that the Supreme Sweep is capable of picking up larger debris with more efficiency. It also has a slim and lightweight design, so it won’t feel a chore to get it out of the cupboard.
Other features include an easy-to-empty dirt container and the ability to clean on rugs, hard floors and carpets. It’s also very reasonably priced.
In summary, the Bissell Supreme Sweep is a great choice if you’re looking for a cordless carpet sweeper that’s an alternative to the Gtech. It has a long battery life, can clean on almost any floor and is built with a lightweight design.
- Cordless sweeper with 4.8V battery
- 45 minute run-time
- Easy-to-empty dust container
- Weight: 1.2kg
- Type: Cordless
- Run-Time: 45 minutes
4. Best Budget Manual Carpet Sweeper: BISSELL 2314E
If you want a cheap manual floor sweeper then the Bissell 2314E is one we can highly recommend. It’s effective at cleaning carpets and also has a lightweight design – so it’s a good all-round option that doesn’t cost much.
One of the great features of the 2314E is that each corner has a small brush. This helps improve edge cleaning (although the brushes are too small to have the same effect as the rotating brushes on the Rotaro S).
Other features include twisted bristles for fine dust particles, the ability to lay flat when cleaning under tables or other furniture, and two dirt containers for extra capacity. As it’s a manual sweeper, you also don’t need to worry about batteries or cords.
The Bissell 2314E is recommended if you need a cheap sweeper for cleaning between vacuuming sessions. While you shouldn’t expect it to dig deep into carpets like a vacuum, it has surprisingly good pickup and is also lightweight and easy to use.
- Lays flat to clean under furniture
- Brushes on each corner
- Two dirt containers
- Weight: 1.4kg
- Type: Manual
Note: The models below are not our top picks in any particular category, but are still excellent sweepers.
5. Ewbank Speed Sweep
If you’re looking for a manual carpet sweeper that doesn’t cost a lot of money, the Ewbank Speed Sweep is one of our favourite options.
It has a 20cm sweeping path, durable design and is great for quickly cleaning under furniture. As it’s a manual sweeper, you don’t need to worry about cords or recharging, so you can use it whenever there’s a mess to clean.
Despite the low price and lack of a motor – the model has an RRP of less than £20 – it has surprisingly good pickup. It even does well with pet hairs, which is great if you want to keep your house clean and tidy between using a vacuum cleaner.
When it comes to manual floor sweepers, you can’t go wrong with the Ewbank. It’s simple, durable and does a great job of picking up dirt and hair. The lack of a motor also means it’s virtually silent. We highly recommend this model.
- Durable casing
- Effective dust and dirt pickup
- Non-marking tyres
- Weight: 0.91kg
- Type: Manual
6. Dustcare Sweeper
Another low-priced carpet and hard floor sweeper is the Dustcare. This is a popular model that’s been highly rated by buyers, yet has an RRP of just £23 (although it’s often available for less than this).
With its durable design and weighing just 1.4kg, the Dustcare is perfect for quick cleaning – especially if you struggle with heavy vacuums. It’s capable of removing dust and dirt from any type of floor and the lack of a cord or battery means it’s always ready to use.
Other features include three rows of brushes for a more thorough clean, a dual bin system and a metal handle. It’s also a relatively cheap carpet sweeper.
The Dustcare Sweeper is a solid model that has great pickup considering the low price. It’s also been highly rated by buyers, who praise its value for money and lightweight design. If you need a floor sweeper for quick jobs but don’t want to pay for a rechargeable model, the Dustcare is an excellent choice.
- Three-brush design
- Suitable for any floor
- Dual bin system
- Weight: 1.4kg
- Type: Manual
7. Beldray LA024855TQ
If you’re looking for a cheap manual carpet sweeper, the Beldray LA024855TQ is one of the best options on the market. It’s not powered by a cable or battery, so it doesn’t have the same suction power as more expensive models, yet it still does a great job of picking up dirt and fine dust. It even comes close to being our “best budget rechargeable sweeper,” but can’t quite match the cleaning power of the Bissell Supreme Sweep.
Even so, this is an excellent sweeper for a great price. It’s designed with two brushes and one row of bristles, which helps remove dirt, hair, crumbs and other debris from carpets. It also has a 1.1 metre removable handle, which is useful if you’re tight on storage space.
As we mentioned, this is a manual carpet sweeper, so it’s important to have realistic expectations. The lack of a cord has advantages though; it’s highly mobile and convenient to use in the home. There are also four smooth rollers to help you clean your carpet quickly and efficiently.
In summary, the Beldray is a budget carpet sweeper that’s great for quick cleans. You don’t need to charge it or use a power cord, so it’s always ready to go. This makes it a great choice for parents with children who have a habit of making mess at regular intervals! It also provides outstanding value.
- One of the cheapest carpet sweepers
- Two brushes and a set of bristles to get rid of more dirt and dust
- Handle can be dismantled
- Weight: 3.2kg
- Type: Manual
8. Ewbank Evo 3
The Ewbank Evo 3 is a manual sweeper that’s great for quick clean-ups. Like the other manual models on this list, it’s never going to match a vacuum when it comes to dust pick-up – but it does a decent job at cleaning small debris on both carpets and hard floors.
While it’s a similar model to the Ewbank Speed Sweep, there are a few important differences. The sweeping path of 24cm is slightly larger and it also has two height settings. The latter feature is useful when moving from hard floors to carpets.
The downside to the larger size and extra features is that it’s heavier than the other Ewbank on this list. We think this is an acceptable trade-off though, as it’s still relatively lightweight at 1.6kg. The Evo 3 is also easy to empty and provides great value for money.
If you’re looking for a manual carpet sweeper with a few extra features compared to basic models, the Evo 3 is an option to consider. It does a great job at picking up dust, dirt and even hair, so it’s a useful tool to have in the home.
- Two height settings
- Swivel-mounted handle
- Tough brushes
- Weight: 1.6kg
- Type: Manual
9. BISSELL Supreme Sweep Turbo
As you might have guessed, the Supreme Sweep Turbo is the bigger brother of the Bissell Supreme Sweep listed earlier. It’s more expensive, but comes with a range of features to justify the price.
The biggest difference is the battery. The Supreme Sweep Turbo comes with a 7.2V battery, which is more powerful than the other Supreme model. It also has a longer run-time – 60 minutes compared to 45 on the regular Supreme.
Other features include edge brushes, to help you clean corners and skirting boards, and a top-loading container for dirt. It’s also suitable for any type of floor.
The Supreme Sweep Turbo hits the middle ground between the most expensive rechargeable models and its little brother the Supreme Sweep. It has a long run-time and decent dust and dirt pickup, yet is still relatively cheap. There are, however, reports of reliability issues with some of the models – although many reviewers have rated it highly.
- More powerful than the Supreme Sweep
- Edge brushes
- 7.2V battery
- Weight: 1.8kg
- Type: Cordless
- Run-time: 60 minutes
Why Should You Buy a Carpet and Hard Floor Sweeper?
We mentioned some of the advantages of floor sweepers in passing. But if you’re still on the fence about whether to buy one, here’s a list of the reasons they can supplement (but not replace) your vacuum cleaner:
- Lightweight and convenient. Getting a heavy vacuum out of the cupboard just to clean up some spilled crisps or patch of pet hair can often seem like a waste of energy. Carpet sweepers are lightweight and easy to use, which reduces the resistance to cleaning up a spill. This also makes them more suitable for elderly people or people with disabilities who may struggle with a heavier vacuum. If you’re tall, make sure you look for a sweeper with a long handle.
- Quiet. A downside to regular vacuums is the noise. Whilst the quietest vacuums might allow you to have a conversation while cleaning, they are still noisy. Manual floor sweepers are almost silent, making them perfect for cleaning while others might be asleep.
- Surprisingly effective. As we mentioned, a sweeper is never going to match a high-quality vacuum when it comes to removing dust, dirt and hair. But they are still surprisingly good at picking up the worst of the debris on your carpet or hard floors between full cleaning sessions.
- Relatively Inexpensive. Sweepers are often considerably less expensive than most vacuums. While the most expensive model on this list costs over £100 (at the time of writing), some of the sweepers are priced at less than £25. This makes them a viable supplement to your regular vacuum cleaner without spending too much money.
Summary
Carpet sweepers can be a useful addition to your home. They are quiet, easy to use and great for cleaning up small messes. Many people also find them useful for maintaining the carpets in a home between weekly vacuuming sessions.
If we had to choose just one sweeper to recommend, it would be the Gtech SW22. It’s much more expensive than the others on this list, but makes up for it with the powerful dust and dirt pickup and long battery life.
For readers who don’t want to spend that much on a sweeper, the Bissell Natural Sweep is our favourite manual model. It’s cheaper than the Gtech, but comes with corner brushes and the ability to pickup both larger debris and fine dust.
Do you have any questions about buying a floor sweeper? Or do you want to give some feedback on the carpet sweepers we’ve listed in this article? Please use the comment form below!
thank for this post. My baby wakes up at the SMALLEST thing so a hoover is out of the question.
Should I get a mnaual sweeper or is the Gtech quiet?
Hi Elly. The GW20 is very quiet in comparison to a vacuum, but it’s not silent. If even a small amount of noise is an issue you might want to go for a manual sweeper. Hope that helps.