The Weed Sweeper is a must-have gardening tool for patios

As much as I love getting busy outside and ticking jobs off my gardening ‘to-do’ list, weeding is the one chore that I’d happily give a miss. Getting rid of all the stubborn weeds growing in and around the gaps on my patio and paths is my absolute least-favourite garden task, so when I heard about the Weed Sweeper from QVC, I was itching to give it a go.

With its old concrete paving slabs, wide pathway and curved brick edging, my patio has endless cracks, crevices and annoying gaps in the grouting, which the weeds seem to love and are more than happy to take root in. And while I’ve tried countless methods for how to remove weeds from a patio, the problem is that they just keep on coming back.

I’m not a big fan of using harsh chemicals in the garden, especially with little ones or pets around, so when it comes to how to get rid of weeds naturally, I usually resort to grabbing a knife or screwdriver and digging the weeds out by hand. But stooping down to reach them or kneeling on hard concrete slabs (more often than not) can be hard-going on the knees and back, so a tool that promises to take on the job without all the effort… well, I’m here for it!

Using the Weed Sweeper

The electric Weed Sweeper works by using a powerful 140W motor that rotates a nylon or wire brush head, which then dislodges any weeds, moss and debris from the gaps in between slabs and paving or along path edges.

The setup of the Weed Sweeper was pretty straightforward, with the pieces slotting together easily. Sizewise, it’s similar to a strimmer with an easy-grip contoured handle and a second smaller handle to give extra leverage. And it’s lighter to hold than many strimmers at just 2.5kg, so easy to manoeuvre and no strain on the shoulders either.

The brush head discs are easy to fit and change using the wrench supplied. The nylon brush head (top) is recommended for lighter vegetation (such as the most common garden weeds) and more delicate surfaces like decks and patios that might be easily scratched; while the wire brush head (bottom) is suggested for tougher weeds and harder surfaces like concrete, paving slabs and driveways (two sets of each brush head are supplied).

Operating the Weed Sweeper was a doddle. The brush head sits on one side of the sweeper, while on the other side, there is a wheel that helps guide it along the line of your paving or pathway. Switch it on and it just whizzes along in a line with the brush head spinning around and dislodging weeds (roots and all) from in between the gaps, literally in seconds, leaving a clear, weed-free line.

Clearing the entire patio of weeds was a super-speedy job – unlike the time-consuming and back-breaking task that it usually is – and it’s weirdly satisfying seeing everything cleared out of the gaps in just seconds.

The wheel makes it easy to guide the weed sweeper along, plus there is a plastic shield guarding the brush head that prevents any debris from flying upwards. I found it easiest to work row-by-row when it came to my slab paving, going horizontally first, then vertically to cover all areas.

I was also impressed by the extra-long 10m cable, meaning that I could plug it straight in without the need for an outdoor extension cable (as with my lawn mower). The safety button feature is another bonus.

I found the nylon brush head worked well on my patio paving, but swapped over to the tougher wire brush when I moved onto the front garden path and pavement. The concrete slabs weren’t a problem at all for it, with the weeds cleared from the path in seconds again.

The last challenge for the weed sweeper was my brother-in-law’s driveway, with how to stop weeds growing in block paving a constant problem there. We found the smaller block paving harder work than clearing weeds from in between larger patio slabs, as there are many more lines (and weeds) and a larger area to cover.

But it achieved a pretty decent result (although it did take longer), and with water consumption a hot topic at the moment, we agreed it offers a low-effort alternative for clearing a driveway or how to clean a patio without a pressure washer.

The verdict? Now that I’ve discovered the Weed Sweeper, I wouldn’t be without it. Clearing my patio and paths of weeds was a job that I really didn’t look forward to doing, but now, if any weeds do appear, I can have the patio cleared in minutes.

Shop these Weed Sweeper alternatives

If the Weed Sweeper isn’t quite what you’re looking for, we have a few alternatives you can shop, including one with a variety of brush attachments.

Will you be investing in a Weed Sweeper? If not, what’s your favourite weeding tool? Let me know in the comments!