As I sit at my desk writing these words, I find myself, yet again, shrouded in near-dark as dark grey clouds gather once more to blot out any signs of the sun, while cold, hard rain batters relentlessly against the windowpane, like some deranged dampire (a damp vampire) desperate to get inside.
But even if it did suddenly rear its tardy seasonal face now, therein lies another problem – the weather has been so remorselessly naff over the last month or so that the grass in gardens has grown wildly out of control and has been so well watered that it’ll take, at a conservative estimate, umpteen weeks of 24-hour sunshine before you can sit without the very real risk of a wet bum. But, hey, that’s nature for you.
Art of the Matter
Now, there is a way around that. You could have “grass” that never grows, so never needs cutting and, yes, dries to a non-bottom bothering degree after a downfall far faster. I speak, of course, of the divisive alternative that is artificial turf.
Made of synthetic fibres that ape the look of natural grass, but more durable and requiring no irrigation or cutting, yes, I’m well aware that artificial grass is no good for birds, insects or the soil beneath, but its growth (as it were) in popularity for domestic use is undeniable.
So, other than the issues outlined briefly above, what are the downsides of artificial grass? Well, firstly, during prolonged periods of blazing sun, it can get too hot; so not something we have to worry about in the UK.
And, secondly, just like real grass, all manner of fallen tumble-nature, such as leaves and twigs, can get caught up in it, meaning that unless you’re a fan of lower back pain you’re going to need some specialist tools to get your toy turf looking spick and span again.
Following a recent house move, I find myself suddenly armed with a garden of artificial grass, putting me in the perfect position to play with all the powered tools for those essential turf tidying tasks. Fingers crossed, springter (spring/winter hybrid) can’t last much longer, so prep the Pimms, bag a power brush and get set for what soon should be summer…
Best artificial grass brushes at a glance
- Best for making a clean sweep: VonHaus 1800W Artificial Grass Brush - £160, VonHaus
- Best for single-handed success: Forever Green Lawns Brush & Collect Pro+ - £140, B&Q
- Best for edge-to-edge efficiency: Turfmatic 600 Artificial Grass Power Broom - £219, Amazon
- Best for a rapid turf turnaround: Turfmatic 380 Artificial Grass Sweeper 2 in 1 - £219, Amazon
- Best for tether-free toy turf tending: Hyundai HY2197 - £290, Amazon
See the full reviews below
VonHaus 1800W Artificial Grass Brush
Best for: Making a clean sweep
Looks like a lawnmower, acts like a vac, this is the 1800W Artificial Grass Brush from VonHaus, a powerful (all in the name) electric whatnot for your bogus garden blades that utilises a rapidly spinning brush to scoop up any and all debris from deep within your synthetic sod, depositing it safely away in it rear-slung 45-litre collection bag.
Light at just 13.5kg, thanks to plastic, copper, steel, and aluminium construction, the VonHaus is easy to manoeuvre around and features five adjustable heights to suit astroturf covering all terrains, while that mighty 1800W motor does the business so that you don’t have to.
Not only does it serve to sweep away nature’s scrap, but the VonHaus also restores the lustre to your lawn and, if such effects float your garden-going boat, even lets you create those slick stripey patterns you see on TV.
Coming complete with a spare brush to keep you in care-free cleaning for years to come, once the job is done and your artificial grass is clean and green, the VonHaus simply folds away for small-footprint storage in the shed and your garden’s good to go.
- Power: 1800W
- Working heights: 5
- Dimensions: 105 x 57.5 x 107cm (HxWxD)
- Weight: 13.5kg
Buy now £160.00, VonHaus
Forever Green Lawns Brush & Collect Pro+
Best for: Single-handed success
Not everyone has two hands – fact. Not everyone who has two hands can be bothered to use them both simultaneously – slightly less of a fact. So, imagine the convenience of a powered art turf brush that only requires the use of one upper torso appendage to operate. Now stop imagining and behold the Brush & Collect Pro+ from Forever Green Lawns.
Yes, a 1500W brush and collect beast that can be controlled with the greatest of ease using just one hand, thanks to its unique swing arm motion allowing you to glide it effortlessly across your artificial thatch, utilising its ‘Deep Cleansing Technology’ across four height steps to render your plastic plot as good as new.
Featuring a 10m power cable and a 25-litre collection bag, the lawn-ruining likes of debris, leaves, acorns, twigs, and pine needles are swept away in an instant, giving important extra minutes to bask in the glory of your garden before the next tsunami of summer sweeps in.
- Power: 1500W
- Working heights: 4
- Dimensions: 56 x 32 x 47cm (HxWxD)
- Weight: 9kg
Buy now £140.00, B&Q
Turfmatic 600 Artificial Grass Power Broom
Best for: Edge-to-edge efficiency
The first of two Turfmatics I’ve turned to for this look at faux grass grooming, the 600 is quite the different animal to those I’ve looked at already due mainly to the fact that it doesn’t feature a collection bin, instead operating like an electric broom, using its powerful 1500W motor to sweep all that ails the look of your artificial areas out of the way, into a convenient corner for shovelling up and disposing of in whatever eco-friendly way you see fit.
With a 10m power cable, most areas should prove accessible, while its 18kg weight makes it easy to manoeuvre, while the edge-to-edge brush makes sure you don’t miss a single patch.
A quick and simple solution to sorting your pseudo sward that just so happens to be currently cut significantly down in price from the best part of £400 to just £195 in the Turfmatic sale, there’s never been a better time to bust out the Broom.
- Power: 1500W
- Working heights: 1
- Dimensions: 63 × 40 x 53cm (HxWxD)
- Weight: 18kg
Buy now £219.00, Amazon
Turfmatic 380 Artificial Grass Sweeper 2 in 1
Best for: A rapid turf turnaround
Number two from Turfmatic and another absolute bargain waiting to be snapped up, the 380 does the lot. Got troublesome twigs, lodged leaves and even weeds winding around your hallowed turf? Not a problem, as the 360 will root them out, rip them up and dump them in its 45-litre capacity collection basket, while simultaneously lifting any flattened areas with its Astrospiral Nylon brush head, returning the whole artificial area to its original glory.
Featuring an almighty 1800W motor and capable of being set to five different heights to deal with all types of synthetic turf, the Turfmatic 360 is all any artificial garden could ever need.
- Power: 1800W
- Working heights: 5
- Dimensions: 60 × 35 x 45cm (HxWxD)
- Weight: 14.8kg
Buy now £219.02, Amazon
Hyundai HY2197
Best for: Tether-free toy turf tending
For those with larger expanses of astro, perhaps too expansive when it comes to power points, or simply those who have a terrible fear of getting tangled up in electrical leads, wire-free variations of powered astro grass brushes are mercifully available. And by ‘variations’, I mean the HY2197 performance powerhouse from Hyundai.
Boasting twin rechargeable 20V Li-ion batteries, you can reach those areas that wired options perhaps can’t, while its ludicrously powerful 3000W brushless motor and 45-litre collection basket ensure that every last leaf, twig, loose bit of soil, or vague memory of an acorn is scooped up from any type of artificial grass, no matter how deeply entrenched, with the greatest of ease.
Adjustable to five different heights, the Hyundai is easy to operate, light enough to whizz around without putting your back out, and as the motor that drives it is brushless there’ll be less wear and tear, so it’ll enjoy much more longevity than brushed variations.
An absolute no-nonsense approach to cleaning and rejuvenating artificial grass of all flavours, the Hyundai HY2197 is nothing less than false-horticulturally hardcore.
- Power: 3000W
- Working heights: 5
- Dimensions: 117 x 58 x 112cm (HxWxD)
- Weight: 12.5kg
Buy now £289.99, Amazon
Verdict
Without wishing to state the obvious, if your garden is now home to some form of artificial grass, you’re going to need one of two things: a standard, manual push-brush or a high-powered brush, the latter of the two being the coolest.
As to which of the above I’d recommend, equally obviously, that all depends on your type of turf and the size of the area involved. For me and my newly acquired astro patch, I found the VonHaus the perfect ménage à trois of power, performance and price to rid me and my lie-lawn of Mother Nature’s rubbish. And although the sun is a rarity, I for one am fully brushed up and ready for the British summer. Wait, is that hail?
