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Windfall apple collector

Updated: 21.10.2026

A September lawn under a Bramley or a crab-apple tree is a different problem from an oak. The fruit is larger, and some of it has already gone soft. A windfall apple collector that works in that garden is a wider wire cage, used on fruit that is still firm enough to roll, with a handle that is actually in the box or already in the shed. The [nut collector comparison](/hub/garden-tools/nut-collector) is the full table. This page stays on apples, crab apples, and conkers. Prices are amazon.co.uk figures from the 20 October 2026 check. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The cage does not keep fruit edible.

A September lawn under a Bramley or a crab-apple tree is a different problem from an oak. The fruit is larger, and some of it has already gone soft.

Our top picks

zozen zozen large nut gatherer

Best overall

zozen zozen large nut gatherer
8.4/10about £36.99
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WOLF-Garten WOLF-Garten FC-M fruit collector

Alternative

WOLF-Garten WOLF-Garten FC-M fruit collector
7.8/10about £69.99
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LEJIEYIN LEJIEYIN medium nut gatherer

Best value

LEJIEYIN LEJIEYIN medium nut gatherer
8.1/10about £25.99
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On this page
  1. 1.Firm fruit versus mush
  2. 2.A roller that lists a wider band
  3. 3.The WOLF-Garten head
  4. 4.Conkers on the lawn
  5. 5.After the bucket is full

Firm fruit versus mush

UK reviews in this set succeed on crab apples and small apples while the fruit is still firm, and they fall away once the fruit is soft. On the zozen medium, reviewers say crab apples work until they go soft. On the zozen large, reviewers name small apples, some mushy crabs, and greengages. A Belgian review on the FC-M file, not a UK review, says the head is not for rotting fruit. Kick or rake the collapsed fruit into a separate trug, and roll what still holds a shape. Under about 4 cm can still be the medium cage, 2.5–6.5 cm is the large zozen’s band, and 3.5–10 cm is the FC-M. The buying guide keeps the full order of questions.

A roller that lists a wider band

The zozen large, B0BGSQNKSQ at £36.99, states 2.5–6.5 cm, about 5.7 litres, a side opening, and an aluminium pole to 139 cm. The star line is 4.4 from 385 reviews, and the blocks checked are labelled United Kingdom. Reviewers describe apples, greengages, small pine cones, and golf balls. A reviewer at 5 ft 9 in found the handle long enough. For fruit inside 6.5 cm, this is the roller that names the job and includes a pole in the description. UK reviews say the wires bend with apple use and do not spring back, and that the cage popped out of the end mounts. One apple review marked the side opening down.
zozen zozen large nut gatherer

Testsieger

zozen zozen large nut gatherer
8.4/10about £36.99
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The WOLF-Garten head

The FC-M, B086Z9Y4FP at £69.99, states 3.5–10 cm and a 30 cm working width. The star line is 4.4 from 314 reviews. UK blocks are about windfall apples without bending. Really small apples are missed, which is the trade for a gap that starts at 3.5 cm. A Netherlands review says acorns and chestnuts fell out. The how to use page covers the roll. The included line says hanger and basket, and UK reviews say the frame or adaptor was missing. The Amazon material cell says Kunststoff, while the bullets describe a wire basket and replaceable wires. Those are two lines, not one material.

Conkers on the lawn

Horse chestnuts drop each autumn. The Woodland Trust’s account is to take ripe conkers from the ground, and to leave the cases that are still on the tree. Cases on a pavement are a slip hazard. A roller belongs on conkers that have already left the case, not as a tool for knocking branches. A small conker can sit in the 2–4 cm band. A large one needs the 2.5–6.5 cm zozen large, or the FC-M if you already have the handle and the conker is inside 10 cm. LEJIEYIN’s UK reviews mention conkers, at £25.99, with sticks in the wires and nuts flung out. If they are acorn-sized, you are on the acorn page. The spiky cases are a rake job. They jam wires.

After the bucket is full

Sound apples you picked by hand can be cooked. Fruit that went through the wires is a lower grade: bruised, mixed with leaves, sometimes already wasp-damaged. Use it soon, or compost the softest of it. The RHS note on leafmould is about leaves, not nuts. If you are throwing the crop away, GOV.UK’s garden-waste page is the starting point. Many councils charge for a garden bin, and food scraps are not always accepted in it. Do not put fermenting apples in the general recycling, and do not leave cases on the pavement. A roller does not collect fruit still on the tree.

Common questions

Will a nut roller pick up apples?
Yes, if the apple is inside the stated gap and still firm enough to roll. In this set the zozen large lists 2.5–6.5 cm and has UK reviews on apples and greengages. The FC-M lists 3.5–10 cm and has UK reviews on windfall apples, without a handle in the box. The 2–4 cm zozen medium is for firm crabs inside that band, not for cookers.
What about crab apples that have gone soft?
UK reviews on the zozen medium say they work until the fruit goes soft. Pressing a soft crab lodges it in the wires. Rake or pick the mush into a separate bucket and roll what still holds its shape. A Belgian review on the FC-M file, not a UK rate, says the head is not for rotting fruit.
Do I need the 3.5–10 cm head for conkers?
Only for conkers that are actually that big, and only if you have a Multi-Star handle. Small conkers fit a 2–4 cm cage. The FC-M’s minimum is 3.5 cm, and a Netherlands review says chestnuts fell out. Measure before you spend £69.99 on the head.
Does the FC-M come with a handle?
The included-components line says hanger and basket. It does not list a handle. UK reviews say the frame or adaptor was missing. A separate ZM 140 handle was £15.99 at a UK dealer in this check. Budget the handle, or skip the head.
Will it bruise fruit I want to eat?
Assume it will. Wires and a drop into a basket mark skins. Pick by hand the fruit you want to eat or cook this week, and use the roller to clear the rest of the lawn. Nothing in these reviews is a claim that rolled apples stay graded fruit.

Related pages

Best nut gatherer

Nut collector

Acorn picker upper UK: the wire gap, husks and rake

Nut collector buying guide: gap, pole and emptying

How to use a nut collector: pressure, grass, empty

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars, and review counts are from amazon.co.uk on 20 October 2026.

  1. GOV.UK — General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (Great Britain) (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  2. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 22 (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  3. Citizens Advice — Return faulty goods (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  4. Which? — What to do if you have a faulty product (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  5. Woodland Trust — When are conkers ready? (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  6. WOLF-Garten — FC-M fruit collector (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  7. Nut Wizard — FAQ (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  8. HSE — Good handling technique (retrieved 20.10.2026)