For work in the garden, a rake for lawns is an essential tool. When choosing a rake for lawns, you should pay attention not only to their type and features, but also to the quality of materials from which the product is made.
Looking for a rake for lawns? We can help you choose the right leaf rake. We will tell you about the features and tips on the proper use of rakes for the lawn. Furthermore, we have also collected the best rakes for lawns and rated them based on customer feedback.
What is a rake for the lawn?
Rake for lawns removes leaves or other objects with a series of tines (or springs) that plunge into the grass and pull the leaves to the surface, where they can be collected and disposed of. In addition, the lawn rake is used for scarifying or when making hay.
The most durable are considered wooden and plastic products; the most durable – are galvanized and steel rakes. Iron tools, which are now the most common, will of course serve well for the first time, but they have their drawbacks.
In a nutshell
- A leaf rake is a useful tool in the garden for clearing leaves or other objects on your lawn and removing them afterward.
- There are 3 different types of lawn rakes, which can be categorized as follows: wood lawn rakes, plastic lawn rakes, stainless steel lawn rakes, and electric lawn rakes.
- Important that the length and width of the rake match your height and strength. Larger and wider rakes require more power than smaller, narrower models.
Best Choice – Fiskars Ergo Aluminum Garden Rake
Features:
- 60″ Hardwood Handle.
- Number of Tines: 14.
- Teardrop-shaped shaft for exceptional comfort and control.
What types of Rake for Lawn are Available and Which One is Right for You?
When buying a lawn rake, you have four options to choose from:
- Wooden lawn rakes.
- Plastic lawn rakes.
- Stainless steel lawn rakes.
- Electric lawn rakes.
Best Adjustable Rake for Lawn
TABOR TOOLS Lawn Rake
Features:
- For quickly clean leaves, grass clippings, and small debris off your lawn
- Rake’s teeth extend from 8″ to 23″ wide and lock in any position in between
Best Extra Long Lawn Rake Handle
Yangbaga 63” Lawn Rake
Features:
- Adjustable height and 25 tines.
- The total length of the rake can be adjusted to three different sizes: 38”, 51” and 63”.
Best for Loosening Soil
COCONUT Lawn Rake
Features:
- 14-Tine Head.
- The stainless steel handle of the yard rake is made up of a multi-section rod, you could adjustable.
Best Screening Rake for Lawn Care
Extreme Max Commercial-Grade Lawn Rake
Features:
- Head: 36″, handle: 66″.
- Tooth design traps debris but leaves grass and sand behind.
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Rake for Lawn Buying Criteria
Next, we’ll show you what aspects you can use to choose between the many possible lawn rakes.
Criteria you can use to compare different lawn rakes include:
- Material.
- Width.
- Number and size of tines.
- Handle.
In the following paragraphs, we will explain what the individual criteria are.
More info: Rake: what are there, what are they made of, and how to choose?
Material
Dethatching rakes are generally made from the following materials:
- Wood
- Plastic
- Stainless steel
Depending on the characteristics you expect from the material from which the rake for lawn is made, you should choose the appropriate rake.
What distinguishes a wooden lawn rake, and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
A wooden lawn rake is not common on the market and the supply is very small. Probably, this is also the reason why wooden rakes are expensive. In addition, wooden rakes are partly made by hand. This also pushes the price up, but it is also a quality feature.
Advantages | Disadvantages |
Drives through dense lawns without problems | Low supply |
Natural material | High price |
Usually made by hand | Sensitive to external influences |
High quality |
Most designs have a large distance between the individual tines. As a result, the rake does not get stuck in the lawn so easily. Wooden rakes are therefore especially suitable if you have a very dense and overgrown lawn. One problem with wood is that without the right coating, it is sensitive to external influences. Thus, you may not be able to leave any wooden lawn rake in the garden without concern.
What distinguishes a plastic lawn rake, and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
Lawn rakes made of plastic have a relatively low price because plastic is cheap to produce. This type of lawn rake impresses with its lightweight. Thus, the work in the garden will be more pleasant and easier for you.
In addition, plastic is very flexible and soft, which means that you will not get stuck on your lawn so often. Another great advantage of plastic is that it can be shaped in any way. For example, this allows you to give the tines a curvature, which can be helpful when dethatching or collecting leaves.
Advantages | Disadvantages |
Easy | Production may not be environmentally friendly |
Moldability | Danger of cheap products |
Flexible | |
Inexpensive |
On the other hand, a major disadvantage of plastic is its production, which is not always environmentally friendly. There is also a risk of “cheap products” in plastics. These are poorly processed and have low quality, which makes them easily broken.
What distinguishes a stainless steel lawn rake and what are its advantages and disadvantages.
Stainless steel lawn rakes are the most common on the market. They are slightly more expensive than those made of wood or plastic, but the material used is also of higher quality. Stainless steel is very strong and sturdy, which allows you to remove even the most stubborn weeds. Furthermore, it is a very durable material, as it is insensitive to external influences and is considered virtually indestructible.
Advantages | Disadvantages |
Very robust and stable | Expensive |
Durable | Not flexible |
Rust protection | Higher weight |
One disadvantage of stainless steel is that the lawn rakes bring a lot of weight. This makes working with the rake more strenuous, and you have to use more force. Also, the tines are not as flexible and soft as plastic. However, this can be both disadvantageous and advantageous, depending on the condition of your lawn and the rake’s intended use. For example, a slightly harder rake is desirable for dethatching, while a soft and flexible lawn rake makes more sense for collecting leaves in a manicured lawn that is free of moss.
What distinguishes an electric lawn rake and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
Electric lawn rakes are large devices that resemble commercial lawnmowers. They are electrically powered, but there are also models that run on gasoline.
The key here is that these devices are usually only suitable for scarifying, which is why they are often just called scarifiers. For picking up leaves or other tasks of the typical manual lawn rake, the electric lawn rake is not to be used.
Advantages | Disadvantages |
Easy to operate | Very expensive |
Gentle on the body | Enormous size |
Optimal for scarifying | Unhandy |
No leaf collection is possible |
For this, it is the most pleasant way for your own body to scarify the lawn. It requires little physical effort, is easy to use, and scarifies your lawn optimally. This is offset by a very high price and the enormous size of the scarifier. It is also much more cumbersome than a normal lawn rake.
Width
Lawn rakes vary in width from 8″ to 36″. The wider the rake, the more material you need to use and the heavier the rake. This automatically makes it more bulky. The wider the rake, the more material you need to use and the heavier the rake. This automatically makes it more bulky.
Also, wider lawn rakes require more physical effort to move through the grass.
So when buying, make sure that the width of the rake matches your height and strength. Therefore, lawn rakes with a slightly smaller width are recommended for people who are small in stature. The advantage of a wide rake is that it covers a larger area. This means that you can work a lot more lawn in less time than with a narrower model.
So a wide rake is desirable if you have a large garden and don’t want to spend a lot of time gardening. The shape of your garden should not be neglected. If there are narrow corners that the wide rake cannot reach, it is worth buying the narrower model.
Number and size of tines
The number and size of tines can vary greatly. There are rakes with 14 tines and ones with 30 tines.
Of course, the number of tines must always be seen in relation to the width of the lawn rake. As a rule of thumb, however, the higher the number of tines, the closer they are to each other and the better you can pick up small objects in your lawn. However, the closer the tines are to each other and the bigger they are, the harder it will be for you to get the rake through a heavily overgrown and dense lawn.
In such cases, a rake with fewer tines and wider teeth is better suited.
So take a look at your lawn and its condition and decide how many tines your rake needs.
Handle
The main thing to consider when choosing a rake handle is its length. This is usually between 18″ (handheld leaf rakes) and 72″ .
A shorter handle is recommended for people who are not tall, as it is easier for them to use it. Taller people can buy a longer rake. It is best to hold the rake in your hands before buying it. You will immediately notice if it sits comfortably in your hand and if it is too long or short.
So if you are only looking for a new “end item”, cheaper offers without a handle will be optimal for you. However, if you are looking for a complete lawn rake, including the handle, note that in the product description.
Best Brands of Lawn Rakes
- Fiskars;
- TABOR TOOLS;
- COCONUT.
Lawn Rakes Price:
Rake for Lawns under $100:
- Extreme Max Commercial-Grade Lawn Rake.
Rake for lawns under $50:
- Fiskars Ergo Aluminum Garden Rake.
Rake for lawns under $30:
- Yangbaga 63” Lawn Rake;
- COCONUT Lawn Rake;
- TABOR TOOLS Lawn Rake.
FAQ
What is the difference between a lawn rake and a leaf rake?
Leaf rakes are sometimes referred to as lawn rakes or fan rakes. However, they differ from lawn rakes because they have plastic tines which are only designed to move leaves, grass clippings, and other very lightweight materials.
Is raking good for your lawn?
While a few leaves here or there might not hurt anything, a thick layer of autumn leaves can become damp and soggy. This can block sun and air circulation from the lawn, increasing the risk of fungal diseases.
Is a metal or plastic rake better for leaves?
Both metal and plastic rakes will expedite leaf raking, but metal usually lasts longer. However, the new polyresin used in many of today’s plastic-type rakes is more durable than the plastic of yesteryear.