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Fall is around the corner, and for many people, that means it's time to break out the trusty old garden rake to take care of all those falling leaves.
The best rake for most people is the Fiskars Leaf Rake with its durable design and ability to grab lots of leaves in one swipe.
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Autumn's coming and leaves will be falling, which means it's time to get that rake ready. I love raking. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that it is my all-time favorite household chore. The reasons why are simple: I get to be outdoors during my favorite season, I get a good workout because raking burns approximately 350-450 calories per hour, and it's a chore with an identifiable beginning and end. (For the very same reasons, I'm passionate about shoveling, too.)
But how do you choose the best rake to handle all those falling leaves and other garden tasks? We've done the research to find the best rakes you can buy for gardening tasks. Here are a few things to think about when you are deciding on which rake to buy, according to Morning Chores and other gardening experts:
Durability: Cheap plastic rakes are meant to be disposable. It's common for them to break up at the end of the season. But a good rake should last decades. That's why you should look for a rake with a hardwood handle, as well as metal tines that are attached with a spring metal hinge.
Handles: Hardwood handles are best because metal handles tend to bend or warp with heavy use, especially over time. Metal is also a valid second option as it will last a lifetime and has very little impact on the environment. However, if you live in a colder climate, you may opt to avoid metal rakes as they can be uncomfortable to handle in colder weather without gloves. I highly suggest avoiding plastic handles. They are typically not re-useable, can become brittle and break, and take thousands of years to decompose.
Tines: Metal tines are important for many reasons. First, unless they become rusted from poor care or storage, they will last you a lifetime or longer. Second, they provide the appropriate amount of flex and strength necessary for leaves, small twigs, and debris. Plastic tines often break under the same pressure or fail to provide enough flexibility to be of use for the gardener.
Comfort: Raking can be taxing on muscles. When it comes to rakes, bigger doesn't mean better. It's important for the rake's dimensions to be comfortable and have good ergonomics for the user. Ideally, each family member should have their own rake. If this isn't doable, finding a lightweight rake with an adjustable handle and perhaps even adjustable tines.
To save you some time and energy, we've rounded up the best rakes you can buy to pick up leaves and perform other garden tasks. Read on to see which rake is best for your needs.
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Durable curved tines, a 24-inch wide head, and an extra-long aluminum handle ensure that the Fiskars Leaf Rake will get your yard cleared up in record time.
The Fiskars Leaf Rake features a patented design with curved tines to more easily grab leaves. The 24-inch wide head also makes it simple to transport large quantities of leaves quickly and easily. The durable resin tines are designed to bend without breaking, so they'll stand up to heavy use year after year.
This tool will not only cut down your raking time, but it's built for comfort, too. The extra-long and durable aluminum handle measures 67 inches to help you avoid back strain. The length and the light weight makes it easy to maneuver without bending or adding extra stress and the teardrop-shaped shaft also provides extra comfort and control.
The Fiskars Leaf Rake comes with a lifetime warranty, so if anything should go wrong, you're covered.
Across the web, professional reviewers and bloggers, including those at Morning Chores and Garden Consumers, continually tout the many benefits of the Fiskars Leaf Rake. — Olivia Abel
Pros: Affordable, durable, specially-patented curved tines pick up more leaves, built for comfort, extra-long handle with cushion, lightweight
Gardenite's rake is a popular lightweight and easy-to-use tool that takes the cake in terms of versatility. Designed to reach smaller areas that are difficult for conventional rakes to access, the 15 flat tine head expands from 7 inches up to 22 inches.
The long 63-inch handle allows you to easily cover more ground quickly. The ¾ inch zinc-plated steel handle is also made to withstand rust.
This rake is not designed for rocks and other heavy materials, though. Gardenite offers a 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee, with a promise to fix any problem you may have with your rake over time.
There are nearly 1,000 user reviews on Amazon who gave this rake a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars. Buyers rave about the quality of the construction, as well as the benefits of the adjustable head. One shopper said that it "does a nice job on small leaves" and "the adjustment is also nice for storage."
Pros: Adjustable tines make reaching small spaces easy, lightweight, durable, rust-resistant handle
Cons: Some users say that it is difficult to adjust the size of the head and that the handle is uncomfortable
The best rake that scoops
The versatile and unique ReLeaf Leaf Scoops combine the tines of a rake and the shape of gardening gloves to help you complete all your fall gardening chores.
Who couldn't use an extra pair of hands? Part rake/part hand scoops, these popular Leaf Scoops get your fall yard work wrapped up quickly and efficiently, whether your leaves and grass are wet or dry. The one-size-fits-all, plastic scoops are excellent for transporting and spreading compost and mulch, too. The closed scoop design keeps small items from slipping out.
The lightweight scoops are easy to store, too — simply fit them together and hang them up. The Leaf Scoops are covered by a "100% Satisfaction Guaranteed Lifetime Guarantee."
The leaf scoops are excellent for transporting and spreading compost and mulch. Sized to fit all yard bags and trash cans, the closed scoop design keeps small items from slipping out. You can use one as a rake to gather stray leaves to stack for easy bagging or mulching.
There are more than 1,200 user reviews on Amazon, most of which are highly positive with an average of 4.7 out of 5 stars. Buyers liked the scoops' ability to cut down on the time it takes to gather leaves, as well as their many other gardening uses. "A simple idea that cuts leaf gathering time in half," one shopper wrote.
"These are the BEST tool for your fall raking season. You can pick up a substantial amount of yard debris in one scoop. They also saved my back from a lot of strain and were very ergonomic," one buyer noted, adding that he has several large oaks and a few pine trees in his yard. "The speed in which I can bag yard waste is significantly increased, and I feel much more efficient," he wrote.
Measuring 27 inches in length, the Toysmith Kid's Metal Leaf Rake is the ideal tool to turn your kids on to the great outdoors and to get them involved in family activities. The lightweight rake weighs in at just 5.6 ounces, so it's the perfect size for young helpers. Meanwhile, its fluorescent green color is easy to find when your child leaves it among the leaves. It's also easy to hang up and store, thanks to the loop at the end of the wooden handle.
There are more than 130 buyer reviews on Amazon, with an impressive average of 4.2 out of 5 stars. Many buyers say that their kids love it, and it works well, but that the manufacturer recommended age of 5 and up is a little off. They claim that it is better for children in the 2 to 5 range. "Great for the Little Helpers," wrote on verified purchaser on December 13, 2016. "Perfect for the 2 and the 4-year old. Works for snow too!" — Olivia Abel
Pros: Lightweight, colorful, easy to maneuver and to store
Cons: Users claim the rake is best for children five and under despite the manufacturer's claim that it for kids five and older
The best bow rake
If you're doing more than just moving leaves around, you may want something a bit more heavy duty, like the Bully Tools Bow Rake.
There are rakes and then there are bow rakes, and the latter are for jobs that the former just can't do. The bow rake from Bully Tools is perfect for tasks that are just a bit more labor intensive than, say, clearing your front lawn of the first leaves of the fall. If you're looking to do some slightly more serious landscaping — say spreading mulch or moving small rocks — then the this rake is ideal.
There are 16 tines on the end of this rake, and they're shorter but much thicker than the tines you might find on a traditional leaf rake. Because it's level-headed, it's better suited for moving around heavier materials.
Made of commercial-grade steel, there's not much that this rake can't handle. The head is actually welded to the handle so you won't have any problems with separation. That said, the rake is still relatively lightweight, coming in at just over three pounds.
The handle is made of reinforced fiberglass so it's solid and easy on your hands, and at 54 inches, it's long enough to keep you from constantly bending over and putting undue strain on your back. Plus, Bully Tools actually offers a lifetime warranty behind all its products, and this particular bow rake is made entirely in the US.
Customers on Amazon certainly seem quite taken with the product, with many describing it as "rock solid." On average, the rake gets a 4.4 out of five-star rating from the digital community. Sure, this rake may be a bit too unwieldy for your casual leaf raking jobs, or a bit too heavy to use for extended periods of time, but if you have a bigger job that requires something a bit sturdier than what you'd find in most tool sheds, then this is definitely a rake to consider. — Lulu Chang
Pros: Well made, head is welded to the handle, great for heavier duty tasks, lifetime warranty
Cons: Slightly heavier than most rakes, on the pricier end of things
The best small rake
If you're looking for an inexpensive rake that will get the job done every time, look no further than the Corona RK 62060 Fixed Shrub Rake.
There are 11 tines on this rake, each of which measure eight inches in length. The head is made of tempered steel and lightweight aluminum, which means that the Corona Clipper will last you more than enough time.
Each of the tines are actually surprisingly wide, which allows you to clear more area in less time. And because the rake itself is extremely light (it's just 11.2 ounces), it won't put any undue pressure on the surface you're raking. So if you're looking to protect moss or save any shrubs and plants, you can rest easy knowing that this delicate rake will get rid of the detritus you don't want, while keeping alive the life you do want.
While some rakes seem to be more effective in their middles than on their sides, this is not the case with the Corona Clipper. Because its bow is bi-curved, you'll find that you're able to apply even pressure across the entire surface area you're working with.
Perhaps my favorite element of the rake is its handle. Not only is it made of lightweight aluminum, but it's actually covered with an anti-slip vinyl sleeve. It's not only comfortable on your hands even during long projects, but will also stay put even if you find yourself getting sweaty. The handle is 54 inches long, which should be long enough to help prevent any lower back aches and pains.
And despite all these bells and whistles, the Corona Clipper is the cheapest rake on our list, coming in at just $20. Really, you might as well stock up.
The Spruce calls this rake the best one to buy in 2018, and once you've used it, you won't question why. Nearly 300 customers on Amazon have given this rake a 4.3 out of 5 star rating, and that's because this rake is not only cost-effective, but effective at getting stuff done. — Lulu Chang
Pros: Extremely affordable, lightweight, durable, makes quick work of raking
Cons: Customers have complained about the large label that doesn't easily come off