The 13 Best Leaf Rakes of 2024

Hooyman Forged Bow Rake collaged on a beige background — Better Homes & Gardens / Goutam Barigali

Whether your lawn is full of autumn leaves or you find yourself cleaning up fallen sticks after a storm, a great leaf rake is the answer to a well-maintained yard. When choosing a leaf rake, there are two qualities that stand out above all others: how well it rakes and its durability.

The best leaf rakes come in many designs. A number of leaf rakes feature traditional metal tines supported with a coil spring and a wooden handle. Others employ wider plastic tines to grab and draw more leaves at a time, making it easy to spread leaves across more ground or grab and draw mounds of wet leaves. Some leaf rakes use a thinner build or employ a staggered, dual-tine system to help maneuver between the shrubs.

Steve Windham, landscape designer and founder of Root & Branch Gardens in Greensboro, North Carolina, suggests looking for a rake that’s “sturdy and well built.” He recommends a “rake with metal leaf tines that are kind of springy and heavy-duty,” with which you can “use a little finesse to get debris out of natural areas and go in between plants.”

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Bully Tools Leaf and Thatching Rake at Amazon ($58)

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Best Budget:

Jardineer Adjustable Garden Rake Leaf at Amazon ($27)

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Best Heavy-Duty:

Hooyman Forged Bow Rake at Amazon ($48)

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Best Extra Wide:

Bully Tools Poly Leaf Rake at Amazon ($41)

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Best Lightweight:

TRG Inc Groundskeeper II Rake at Amazon ($46)

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Best Adjustable:

Gardena Metal Fan Rake Head at Amazon ($30)

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Best Leaf Scoops:

Mekkapro Leaf Scoops at Amazon ($30)

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Best Dual Tine:

True Temper Dual Tine Poly Leaf Rake at Amazon ($83)

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Best for Pools:

U.S. Pool Supply Swimming Pool Leaf Skimmer Rake at Amazon ($30)

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Best Bamboo:

Bond Bamboo Leaf Rake at Dkhardware.com (See Price)

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Best Overall

Bully Tools 24-Tine Leaf and Thatching Rake with Fiberglass Handle

The Home Depot

View On Amazon $58 View On Walmart $58 View On Home Depot $50

Why You Should Get It

This heavy-duty leaf rake has a strong, durable fiberglass handle and tempered US steel tines with a rust-resistant coating that combines power and dexterity.

Keep in Mind

Some people find it a little heavy.

When you’re looking for a heavy-duty leaf rake that will last for years and can be safely used on your lawn without damaging grass, it doesn’t get much better than the Bully Tools 24-Tine Leaf and Thatching Rake. This powerful thatching rake sweeps through grass and is strong enough to handle sticks, thick clumps of pine needles, and wet leaves. It’s a rake that also has the dexterity to detail your lawn as well as enough power to clear out thick fallen plant matter from forested areas.

Although it is on the pricier end of the rake spectrum, this price is justified by the rake’s premium materials and construction. It uses tempered US steel for a 24-tine head that’s finished with a rust-resistant powder coating. The 16-inch-long tines that spread to 22 inches wide do an efficient job of grabbing leaves. With a 49-inch handle, the rake’s overall length is just over 66 inches. Coated with a polyester water-resistant finish, the fiberglass handle sports a comfortable rubber grip to help reduce fatigue during prolonged use.

Bully Tools brand offers a limited lifetime warranty. Buy it for autumn leaves, and we think you’ll find yourself using it to move mulch next spring, clear fallen sticks after a summer thunderstorm, and rake leaves year after year.

Best Budget

Jardineer-63-inch-adjustable-garden-rake-leaf

Amazon

View On Amazon $27 View On Walmart $23

Why You Should Get It

The expandable metal head offers functional versatility, allowing the rake to fit in tight spaces and cover wide surface areas. Plus, the telescoping handle can be lengthened or shortened to match your body’s needs.

Keep in Mind

Its thin tines make it unsuitable for heavy-duty raking.

When we think of a budget pick, we don’t usually expect bonus versatility, but the Jardineer 63” Leaf Rake is a rake that’s full of surprises.

This lightweight metal rake features a set of steel tines that easily splay from 7 inches to 23 inches, condensing in size to fit in smaller places and expanding to cover more ground. These tines are supported with a 1-inch thick telescoping aluminum handle that extends from 32 inches to 63 inches, which makes it suitable for users of various heights and builds, from a child to a full-size adult. With such versatility, the Jardineer is ready for many different garden tasks and can be a few categories of rake in one, eliminating the need to purchase a separate rake for those tight spaces around shrubs.

The only thing the Jardineer doesn’t do well is heavy-duty raking. This rake is not suitable for moving mulch, rocks, or thick, wet deposits of leaf material. However, if you’re looking for a rake that has features enough for the whole family and still delivers at a budget price point, then the Jardineer is the best leaf rake for the job.

Best Heavy-Duty

Amazon

View On Amazon $48 View On Hooyman.com

Why You Should Get It

It’s a great rake to have on hand for heavy-duty projects like breaking up thickly clumped piles.

Keep in Mind

Due to its weight, this rake may be fatiguing to use for raking fallen leaves.

While bow rakes generally fall into a different category from true leaf rakes, they’re still worth considering when you’re looking for something truly heavy-duty. Designed for spreading mulch and gravel, ripping at vines, and more, this Hooeyman Forged Bow Rake is a powerful rake for your arsenal. For leaves, use it to break into thickly clumped piles of decomposing leaves that would warp your lightweight rake’s tines, rake up fallen leaves and branches after a storm, or clear the decomposing pine carpet from one part of your yard and move it to your garden.

Unlike true leaf rakes, the Hooyman bow rake weighs in at 4.8 pounds for exerting force on denser substances. Against freshly fallen leaves, the heavy steel tines will feel unbalanced and require more effort than a thin-tined leaf rake would.

This bow rake has a 65-inch fiberglass handle with a rubberized grip that is easy to hold in dry and wet conditions. Its 16-inch wide head is built with 1050 high carbon steel. It is further protected with a limited lifetime warranty.

Best Extra Wide

Amazon

View On Amazon $41 View On Walmart $41 View On Tractor Supply Co. $45

Why You Should Get It

The heavy-grade polypropylene head and a super-tough fiberglass handle live up to the Bully Tool's name, and it comes with a limited lifetime guarantee.

Keep in Mind

Taller people may have to bend for all the tines to make contact with the leaves due to the leaf rake’s curved design, and the plastic rake heads can become brittle when left in the sun for long periods.

A true leaf bully, the Bully Tools Law/Leaf Rake is a powerfully built plastic-headed leaf rake that gives poly tines the longevity you’d expect out of traditional steel-headed rakes. With an extra-wide 30-inch head, this huge rake does a great job of pulling in heaps of leaves.

Generally, steel tine rakes are known for lasting longer than plastic rakes; however, this Bully Tools leaf rake flips that narrative. Weighing in at 3.4 pounds this rake uses a 50-inch fiberglass handle that’s perfectly finished with a polyester veil to remain comfortable in all weather and to prevent splinters. The thick polypropylene tines are supported with a wide crossbeam, while each tine features a vertical ridge meant to provide an extra dimension of support. While this polypropylene head is certainly built to last, it is still a smart idea to store your rake head out of direct sunlight to keep it from growing brittle from exposure.

The one downside of this rake’s curved design is that taller people will find that without bending only the central plastic tines directly make contact with the leaves. Still, you can work around this. If you’re looking for an extra-large, sturdy rake for huge sweeps, then this is the best leaf rake for you.

Best Lightweight

Amazon

View On Amazon $46 View On Acmetools.com

Why You Should Get It

This is an extra-lightweight rake with spring tines, a strong plastic head, and a fiberglass handle designed for thatching leaves from grass.

Keep in Mind

Pine needles could be problematic for ultra-thin tines.

The TRG Inc 21-Inch Groundskeeper II rake has the thinnest tines of any leaf rake on our list.

Connected through a multi-polymer head, the TRG steel tines use an innovative coil for a springiness that you’ll appreciate stroke after stroke. This springiness also helps the wiry tines grab broad leaves and pull them to you en masse. With a flip and a simple stroke, leaf matter slides right off the metal tines and falls to the ground, self-cleaning with little effort.

While the fiberglass construction makes this rake inherently light at 2 pounds, its lightness doesn’t detract from its solid build. The 55-inch handle and 21-inch-wide poly head hold up use after use. The tines may occasionally need adjusting or replacing, but thankfully, they are easy to procure. Because of this, we think that this is the best leaf rake for thatching and lightweight leaf raking jobs.

Best Adjustable

Gardena 3103 Combisystem 12-Inch To 20-Inch Adjustable Metal Fan Rake Head

Amazon

View On Amazon $30 View On Kmart.com View On Sears.com

Why You Should Get It

The adjustable head for the Gardena combo system gives you customization when raking.

Keep in Mind

You’ll need to buy the handle separately.

Gardena is a household name in Europe, even if it might be a little less recognizable in the United States. The Gardena system makes customization an integral part of everything it does: manufacturing sturdy, adjustable gardening tools that easily customize and morph so that your hoe, broom, and rake can connect to the same handle.

The Gardena 3103 Combisystem is about as adjustable as you can get. The 1.4-pound zinc-plated steel rake head uses a spreading mechanism that widens from 12 to 20 inches, facilitating wide sweeps and detail work beneath the shrubs. A plastic dial adjusts the rake head’s tension and allows you to spread the tines.

How well this rake works will also depend on the handle you choose. While the handle makes the overall cost of this rake expensive, it will be worth it if you’re interested in investing in multiple Gardena tool heads, such as their hand rake, root crop hoe, and lawn edger. Each connects to the same handle, freeing up storage space and guaranteeing Gardena quality across the bunch.

Best Leaf Scoops

Amazon

View On Amazon $30 View On Walmart $30 View On Sears.com

Why You Should Get It

These plastic leaf scoops fit like gloves and are sturdy enough to handle thick, wet leaf deposits.

Keep in Mind

With no padding, you might feel some impact where the scoops meet your wrist.

The MekkaPro Leaf Scoops and Claws V2.0 are ergonomically designed and reinforced plastic leaf scoops that fit over the back of your hand and wrist. They give you an easy crossbeam to grip, providing wide claw-like scoops for picking up leaves and moving them to flower beds or into collection bags.

MekkaPro’s V2.0 edition comes with better reinforcements than the brand’s original leaf scoop, providing better stability when you’re handling loads of heavy, wet leaves. The 1.54-pound pair of wide-clawed scoops each measure 13.5 inches wide with an overall length of 17 inches, giving you a large scooping surface.

While plastic is generally less sturdy than metal, these leaf scoops are built to last, adding significant structural integrity compared to the earlier edition. An attractive shade of green and brown, they’re a useful item to add to your autumn tool chest.

Best Dual Tine

True Temper 26-Inch Dual Tine Poly Leaf Rake

Amazon

View On Amazon $83 View On Ace Hardware $29

Why You Should Get It

The rake’s two staggered rows of tines get its claws into any pile of leaves.

Keep in Mind

The plastic tines might not last as long as some other metal tines.

Designed to rake fast and pick up more leaves than conventional rakes, the lightweight 39-tine Ames Company Inc. True Temper 2704000 Dual Tine Poly Leaf Rake with a 26-inch wide head and a 60-inch handle is the best leaf rake with dual tines that we’ve seen.

The dual rows of teeth mean that it pulls leaves from multiple tilts, grabbing thick piles of leaves and moving them in clumps in a way that single rows of tines often can’t. Because of this functionality, the dual-tine system can potentially speed up raking thick fluffy piles of leaves.

The small plastic tines on this rake may be prone to breakage. Still, if used temperately, then this rake should last you awhile, and you’ll certainly love the way it grabs bunches of pin oak leaves.

Best for Pools

U.S. Pool Supply Professional Heavy Duty 19" Swimming Pool Leaf Skimmer Rake

Amazon

View On Amazon $30 View On Walmart $30

Why You Should Get It

It sports a strong metal frame that resists bending and won’t crack if accidentally dropped onto concrete.

Keep in Mind

It requires a separate pole purchase, and the net is subject to fraying after repeated use.

The U.S. Pool Supply Professional Heavy Duty 19" Swimming Pool Leaf Skimmer Rake features a durable ABS plastic-covered 19-inch-wide, heavy-duty aluminum frame and a 15-inch-deep netted bag made of chemical-resistant fine mesh nylon designed to collect a larger amount of leaves and debris at one time. The beveled leading edge makes it easier to glide and maneuver along the bottom of the pool.

The reinforced die-cast aluminum handle bracket prevents the net from bending when under a heavy load. Its aluminum frame is strong enough to handle wet plant material and won’t crack with an accidental drop onto the concrete.

While we chose this pool rake for the durability of its lightweight metal frame, we should note that its net could be made of a heavier grade material and may be subject to fraying after repeated use. Still, it's one of the sturdiest options around its price point. The handle is equipped with user-friendly EZ clip buttons that prevent your fingers from getting pinched or jammed while attaching or detaching a telescopic pole, which will need to be purchased separately to go with this pool rake.

Best Bamboo

Bond 63" 30 Tine Bamboo Leaf Rake Wood Handle

DK Hardware

View On Dkhardware.com View On Ace Hardware $23

Why You Should Get It

This leaf rake has an extra-wide head and is constructed of bamboo and wood with minimal metal or plastic.

Keep in Mind

The rake’s handle is on the shorter end and might not be suitable for taller people.

Bamboo is a fast-growing, sustainable building material known for its reliability. The Bond 63” 30 Tine Bamboo Leaf Rake Wood Handle takes advantage of bamboo’s lightweight strength. Supported with a cross strut, the 30-inch-wide hooked bamboo tines give you enough room to move leaves in volume. However, at only 40 inches, the wooden handle might be a little short for taller users.

While this rake might not be as sturdy as some of the other leaf rakes we’ve highlighted, it is easy to repair. So if tines begin to pull out from the head, they can be refastened. The Bond is also one of the most affordable leaf rakes on this list, making it a worthwhile choice for those looking for a value price.

Best Hand Rake

Gardena 8916 Hand Rake Combi System Wire

Amazon

View On Amazon $30 View On Walmart $38

Why You Should Get It

This rake is useful for moving between flowers in the garden and cleaning out gutters, can be attached to a Combi pole for distance raking, and comes with a 25-year warranty.

Keep In Mind

The Combi pole connector is sold separately.

Made in Germany, the Gardena 8916 Hand Rake Combi System is a stellar hand rake that brings a little something more. You can hook it onto the same pole you use for raking, sweeping, shoveling, or picking nuts and extend it to become a long brush rake.

Constructed of high-quality steel, the 0.49-pound hand rake sports a 5-inch wide head and is coated for corrosion resistance. It has an overall length of 18 inches and features an ergonomic grippy handle. The rake is compatible with different Gardena pole attachments, including wood poles, curved poles, and metal poles.

While the Gardena hand rake is at a higher price point than many other hand rakes you’ll find, it’s made to last and could easily be by your side for decades. Gardena even provides a 25-year warranty. Altogether, it’s the best leaf rake in the hand rake category.

Best Shrub Rake

The Home Depot

View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Home Depot $15

Why You Should Get It

The agile lightweight detail rake curves to grab leaves with little effort, and its resin tines flex with force and are less prone to breakage.

Keep in Mind

The plastic head can become brittle with age, so don’t store this rake in the sun.

The Fiskars 8-Inch Shrub Rake is a slender little rake that’s great for moving in and out of tight places. Use it to pull leaves out of hard-to-reach spots between flowering bushes, maneuver behind shrubs, and reach into overgrown areas.

This shrub rake features an 8-inch-wide resin head paired with a lightweight 60-inch aluminum pole that provides some bounce. The tines flex more than most plastic rakes and are less prone to breakage. They also curve in a way that grabs leaves with little effort.

The plastic head can become brittle with age, so it’s best to store this rake away from the sun. While breakage is possible with the Fiskars rake, most people find the shrub rake to be a very well-made product that is in line with the brand’s other garden tools. Invest in it for an agile detail rake that’s easy to use and resilient enough for most lightweight detailing.

Best Pine Needle Rake

Suncast 26 in. Poly Double Tine Leaf Rake

The Home Depot

View On Home Depot

Why You Should Get It

It has a detachable hand rake to remove needles that fall into crevices.

Keep In Mind

The plastic tines aren’t as strong as metal tines.

The Suncast Poly Double Tine Leaf Rake is our choice for the best leaf rake for pine needles. This rake has two features that make it perfect for cleaning up pine needles: the double row of tines and the included hand rake. The rake’s double row of tines helps prevent small debris like pine needles from escaping. Instead of having to repeatedly go over the same area in order to capture all the needles, this rake can gather them up in one pull. A more efficient rake means that you can cut the time you spend raking in half.

This model also includes an 8-inch hand rake that snaps onto the handle so you can take it on and off as needed while working. Hand rakes can clean tight spaces, which is especially handy when trying to rake up thin pine needles, which have a tendency to pile up in small nooks and crannies.

The Suncast has a 26-inch rake head with durable plastic tines that will flex instead of break. Keep in mind that even though these plastic tines are designed to stand up to heavy use, steel tines will still last longer. This rake also has a handle with a steel core and a plastic end cap for hanging and easy storage.

The Bottom Line

We found the best leaf rake for most people to be the Bully Tools 24-Tine Leaf and Thatching Rake with Fiberglass Handle. We loved its sturdy metal head with dextrous US steel tines, comfortable rubber grip, and weatherproof polyester-coated fiberglass handle that prevents splinters. We also like how easy it is to reattach the steel head to a wooden handle should you want to repurpose it. Altogether, we think it's got some of the best durability and function of any rake out there.

What to Know About Rakes Before Shopping

Type

There are many different types of rakes, all designed for different purposes. Our list includes primarily leaf rakes, hand rakes, and shrub rakes.

Leaf rakes: A leaf rake is likely what you picture when you hear the word “rake.” It has long tines in a fan shape which are typically made of steel or plastic, and a long handle. These rakes are designed for cleaning up leaves and other light yard debris.

Hand rakes: Hand rakes are small, handheld rakes designed to get in and around small spaces. They are especially useful in gardens for pulling out weeds, removing rocks, and cleaning up debris. The tines are typically made of steel and these rakes have short, ergonomic handles.

Shrub rakes: A shrub rake is a long-handled rake similar to a leaf rake, but with a much smaller head and shorter tines made of plastic or metal. These rakes are designed to have a narrow head that can easily squeeze between shrubs and work in tighter spaces.

Materials

While today’s leaf rakes are made with a variety of materials, certain materials consistently make raking easier. Tempered steel is the most durable material for a rake head, especially when it’s coated with an anti-rust surface, and many of the best leaf rakes use it. Poly and resin heads are also durable and possess some benefits over steel, such as wider tines. Plastics can provide alternative designs like dual-tine heads.

Rake handles vary in material. Steve Windham suggests a wooden handled rake with metal tines. Coated fiberglass and aluminum are also strong picks for handle materials. Consider the materials that will work best for your gardening habits before you buy.

Repairability

When buying tools, the best value investment is usually the one you can repair. This is certainly true when you’re looking for the best leaf rake. Some classic rake designs make repairs easy. You might be able to screw a steel-tine rake head onto any wooden rake pole after the original handle has worn down. It’s worth taking this into account before you buy. Often the cheapest tools aren’t built to last and can’t be repaired or repurposed, which means pricier but easier-to-repair items can save you money in the long term even if they cost more upfront.

Handle Length

Leaf rakes come with lots of different handle lengths. When you’re raking, the length of the handle can determine how much effort it will take to pull in leaves from a distance. When picking a leaf rake, it’s usually a good idea to find one that extends up to about the bridge of your nose when positioned vertically. If you’re shopping online, this can be hard to estimate. That’s why you should take a tape measure and measure that length, then compare it to the rake’s overall length in inches.

Your Questions, Answered

Is a metal or plastic leaf rake better?

Whether a metal or plastic leaf rake is better depends on your needs. All-metal rakes are heavier and more durable than plastic ones, but plastic rakes are less expensive and easier to use. Many leaf rakes use a combination of materials; for example, a metal handle combined with plastic tines or vice versa.

The area where material matters most is the tines. Steel tines have the benefit of being able to handle heavier yard debris in addition to leaves, are extremely durable, and have more spring and flexibility. Plastic tines are lightweight, less likely to get clogged with leaves, and better at handling wet and soggy debris.

Is it better to rake grass wet or dry?

It’s better to rake when your grass is dry. This reduces the chances that the rake will damage or uproot grass. Dry grass also makes pulling up debris, whether that’s thatch or dead leaves, much easier as the rake tines will clog less frequently.

Will a rake damage my lawn?

Raking should not damage your lawn if done properly. However, you need to use the right rake for the job. For example, you don’t want to use a hard plastic leaf rake without any spring in the tines to de-thatch your lawn, but that tool would be great for cleaning up leaves in the fall. Another important tip to prevent damage is to rake your yard when the grass and soil are dry.

It’s also best to avoid over-raking your lawn. “It’s important to leave leaves in beds as much as possible; it’s really important to insects and animals to have leaf cover,” says Steve Windham, landscape designer and gardening expert. “It’s important not to strip the earth of the organic matter that naturally falls.”

Who We Are

Gabriel Morgan is a freelance writer for Better Homes & Gardens who focuses on home products, technology, and good gardening practices. He covers topics such as space heaters, Christmas lights, and more. To find the best leaf rakes on the market, he factored in material, repairability, and handle length as he conducted extensive online product research, scoured gardening message boards, and consulted with gardening expert Steve Windham. Gabriel also considered his personal experience gleaned from years of raking for hire as a youth.

Rachel Ahrnsen is a contributor for Better Homes & Gardens who focuses on outdoor products and gardening. Rachel relied on hours of research, her Master Gardener training, and her experience as a caretaker of a community garden to help update this article.