These Top-Rated Metal Rakes Are The Most Reliable Tools for Lawn Maintenance

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Metal rakes may cost more on average than their plastic and resin counterparts, but if you want a reliable tool for bigger lawn maintenance jobs year-round—autumn leaf cleanup included—they're well worth the investment. Most tackle more than one application, such as a stainless steel bow rake that's capable of moving heavy gravel and sand and can level soil and spread mulch in spring. Or, like a versatile landscaping rake that's excellent for grading and for removing muck from your pond.

There are also metal rakes with adjustable heads and telescopic poles that offer a ton of versatility for lighter yard work and are portable enough to pack for tidying camping and picnic grounds. No matter which kind of metal rake you have in mind, we've rounded up the most popular styles from top brands. Read on for our recommendations, plus what to consider before you shop.

The Best Metal Rakes

• Best Bow Rake: Bully Tools Bow Rake with Fiberglass Handle

• Best Leaf Rake: Ames Steel Tine Leaf Rake with Hardwood Handle

• Best Landscaping Rake: Groundskeeper II 21-Inch Rake

What to Consider

Type

Lawn/Leaf Rake

Leaf rakes have a V-shaped head, typically with 20-plus tines that are angled downward at the end, plus at least one crossbar to connect them (the more crossbars, the stronger the rake). High-quality leaf rakes feature flexible tines that allow you to work the ground without them snapping or permanently bending.

Bow (or Garden) Rake

Bow (or garden) rakes, which have flatter heads and short, evenly spaced straight teeth.

Landscaping Rake

Landscaping rakes feature a similar design to bow rakes, but have heads that are are several feet long with short, rounded teeth. They're made for lawn seeding, moving heavy materials like gravel, and can be used to dethatch.

Thatch Rake

Thatch rake heads look similar to garden rakes, but the tines are thick, curved, and extra sharp to lift stubborn dead grass.

Shrub Rake

A shrub rake is like a miniature version of a standard metal leaf rake designed to—you guessed it—clean up debris in beds around shrubs. It's a nice tool to have in your arsenal though its use is somewhat limited.

Hand Rake

Metal hand rakes are used for detail work, like neatening up raised beds and to loosen and cultivate soil. Some are better for wet conditions than others.

Materials

Metal rakes feature heads that are typically rust-resistant stainless steel (the best option) though some are aluminum. Wood or fiberglass handles are the most common, but there are also metal rakes with steel or aluminum handles. You’ll want to look at the the ferrule—the piece that attaches the head to the handle with a bolt or screw—to make sure the connection is secure.

Weight

Although fiberglass handles are generally lighter than wood, most of a rake's weight depends on the head size and material. With the exception of hand rakes, rakes commonly weigh from 2 to 3 pounds; thatch rakes with thick, heavy-duty tines average about 4 pounds.

Grip

Perhaps the most important characteristic of a good metal rake is that it's comfortable in hand. Most models have a rubberized tip of various lengths and some add rubberized material mid-handle.

How We Selected

Our selection includes top brands such as Craftsman, Ames, Bully Tools, True Temper, A.M. Leonard, and others. We relied on our own rake testing and product knowledge while making our selections, and read through countless buyer reviews on performance and to identify frequent customer complaints. We considered a range of rake types for a range of applications across multiple price points, and compared models by looking at overall build, quality of materials, and specifics like weight, head width, and the number of tines.

Looking for more supplies to help with lawn and garden maintenance? Check out our stories on the best lawn dethatchers, the best self-propelled lawn mowers, and the best cordless leaf blowers.

Bow Rake with Fiberglass Handle

A bow rake (also known as a garden rake) is another versatile tool that's particularly good for moving heavy debris, like packed-down soil, sand, and gravel. It's also handy for spreading mulch and leveling soil in spring.

This 16-inch model from Bully Tools features a commercial-grade, 10-gauge steel head with 16 tines welded to a triple-wall fiberglass handle. Despite its heavy-duty build, the rake is relatively lightweight at only 3.5 pounds. Plus, it comes with a limited lifetime warranty.

Steel Tine Leaf Rake with Hardwood Handle

This 22-inch spring-tine rake from Ames is another top choice, with a single-piece steel head, flexible coil springs, and a hardwood handle with a 6-inch comfort grip. It's also lightweight, at just 2.5 pounds, and ideal for raking leaves, pulling thatch from the lawn, and general debris cleanup on grass and walkways. Another bonus is that like our pick above, this Ames rake comes with a 15-year limited warranty.

21-Inch Rake

The Groundskeeper II is a go-to for tough jobs, like raking up wet leaves and other heavy debris, plus other applications like seeding the lawn, spreading mulch and gravel, and dethatching.

Its 6-inch-long tines are strong and won't bend, but they're also incredibly flexible, thanks to the loop springs connected to the 21-inch-wide steel head. The tines are fixed at a slight angle, which allows you to rake without bending forward and putting extra pressure on your back.

With a lightweight fiberglass handle, the total weight of this metal rake is only 3 pounds. It also comes with a limited lifetime warranty

Lawn and Leaf Rake

Craftsman's 24-inch rake is an excellent, affordable option for tackling multiple yard tasks, including removing leaves, thatch, pine needles, and other debris from the lawn.

It features 24 spring-back tines and the head is bolted to the weather-resistant fiberglass handle to prevent it from detaching. It's also a lightweight 2.4 pounds, with a comfortable cushioned end grip, plus it's backed by a 15-year limited warranty.

The Ames Companies Thatch Rake

If you're in the market for a thatch rake, this option from True Temper is your best bet. Its 15-inch head self-adjusts during use, with thick, curved steel teeth that show no mercy pulling dead grass from your lawn. You can also use the rake for seeding, fertilizing, and cultivation using the straight teeth at the top of the head.

The rake has a 54-inch hardwood handle, capped with a cushioned grip, it weighs a mere 4 pounds, plus it comes with a 15-year limited warranty.

Aluminum Landscape Rake

This surprisingly lightweight landscape rake is 36-inch-long, with a high-quality aluminum head and a hardwood handle that has a wide rubber grip.

The well-spaced 2-inch-long rounded teeth won't gouge garden beds, so it's fantastic for grading and removing stones and other unwanted debris. Plus, if you flip it over, you can use the flat side for leveling. This type of rake is also ideal for skimming muck off ponds and lakeshores.

Adjustable Rake

If you're looking to save money and storage space in your shed or garage, this adjustable rake can accomplish both. With a push-and-slide lever on the handle, you can adjust the head's width between 7 and 25 inches to clean up tight spaces around shrubs and rake leaves on the lawn.

It features 15 steel tines and weighs in at only 2.1 pounds, and there's a rubberized grip and a handle hole. The rake gets an average 4.8 stars from more than 100 customers and it's about $30 bucks at the time of this writing. The only caveat is that it isn't rust-resistant.

Narrow Shrub Rake

If there's a shrub rake missing from your lawn care collection, this one from A.M. Leonard—a company that's been in the horticultural and tool supply business since 1885—is well worth considering for its exceptional quality.

It's made for working in tight and narrow spaces, featuring an 8-inch steel head with 10 tines and a coiled spring backbone, which aids in getting the hard work done with less elbow grease and also helps increase the tool's longevity. Two bolts connect the head to a 54-inch hardwood handle. It comes with a lifetime warranty.

Stainless Steel Hand Rake

A good hand rake is an invaluable tool for everything from weeding and neatening up raised garden beds to cultivating and loosening soil.

This top-rated model features a 5-inch head with nine springy stainless steel tines and a comfortable soft-grip handle with a spot for your thumb. It weighs a mere 6.4 ounces, and there's a handle hole so you can hang it to store.

Telescopic Folding Rake

Key Specs

• Head Width: 7.5 to 21.8 inches

• Height: 37 to 68 inches

• Number of Tines: 15

• Weight: 2.2 pounds

Here's another space-saving metal rake, featuring a telescopic handle plus a head that adjusts from 7.5 to 21.8 inches wide. It's made from aluminum alloy, which is neither as strong as steel nor rust-resistant, but it's well-priced and can be used for a variety of light cleanup jobs. It's handy for raking camping and picnic grounds before you pack up to leave, as well as for clearing debris from small yards.

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