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A rake is an often overlooked garden tool as it's seen as something secondary to a fork or shovel, but when maintaining and tidying your garden, it will likely end up being your most used tool. Gardening isn't just about growing plants or having a nice place to sit, but the hobby itself can be a very calming and relaxing pursuit, with both gardening and raking having links with zen Buddhism.
On the surface, the different types can all look very similar, so we're here to take you through each one and recommend the best soil rakes, lawn rakes and rakes for leaves to buy online from Amazon, eBay and Argos. Pick up a rake from some of the best makers of garden equipment around like Spear & Jackson, Draper and Challenge, and you'll have your garden in tip-top shape in no time!
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Determining the right garden rake for the jobs you need it for can be trickier than you think, especially if you want it to be somewhat of an all-purpose tool. Our buying guide will explain all of the options available to you as well as what to look out for to ensure your rake is comfortable to use.
Whether you're looking to clean away leaves, keep your lawn free from moss and other unwanted plants or prepare soil for planting, there is a different type of rake suited for each task. We'll take you through the most common types available, as well as point some other features to look out for.
Perhaps the most common type of rake is the simple leaf rake, which is designed to clear up light garden debris that may fall from trees such as leaves and small branches. These are distinguishable by their cone-shaped heads with many long and thin tines which curve slightly at the end.
The head is often made of plastic but, due to the thin nature of the tines, they are not particularly strong. They are, however, sturdy enough to lift and carry light materials like piles of leaves after you've raked them up. If you're looking at picking up a rake to clear your garden when the leaves begin to fall, then this is usually a cheap option, but not the most versatile.
Lawn rakes are often mistaken for leaf rakes but there are a few key differences that make them a much better option if you're looking to cover a wide variety of garden jobs. Lawn rakes are made of metal rather than plastic, making them strong and flexible enough to rake up soil, gravel and sand as well as leaves and branches.
Although not always the case, lawn rakes often have slightly wider tines than leaf rakes which helps make them the best all-round option for the average UK garden. You can clear areas under bushes or shrubbery with ease (and they even work well for raking up leaves) but you may find they get speared on the slightly sharper metal tines.
If you're looking for a heavy-duty rake, then you may want to consider a soil, or stone, rake. These have a distinct design and are sometimes referred to as multi-purpose rakes or just simply garden rakes, having a long straight handle with a sturdy wide head coming off the handle at a right angle.
The tines are much shorter than those found on lawn or leaf rakes and are strong enough to break up compacted soil and remove larger debris like stone, wood, roots, or chunks of concrete. If you're preparing an area for planting, you'll want to first use a multi-purpose rake to break up the soil and then use a lawn rake to smooth out the area.
Depending on your height, you'll want to pay attention to the overall length of your garden rake to ensure that you minimise the risk of any injury or strains that may result after spending time working.
On average, lawn and leaf rakes are a little longer than the more heavy-duty options as you'll be spending most of your time standing upright while raking a lawn or clearing up leaves. When working with soil, you'll need something a little shorter to have the right amount of purchase as you toil.
As a rough guide, aim for around 150-160 cm when looking at lawn or leaf rakes and about 130 cm for a multi-purpose or soil rake. If you're particularly tall or have any back issues, you may want to consider something slightly longer to remain comfortable.
It may sound obvious, but the more substantial rakes tend to be heavier than ones designed for lighter work. Similarly, opting for a rake where both the head and shaft are made of a strong and durable metal will be noticeably heavier than one made of plastic. As well as picking the right type of rake for your needs, it's important to pick one made of the right material.
When undertaking any physical work, it's also important to be realistic when considering your limits. While it might be tempting to opt for the strongest garden rake available, it could end up being uncomfortable and difficult to work with. It's much better to opt for something that may not be quite as durable but which you'll be able to use with ease.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Price | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Spear & Jackson Neverbend Lawn Rake|3872HD | £34.90 High Mid | An Excellent Rake That Will Last for Years and Years | ||
2 | Spear & Jackson Carbon Steel Soil Rake|2145NS | £20.99 Mid | The Best Soil Rake on the Market Today | ||
3 | Challenge Garden Lawn Rake | £8.00 Low | A Fantastic Pick Whether You're on a Budget or Not | ||
4 | McGregor Garden Soil Rake | £15.00 Low Mid | Strong and Durable With a 5-Year Guarantee | ||
5 | Spear & Jackson Adjustable Lawn Rake|3882NB | £26.99 High Mid | The Best Adjustable Lawn Rake | ||
6 | Spear & Jackson 3-in-1 Plastic Rake | £30.00 High Mid | Well Worth the Price if Your Garden Has a Lot of Trees | ||
7 | Draper Plastic Leaf Rake|31069 | £19.12 Mid | A Light and Wide Leaf Rake You Can Use One-Handed | ||
8 | Greenfields Telescopic Adjustable Rake | £15.99 Low Mid | Handily Adjustable in Both Length and Width | ||
9 | Old Tjikko Garden Rake | £35.99 High Mid | Durable and Poised to Handle Heavy-Duty Work | ||
10 | Green Blade Garden Rake | £10.00 Low Mid | A Lightweight, Budget-Friendly Option |
Our no. 1 pick is the Spear & Jackson Neverbend Lawn Rake as it will likely be the only lawn rake you'll ever need to buy. The tines are sturdy yet flexible, wrapping around the back rivets to ensure they don't become detached, and the ash shaft is incredibly strong.
This award-winning rake is nicely balanced, being the perfect length and weight for the average person and some customers have reported that it has lasted them over fifteen years of regular use!
This soil rake from Spear & Jackson is great value for money and is strong and durable enough for even the most heavy-duty jobs. Whether you're removing serious debris or extremely compacted soil to get ready for planting, this rake can handle anything.
You may have noticed several offerings from Spear & Jackson on our list and this is because, for our money, they're simply the best brand around when it comes to garden tools. Like many of their other products, this rake is an award winner and will likely be the only soil rake you'll ever need to purchase.
The Challenge Lawn Rake is the cheapest option on our list and represents great value for money if you're looking for a simple rake to keep your garden neat, tidy, and free from leaves and light debris.
While clearly a budget option, it is in no way lacking in strength and, while not designed for industrial usage, the carbon steel tines will easily remove and moss or creeping weeds from your lawn. A worthwhile pickup for any garden.
If you're looking for something long-lasting without wanting to break the bank, then the McGregor Soil Rake is a great choice. It's designed to be able to handle the more taxing garden environments and comes with a 5-year guarantee for peace of mind.
As well as being durable, it's also a relatively lightweight option for those with difficulty using tools. In addition, the soft-grip handle can help you anchor yourself while working without the risk of blisters or sores developing.
While we're not entirely convinced by fully adjustable rakes, this offering from Spear & Jackson is the best of the bunch, featuring a quick and easy mechanism that allows you to go from an ultra-narrow 18 cm head to 61 cm in an instant.
Aside from its adjustable nature, it is an incredibly light and easy tool to use thanks to the lightweight aluminium shaft. If you have an outdoor space with a lot of nooks and crannies, then this adaptable option could prove very useful.
This is the first of many Spear & Jackson products you will see on our list, but this is by far the most unique as it features removable leaf grabbers and it can transform from a wide rake to a thin rake. You simply detach the red sides and hold them in both hands to pick up piles of leaves.
We absolutely love the ingenuity of this product – its 3-in-1 nature is far from a novelty and well worth the investment if your garden contains a lot of trees. For the average home, however, it might be a little much to spend on a leaf rake.
If you're looking for ease of use, consider this leaf rake from Draper. It's incredibly light at only 540 g and has a wide catching head that's great at picking up leaves. In fact, it's so light and easy to use that you can even use a single hand if you want!
Draper are also one of the best manufacturers of garden tools, so you're guaranteed a reliable, quality product. This may even deserve a higher place on our list, but it's hard to get excited about a simple leaf rake that costs as much as it should.
On paper, there's a lot to like about this telescopic, adjustable option from Greenfields. You can adjust the length of the shaft as well as the width of the head to fit any size or shape of space, which could prove very helpful to those with mobility issues.
We're a little torn on this offering from Old Tjikko because, on the one hand, it's a very durable rake – its coated steel shaft and heat-treated carbon steel head are able to handle almost anything you throw at it.
On the other hand, the quality of the finish is not the best we've seen. Some customers have reported that the paint and coating have flaked and isn't the neatest, which isn't the end of the world when it comes to outdoor tools, but is something to keep in mind regarding its longevity.
This highly affordable option from Green Blade is a lightweight yet surprisingly solid multi-purpose rake, but you shouldn't expect it to handle the more difficult and hard-wearing jobs due to its budget nature.
If you're looking for a solid budget rake for some general gardening here and there, then this is well worth picking up, but if you're planning on spending a considerable amount of time in your garden or allotment, then your money may be better invested in something that'll last longer.
Calling all green thumbs! We've got dozens more brilliant garden-themed buying guides to help you get the equipment you need. From the best tools to repot your seedlings to the best shears for your rose bushes, you'll find it all by clicking the links below.
No. 1: Spear & Jackson|Neverbend Lawn Rake|3872HD
No. 2: Spear & Jackson|Carbon Steel Soil Rake|2145NS
No. 3: Challenge|Garden Lawn Rake
No. 4: McGregor|Garden Soil Rake
No. 5: Spear & Jackson|Adjustable Lawn Rake|3882NB
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