Best Rakes, Lawn care

Landscape Rake: How to Choose the Best One, Ultimate Guide

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by Bryan Mckenzie

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Before I decided to write this article, I had a very curious conversation with my friend, who had been in the gardening field for over five years. I noticed that he did not know how to choose the best landscape rake, and the reason he needed to purchase only the high-quality tool. Although the rakes are used by many gardeners, actually, a few people pay attention to them. Therefore, in this article, I want to tell you more about this tool. We will cover the next topics:

  • What is the yard rake?
  • What material are they usually made of?
  • When do you need to use the rake?
  • What are the purposes of lawn leveling rake?

I suggest starting with a review of the 5 best rakes I chose for you. All of them are made from high-quality materials and are suitable for long-term use.

Top Pick
Midwest Rake 12036, 36" Field/Aggregate Rake,...
Runner-Up
Bully Tools 92309 12-Gauge 16-Inch Bow Rake...
Midwest Rake Company 11036 Screening Rake
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The rake is lightweight
It was made to grab the landscape debris very fast
It has an additional solid plug in the head-to-handle connection
Runner-Up
Bully Tools 92309 12-Gauge 16-Inch Bow Rake...
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It was made to grab the landscape debris very fast
Midwest Rake Company 11036 Screening Rake
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It has an additional solid plug in the head-to-handle connection

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5 Best Landscape Rakes

When writing the review, I have spent thousands of hours on researching, analyzing, and testing various rakes. I have already been familiar with some of them, while in case with the others, I was strongly recommended to test them by my friends. Initially, I planned to make a rank of TOP-4 products, but I could not decide which particular rake I needed to throw away. Therefore, in this section, we will discuss TOP-5 items. To help you to compare them as fast as possible, I have composed a plan:

     ? In the beginning, I want to tell you more about the company that manufactured the rake. In my opinion, the brand plays an important role during the evaluation;
     ? Next, I am going to tell you about the product, the characteristics it has, and how durable the rake is;
     ? Finally, I will put the table with all pros and cons.

1. Midwest Landscape Rake, 36-Inch — the Best Rake I Have Ever Tried 4.7/5 

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Midwest is one of the brands of the Seymour Midwest company. The other brands are Structron, Seymour, Link Handles, Kenyon, Toolite. If you have ever used one of the tools of these brands, most probably, you were satisfied with their products. Seymour Midwest is a family-owned company that produces hand tools, including rakes. Their products are widely used by farmers, handymen, landscapers, ranchers, and others. By the way, the company also provides each customer with a warranty. Seymour Midwest is headquartered in Warsaw, Poland. However, they deliver the tools across the world, including the USA.

There are tools in the ground and among them the Midwest Landscape Rake

This rake is made from high-quality and reliable aluminum; therefore, it is lightweight. However, you can be sure that it removes all the stones or other solid things from your soil easily and fast. The head is about 36 inches, and the handle is approximately 66 inches long. For this reason, it is very comfortable to use. This aluminum rake by Midwest is one of the company’s bestsellers, so you will have to make an effort to buy it before the item will be sold-out.

ADVANTAGES
  • The rake is lightweight;
  • It is made from the extra-quality aluminum;
  • The rake removes various items, including stones, easily from the landscapes.
DRAWBACKS
  • I found that some customers complained about the misaligned pre-drilled holes.

2. Bully Tools 16-Inch Bow Rake — the Best Tool for Removing Rocks from Yard 4.4/5 

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Bully Tools is an American-based company that not only operates in the USA but also holds the plant. The company was established in 1994. Since then, they created a special department that aims to control the quality of manufacturing, and, at the same time, is always seeking new ways for cost optimizations. Bully Tools produces their products in the USA and purchases the additional materials that were made in America as well. It was founded by Mark Gracy, who is now the company’s CEO. Its history started from the small building (only 1500 square feet). Today, they manage the whole manufacturing spectrum: metal forming & stamping, robotic welding, plasma cutting, tempering, heat treating, injection molding, product design, powder coating, marketing, and so on.

There are tools hanging on the shelf, and among them are Bully Tools 16-Inch Bow Rake

Buying this landscaping rake, you can be sure of its durability and quality. In addition, Bully Tools provides a lifetime guarantee for each customer. The rake is made from the extra thick 10 gauge steel. To make it even more reliable, the manufacturer decided not to disconnect it from the handle, therefore, the connection is welded. The handle is made from the triple wall fiberglass that is resistant to breakage while still being lightweight and easy to operate. The rake weighs only about 3.45 pounds, and the dimensions of the item are 58 x 16.25 x 3.5 inches.

ADVANTAGES
  • 100% made in USA;
  • It was made to grab the landscape debris very fast;
  • The fiberglass makes the rake lightweight but very strong.
DRAWBACKS
  • The handle is only 58 inches. Compared to Midwest rake, it is quite short.

3. Midwest Rake — the Rake That You Will Use for a Long Time 4.5/5 

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This is another leveling rake by the Midwest Rake company. As it always happens, you need some time to find the best tool. Firstly, you experiment with dozens of things that do not satisfy all your needs. But this is not the case with the Midwest Rake brand. The rake from this company was the first rake that I have ever tried, and I fell in love with this company, the tool’s quality, and the whole brand from the first minutes of use.

Midwest Rake hangs on the wall

After that, I experimented with other rakes and brands, but I can say with confidence that Midwest Rake is still among the best. In addition, I liked Seymour Midwest’s approach to business. It was a good decision to divide the company into smaller brands that are focused on the manufacturing of a certain amount of goods. It saves the quality of products while allowing the company to grow and expand their assortment.

This Midwest’s screening rake is available for purchase in five options that differ by size: 24 inches, 30 inches, 36 inches, 42 inches, and 48 inches. I have tried to use a tool that has 36 inches. The rake’s head consists of high-grade aluminum and magnesium alloy. As a result, no matter which tool’s size you choose, it will be lightweight and easy in use. Another product’s advantage is that it has non-gouging rounded teeth and wrap-around bracing. The additional thick aluminum plug in the head-to-handle connection ensures better protection for the gravel rake.

ADVANTAGES
  • It has an additional solid plug in the head-to-handle connection;
  • The rake is available to purchase in five sizes;
  • It is lightweight.
DRAWBACKS
  • The rake does not suit for removing large items from the landscape.

4. Bon Tools Landscape Rake — the Garden Rake That Satisfies Even the Most Demanding Customers 4.1/5 

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Manufactured by the brand BonTool, it is very simple but, at the same time, solid rake. BonTool is one of the oldest American companies that operate on this market. It was established in 1958. The company’s three main priorities are innovation, value, and service. Therefore, they always aim to improve existing products and get feedback from companies. Adhering to these principles also helps the company not only to retain customers but also constantly increase their number. Today, BonTools offers:

     ? Over 6,000 contractor-grade tools;
     ? Floor covering;
     ? Concrete finishing and decorative concrete;
     ? Drywall and EIFS;
     ? Material handling;
     ? Light equipment and materials for masonry;
     ? The products for general construction, etc.

To meet today’s challenges, the company always expands the assortment and creates new useful tools. Therefore, if you are interested in gardening (if you are reading this article, most probably, you are), I strongly recommended following BonTools.

Bon Tools Landscape Rake in progress

Let’s turn back to the product. These landscape rake tines suit all soil types. Similar to the rake by Midwest company, the item also has the plug in the head-to-handle connection. The head and the handle are made from the solid aluminium. The head is 36 inches in length, and the teeth are about 2-3/8 inches. It allows the rake to remove even the large items from the soil. By the way, the handle is quite long too — 85 inches.

ADVANTAGES
  • It is made from the solid aluminium;
  • The rake has an additional plug between the head and handle;
  • It is lightweight.
DRAWBACKS
  • The rake has a very long handle.

5. Jenlis Razer Rake — the Best Pond Rake 4.4/5 

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Weed Razer is a company that specializes in manufacturing of water cleaning tools. They offer thoroughly designed, innovative, and sometimes even unique solutions to help you remove the algae, aquatic weeds, rubbish, muck, and other unwanted materials found in your ponds or lakes. Most of their products are made from stainless steel. The company has quite a curious story. Established in 1999, it has changed its name and main specialization three times. The Weed Razer was first introduced in 2007, eight years later after the company’s creation.

Girl holding Jenlis Razer Rake

This Jenlis Razer rake is one of the company’s bestsellers. It is worth mentioning that the product is expensive and costs more than $100 without delivery. But purchasing this rake, you can be sure of its quality and that you will use this rake for a long time. Unlike the vast majority of Weed Razer products, this tool is made from aluminium. Only the teeth are made from stainless steel. Such a combination ensures the tool’s lightweight and simplicity in use. The rake head is about 36 inches in width.

ADVANTAGES
  • The rake is lightweight;
  • It easily removes all the items from the lake or ponds;
  • The teeth are long.
DRAWBACKS
  • The product is expensive;
  • The delivery costs can be expensive too, especially if you order the rake outside America.

I know that you still may have many questions about rakes. Therefore, in the next section, I will try to answer the most common queries.

FAQ on Landscape Rakes

Laeves-and-Leaf-Rake-on-the-Grass

When I wrote this section, I tried to collect the most popular questions about rakes. Therefore, I selected four of such questions and provided you with short answers to each of them.

What Is a Landscape Rake?

The landscape rake is something similar to the broom but for outside use that helps you to rake a zen garden. There are different types of rakes designed for leaves, stones, sands, and so on. Most of the rakes are universal and suit the vast majority of cases. Also, this tool varies by the material it is made from. Today, people are used to utilizing the following materials: bamboo, steel, plastic, aluminum. In my opinion, the rakes made from steel or aluminium are the most reliable and durable ones.

What Is a Landscape Rake Used For?

A rake is one of the main tools of gardeners for working with the ground. Depending on the type of rake, they are used for cleaning the soil from foxes, mowed grass, debris, or for breaking up clods of soil. As a result, the aeration is greatly improved, in other words, the saturation of the ground with air and moisture increases significantly.

How to Make a Landscape Rake?

The easiest way to make a rake is to use a tree for the handle and pointed branches for the head. The most suitable types of trees are pine, birch, beech, poplar, and oak. Each tree has its advantages and disadvantages.

What Do You Use a Landscape Rake For?

As I have already mentioned, different types of rakes are used for different purposes. The most widely used kind is leveling rake, the most rarely one — sand rake. Also, you can purchase the tool to rake leaves, clean the lake or pond, and so on.

Which Rake Have You Decided to Test?

As always, in the conclusion section, I summarize all the information described in the article for your convenience .So, you should always remember that the landscape rake is the necessary gardening tool. I recommend you to purchase the ones made from stainless steel and aluminum. Also, there are different rake types: for leaves, ground, lakes, stones in the soil, and so on.

Therefore, before purchasing, define what you are going to use this tool for. I hope that this article was helpful for you. Have you decided which rake you want to buy and what is the purpose you want to use it for? Share your answers in the comments below. Also, if you have questions about the article or my products’ reviews, you can ask them in the comments too. I will answer as soon as possible. Thanks for reading and your feedback!

About
Bryan Mckenzie
Hi there — my name is Bryan McKenzie. Before I’d got into gardening, I worked as a landscape designer at landscape design and consultation company in Jacksonville. I enjoy sharing the vast gardening experience I’ve accumulated throughout the years with like-minded green thumbs. Read more about me and my wife.
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