7 Best Garden Rakes for Cleaning Up Around Plants

Buying a Garden Rake

Unlike leaf rakes, which are best for lightweight leaves and twigs, standard garden rakes handle more rigorous tasks like leveling and tilling soil or moving around heavier plant material.

How can you tell the difference? Garden rake tines are usually metal and spaced further apart than their leaf-gathering cousins. Leaf rakes are triangular, while garden rakes feature a straight or bowed head. A good quality garden rake has a ridged and balanced handle with a forged steel head. Smaller, hand-held garden rakes help you work around delicate stems and roots with more precision.

Look for a rake with an ergonomic design to provide extra comfort and lessen stress on the back and shoulders. Read on for our selection of top garden rakes.