Similar to the first rake, we tested this one with dirt. It raked and leveled a large amount of dirt at once and didn’t accumulate any dirt buildup. While the rake’s wide head made it easy to handle, it limited where we could use it because it didn’t fit in tighter spaces. Additionally, its size and metal material made it heavy, which made our arms sore after testing. Our Score Leaf rakes have long, skinny tines that sit in a triangular or fan-shaped arrangement—also called the head—specifically intended to gather up leaves and light materials. Leaf rakes are not meant to be used for branches, stones, or other heavy yard materials and for these tasks we recommend using a metal rake. The handle on this rake has grooves for better gripping and a rim to prevent your hands from slipping down the pole. We were also able to extend and shorten the pole’s length depending on our height and how far we wanted to reach. Our Score

A hand rake is a smaller version of a shrub or bow rake. It has a shorter handle and fewer tines, and it’s designed for use around smaller plants like vegetables and flowers. Its short handle gives you ultimate control of where the tines touch. Material Each testing metric was worth five points and a rake’s final score was an average of the three metric scores. Shrub rakes are similar to lawn rakes, but they have a narrower head that can fit in tighter spaces, such as around bushes and along fences. Bow B.D.: I tend to prefer plastic rakes with fiberglass handles because they seem to hold up better and are also generally lighter than wooden or metal options, which makes the plastic-fiberglass rakes easier to use. Most rake handles are between 30 and 70 inches long. A longer handle allows you to reach farther, but you don’t want a handle that’s so long that it’s hard to control. In general, a rake should be in line with your eyes when it’s upright, meaning longer handles work better for taller people and vice versa.Each rake performed the task it was designed for. We included leaf, shrub, and bow rakes in this review, so the leaf rakes raked leaves, the shrub rakes collected pine straw, and the bow rakes raked dirt. Tine Buildup This type of rake removes the layer of organic material between your lawn and the soil’s surface, also known as thatch. Thatch rakes have sharp metal tines or blades that can be used to break up thatch. Hand

Leaves, pine straw, and other materials shouldn’t collect on the tines while you use the rake. Having to stop and clear your tines of materials can slow down your task and increase the time you spend in your yard. Ergonomics Because this rake’s head is adjustable, customers were able to use it for both small and large raking tasks, saving them money and storage space. However, several customers said that the rake was flimsy and that both the pole and tines bent under a slight amount of pressure. Our ExperienceWhile customers said the product was heavy, they liked that most of the weight was in the head. They said that this allowed the head to break through compact soil without requiring too much force. However, some customers expressed a desire for the handle to be longer. Our Experience