The best rakes you can buy for picking up fall leaves

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The Insider Pick:

• It’s fall, and for many people, that means it's time to break out the trusty old garden rake to take care of all those falling leaves. The best rake for most people is the Ames True Temper Kodiak 24-Tine Leaf Rake with its durable design and ability to grab lots of leaves in one swipe.

I love raking. In fact, I’d go as far to say that it is my all-time favorite household chore. The reasons why are simple: I get to be outdoors during my favorite season, I get a good workout because raking burns approximately 350-450 calories per hour, and it’s a chore with an identifiable beginning and end. For the very same reasons, I’m passionate about shoveling, too. 

But how do you choose the best rake to handle all those falling leaves and other garden tasks? We've done the research to find the best rakes you can buy for gardening tasks. Here are a few things to think about when you are deciding on which rake to buy, according to Morning Chores:

• Durability: Cheap plastic rakes are meant to be disposable. It’s common for them to break up at the end of the season. But a good rake should last decades. That’s why you should look for a rake with a hardwood handle, as well as metal tines that are attached with a spring metal hinge.
• Handles: Hardwood handles are best because metal handles tend to bend or warp with heavy use, especially over time. Metal is also a valid second option as it will last a lifetime and has very little impact on the environment. However, if you live in a colder climate, you may opt to avoid metal rakes as they can be uncomfortable to handle in colder weather without gloves. I highly suggest avoiding plastic handles. They are typically not re-useable, can become brittle and break, and take thousands of years to decompose.
• Tines: Metal tines are important for many reasons. First, unless they become rusted from poor care or storage, they will last you a lifetime or longer. Second, they provide the appropriate amount of flex and strength necessary for leaves, small twigs, and debris. Plastic tines often break under the same pressure or fail to provide enough flexibility to be of use for the gardener.
• Comfort: Raking can be taxing on muscles. When it comes to rakes, bigger doesn’t mean better. It’s important for the rake’s dimensions to be comfortable and have good ergonomics for the user. Ideally, each family member should have their own rake. If this isn’t doable, finding a lightweight rake with an adjustable handle and perhaps even adjustable tines.

To save you some time and energy, we've rounded up the best rakes you can buy to pick up leaves and perform other garden tasks. Read on to see which rake is best for your needs.

Although the Ames True Temper Kodiak 24-Tine Leaf Rake is our top pick, for the reasons laid out in the slides below, you should also consider the Fiskars Leaf Rake, the Gardenite 63-inch Adjustable Garden Leaf Rake, the ReLeaf Leaf Scoops, and the Toysmith 27-Inch Kid's Metal Leaf Rake with Hardwood Handle.

The best rake overall

Ames Jackson/Business Insider

Why you'll love it: With a sturdy 54-inch hardwood handle and a steel head, the durable True Temper Kodiak 24-Tine Rake gets the job done quickly and efficiently.

The True Temper Kodiak’s 24-tine steel head is the key to the rake’s versatility and ease of use. A flexible coil spring provides smooth-raking action, while bolt-through construction between the head and the 54-inch hardwood handle ensures the tool’s sturdiness. This rake is perfect for both leaves and thatch, as well as stone, and stick removal.

The Ames company, first established in 1774, stands behind all its products with a 90-day warranty, so you know it's built to last. The wooden handle is comfortable to hold, and the flexible metal tines snatch up leaves quickly.

There are more than 50 buyer reviews on Amazon, with an average of 3.8 out of 5 stars. Many verified buyers claim that it is the best rake they have ever owned. “I'm not going to say it makes raking leaves fun, because I HATE raking leaves, but it certainly cut my raking time in half, and that yields a 5-star rating. It's sturdy and collects the leaves as efficiently as possible,” wrote Leslie Shaip on February 1, 2016.

“Love this. Best leaf rake I have ever owned. [I] Have 7 huge Silver Maples and this rake takes care of business,” wrote another satisfied customer on June 7, 2017.

Some people complain that the 2.71-pound rake is heavy, but it's worth it to have a strong wooden handle and durable tines.

Across the web, professional reviewers, including those at The Sweethome, The Spruce, Morning Chores, and Epic Gardening, continually list the True Temper Kodiak 24-Tine Rake and similar models, as one of the best affordably-priced rakes on the market.

Pros: Affordable, durable, springy steel 24-tine head, wood handle

Cons: Heavy

Buy the Ames True Temper Kodiak 24-Tine Leaf Rake on Amazon for $17.06

The best rake with a wide head

Fiskars

Why you'll love it: Durable curved tines, a 24-inch wide head, and an extra-long aluminum handle ensure that the Fiskars Leaf Rake will get your yard cleared up in record time.

The Fiskars Leaf Rake features a patented design with curved tines to more easily grab leaves. The 24-inch wide head also makes it simple to transport large quantities of leaves quickly and easily. The durable resin tines are designed to bend without breaking, so they'll stand up to heavy use year after year. 

This tool will not only cut down your raking time, but it's built for comfort, too. The extra-long and durable aluminum handle measures 67 inches to help you avoid back strain. The length and the light weight makes it easy to maneuver without bending or adding extra stress and the teardrop-shaped shaft also provides extra comfort and control.

The Fiskars Leaf Rake comes with a lifetime warranty, so if anything should go wrong, you're covered.

There are more than 248 buyer reviews on Amazon, with an impressive average of 4.4 out of 5 stars. Bryan Grzykowski summed it up well on December 14, 2015 in his review. “Light-weight, wide head, long reach and plastic tines make yard clean up as pleasant as it can be!” he wrote. Other buyers praised Fiskar’s customer service. 

There are also 11 user reviews on Walmart.com, most of which are highly positive with many buyers calling it “the best rake ever.”

Across the web, professional reviewers and bloggers, including those at Morning Chores, The Spruce, and Garden Consumers, continually tout the many benefits of the Fiskars Leaf Rake.

Pros: Affordable, durable, specially-patented curved tines pick up more leaves, built for comfort, extra long handle with cushion, lightweight

Cons: Some users say that the tines break easily

Buy the Fiskars Leaf Rake at Walmart for $17.49

The best adjustable rake

Gardenite

Why you'll love it: Clear every space in your garden with the comfortable and adjustable Gardenite 63-inch Adjustable Garden Leaf Rake.

Gardenite's rake is a popular lightweight and easy-to-use tool that takes the cake in terms of versatility. Designed to reach smaller areas that are difficult for conventional rakes to access, the 15 flat tine head expands from 7 inches up to 22 inches.

The long 63-inch handle allows you to easily cover more ground quickly. The ¾ inch zinc-plated steel handle is also made to withstand rust.

This rake is not designed for rocks and other heavy materials, though. Gardenite offers a 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee, with a promise to fix any problem you may have with your rake over time.

There are more than 550 user reviews on Amazon, with an impressive average of 4.7 out of 5 stars. Buyers rave about the quality of the construction, as well as the benefits of the adjustable head. As one verified purchaser wrote on February 26, 2017: "[This is] a nicely thought out product … The adjustable tines are more useful than I expected. If the leaves are finer, you can bring them in closer together, but it does a nice job on small leaves. The adjustment is also nice for storage.”

In January 2017, another buyer remarked, “I have a similar rake, but this one is better quality all around: better handle, better lever, better material … This is the only rake I use now.”

Around the web, multiple professional reviewers and bloggers praise the Gardenite 63-inch adjustable garden leaf rake. Among those recommending this tool are The Spruce, Epic Gardening, Morning Chores, and Garden Consumers.

Pros: Adjustable tines make reaching small spaces easy, lightweight, durable, rust-resistant handle

Cons: Some users say that it is difficult to adjust the size of the head and that the handle is uncomfortable

Buy the Gardenite 63-inch adjustable garden leaf rake on Amazon for $24.95 (originally $34.95)

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