- Flowers & PlantsVegetables
The Best Leveling Rakes of 2024
Last updated: Apr 17, 2024.
Despite being called a leveling rake, it's definitely a multi-purpose tool. A leveling rake is used in gardening, landscaping, and construction for leveling surfaces, removing debris, preparing seedbeds, spreading materials, and tamping (packing down). You use the rake to level when preparing a garden bed or smoothing out soil in preparation for a construction project. It's also great for collecting and removing debris like rocks, branches, and clumps of soil, and it's a godsend when you need to spread mulch, gravel, or sand around a large area. We've researched the best leveling rakes, and the SurmountWay Lawn Leveling Rake takes the best overall spot. This rake is sturdy, made of stainless steel, with a 50-inch adjustable range, and works on all types of grass.
Our Top Picks For Leveling Rakes
- Best Overall: SurmountWay Lawn Leveling Rake Shop Now ➔
- Best Value: Fly Hawk Lawn Leveling Rake Shop Now ➔
- Most Convenient Assembly: MIYA Lawn Leveling Rake Shop Now ➔
- Most Lightweight: Scalebeard Lawn Leveling Rake Shop Now ➔
- Easy to Maneuver: Rocklin™ Lawn Leveling Rake Shop Now ➔
- Most Efficient: Walensee Lawn Leveling Rake Shop Now ➔
- Most Durable: GLORYA Lawn Leveling Rake Shop Now ➔
View all ContentsThe Best Leveling Rakes
Best Overall
There are innumerable properties that make SurmountWay Lawn Leveling Rake the best available option. These include its extensive uses, logical price point, ease of use, and extraordinary service life. The SurmountWay Lawn Leveling Rake is a 6.5ft premium quality lawn leveling rake. It has a durable stainless steel construction with welded components. It’s equipped with a multistage adjustable handle that can be adjusted according to the operator’s height to allow a smooth and convenient operation. The use of incredible quality steel renders its durable properties, including corrosion and rust resistance, further strengthened by the firm build of the head and pole and a sturdy attachment point with firm screws. It comes unassembled, but the assembly is straightforward and comes with a complete instruction manual.
Pros
- Incredible ease of assembly and use
- Efficient and time-saving operation
- Adjustable handle length for convenient operation
- Durable and built to last
Cons
- Prone to break if used inadequately
Best Value
The lawn leveling rake by Fly Hawk does an incredible job at eliminating the bumps and dips from the ground surface. The head has a dimension of 17×10 inches, while the handle has a 5ft length. Its handle offers four adjustable sizes for convenient working conditions for all individuals regardless of height. Moreover, there are no-slip coverings on the handle, making it ergonomic.
Along with being resistant to signs of wear, it’s also less prone to break due to the double spot welded construction. If unsatisfactory, the product can be returned for a full refund within the first thirty days of purchase.
Pros
- Ergonomically designed handle
- All components are damaged and break-resistant
- Excellent value for money
- Convenient to store due to low footprint
Cons
- No assembling instructions
Most Convenient Assembly
Lawn leveling is a tedious and monotonous task that is made fun and easy with the leveling rake by Miya. With a head dimension of 17×10 inches and a choice between five or six feet of an adjustable handle, the product is made, keeping user convenience and ease as the utmost priority. The sturdy and high-quality tool has an outstanding construction, a testament to its longevity.
Unlike other rakes, it does not have a complicated assembly and can be conveniently assembled in under a minute for use. The disassembly is also easy and can be done for space-saving storage. This is a safe purchase due to its three-year quality assurance warranty.
Pros
- It offers a highly efficient leveling operation
- Large ground plate for time-saving operation
- Ergonomic and adjustable handle to prevent aches
- Easy assembly/disassembly for use and storage
Cons
- The product description mentions incorrect height
Most Lightweight
A leveling rake with an adjustable 6.5 ft handle, and a ground plate with dimensions 10×17 inches, this product by Scalebeard can be conveniently used to level the soil and dirt ground surfaces. Whether your farm, small backyard, or golf course, this featherlight product can be used across all surfaces with incredible agility. The handle has four 1.3ft long rod connections that allow adjusting the length between 2.6 to 6.5 ft, which gives users the liberty to use the desired size for a painless operation. Furthermore, it is pain-free and easy to grip due to the rubberized grip.
Pros
- Compatible with all grass types and lengths
- Sturdy construction fit for long-term use
- Low weight point and convenient handling
- Cost is easy on the wallet
Cons
- Relatively narrow plate unfit for large areas
Easy to Maneuver
The Rocklin™ Lawn Leveling Rake brings a unique, innovative way to level the soil or dirt ground surfaces of a lawn. This reliable tool features a double spot welded stainless steel fabrication, making it highly durable and able to withstand continual usage. The rake consists of a ground plate that’s large enough to efficiently cover the ground surface and small enough to be easily maneuvered. Also, its extra-long handle allows users to cover more ground using less effort while also providing a removable handle section for those who desire a shorter 50” handle instead.
The rake can be used on any type of grass, including Bermuda, Kentucky Bluegrass, Ryegrass, St. Augustine, and Fescue — but works best when the grass is cut to 1.5 inches or less. With this rake, you can eliminate unwanted dips and divots from the grass ground surface by simply filling them with dirt and leveling them out with the Rocklin Industry Levelawn. In addition, the rake weighs eight pounds, ensuring that it is lightweight enough to be easily transported from one area to another.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Ideal for different tasks
- Durable and reliable design
Cons
- Rubber handle grip slips off right away
Most Efficient
The Walensee Lawn Leveling Rake is an ideal tool for leveling soil surfaces in yards and gardens. Featuring heavy-duty construction, this rake is made with high-quality iron material and powder coatings to ensure long-term use and rust prevention.
The Walensee Lawn Leveling Rake is designed with an upgrade structure that significantly increases performance from other leveling rakes. This includes improved potential weak spots on the pole and spreading plate with full welding technology and a rubber grip handle for added comfort. The rake comes in 3 sizes of ground plates with an adjustable angle that can be adjusted from 0 to 90 degrees for different height requirements, making it perfect for use with any type of grass including Bermuda, Kentucky Bluegrass, Ryegrass, St. Augustine, and Fescue (when the grass is cut to 1.5 inches or less).
In addition to its well-constructed design, the rake is easy to use thanks to its long handle which can be assembled with various section poles that feature a screw-to-lock system. What’s more, the effort-saving handle helps you cover larger workspaces without bending or straining, reducing back pain and saving time and energy. The compact size also makes it easy to maneuver, transport, and store when not in use.
Pros
- Quick and easy to use
- Long handle gives leverage
- Helps with smoothing large areas
- No digging in or sinking with use
Cons
- Some find it heavy
Most Durable
The innovatively designed lawn leveling rake by Glorya is an outstanding choice given its excellent quality, durable and sturdy construction. Unlike other leveling rakes that feature a flimsy ground plate with a wooden pole, this leveling rake features a solid stainless steel construction ground plate securely attached to a stainless bar. This eliminates the risk of corrosion, rusting, and breakage of the leveling rake. Thus, it guarantees a long product service life.
Furthermore, this brand believes in prioritizing customer satisfaction and offers a three-year quality assurance warranty with your purchase. This leveling rake has excellent maneuverability and can be used across all surfaces with immense precision and ease.
Pros
- Sturdy heavy-duty construction
- Tough and enduring rake
- Even efficient leveling results
- The assembly is hassle-free and straightforward
Cons
- Pretty heavy weight
A Buying Guide to the Best Leveling Rakes
Buying equipment for your lawn is an investment which is why it is vital to make an educated decision. Thus, we have curated this in-depth buyer’s guide to assist you in every step of purchasing the most worthwhile leveling rake.
What is a Leveling Rake?
As the name suggests, a lawn leveling rake is a gardening tool used for smoothing uneven surfaces in your garden. It serves several functions and fills out the holes and cavities present in the ground surface by shuffling the material. An uneven lawn means unequal land access to the fertile soil, nutrients including fertilizers and water but shuffling and shifting are achieved through a gardening rake. These bow rakes lift the heavy components of the ground to produce an even surface. These durable and rust-resistant equipment are adept at removing the lighter-weight elements like leaves and heavy soil. It also removes stones and other large particulate matter from the ground.
Why Should You Buy a Leveling Rake?
The leveling rake is inexpensive and straightforward equipment, but it can be a great choice to yield phenomenal results. It requires no professional or technical expertise and delivers excellent results each time. By smoothening the ground with a leveling rake, the rough and uneven patches in a garden are eliminated, resulting in a visually appealing lawn. With a more even lawn surface, the issues of waterlogging and stagnation are also eliminated.
Considerations When Buying a Lawn Leveling Rake
You should be mindful of the following factors when considering buying a lawn leveling rake.
Material
The material is an important consideration when considering buying a lawn leveling rake as it directly correlates to the tool’s service life. Suitable quality materials do not show signs of wear even after several years of consistent use and display rust-resistant properties. The most commonly available materials include stainless steel and aluminum. Stainless steel alloy is an excellent material for the bow rakes as they have proven durability.
Weight
The weight of the leveling rake impacts its handling properties as the lightweight ones have better handling properties than the heavy ones. However, the heavier rakes are more sturdy and yield better results in shuffling and sifting heavy soils. The lightweight one may be easier to handle, but it is not tuned to use heavy material and can handle the lighter dried leaves.
Handle
Leveling rakes come with different material handles and varying lengths. Both long and short handles are equally popular. However, keeping in mind the lever principle, the shorter handle will require a greater force than the longer ones. Therefore, in order to avoid frequent exertion, arm exhaustion, and other factors, it is pertinent to choose a leveling rake with a longer handle length. An adjustable handle length is an even better idea.
Grip
The leveling rake has to be used for an extended period, mainly if you are a professional gardener or possess an expansive space. Therefore, an ergonomic and rubberized grip is vital to comfortably carry out these tasks and avoid slipping and firm grip accidents.
Head
The choice of leveling rake head type depends upon the intended purpose of the lawn leveling rake as different designs are suitable for various purposes. The head type can be selected depending on whether you intend to use it for leaves, shrubs, lawn, sand, and grime. Many head type choices include bow type, shrub type, broad head, etc.
How Much Do Leveling Rakes Cost?
A professional lawn leveling rake costs several thousand dollars which is staggeringly expensive, making it an impractical solution. Average lawn leveling rakes are also a bit expensive, with pricing starting from $50 and going as high as several hundred dollars. Although some flimsy ones can be purchased for as low as $20, a good quality lawn leveling rake costs between $75 to $200 and can be used extensively. Since it is not a frequently purchased item, it is best to avoid making hasty decisions and consider the quality of the tool over the price.
Despite being a hefty investment, these tools offer an excellent value for money as they are durable, and once purchased, the rake can be used for a lifetime. Moreover, despite the high price of leveling rake, it still costs a fraction of the money required to get a lawn professionally leveled. Thus, a great deal of money is saved in the grand scheme.
How to Use a Lawn Leveling Rake
Leveling a bumpy lawn is simple yet follows various steps to render the best results. The first step usually involves digging out the soil and filling the bumps and hollow cavities on the ground surface. Simultaneously the bumps also have to be flattened out. Once the uneven dips and rises have been taken care of, the next step is leveling.
For leveling, the handle is gripped comfortably along with the bracket, and the head of the rake has to be adjusted. This is followed by pushing the soil level repeatedly while moving the rake back and forth to yield the desired leveling results. The process must be repeated until the entire lawn surface has not been leveled. To finish off, the leveled lawn should be sprinkled generously with water.
People Also Asked
Are landscape rakes and leveling rakes the same?
No, they are two different types of gardening rakes and are primarily distinguished on the basis of their functions. The landscape rake serves to break large mounds of soil and sand into grains. On the other hand, the leveling rakes are used to shuffle soil and achieve an even ground surface.
Which rakes can be used to level the ground surface?
The garden, landscape, and tarmac rake can be used to level ground coverings due to their features, properties, and construction.
Should you use a manual lawn leveling rake on expansive spaces?
Using a manual leveling rake on expansive spaces can be exhausting and counterproductive. Chain harrow leveling rake for the larger garden spaces. It’s the leveling rake that can be tied to a lawn tractor for a more comfortable leveling operation.
Article Contributors
Read More About Garden Gate Review Team HereThe Garden Gate Review Team’s product reviews and in-depth guides are here to help you choose the best products for a beautiful and bountiful garden and backyard. The content is created by The Garden Gate Review Team. Garden Gate’s editorial staff is not involved. Garden Gate is reader-supported: When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. The Garden Gate Review Team is composed of authors, editors, and gardeners. Artificial Intelligence (large language models) may have been used in the research and creation of the content.
Please reach out to aimperiapt@gmail.com with any questions regarding product testing or specific articles.