Last updated on March 24th, 2023
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Carrying on from when I sacrificed my lawn and applied sulphate of iron (which is a moss killer and lawn tonic), one job I often used find myself doing before seeding is levelling my lawn. Once my lawn has been levelled, I usually overseed it, and you get a much better lawn, especially if you’re trying to get a striped lawn using a mower with a roller.
The problem is it can be difficult to get a lawn completely level with a standard rake because what you really need is a wide rake. A standard rake can also create ruts too, and this is where a specialised lawn levelling rake comes in.
If you have a larger garden or even large dips in the lawn to level, then the SurmountWay Lawn Levelling Rake is a great choice thanks to its nice wide 75cm levelling width. For smaller gardens, the MIYA Level Lawn Rake is ideal because it has got a smaller levelling width of 43cm which is better for smaller narrow dips.
After levelling the lawn you can also use a garden roller like this one to really compact the soil and make it as level as possible.
Best Pick
Runner-up
Best Levelling Lawn Rakes Reviews
1. SurmountWay Lawn Levelling Rake
Best Pick
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The SurmountWay Lawn Levelling Rake lets you rake a wide strip in one pass. The rake head is 75cm wide and 25cm long and is one of the largest in our review. The entire levelling tool – handle and rake head – is made of heavy-duty stainless steel, with double welded joints for strength and durability.
It’s easy to assemble this model as you put the handle together in three sections. This lets you adjust the length of the handle pole to between 72cm and 225cm according to what’s comfortable for you. Remember that you use an easy to and fro motion with this levelling rake.
And for extra comfort, the handle has an ergonomic soft grip at the end. This stops your hand from becoming blistered or calloused with all the raking you do.
If this rake head isn’t large enough for the expanse of lawn and flower beds you have, check out the same model available in a larger head size of 117cm by 25cm with the same adjustable handle length.
Pros
- A heavy-duty stainless steel levelling rake.
- The levelling plate is 75cm by 25cm.
- Pole is in multiple sections.
- The overall length is adjustable between 72cm and 225cm.
- Put together and take apart in less than one minute.
- The handle has a soft grip at the end.
- Double welded joints.
- Works best when the lawn is cut to 3.5cm.
- Weighs 5.8kg.
Cons
Our recommendation
The SurmountWay Lawn Levelling Rake is my Best Pick for the best lawn levelling rake. I like its large rake head size (with an even larger alternative model also available) and the long handle. The ergonomic grip on the handle saves wear and tear on your hand. The heavy-duty metal construction may make it a little heavier than some other models of the leveller, but that adds to its strength and durability.
2. MIYA Level Lawn Rake
Runner-up
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The MIYA Level Lawn Rake is similar to the INFLATION Golf Grass Levelawn. It has the same ease of assembly and disassembly, being put together in less than one minute.
The levelling rake head is 43cm by 25cm, making it a preferred choice for small to medium-sized areas of land. The pole handle is in three sections. Choose the number of sections for the pole length that works best for your gardening action – 115cm or 150cm.
The MIYA Level Lawn Rake comes with a three-year warranty which backs up the strength and durability of its stainless steel construction.
Pros
- High-quality stainless steel lawn rake.
- The levelling plate measures 43cm by 25cm.
- Assemble or take apart in one minute.
- Pole is in three sections and is adjustable to 115cm or 150cm.
- Weighs 4kg.
- Three-year warranty.
Cons
Our recommendation
The MIYA Level Lawn Rake is my Runner-up rake for levelling smaller areas. Its rake head is of a size that’s best for medium or small plots of land. You have a choice of two lengths for the pole handle. Taller people should check that they’re comfortable working at those heights.
3. Scalebeard Level Lawn Tool
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The Scalebeard Level Lawn Tool is very similar to our Best Pick, the SurmountWay Lawn Levelling Rake. The Scalebeard model is a high-quality levelling rake with a large rake head – 75cm by 25cm. This levelling head makes short work of even large areas of your garden that need smoothing out.
The handle is easy to assemble with its three sections. Its maximum length is 225cm which makes it suitable for taller people or those gardeners who like to extend their arms out when raking the lawn. The convenience of a choice of heights with the sectioned pole is a little offset by this structure weakening the stability of the pole, as reported by some online reviewers.
Don’t worry about having to grip the stainless steel pole when you use this model as it has an ergonomic soft rubber grip at the end of the handle. This is comfortable to hold as well as reduces the stress on your hand.
Pros
- High-quality stainless steel lawn levelling rake.
- The levelling plate is 75cm by 25cm.
- The adjustable handle extends up to 225cm.
- Assemble or take apart in one minute.
- The handle is in three sections for a choice of different lengths.
- The handle has a soft grip at the end.
Cons
- The handle and pole are a little flimsy.
Our recommendation
The Scalebeard Level Lawn Tool is a worthy alternative to our Best Pick. It has the same features, including a soft grip handle and stainless steel construction throughout.
4. TALITARE Lawn Levelling Rake
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The TALITARE Lawn Levelling Rake is another of the smaller levelling rakes in this review. With a levelling rake head area of 43cm by 30cm, it’s best used on small to medium-sized properties. This model is constructed of 304 stainless steel, the most common grade used for resisting corrosion and rust.
The handle of this TALITARE model is in five sections and not the usual three. This gives you more length options for the handle and so accommodates more diverse heights for gardeners. However, the maximum length of the handle pole is still 150cm.
This is one of the lighter weight lawn levellers at 3kg. This helps with the ergonomics of the unit as does the soft rubber grip on the handle. Taking all this together, your lawn levelling experience should be a comfortable one.
Pros
- Levelling lawn rake constructed of 304 stainless steel.
- The levelling head is 43cm by 30cm.
- Adjustable handle in sections.
- The handle extends to 150cm.
- The handle has an ergonomic rubber grip.
- Weighs 3kg.
Our recommendation
The TALITARE Lawn Levelling Rake is a good choice if you’re not faced with a huge expanse of ground to level. Its smaller size levelling rake head (43cm by 30cm) makes quick work of most domestic lawns and vegetable gardens. The stainless steel construction means that, if you clean down the rake after using it, the tool remains resistant to rust and corrosion.
5. INFLATION Golf Grass Levelawn
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The INFLATION Golf Grass Levelawn is a smaller lawn levelling rake than the Best Pick. The levelling head is 43cm by 25cm and that makes it suitable for smaller areas that need smoothing out. The entire tool is made of stainless steel so it’s rust and corrosion-resistant, as well as strong.
The handle length is proportionate to the size of the rake head. The handle is in sections and its height/length is adjustable to 115cm and 150cm. As with all handles that are in sections, this weakens the stability of the handle a bit. Some online reviewers state that the handle is a bit flimsy. But you can always strengthen it by wrapping tape around the joins in the pole.
It’s easy to assemble and take apart this levelling rake. You can store the rake as it is or in its individual components depending on how much storage space you have with the rest of your garden tools.
Pros
- Stainless steel garden leveller.
- Levelling head is 43cm by 25cm.
- The sectioned handle lets you select the height of the pole.
- Height is adjustable to 115cm and 150cm.
- Easy to assemble and take apart.
- Three-year warranty.
Cons
- The handle is not very rigid.
Our recommendation
The INFLATION Golf Grass Levelawn is a good alternative to my Runner-up in this review. It’s a durable garden tool and is a good size if you need to level a small to a medium-sized piece of land. Keep in mind that the maximum handle length is 150cm. Taller gardeners should check that that’s a comfortable length/height for them to work at without having to hunch over.
Buyer’s guide for lawn levelling rakes
Lawn levelling rakes are simple pieces of garden equipment. As such, there’s not much to worry about when making your purchase decision. Here are the main considerations.
How levelling rakes work
Levelling rakes are simple pieces of garden equipment that serve to level out the soft ground. They are wide flat rakes with a structure of bars across them. The bars have tines underneath them which, when raked across the surface of the ground, pull up debris there. The rake pushes the debris from high points on the ground into the low areas. In this way, the surface is levelled off.
You may need to make several passes across your lawn or dirt to get the surface as level as you want it. But you use an easy back and forth motion on the rake and there’s not much effort involved.
What to look for in your levelling rake
There’s really not much to look for as this is a simple piece of equipment. And the sales blurbs and manufacturer’s sites don’t give much information.
Material
All of the models in this review are made of stainless steel, of various grades. This is a metal that is strong and doesn’t rust or corrode. The grade of the stainless steel is important as that relates to its sturdiness. Alternate materials include aluminium which, while being more lightweight, is a little more flimsy.
Look for rake heads made of tempered steel as that has enough strength to break up clumped and hard soil. None of the models I reviewed claimed to have the head made of this material.
Make sure that both the rake head and the pole are made of metal.
Weight
Although using a levelling rake requires a simple back and forth motion, you have to do it for a period of time. The weight of the tool may come into play if you find it difficult to hold equipment for any length of time. Check out the weight of the rake if you can find it.
Size – width
Make sure to buy a lawn levelling rake that’s proportionate to the size of the area you want to level – your lawn or vegetable patch. The most common complaint I came across from reviewers of this tool was that it was too narrow.
Check the size of the rake head of each tool and actually draw it out on paper. Take it into your garden and visualise how much ground you can cover in one minute of using the tool. It’s probably less than you expected. If so, you may need to consider buying a rake that has a larger head.
Size – handle length
Don’t be fooled by the words “adjustable” as related to the handle length. Yes, many models do have adjustable handles but that’s because the handle comes in sections. Your choice of handle height is restricted to whether you use one, two, or three sections at once.
Despite this limitation, it’s still very handy to be able to change the length of the handle to match the height of the person using the rake. One downside of this, though, is that having the handle in a number of sections does tend to make it more bendable than having just one pole. I like the solution of one user who duct-taped the sections together at the joins to increase the handle’s strength. Though, you do need to keep it in one piece and not disassemble it to fit into your garden tools storage area.
Assembly
Most models of lawn levelling rake require assembly. But don’t worry, it’s easily done. Just put the first part of the handle into the rake head and twist the other sections of the pole together. It’s not completely clear from the information available, but it does seem that you do need to supply your own tools to do this. You may need to have a hex spanner, an Allen key, and/or a Phillips screwdriver.
Final Conclusion
Whatever the size of your garden or lawn, it always looks better when it’s level. Unlike regular garden rakes with prongs, the lawn levelling tools in this review are designed for this particular task. Your most difficult decision in buying a levelling rake is about the size – the width of the rake head and the height of the handle. This review has a variety of models which cover the possibilities.
The Best Pick in this review is the SurmountWay Lawn Levelling Rake. This lawn leveller has a wide head at 75cm, and a long (210cm) adjustable handle for your comfort.
The Runner-up is the smaller INFLATION Golf Grass Levelawn. This levelling rake has a 43cm wide head and a shorter handle, also adjustable, at 150cm.
I’ve also reviewed another specialist rake – see my Top 3 Best Gravel Landscape Rakes With Reviews article.
You can also learn how to repair a lawn with dead patches here and also learn about scarifying your lawn here.
Last update on 2023-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
