Raking pine needles can be one of the hardest things you’ll have to do on your property. While some homeowners prefer to use a leaf blower, I recommend using one of the best rakes for pine needles if you want to do it right.

This garden tool will allow you to rake pine needles whether the ground is dry or wet. And, when using the right rake design for your turf, the job will be done thoroughly, and in record time, I might add. Check out some of my favorite rakes in this category to see what separates them from other similar tools.

Best Rakes for Pine Needles – My Top 7 Picks

1. Field Tuff FTF-60PSR3PT

With a width of 60”, the Field Tuff FTF-60PSR3PT pine needle rake covers a lot of ground. Each of the 26 spring steel tines is very durable. At .33” each, they can help you rake under one or more pine trees in record time, without destroying your lawn.

The rake is fine enough to work on pine straws, leaves, even grass, and debris too. It’s this versatility that I like most. Although it doesn’t come with a handle, you can attach it to any 3pt hitch.

That is why I think that it’s also a big space saver. If you’ve already packed your tool shed with shovels, other rakes, and other massive tools, storing a detachable rake should be easy enough.

And, even though the rake itself is not the most rugged, the powder coating gives it excellent corrosion resistance.

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2. TRG The Groundskeeper II

This model may look like your average garden rake, but its performance begs to differ. The rake comes with 28 steel tines, which makes it ideal for raking straws and leaves. You can even use it to settle mulch and gravel, as well as other debris.

The tines are rounded but also very stiff. That makes them durable and easier to use on harsh terrain. I also like the included 55” handle. Due to its length, it is just as comfortable to use for short and tall individuals.

If you own a smaller property, the 21” rake head should cover more than enough ground. I also like that all the necessary components are there in the package. Another cool thing is that replacement tines and handles are available from TRG, should something break.

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3. Flexrake LAR123

If the ground around your home is not mostly flat, you may have to put in some extra effort to rake pine straws and other debris. That means that you need both a sturdy rake and a durable handle. That’s why I like the 54” wooden handle on the LAR123 rake.

The head offers 24” coverage in width, which is not a lot. That said, it is ideal when trying to rake narrow paths and around corners. Unlike most pine needle rakes, this one doesn’t have tines.

While it can pick up a lot more debris than some other rakes, it also needs to be handled with care. The absence of tines means that it has more contact surface contact with the ground. Therefore, you might want to pay extra attention not to damage it.

I think that this can sometimes be damaging to specific turfs, especially if you have taller grass. It’s possible to rip it out of the ground if you’re not careful.

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4. Gardenite Garden Leaf Rake

This model is one of the few garden leaf rakes that also work on pine straws. The handle is 63” long and makes it very easy to clean the garden, especially for very tall users.

I like that the rake head is adjustable. It can expand between 7” and 22” in width. By doing this, you can make sure that the tines have optimal spacing to pick up smaller or larger debris.

I recommend using the Gardenite rake, especially when cleaning narrow paths and tight spaces. That’s because the rake head only features 15 tines. And, because you’ll need to bring them close together to handle super-thin pine straws.

The handle seems sturdy and quite thin. It’s also zinc-plated, which gives it better weather and corrosion resistance. However, I would still advise against storing the rake outside.

Although the overall build quality is decent, you should avoid using this rake for heavy-duty jobs. Stick to pine needle and leaf raking, and avoid trying to gather mulch, rocks, gravel, and other heavier debris.

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5. Amazing Rake 3-in-1 Lawn Leaf Grabber Claw

There’s nothing wrong with raking the leaves and pine needles the old fashion way. But why do that when you can do three things at the same time? The Amazing Rake has a slightly different design than usual. It allows you to rake, grab, and bag without the use of other garden tools.

The scooper design is ideal for leaves and mulch. However, this design is also suitable for picking up pine straws in large amounts, together with other lawn debris.

The rake is very durable. It’s made of a Polypropylene copolymer, which is impervious to weather, corrosion, and has excellent impact resistance too.

I like that the whole thing only weighs roughly 2.5lbs. The lightweight makes it easier to scoop up large amounts of debris.

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6. Midwest Rake 11036 Screening Rake

If you want a multi-functional or multi-purpose rake, I recommend the Midwest Rake model 11036. It is a heavy-duty aluminum garden rake that can take care of the easiest cleanup jobs as well as some of the hardest.

It offers 36” coverage in width and a long-lasting rake head. The design also features rounded teeth that won’t ruin your lawn and gouge out grass, flowers, etc.

The aluminum handle is quite long too at 66”. If you’re tall, this could be the ideal fit for you. You won’t have to bend and strain your back while raking your garden. I like the idea of a wrap-around bracing, too.

It gives the rake head better stability and superior load capacity, should you want to rake gravel and other debris.

The overall weather resistance and corrosion resistance are superior to many other models on the market. The combination of high-grade aluminum and magnesium alloys will keep the rake head rust-free and in top-notch condition for a long time.

• Good width coverage
• Extra durable
• Very long handle
• Great load capacity

• Very straight edges that may occasionally cut

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7. Bond Manufacturing Bond LH013 Fan Rake

Sometimes the most important thing about a rake is having a small footprint while in storage. That’s why I recommend the Bond LH013 Fan Rake. Its telescopic handle makes it very easy to store even in the tightest tool sheds and garages.

The head is powder-coated for extra protection against rust. The handle features a non-slip grip, which will make the rake more comfortable to use and reliable in all weather conditions.

That said, the rake is slightly smaller than an average model. The maximum length of the rake is 37”. So, I would recommend this to shorter individuals as taller users might have to put more back into their raking.

The rake also features a metal ring for storage purposes. Another good thing is that the rake is lightweight, at just 1.35lbs. It is also comfortable to handle and easy to store on a small shed or garage.

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Types of Pine Needle Rakes

There are many types of rakes that you can use to clean your lawn, though not all of them are good at gathering pine straws. Your average leaves rake will likely have its tines too spread out to be efficient with pine needles.

So, what you need is something either adjustable in width or something with a tighter tine separation. You shouldn’t, however, worry about the tine count. As long as they’re close enough to each other, you can make do with 10 or 30 of them.

There’s also the option of using a rake without tines. A flat rake head can also work as it will be able to scoop up large amounts of debris, along with pine needles.

How to Pick a Handle

First of all, not all manufacturers sell pine needle rakes with attached handles. Some rake heads sell separately, and they should fit pretty much all universal garden tool handles.

That said, I think that getting a rake with a handle is sometimes more convenient. Picking a handle involves considering a few factors. Things like weather resistance, handle strength, length, and other perks are essential.

Wooden handles tend to be cheaper and very strong. However, they require proper storage as they’re not as resistant to harsh weather conditions, humidity, and other external factors.

I prefer metallic handles most of the time. But, without a proper protective coating, a metal handle may prove to be more of a nuisance than an advantage.

You might also want to take the height or handle length into account. If you’re tall, you’ll always benefit more from a longer handle. The longer it is, the higher you can grip it, and the less you’ll have to bend over while raking.

On the other hand, shorter handles would fit shorter people. They won’t have to wrestle with the rake while cleaning the garden.

Some Storage Considerations

As previously mentioned, it’s best to keep your rakes in storage when not in use. That said, not all of them are easy to store. Pine needle rakes with very long handles can take up a lot of space. So, I recommend looking into detachable rake heads if you’re low on storage space.

That would allow you to store the handle and rake head separately. You might want to stash the head into a special drawer.

Another option involves telescopic handles. Although these will rarely reduce the overall height of the rake by more than half, it’s still better than the alternative in some cases.

You might also want to look for a dedicated hanger ring. I recommend either a durable polymer ring or a metal ring. That way, it’s weight capacity won’t be in question.

What Are the Best Tines?

Tines come in a variety of shapes, sizes, lengths, and designs. The two most common types of tines used in pine needles rakes are straight and rounded.

I prefer the rounded tines because they’re less damaging to the lawn. If you use straight edge tines, you could cut grass or pull out something out of the ground.

There’s also the rigidity aspect. As you may have noticed, many rakes designed for leaves tend to be quite flexible. While this does give them some durability, it doesn’t make them ideal at picking up tiny debris such as pine straws.

Therefore, I recommend looking into rigid tines. These are less likely to flex and go over pine needles as you push them into the ground harder. They’re also less likely to break if you use them to rake gravel, rocks, or gather mulch and other more substantial lawn debris.

Give the Leaf Blower a Break and Clean Your Garden Properly

While it may not be the most enjoyable thing to do, raking pine needles is necessary on some properties. By using one of the best rakes for pine needles, you can get the job done in record time.

Not only that, but you’ll ensure a much more thorough cleanup than you would get with a leaf blower. As you can see, pine needles rakes are a bit different than most rakes for leaves. But, they’re also available in many sizes and prices to fit your needs and budget.