DeWalt 36 in. Aluminum Landscape Rake

I put this landscape rake to work on a lawn renovation and a small path refresh, and it quickly became my go-to for finish grading. With a 36-inch head and a long, anodized aluminum handle, it covers ground fast while staying light enough to use for hours without feeling cooked. It’s not a pry bar and it definitely isn’t a rock rake, but for spreading topsoil, feathering mulch, and taming pea gravel, it does clean, efficient work.

Build and design

The head spans 36 inches with 36 aluminum tines roughly two inches long. That width is a sweet spot for yard-scale jobs: wide enough to reduce passes, narrow enough to stay controllable in tight beds and along edges. The aluminum brace between the head and handle keeps the assembly rigid. I never felt the head twist or yaw, even when I raked with an offset grip around beds and pavers.

The handle runs about 66 inches, which matters more than you’d think. The extra length lets you keep a more upright posture when you’re pulling material toward you and when you’re “floating” the head to level out ridges. At 3.53 pounds overall, the tool is genuinely light; the balance is slightly head-heavy in a good way, so the tines make contact without you pressing down.

Fit and finish are solid. The anodized surfaces shrug off grime and moisture, and the overmold end grip gives your lower hand a secure stop. The grip is at the butt, not full-length, but it’s useful when you’re two-handing the pull stroke. There’s also a hanging hole, which is a small touch I appreciate; it keeps the rake off the ground and the tines out of harm’s way in the shed.

Setup and ergonomics

There’s nothing to assemble. Out of the wrap, I checked the brace hardware, and everything was tight and aligned. The handle diameter is comfortable gloved or bare-handed, and the surface finish isn’t slippery when dusty. Over a weekend of moving and leveling a few yards of screened topsoil, I noticed less back and shoulder fatigue than with shorter-handled or heavier steel rakes.

The 36-inch head demands a slightly different stroke than a narrow garden rake. Short choppy strokes leave chatter; long, relaxed pulls with a light touch give the best finish. The width also helps bridge minor dips and highs—useful when you’re trying to create a uniform seedbed without chasing every little hollow.

Performance in soil, mulch, and gravel

• Topsoil and loam: This is where the rake shines. Spreading piles goes quickly because you can push or pull a lot of material per pass. For finish grading, I got the best results by letting the head “float” with minimal downward pressure, then making overlapping passes. The tines break up small clods and the head leaves a level surface suitable for seed. I also used the rear of the head to lightly back-drag and feather edges along a sidewalk.

• Compost and mulch: In beds, I used a lighter stroke. The tines move chipped mulch cleanly without gouging fabric underneath, and the wide head helps establish an even depth across larger beds. The lightweight build makes it easy to steer around shrubs and stones.

• Gravel: On pea gravel (3/8-inch), it does fine. You can smooth out wheel ruts and redistribute material without much fight. On larger, angular crushed rock, it’s usable but not ideal. The tines tend to chatter and can catch on embedded stones. In one instance, I snagged a partially buried rock while leaning on the rake, and I snapped a tine near the base. That’s the trade-off with aluminum: corrosion resistance and lightness over ductile “bend-then-bounce-back” behavior. With a lighter touch and cleaner aggregate, it performs well; it’s just not a substitute for a steel contractor rake on rough, rocky subgrade.

Durability and maintenance

After several sessions, the anodized finish is holding up with only cosmetic scuffs. The head-to-handle joint hasn’t loosened, and the brace hasn’t creaked or shifted. Aside from the one broken tine (operator error pressing down into a buried rock), the remaining tines show minor wear at the tips but nothing concerning.

Aluminum tines won’t rust, which is a practical win for anyone storing tools in humid sheds or using them around irrigation. But they aren’t the tool for prying roots or fishing out embedded debris. If you keep it in its lane—spreading and finish grading—it feels like it will last a long time. My maintenance routine is simple: hose off fines, let it dry, and hang it by the integrated hole. A quick check of the brace screws every few projects is wise.

The limited lifetime warranty is reassuring, though like most warranties it won’t cover abuse. Still, it signals the manufacturer’s confidence in the build.

Technique tips

• Use long, overlapping strokes and let the head ride the surface. The rake works better “floating” than being forced down.
• For seedbeds, make a final pass at 90 degrees to your spreading direction to even out subtle ridges.
• On gravel, rake with lighter pressure and angle the head slightly to reduce tine chatter. Avoid prying out buried stones—switch to a mattock or hand pullers for that.
• Keep the head clean. Caked clay on the tines can cause uneven results and extra drag.

How it compares

Compared to a steel landscape rake, this aluminum version is noticeably lighter and completely resistant to rust. The long handle also stands out—many steel rakes ship shorter—which pays dividends in posture and reach. On the other hand, steel tines tolerate abuse and occasional prying better. If your work routinely involves unprocessed fill with larger rocks or compacted base, steel is more forgiving.

Against other aluminum or magnesium landscape rakes, the performance is right in the mix. The 36-inch head is a standard, versatile size, and the brace provides good stiffness. Some premium heads have replaceable tine bars or more pronounced smoothing edges; this head still levels effectively, but it rewards good technique rather than brute force.

Where it shines and where it doesn’t

Pros:
- Wide 36-inch head moves and levels material quickly
- Lightweight (about 3.5 lb) with good balance and a long 66-inch handle
- Corrosion-resistant aluminum with durable anodized finish
- Rigid head/brace junction; no wobble under normal use
- Comfortable end grip and easy storage via the hanging hole

Cons:
- Aluminum tines can snap if forced into embedded rocks or used for prying
- Less effective on large, angular aggregate and very rocky subgrades
- End grip isn’t a full-length handle sleeve; on cold days you’ll want gloves

Who it’s for

If you’re establishing or renovating a lawn, prepping a seedbed, leveling topsoil, smoothing pea gravel or fines, or evening out mulch across larger beds, this rake is a strong fit. Homeowners and pros doing finish work will appreciate the speed from the wide head and the reduced fatigue from the light build and long handle. If your day-to-day involves yanking out buried stone, busting hardpan, or wrangling 3/4-inch crushed rock on rough subgrade, a heavier steel rake is the better tool.

Recommendation

I recommend this landscape rake for finish grading and material spreading on clean soil, compost, mulch, and smaller gravel. Its combination of width, low weight, long handle, and corrosion-resistant build makes it efficient and comfortable over long sessions. Treat it as a precision tool for surface prep rather than a lever for excavation, and it delivers consistent, smooth results. If you need a rake to survive routine abuse on rocky sites, consider a steel alternative; otherwise, this one earns a spot on the wall and in regular rotation.