The same applies to rakes. Look for extra reinforcement at the socket and for straight-grained, dense wooden handles. Cheap rakes have flimsy handles that will pull out of the sockets under heavy use. Iron rakes come in different widths and may be straight or curved with long or short teeth. The teeth can be widely or closely spaced.
Rakes can weigh as little as three pounds or as much as five pounds.
The major use for iron rakes in home gardens is for pulverizing and leveling soil. If you have a big garden, buy a wide, heavy rake you can turn to push or pull the soil. If you have a small garden, buy a rake with sharp teeth. For heavy or rocky soil, select a rake with wide spaces between the teeth to simplify cleaning out clods and rocks. Let's take an inventory of the tools you may need for your garden this year.