5 Best Roof Rakes – Do It The Safe Way

By
Nora Held
Nora Held
Research Writer
Apart from being our main writer, Nora also works for a number of gardening-related sites and magazines, sharing her experience as an owner of a small farm in North Carolina read more
reviewed
Reviewed By
Bruce Williams
Bruce Williams
Expert Consultant
Bruce owns a small farm and loves to grill since his early childhood. He’s a professional cook, but hiking and enjoying the great outdoors is his no less favorite part of read more
Last updated: August 24, 2023
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There are more enjoyable activities than roof raking, but using the right roof rake makes all the difference when you want to get the job done fast. You need the best roof rake to maintain your roof properly, especially in those cold winter months when your roof’s packed with snow. With so many options available, it’s difficult to know which one to pick.

We’ve reviewed 5 of the best roof rakes on the market. We love our editor’s choice, the Suncast Adjustable Roof Rake, for its easy usage, disassembly, and storage. An excellent roof rake for snow removal, it’s durable, lightweight, and extendable to reach most two-story rooftops.
We gathered four other popular products to share in our review. Each has equally impressive features, and we hope that’ll help you make your final selection.

We spent many hours researching to find the best roof rake for you. In our roof rake reviews we looked for long lasting materials. We opted for the best in rake length (overall and shaft only), especially extendable rakes. Also, we found handy head features to maximize usage and lightweight rakes to protect your back. Our findings have been summarized in a simple table, accompanied by in depth reviews and overall ratings per product. Our buyer’s guide will help you out if you’re still uncertain on how to identify the best one for you. We explore which key features to look out for when purchasing a roof rake. We also cover the uses of roof rakes and how to opt for the best one. Our FAQ section answers some common concerns you might still have. We hope that after reading this you’ll find the best roof rake and be itching to rake your roof!

Quick Summary

  • Editor's Choice: Suncast Adjustable Roof Rake
    "With this rake reaching up to 21 ft will be an easy game, and the durable construction guarantees good quality"
  • Budget Pick: Garant GPRR24
    "This budget-friendly model is meant to be assembled out of 3 parts, each 5 ft long, allowing you to control the length of the handle"
  • Best for Car Roof: Harrms Roof Snow Rake Removal
    "With the 10 ft handle length this roof rake is ideal for cars and trucks roofs snow, wet leaves and debris removal"
  • Best Wheel Design: Yardeen Snow Roof Rake
    "The aluminum wheel design makes this model very easy to use and the blade doesn’t touch your roof’s surface"
  • Best Value: Snow Joe RJ205M
    "Easy to assemble and adjust rake with twist-n-locking pole is ideal for snow, wet leaves and debris removal"

Top 5 Roof Rakes Review 2024

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Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 9204 people in the past 30 days
9.8
Customer Feedback
Customer Feedback
9.5
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
9.5
Features & Benefits
Product Review
9.6
9.8
1
Features
  • Materials: resin-coated aluminum, no-stick graphite, plastic
  • Length: 7-21 ft
  • Head width: 24 in.
  • Weight: 7.6 lbs.

 More features: ideal for snow, wet leaves removal, effective for 2 story homes

Our Editor’s Choice, this adjustable roof rake has a 20ft resin handle. It’s a tough multi tool without a stick blade. Easy to use and perfect for removing debris, leaves & shoveling snow, it works on your garage, house or shed’s roof.
When assembling, have a pair of pliers handy to help line up and tighten the holes of the metal rods on the shovel.
The resin coated aluminum material offers a strong handle. The curved 24” head with no stick graphite blade makes it a powerfully effective roof rake for snow removal. It’s adjustable with aluminum coated upper extension pieces from 7ft up to 21ft. With a handle length reaching 252” and a width of 21”, this roof rake’s been designed to reach those difficult spots.
At its full assembly of 20+ft the rake can be heavy, so carefully lift it up and bring it back down to your roof’s edge away from windows.
The rake can be easily disassembled and stored in your attic, basement, garage or shed until future use.

    Why is it special?
  • Easy usage, disassembly and storage
  • Lightweight
  • Perfect for most 2 story house rooftops
    What are the flaws?
  • California Proposition 65 warning
  • No wheels included
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Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 4359 people in the past 30 days
9.4
Customer Feedback
Customer Feedback
9.3
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
9.3
Features & Benefits
Product Review
8.9
9.4
2
Budget Pick

Garant GPRR24

Features
  • Materials: polyethylene, aluminum
  • Length: 3 sections of 5 ft
  • Head width: 24 in.
  • Weight: 4.21 lbs.

 More features: anti-slip grip

We’ve identified this as our Upgrade Pick. This product is a practical roof rake for snow and less expensive than other models. With its light and hardy 24” polyethylene blade you don’t have to worry about causing damage to your roof. Its wide angled head makes removing snow as easy as one, two, three.
The aluminum handles come in three sections of 5ft and the anti slip grip ensures it stays comfortably & safely in your hands. This roof rake has a strong scoop that’s best for removing snow from your awning, roof and skylight.
Be sure to correctly assemble this rake by securely twisting the lock nuts with a wrench.
Two extensions are included to give a total length of about 15ft. Be mindful that the more poles you add onto it, the floppier the rake can become. This rake can’t remove ice but does a stellar job of clearing heavy snow from winter storms.

    Why did it make our list?
  • Anti slip grip on strong, ultra light handle
  • Easy maneuverability
  • Extremely durable
    What is not ideal about it?
  • California Proposition 65 warning
  • Not suitable for removing ice
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Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 6168 people in the past 30 days
9.3
Customer Feedback
Customer Feedback
9.0
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
8.8
Features & Benefits
Product Review
9.1
9.3
3
Best for Car Roof

Harrms Roof Snow Rake Removal

Features
  • Materials: stainless steel, polypropylene
  • Length: 10 ft
  • Head width: not specified
  • Weight: 3.55 lbs.

 More features: different lengths available, ideal for cars and trucks roofs snow, wet leaves and debris removal, push broom design

For effective frost, ice and snow removal from cars & trucks, this roof snow rake’s the one for you. Available in 4ft, 6ft, 8.5ft, 10ft and 15ft lengths, no ladders are required. Made from hard-wearing stainless steel using a triangular configuration, this rake was built to last. Firmness comes from the supporting rods creating the solid three-sided frame between the blade and main pipe.
Installation’s made easy with the lightweight body and basic parts that can be both assembled & stored away quickly.
Its light yet sturdy polypropylene blade and snow removal rake head enables you to remove a lot of snow in one go—without spoiling your roof.
This roof rake functions as a snow shovel and can remove leaves & other roof rubble from your garage, home or toolshed. It’s the cheapest we’ve reviewed and perfect for courtyard use at home, in a park, plot or public square. You can see why we’ve rated it as our Best for Car Roof snow rake.

    What do we love it for?
  • Available in different lengths
  • Multipurpose for car, truck and house roofs
  • Won’t scratch glass or paint
    What were we disappointed with?
  • Scraper necessary to remove remaining snow
  • Questionable plastic connector
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Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 2850 people in the past 30 days
9.1
Customer Feedback
Customer Feedback
8.6
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
8.6
Features & Benefits
Product Review
8.9
9.1
4
Best Wheel Design

Yardeen Snow Roof Rake

Features
  • Materials: aluminum, plastic
  • Length: up to 20 ft, 4 sections
  • Head width: not specified
  • Weight: 7 lbs.

 More features: wheel design, easy assembly, easy storage

Don’t fear in the event of an avalanche—this snow roof rake’s got you covered! Among the best in avalanche roof rake reviews, it enables frequent snow removal and upkeep during avalanches. This snow shovel prevents ice dam build up and protects your home. You can easily remove snow storm remains, snow and wet leaves without climbing onto your roof.

The best part: no tools are necessary! This roof rake has an adjustable extendable handle with four sections. Unwanted connectors can be simply detached and stored away. The ‘Twist + Lock’ telescoping pole swiftly extends to 20ft to provide added reach. The extremely lightweight rake is manageable with its non slip handle, effortlessly getting rid of snow without straining your back.
Its aluminum wheel design makes it very easy to use and the blade doesn’t touch your roof’s surface. Damage is avoided and you can roll the rake backward & forward.
Reviewed for its Best Wheel Design, it’s the second most expensive option but also our pick for best avalanche roof rake.

    What do we love it for?
  • Wheel design
  • No tools needed
  • Roof rake snow remover included
    What were we disappointed with?
  • May bend when extended
  • Durability is questionable
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Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 8713 people in the past 30 days
9.7
Customer Feedback
Customer Feedback
9.2
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
9.5
Features & Benefits
Product Review
9.2
9.7
5
Best Value

Snow Joe RJ205M

Features
  • Materials: aluminum, plastic
  • Length: 6.2-21 ft
  • Head width: 25 in.
  • Weight: 4.8 lbs.

 More features: twist-n-locking pole, ideal for snow, wet leaves and debris removal

Known as a Telescoping Snow Shovel Roof Rake, this is our Best Value item. Heavy snow and ice dams don’t have to get you down. You can remove snow, storm debris and wet leaves from your roof with the aluminum blade. No climbing or a ladder is necessary—you can stay put on the ground while this snow roof rake does all the work.
Its ‘Twist + Lock’ function enables the telescoping pole to rapidly extend up to 21ft for those hard to reach overhead roof areas. While it can extend far, it’s best for use on smaller single story roofs. Made of aluminum tubing and a robust handle, this is a sturdy product.
The large aluminum blade rake head of 6” x 25” gives you extreme clearing with each action, making it a brilliant snow roof rake. Be careful when handling the shovel head as its edge is quite sharp.
This roof rake makes your chore of yard cleaning easy, quick and simple. It’s both affordable and saves you money on pricey roof repairs.

    What makes it special?
  • Affordable
  • No ladder needed
  • Ultra lightweight
    What cons did we find?
  • California Proposition 65 warning
  • No extension handle available

Things to Consider

When buying a roof rake, make sure you’ve considered all aspects before making your pick. You’ll be using this throughout the winter, so it should be durable and suited to your needs & roof. Read on to get as many tips as possible so you can buy the best roof rake to gear you up for the snow season.

What are roof rakes used for?

As the name suggests, roof rakes are used for removing unwanted items from your roof. In particular, debris, snow and wet leaves that often pile up after a heavy storm. Unlike regular bow rakes and leaf rakes, they are made for more specific tasks.

By using a roof rake you can pull or rake as much snow and other remains as possible off your roof, down towards your gutters. This helps protect your roof from ice dams and saves you plenty of money you’d spend on repairing your house’s or business premises’ structure after snowstorm damage.

How to pick the best roof rake

When you’re looking for a roof rake, consider these three points:

  • Clearance space: do you want to clear snow from the whole roof or only certain areas? Some roof rakes have limited reach, so do your homework carefully.
  • Bumpers or rollers: with limited damage to roof tiles due to keeping the rake blade away from your roof’s surface, roof rakes with bumper or roller blades better protect your roof.
  • Drip edges: some roof rakes have this feature installed in aluminum, copper or steel to protect against rusting.

Materials

Roof rakes come in both metal and plastic. Plastic is lightweight and softer. With less of an impact if you accidentally slip or rake too forcefully, plastic’s kinder to your roof.

A metal roof rake in stainless steel such as the Harrms Roof Snow Rake Removal can be more durable, but if it comes with plastic bumpers or rollers or a rubber seal on the rake’s blade, you can rest assured that it’ll be less harsh on your roof. Out of the five roof rakes we rated, the Yardeen Snow Roof Rake is the only one with a wheel design.

Be aware that some of the products come with a California Proposition 65 warning. It’s good to know this before purchasing, so you can make informed decisions.

Rake Length

5 Best Roof Rakes - Do It The Safe Way

Simply put, the longer your rake, the easier your task will be. All of these products in our snow roof rake reviews can be used without climbing onto your roof or using a ladder. Most of them can extend up to at least 20ft.

Investing in a roof rake with a slight curve proves useful. It allows you to swiftly move the grip during raking. A straight rake is limited by only being pushed up and down. Rakes that bend or fold a little can be more versatile and user friendly. A rake with a telescopic slide function such as the Snow Joe RJ205M and Yardeen Snow Roof Rake enables you to reach the furthest parts of your roof that would normally be inaccessible, especially near the highest point. Straighter roof rakes work excellently for removing snow from lower lying areas on your roof.

Both the Snow Joe RJ205M and Yardeen Snow Roof Rake also offer extended length options to further enhance the ease of use & reach. It’s particularly helpful to have some extra rake extensions handy if part of your roof rake breaks. While this is unfortunate, it’s a realistic possibility when raking large amounts of heavy snow.

Head

When searching for your perfect roof rake, determine whether the head’s extendable or not. With its curved 24” head and no stick graphite blade the Suncast Adjustable Roof Rake successfully removes snow.

The wider the roof rake’s head, the more effective it’ll be. The Snow Joe RJ205M’s large aluminum blade rake head enables extreme clearing with each sweep. A wide angle head on the Garant GPRR24 facilitates easy snow removal.

Weight

Given the fact that you’ll be standing on the ground while using your roof rake, it needs to be light enough to manage. For example, the Harrms Roof Snow Rake Removal is the lightest in all our roof rake reviews weighing in at a mere 3.55lbs.

The added benefit of a lightweight roof rake is there’s no pressure or strain on your lower back. This makes it easier for even older individuals to use comfortably. Remember that the more snow’s packed onto a rake, the heavier it becomes, so with careful use and limited extensions it’ll be safer for your back.

Extra features

5 Best Roof Rakes - Do It The Safe Way

What’s not to love about additional features? The Yardeen Snow Roof Rake includes a roof rake snow remover. This product also boasts the best wheel design, so it’s fair that it’s a bit pricier than the others but best protects your roof.

Both the Suncast Adjustable Roof Rake and Garant GPRR24 have additional poles to extend the rake to its desired length which helps when reaching those tricky overhead areas. The Snow Joe RJ205M and Yardeen Snow Roof Rake offer the ‘Twist + Lock’ feature of a telescoping pole which also quickly extend to those far to reach places.

Warranty

Read the terms and conditions on each product’s warranty to know what’s included. Is it limited, are there any allowances for faulty parts that need replacing, or is there a customer satisfaction guarantee? You may have to contact the seller directly for warranty information, or find this on the manufacturer’s website.

Price

You’ll get what you pay for. We’ve proven that it is possible to get a good quality roof rake without breaking the bank, but the higher the price, the more durable it’ll be and the less likely you’ll have to repair or replace it when parts weaken through winter wear & tear.

FAQ

How to maintain a roof rake?

To make sure you get the most out of your rook rake, be careful of overloading it. If one isn’t long or strong enough on its own, why not purchase a second rake and join two rakes together that are extra long? Be careful of not bending it too much—gently and slowly does it.
Avalanche roof rakes are safe to use on solar panels, but be careful with other models as they may harm your rake and roof.
If your roof rake’s made from aluminum, beware of making any contact with power lines on your roof. This is dangerous and will damage both your rake & house.
When removing snow, try taking it off your roof in smaller pieces to avoid large clumps of ice and snow that can spoil your rake & even fall down & hit you.

Can I use the roof rake for anything else?

Roof rakes are built to remove snow from roofs, so this is their best function. Some can sweep snow away from both your house and car or truck roof & even a school bus, awning, skylight or solar panel, but make sure you know your own rake’s limitations before trying it on the wrong surface. Roof rakes are designed with a different strength than regular tools so might not be able to rake up leaves or surrounding storm debris from the ground with the same effect. The same applies for raking a bare, dry or moss covered roof. Incorrect usage could lead to costly damage.

How much storage space will my roof rake take?

Storing a roof rake can be a hassle because of its length, so some people recommend renting out one for seasonal use and the accompanying maintenance. If you have a garden shed, make sure it’s at the right height to store your rake comfortably. You’ll also want your rake to be packed in a dry environment where it’s not exposed to water or prone to rusting. Your roof rake can even be stored in your vehicle if you have sufficient trunk space. Ideally it should be easily accessible so you can quickly remove that unwanted snow from your roof before it becomes too heavy.

Our verdict

Now you have a better idea of what roof rake you need. If you’re still unsure, we recommend you consider the Suncast Adjustable Roof Rake, our Editor’s Choice. We rate it high because of its best functioning as a roof rake for snow removal. It’s lightweight and can be used for two story rooftops. Our rated upgrade pick is the Garant GPRR24 for its anti slip grip and easy maneuverability, making it an everyday snow roof rake.

We trust that your selection of roof snow rake reviews will help you to find one of your very own. Which one do you think is the best roof rake?

9,8
Total Score
Suncast Adjustable Roof Rake - Editor's Choice
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