While it may look attractive, snow on the roof poses a major risk to anyone’s house the main reason why you need the best snow rake you can find.
Weighing around 20 pounds per cubic square foot, snow is actually quite heavy and can cause severe structural damage. To prevent the havoc of a snowy roof, homeowners living in areas with extreme snowfall need to use special removal tools – snow (or roof) rakes.
In this article, we’ll be taking a closer look at these simple yet convenient devices that provide a means to keep the snow off your roof. With rakes coming in all shapes and sizes, it’s very important to make an informed purchase – here’s everything you need to know:
Contents
What’s a Snow Rake (Roof Rake)?
Half a century ago, an inventor called Edward G. Fischer filed a patent for a snow removal tool. Using a bowed rake arm, this device allowed homeowners to remove the snow from their roofs while still standing in their living rooms. Obviously, this kind of design came with a major flaw – you couldn’t see what you were doing.
As they sport a more elaborate design and use superior materials, modern snow roof rakes have thoroughly solved this issue. While they do come in various shapes and with various features, most of these tools are very similar to your regular garden hoe.
Almost every snow roof rake consists of a long pole with a blade attached to its end. As such, these devices allow homeowners to clean the snow off their roofs from the safety of the ground. You use the blade attached to the end of the pole to pull the snow off your roof – it’s as simple as that.
How to Use a Snow Rake?
Like we said above, using a snow roof rake is as easy as placing its blade on your roof and pulling down the snow with it. And while these tools are generally safe and easy to use, there are still a couple of safety precautions one needs to keep in mind before using a roof rake.
Besides making sure your gutter is securely attached and that there’s no loose shingle work on your roof, it’s important to start slowly and get the feel of how quickly the snow is coming off. Homeowners with exceptionally steep roof pitches should keep in mind that the snow could easily shoot right off the roof and fall onto them. Make sure to watch out for overhead power lines and falling icicles, too.
Finally, keep in mind that the snow you scrape off the roof can easily damage the shrubbery it falls onto. Minimize the risk by shielding your evergreens with tarps and pieces of plywood.
How to Make a Roof Rake?
While it’s always better to just buy one of these simple and affordable tools, sometimes the circumstances don’t allow us to do so. If you’re on a really tight budget, you can try to make a snow rake by yourself.
Make an H-shaped frame out of wood or metal and attach it to a pole. For the pole, use something that’s lengthy and lightweight, like PVC piping. Use multiple screws to attach a piece of sheet metal to one half of the H-shaped frame. Its other half should hold a length of metal chain.
The flat metal surface on one side of the frame will allow you to easily clear the snow piled up on your roof. The chain, situated on the frame’s other side, will allow you to harness the effects of gravity – pulling it along the shingles will result in a “snowball” effect.
Where to Buy a Roof Rake?
As with most other tools, the best place to buy a snow roof rake is online – on e-commerce websites such as Amazon.
Not only is the selection much bigger than in any brick-and-mortar hardware store, but you can also read other people’s opinions on the performance and features of every model.
In addition, you’ll never run into the issue of not being able to get yourself a snow roof rake just because the store’s seasonal selection of these tools was emptied by your fellow citizens.
The Top 10 Snow Rakes Reviewed
The following is our roundup of the market’s best snow rakes. These short but informative reviews should help you find the most suitable device of this type for your needs:
Suncast 24 Inch Snow Rake
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Specifications:
- Materials: Aluminum, graphite
- Handle reach: 21 feet
- Blade width: 24 inches
- Weight: 7.58 pounds
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Pros
- Long reach – 21 feet
- Well-designed non-stick blade
- Easy to disassemble and store
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Cons
- Too heavy for extended use
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Built for raking versatility, Suncast 24 Inch Snow Rake is a flexible model that efficiently removes snow and other debris from any roof.
One of the best things about this rake is its superb reach of 21 feet. In other words, you’ll have no problems with pulling down the snow from any part of your roof. What’s more, the model is exceptionally easy to disassemble and store away.
As the name suggests, the blade of Suncast 24 Inch Snow Rake measures 24” in width. It comes with a non-stick surface – snow, leaves, and other debris will never get attached to it. Our only complaint about this snow roof rake is its weight – it may feel heavy quite fast.
Garant GPRR24 Snow Rake
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Specifications:
- Materials: Aluminum, polyethylene
- Handle reach: 16.25 feet
- Blade width: 24 inches
- Weight: 4.21 pounds
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Pros
- Flexible multi-section handle
- Non slip grip for better control
- Wide poly blade
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Cons
- Not for homeowners with really tall roofs
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Next up is Garant GPRR24, an efficient and reliable snow roof rake with a couple of interesting features.
The best thing about this model is its 24 inch blade made out of polyethylene. Not only is it very efficient at removing huge chunks of snow, but it’s constructed in a way that prevents potential roof damage during the process.
Besides the 24 inch poly blade, this roof rake also consists of a flexible, multi-sector handle with a non slip grip. As such, the handle is very easy to control and maneuver with. The only downside is its length – at 16.25 feet, Garant GPRR24 struggles to reach the roof’s higher areas.
Snow Joe RJ204M Snow Rake
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Specifications:
- Materials: Aluminum, polyethylene
- Handle reach: 21 feet
- Blade width: 25 inches
- Weight: 4.8 pounds
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Pros
- Tough, heavy-duty design
- Extra-wide poly blade
- Telescoping handle with an extended reach
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Cons
- Connections may loosen with frequent use
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Behind this peculiar name hides one of the best snow roof rakes if you’re looking for a heavy-duty solution.
Optimized for the more demanding snow removal tasks, Snow Joe RJ204M comes with a heavy-duty Twist-n-Lock telescoping aluminum pole. Unlike the previous roof rake on our list, this one has a more extended reach – Snow Joe’s handle adjusts up to 21 feet.
Another great thing about RJ204M is its oversized poly blade head. Measuring 25” x 6”, it sports a superb clearing capacity and is of great help with clearing huge amounts of snow. The only disadvantage of this roof rake is that it requires regular tightening – its connections can loosen over time.
Check out our guide to corded lawn mowers as well.
Hopkins 2610XM SubZero Snow Rake
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Specifications:
- Materials: Steel
- Handle reach: 4.3 feet
- Blade width: 7.5 inches
- Weight: 1.07 pounds
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Pros
- Light and versatile roof rake
- Durable steel construction
- Non slip grip on the handle
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Cons
- Limited use
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In case all these roof rakes look like an overkill for your needs, Hopkins 2610XM SubZero may be your best option.
This roof rake is actually a lightweight snow removal tool that works more like a broom. Due to its exceptionally low weight and short length, you’ll be able to use it for hours without feeling any fatigue. This comes with a downside, however – Hopkins 2610XM SubZero can’t be used to remove snow and ice dams from tall roofs.
Still, it’s a very versatile tool that combines an ice scraper, squeegee, and a broom into one device. It’s one of the best roof rakes for those looking for an ultralight option.
MinnSnowta Dynamo Snow Rake
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[amazon fields=”B002VHGJI2″ value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_alt=”MinnSnowta Dynamo Snow Rake” image_align=”center”]
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Specifications:
- Materials: Aluminum
- Handle reach: 24 feet
- Blade width: 24 inches
- Weight: 11.83 pounds
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Pros
- Exceptionally long 24-foot pole
- Aircraft-grade aluminum construction
- Wheels prevent damage to the shingles
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Cons
- One of the heaviest roof rakes on the market
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Out of all roof rakes on our list, MinnSnowta Dynamo is the longest – it comes with a 24 foot pole. As such, it’s one of the best choices if your house has an exceptionally tall roof.
Besides being the best roof rake when it comes to the handle reach, MinnSnowta Dynamo excels in many other categories as well. It is, for example, extremely durable – both the 24 foot pole and the 24 inch blade are made out of aircraft-grade aluminum.
With every pass, the blade of MinnSnowta Dynamo clears a 2-foot wide path through the snow. And since its frame comes with a pair of polyethylene wheels, this roof rake will never damage your shingles. Unfortunately, all of these features turn MinnSnowta Dynamo into the heaviest roof rake on our list.
Garelick 89421 Snow Rake
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Specifications:
- Materials: Aluminum
- Handle reach: 21 feet
- Blade width: 24 inches
- Weight: 5.75 pounds
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Pros
- Best roof rake on the market
- Superior reach, construction, and ease of use
- Roller design prevents roof damage
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Cons
- Could be lighter
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As it combines superior performance and durability, Garelick 89421 is, in our opinion, the best roof rake available on the market.
First of all, this roof rake offers an excellent 21-foot reach. If your house has a high roof with hard-to-reach sections, this superb snow removal tool is bound to be of great help to you. The handle itself is made out of multiple aluminum sections that snap together and feels great in hands.
Another thing that makes this roof rake so great is its extra-wide blade with a roller design. As such, it never touches the surface of the roof, allowing quick and easy snow removal without any damage to your shingles.
Avalanche Original 2000 Snow Rake
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Specifications:
- Materials: Aluminum, plastic
- Handle reach: 16 feet
- Blade width: 17 inches
- Weight: 9.0 pounds
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Cons
- Quite heavy
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Pros
- Great for asphalt shingle roofs
- Comes with a set of 1.5” wheels
- Easy to put together
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If your house boasts an asphalt shingle-roof design, Avalanche’s latest snow roof rake is one of your best options.
Equipped with 1.5″ wheels and a 17” blade, this model works great when it comes to removing heavy snow from asphalt shingle roofs. Once it scoops the load, this snow roof rake relies on gravity to get the snow off the roof – using it is as easy as it gets.
You won’t need any special tools to assemble this device. Once you snap its components together, you’ll be able to effortlessly remove snow from your roof.
Midwest Rake 96022 Snow Rake
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[amazon fields=”B005ZE00CO” value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_alt=”Midwest Rake 96022 Snow Rake” image_align=”center”]
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Specifications:
- Materials: Aluminum
- Handle reach: 16 feet
- Blade width: 22 inches
- Weight: 5.6 pounds
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Pros
- Durable aluminum snow roof rake
- Wide, heavy-duty blade
- Telescoping easy-to-assemble handle
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Cons
- The handle may freeze up in winter
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The all-aluminum construction of Midwest Rake 96022 turns it into one of the toughest roof rakes available on today’s market.
The handle of this snow roof rake extends to 16 feet and is made out of strong and lightweight aluminum. As expected, the handle sports a snap-pin engagement mechanism that allows easy operation and storage.
The model’s 22” blade takes care of ice dams and heavy snow with ease. What’s more, the aluminum blade is wide enough to take down sizable loads of snow. The only downside is that the handle of this snow roof rake can freeze up in winter. In case that happens, spray it with silicone.
Avalanche Deluxe 20 Snow Rake
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Specifications:
- Materials: Aluminum, plastic
- Handle reach: 20 feet
- Blade width: 24 inches
- Weight: 5.8 pounds
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Pros
- Enhanced roof access
- 24 inch wide blade with wheels
- Simple assembly
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Cons
- Not the lightest option out there
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When it’s accumulated on tall, expansive roofs, heavy snow can be extremely hard to reach. And that’s precisely where Avalanche Deluxe 20 comes in – it’s the best roof rake for such situations.
Constructed to work on hard-to-reach roof ledges and peaks, this roof rake combines a high-reach, easy to maneuver handle with a 24 inch blade. What’s more, the entire device is easy to handle and store thanks to its easy-snap assembly.
However, one of the best things about this roof rake is that it includes blade wheels. Not only do they reduce the operating effort, but also prevent the blade from damaging the roof.
True Temper 193055510 Snow Rake
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Specifications:
- Materials: Aluminum, polyethylene
- Handle reach: 17 feet
- Blade width: 24 inches
- Weight: 4.8 pounds
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Pros
- Superb telescoping capability
- Wear-protected 24 inch poly blade
- Non slip aluminum handle
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Cons
- Unclear assembly instructions
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One of the most popular roof rakes on the market, True Temper 193055510 is a great choice for anyone who wants to easily pull down heavy snow from their roof.
The best feature of this model is that it provides efficient and reliable telescoping. In other words, its handle sports strong push button locks that hold each section securely in place. It reaches up to 17 feet and turns snow removal into an easy task.
Another great feature of this roof rake is its 24 inch poly blade. Treated to easily handle wear and tear, it is durable, lightweight, and rakes the snow with speed and efficiency. The only downside of this elaborate roof rake is that it’s accompanied by unclear assembly instructions.
Snow Rake Buying Guide
What’s the thing that separates a quality roof rake from the riff-raff? Which features distinguish exceptional roof rakes from the ones you should avoid? Here are the factors you need to keep in mind while shopping for the best roof rake:
Rake Handle
When it comes to roof rakes, handle length is very important – it’s the thing that determines the tool’s reach. If your home has a tall roof, make sure to get an anti slip roof rake with a sufficiently long handle.
In our opinion, telescoping aluminum handles are the best. By allowing length adjustment, these provide a good degree of operational flexibility and will allow you to clear large sections of your roof without much effort.
Blade Width
Whether it’s a polyethylene blade or one made out of metal, this part of the roof rake needs to be sufficiently wide.
Often measuring between 20 and 25 inches, wide blades can cover a large surface area. Most of the products we’ve tested above come with wide blades – you won’t make a mistake by going with any of them.
Bumpers, Wheels, or Rollers
To get the snow off the roof without damaging it, the best roof rake will also include a set of wheels on its blade.
First of all, the wheels simplify the movement of the rake through the snow. Secondly, they prevent the blade from coming into contact with the roof and damaging it. If your home has a new roof that you’d like to keep spotless, definitely get a rake whose blade includes wheels or rollers.
Durability
The best roof rake also needs to be durable and reliable. After all, these devices are subjected to immense stress and significant workloads, so get one that won’t break after only a couple of uses.
In our opinion, a roof snow rake with an aluminum handle and a polyethylene rake head is the best deal. Such models are not only lightweight but also very reliable when it comes to resisting daily wear and tear, as well as rust and corrosion.
Although they weigh a bit more, metal and steel snow rakes are also a good option. Get one of these and you’ll have a heavy-duty device that you’ll be able to use for clearing huge amounts of heavy snow. They are the most eco-friendly choice as well. Check out this post for more eco-friendly garden tools.
Summary
Buying a roof rake that meets your specific needs is incredibly important. Not all homes are built in the same way – if yours has an exceptionally high roof, you’ll need to get a rake of appropriate length. And that’s just one thing to worry about – factors such as durability or blade width are just as important.
All of the models we’ve reviewed above provide a means to keep your roof looking its best even during the harshest winter. If you want the best of the best, however, go with Garelick 89421 – the construction quality and ease of use of this rake are hard to match.
If you want to keep your lawn in tip-top condition in fall as well as winter, check out our pick for the best lawn sweeper.