Garden Rakes and Brooms: Types and How to Choose

Rake or garden broom: what each one is for

Although they look alike, a rake and a garden broom do different jobs. The rake has curved, rigid tines that bite into the soil: it is used to clean, level and prepare the ground and to cover seedbeds. The garden broom has flat, more flexible tines and is designed to gather leaves, grass clippings and debris on lawns, paths and gravel without damaging the ground. In the Bellota garden rakes and brooms collection you will find both families, with the head alone or with a handle.

Rakes: high, medium and domestic intensity

The range is organised by working intensity, and the difference shows in the head and the number of tines:

High intensity. The Bellota 950CML has a hardened steel head that resists wear, deformation and breakage, and is suitable even for gravel and paved or tarmac areas. It comes with 12, 14, 16 and 18 tines, with head widths from 31.8 to 48.6 cm.
Medium intensity. The 951CML has a steel head with sturdy, curved tines and six widths, from 10 to 20 tines (26.2 to 54.2 cm). It is the starting point for the lawn or vegetable patch.
Domestic use. The 952 is the light version for cleaning and preparing the soil in the garden.

Curved tines bite into the soil with less effort, and the epoxy paint on the head prevents rust and keeps maintenance low. If you prefer a light handle that doesn't suffer from damp, the Bellota 3102 rake has a hollow fibreglass handle of 1,500 mm with two grip zones, in 14 and 16 tines (37.5 and 43 cm).

Garden brooms: flat tines, round tines and plastic

Flat steel tines. The 3041CMA broom has 21 flat tines in hardened steel, a 38 cm working width and a 1,200 mm aluminium handle. It weighs 0.705 kg in total and gathers grass clippings, leaves and debris without damaging the grass.
Adjustable. The 3042CMA lets you adjust the working width between 385 and 480 mm to suit each area of the garden.
Round tines for gravel. The 3040CM broom has 22 round, heat-treated steel tines and a 47 cm working width, and is designed for cleaning gravel surfaces, lawns and paths.
Plastic. The 3034-32CM has a one-piece polypropylene head, 30 flat tines and an 820 mm working width, and is a good choice for large gardens. It comes with a 1,400 mm wooden handle.

For narrow corners and rockeries, the 3035 rake-type broom has flexible tines in weather- and UV-resistant polypropylene, with three working widths (25, 50 and 78 cm). It is sold without a handle: the Bellota M3035 aluminium handle is bought separately and fits all three sizes.

How to choose for the job

Preparing the soil, levelling or covering seedbeds: rake. High intensity if there is gravel or hard ground; medium or domestic intensity for lawn and vegetable patch.
Gathering leaves and grass clippings: flat-tine or plastic broom.
Cleaning gravel: round-tine broom.
Large garden: choose a large working width, like the 820 mm of the 3034-32CM.
Narrow spaces: small head or adjustable broom.

Handle: wood, aluminium or fibreglass

Many models are sold with or without a handle (suffix CM for FSC wood and CMA for aluminium), so check the data sheet. The FSC-certified wooden handle is light and varnished; the aluminium one is durable and light; the fibreglass one doesn't suffer from damp. If you need spares or want to change the handle, see our guide to replacement handles.

Use and maintenance

After use, remove soil and stuck-on debris and store the tool somewhere dry. Check the joint between head and handle from time to time. If you also turn or dig the soil, complete your kit with our guides to spades, shovels and forks and to hoes.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a rake and a garden broom?

The rake has curved, rigid tines for working the soil, while the broom has flat or flexible tines to gather leaves and debris without damaging the ground. For example, the 951CML is for levelling and preparing the soil and the 3041CMA for gathering grass clippings.

Which rake is best for gravel?

The high-intensity one, such as the Bellota 950CML, which has a hardened steel head and is suitable even for gravel and paved or tarmac areas. For cleaning gravel on the surface there is also the 3040CM round-tine broom.

Which broom should I use to gather leaves from the lawn?

A flat-tine or plastic one, which sweeps up leaves without damaging the grass. For example the steel 3041CMA or the polypropylene 3034-32CM, the latter with an 820 mm working width.

Are Bellota brooms and rakes sold with a handle?

It depends on the model: many come with a handle (suffix CM for FSC wood or CMA for aluminium) and others without, such as the 3035, which uses the M3035 aluminium handle sold separately. Always check the product data sheet.

What rake width should I choose?

A wide head covers more area per pass, and a narrow one fits corners better. The 951CML, for example, has widths from 26.2 to 54.2 cm, so you can choose according to the size of your plot.

Find all the models in the garden rakes and brooms collection.

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