Updated on Sep. 12, 2024
Excessive roof snow can become dangerously heavy and lead to destructive ice dams. Remove some of that ice with the best roof snow rake.
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Snow-laden rooftops are an idyllic wintertime vision but could be covering up a scenario that could have devastating consequences for your home. Luckily, removing snow from the roofline mitigates the risk of ice dams forming, and it’s a task best performed regularly and with a quality, telescoping snow rake.
The numerous snow roof rake options available to homeowners may seem overwhelming. But we’re here to assist and provide valuable guidance to alleviate confusion and frustration. Here are some of the best snow rakes for your consideration.
Mike Zawacki for Family Handyman
There were numerous well-constructed roof rake designs under evaluation, but the Garant Telescopic Roof Rake offers some compelling features that increase convenience and usability and elevate this snow rake above the competition. At its core, the Garant Telescopic Roof Rake provides a robust yet lightweight design with added amenities that include a pair of plastic push-button mechanisms to engage the extension pole to its 16-1/2 foot max reach, making it ideal for low, medium and steep sloped roofs. In addition, the push-button mechanism is designed to engage while the user’s gloves are still on, allowing hands to stay warm and dry. When extended to its maximum reach, the pole’s stability is solid with little to no wobble. The real game changer is the abrasive anti-slip coating added to the telescopic handle’s base, a noticeable improvement over uncoated aluminum or foam sleeves.
A triangular bracket stabilizes the hard plastic 24-inch by 5-inch blade, which offers a nice sweep of snow and slush with each pass. The base pole features an end cap reminiscent of the knob on a baseball bat that keeps the hand firmly planted and aids during the pull-back motion, another nice design feature.
However, all accolades aside for a quality item that can be had for less than $100, a few minor drawbacks are worth mentioning. The obvious first is the reduced reach compared to competitors’ models. Complemented by its solid design and construction, one wonders about the added performance with an additional third extension pole. The other, less obvious, is that the extensions would have benefited from light lubrication during assembly. Initially engaged, they’re a bit stiff and difficult to extract from their respective tubes. Lastly, the blade may benefit from adding wheels, which help lift the cutting edge and prevent shingle damage—an important necessity for roof maintenance.
Material: Aluminum | Weight: 4.5 lbs. | Reach: 16.5 ft.
Mike Zawacki for Family HandymanPros
Cons
Mike Zawacki for Family Handyman
Without a doubt, when the job requires some added muscle, you reach for the Snowpeeler Premium Snow Roof Rake. This pro’s pro tool features an innovative yet practical design for quick, efficient snow removal and ice mitigation compared to traditional snow rakes.
The Snowpeeler Premium is uniquely engineered with a large, robust 18-inch by 9-inch commercial-grade aluminum blade mounted on plastic glide pads that cut effortlessly through the heavy, wet snowpack without impacting the roof surface. On the push forward, the blade diverts snow onto a 10-foot tear-resistant plastic slide for highly efficient snow removal on the pullback motion. In addition, the Snowpeeler Premium features an adjustable 30-foot telescopic sectional handle, providing the user with unmatched versatility to protect gutters and roofs and to manage everything from low-pitch roofs to hard-to-reach valleys.
Be warned: A tool of this quality and caliber comes at a steep cost, just under $200.
Material: Aluminum | Weight: 13.4 lbs. | Reach: 30 ft.
Mike Zawacki for Family HandymanPros
Cons
Mike Zawacki for Family Handyman
The Avalanche! Snow Rake Deluxe 20 offers sensible design, quality construction and the key features a homeowner or DIYer seeks in a durable plastic-blade roof rake, making it a must-have for snow management and ice dam mitigation. This rake requires only a few minutes of tool-free assembly. It features easy-fitting yet snug push-button aluminum connections that assemble for a maximum 20-foot reach to accommodate various roof types. The blue plastic, scooped, 24-inch by 6-inch blade allows the user to snag and pull a significant amount of snow from the roof surface with each pass. In addition, the blade features a pair of 3/8-inch-wide orange plastic wheels that raise the cutting edge about 1/4-inch off the surface, allowing it to glide quickly and cleanly across standard asphalt shingles, metal, shake, tile and solar roof surfaces.
A noteworthy addition is the inclusion of a plastic mounting rack for easy and convenient storage when the base section and four extension poles are not in use. Depending on retailer discounts, the Avalanche! Snow Rake Deluxe 20 can be had for less than $100.
Material: Aluminum | Weight: 5.8 lbs. | Reach: 20 ft.
Mike Zawacki for Family HandymanPros
Cons
Mike Zawacki for Family Handyman
It should be noted that while the rake for this review was available through Costway for less than $60, it’s evident that this exact design is available under various brand names and price points through various retailers. The straightforward and uncomplicated features of this snow rake’s design make it an ideal entry-level implement for homeowners/DIYers who may only need to use it a handful of times throughout the winter. This snow rake features a large, 25-inch by 6-inch aluminum blade stabilized by a triangular metal bracket that moves a fair amount of snow in a single pass. A pair of black plastic, grooved wheels are mounted to the bottom equidistant from the corners and elevate the blade about 3/8 of an inch off the surface, ensuring it doesn’t snag or mar roof shingles as it passes.
Once the five push-button extensions are fully assembled, the high-grade aluminum snow rake adjusts from just over 50 inches to an impressive 20 feet in length, offering the user considerable reach for various roof pitches and designs. However, this length contributes to one of this snow rake’s most significant design drawbacks. When fully extended, the pole wobbles and bends slightly, making it difficult to maneuver and manage from the ground. This deficiency, though, lessens and becomes more manageable when one or more extensions are removed.
Lastly, some assembly is required, but an engineering degree is not required. The snow rake comes with a detailed instruction booklet translated into six languages, as well as a custom hex key and a small wrench to assist in assembly.
Material: Aluminum | Weight: 5.5 lbs. | Reach: 20 ft.
Mike Zawacki for Family HandymanPros
Cons
Mike Zawacki for Family Handyman
