Leaf blowers are falling out of favor because they're loud, polluting, and expensive. Rakes are a traditional solution, but it can be heavy manual labor to rake a whole lawn.

My leaf mover of choice is the rake. It’s much quieter than a gas- or electric-powered blower, which means you can use it any time of day, and get exercise and fresh air, too.

Ultimately, leaf removal comes down to a good old-fashioned hand rake. It cleans up the large piles of leaves, and a smaller rake can remove reluctant leaves from garden plants.

In the process, we tested more than 30 leaf blowers, as well as several types of rakes. There's no right or wrong answer to the overall debate, but some devices are clearly better than others.

The Fiskars Leaf Rake features a patented design with curved tines to more easily grab leaves. The 24-inch wide head also makes transporting large quantities of leaves simple and easy.

An 18-inch-wide leaf rake may make the job longer, since the narrower width reduces the amount being raked. A 30-inch-wide rake makes the job go more quickly, but it also puts more of a strain on ...

A 32-inch leaf rake is about as large as you can go, so we’re talking large volumes of light, dry leaves over smooth ground. You can also buy a 32-inch rake with a cushioned handle like this one.

It’s leaf-clearing season in much of the United States, and nothing beats a good rake in terms of completing this chore with minimal noise, air pollution and cost. Raking also counts as exercise ...

Leaf rakes come in a variety of sizes, but unlike a lawnmower blade, wider isn’t necessarily better, said Jim Maffei, senior product manager for tool maker Ames True Temper in Camp Hill, Pa.

If you've ever wrestled with trying to rake leaves into a flimsy plastic garbage bag, you'll love the Rollable Giant Leaf Collection Bag ($99). This rigid-frame collector lays flat on the ground ...