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Tools don't make the gardener, but they definitely help. There are many tools to choose from, and it can be difficult to figure out what you really need and what is simply beautiful to have. It is even more difficult to choose between different brands and options in the market when you decide what you need.
We are here to help. The garden know-how team has rated the best garden tools so you can make the best decisions for your personal garden needs.
In this article we cover:
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When reviewing products, we adhere to the highest standards of objectivity and thoroughness. When evaluating a range of products, we consider several factors to ensure that we recommend the best tools to our readers, including price, value for money, expected life, brand trust, customer reviews, and more.
# 1 The best spade: Fiskars D-Handle Square Garden Spade
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If you dig in the dirt, you need a spade. Lumps of dirt, packed soil, stones and roots are difficult to get with a normal shovel. A spade is useful to cut seamlessly through the ground as you dig to either expose existing plants or make room for new ones.
The Fiskars garden spade has a unique square shape that is sharp enough to quickly cut through the ground. This gives you the surface of a traditional shovel with the digging power of a spade.
main features
- Extra large D-handle – You can grab this spade with two hands.
- Steel blade and shaft – Quality welding and materials ensure that this product lasts a long time.
- Technical specifications – The blade clocks with 14 gauges and the shaft with 18 gauges.
- Lifetime guarantee – If you have problems, you can contact Fiskars for a repair or replacement.
The Fiskars Spade has received 4.8 from 376 customer reviews on Amazon. On May 25, 2014, Sheryl K said:
Admittedly, I was skeptical of this product or a shovel that promised to make manual work so easy. Why not just buy an electric edge cutter that does the same in less time? Here's the amazing part: This edger does the job with LESS EFFORT because it's ergonomically correct, jumps on it and demands more from the blade itself, which makes the actual manual work so much easier !! I could not believe it !! I'm not a lawn junkie, so it's new to do things like edging. I really had no idea how easy it would be !! I enjoyed using this shovel so much that I now rimmed other areas of my yard because it's so easy and fun. An excellent, strong and robust product that I will enjoy for many years to come !!
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# 2 The best secateurs: Gonicc Professional Premium Titanium Pruning Shears
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Scissors are essential to shape bushes and plants and to remove dead or dying limbs that could affect the growth of your plants. If you're looking for scissors, you want something sharp, easy to grasp, and big enough for the plants you want to prune.
These pruning shears made by Gonicc are durable and made from high quality materials so that they last a long time.
main features
- Handles – Made of high quality aluminum and wrapped with a layer of PVC, making them light, soft and comfortable to use.
- Non-slip handle – Ergonomically designed so that they fit comfortably in the palm of your hand and stay there.
- blade – Made with ultra-fine polishing technology and a Teflon or titanium coating to prevent cellulose from rusting on the blades.
- power – These pruners can cut up to a branch with a diameter of ¾ inches.
This premium pruning shear has received 4.5 stars from 1,957 customer reviews on Amazon. On July 2, 2019, Brandon said:
In this case you get what you pay for! There are many other inexpensive scissors out there. These are undoubtedly the best I've ever owned !!
Very comfortable handle, very easy to use. These are supplied with an additional spring to keep the scissors open. I'm not entirely sure why besides the possibility of rusting when they get wet. If one thing needed improvement, it would be the locking mechanism. It works as it should, but is a little difficult to use. Overall, I would buy it again, it seems to be of very high quality!
# 3 The best garden rake: Gardenite Expanding Metal Rake
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Like all things, gardens tend to get messy. Fall leaves, falling seeds and branches that fell after a storm are just a few examples of how your garden can quickly get into chaos.
If you want to stay up to date on these events and make sure your garden is immaculate, you'll need a high-quality rake to remove disruptive materials. This gardenite rake is adjustable and durable and has a wide mouth to catch fallen objects.
main features
- length – This rake is an impressive 63 inches long while most hover around 48 inches.
- head – An adjustable head can be expanded from 7 to 22 inches so you can rake in small areas and cover a large amount of soil.
- Handle – The handle of this rake is coated with zinc to prevent rust. It is about 1 cm wide and makes gripping easier.
- Weight – Light and easy to carry.
- Customer satisfaction guarantee – You can contact Gardenite if you are not satisfied with your purchase.
This rake received 4.6 out of 973 customer reviews on Amazon. On June 27, 2018, Deborah S said:
This rake is great! I wanted something that moves light objects like leaves and sticks without trying to dig roots or boulders (like my garden and rakes do), but all the leaf rakes I've tried are either plastic or made of weakly punched metal that bends or breaks. This has made solid tines that give exactly as needed, but don't distort or break. In addition, the handle is long enough for both my husband and me (we're tall) so that we don't have to bend as much. My only complaint – and it is minor – is that when the rake is set in tight spaces, the grip gets shorter. I'm not sure how to avoid this, but future designs may want to include a width adjustment that doesn't automatically adjust the length. I also like that it's easy because with almost 7 acres of our property to stay circumcised (the rest is wild), it's not fun to lug heavy tools around all day!
# 4 The best gardening gloves: Olson Deepak Leather Gardening Gloves
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In a garden, there are many prickly things that are often unexpected, not to mention dirt and wet soil that quickly messes up your hands. You need a high quality pair of gardening gloves to make your gardening experience as smooth as possible.
These gloves from Olsen Deepak are waterproof, comfortable and flexible.
main features
- materials – These gloves are made of 1.2 mm thick 100% cow leather and are therefore soft, oil-resistant and puncture-proof.
- Reinforced palm and elastic wrist – These protect your grip and protect your skin by keeping dirt and debris away from the glove.
- No feed – No lining is required for these gloves, which are naturally breathable and sweat-absorbent.
These sturdy gloves received 4.8 from 117 customer reviews on Amazon. On October 27, 2019, Janet Steinman said:
I have been building for 31 years and have passed through hundreds of pairs of gloves. This is the best quality for the dollar. Heavy leather, good seams soft and flexible.
# 5 The best garden knife: Really garden Hori Hori garden knife
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While shears are great for trimming plants, garden knives are a great tool when you need a little more precision. They are useful when pulling up grass or turf, digging weeds from tight spaces, or loosening roots around plants.
This garden knife sold by Truly Garden is a high quality, durable garden knife that is easy to grip.
The main features include:
- blade – Extra sharp, serrated and flattened for 7 inch blades.
- Manufacturing – Made of stainless steel and a full handle for added strength.
- coat – A nylon sheath with a sharpening stone pocket protects the blade.
- packaging – Made with environmentally friendly packaging.
- warranty – Your knife has been covered for five years.
This extra sharp knife has received 4.8 from 1,347 customer reviews on Amazon. On April 1, 2018, an Amazon customer said:
I love this garden tool. I never knew how much I needed it! This is now my number one weapon in my fight with out of control out of control landscaping. You can have too much good! I have inherited a landscape in which a specimen of every known plant can grow wild across the northern hemisphere.
Now I bravely pull the Hori Hori garden knife out of its sheath and enter the courtyard with new courage. In my fight I destroyed all of our kitchen knives, my hoe and cultivator tiller and the pickaxe, but this yard has finally found its counterpart!
Things to consider when buying garden tools
There are a few factors to consider before making the final purchase of garden tools.
What kind of plants do you currently have?
You may have thicker bushes to take care of, or flowers that need to be trimmed frequently. This will influence your purchase decision.
What kind of projects do you want to complete?
You may be more interested in caring for your plants than planting new plants. This affects which products you need.
What's the weather near you?
If you live in a climate where the seasons are changing, you will probably need different garden tools than in a more stable climate.
How often do you work in the garden?
We've pretty much covered the basic tools here, but whether or not you frequently work in the garden depends on your decision as to which garden tools are right for you.
