Do you have an interest in gardening, but you are unsure of how to “dig in” the hobby? Digging a good foundation for your shrubbery, flowers, fruits, or vegetables is important, and you need the best garden spade for the job. Each plant needs the right amount of usable soil depth to grow correctly. How deep your soil needs will depend on the type of plants you wish to grow.
Your plants will be able to grow wonderfully with the proper tools and garden equipment. Understanding what you need and how to prepare the soil for plant containers or raised beds can assist in good plant growth, and because of this, you need the best garden spade for the job. We’ve rounded up the 7 best garden spade, and you can check them out in this article.
Comparison Chart
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | DETAILS | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suncast Outdoor Rolling Garden Scooter | Gardening requires regular maintenance that can sometimes put a strain on any gardener. That’s why the Suncast Outdoor Rolling Garden Scooter is ready to assist you through dirt and grass! | ||
| Spear Head Spade Small Mini Reinforced Fiberglass Gardening Shovel | Perhaps you want something durable but is easy on the arms? The Spear Head Spade Small Mini Reinforced Fiberglass Gardening Shovel is ready to assist you in your gardening needs. | ||
| Cate’s Garden Hand Trowel | Do you want a gardening tool that is just as handy and lightweight? Not a lot of gardeners prefer the full-on shoveling motion. In this case, Cate’s Garden Hand Trowel can help you with your gardening needs. | ||
| Radius Garden 100 Ergonomic Aluminum Hand Trowel | Some gardeners have a small collection of garden spades that can do different types of jobs. Now, if you’re looking for a hand trowel that has a much more comfortable grip, then the Radius Garden 100 Ergonomic Aluminum Hand Trowel is maybe the one for you. | ||
| Tierra Garden 900105 Trake | Are you the type of gardener that does not want to carry a variety of tools around? If you are looking to invest in a product that has multiple purposes and uses, then the Tierra Garden 900105 Trake is something you may want to look into. | ||
| Spear Head Spade | Do you want something that greatly reduces digging work but is still lightweight? The Spear Head Spade is a hardworking tool that does the job for you, especially if you are digging in rocky and compact earth. | ||
| Nupla SS16D-E Ergo Power Sharp Shooters Drain Spade | While most gardeners look at the blade for its dependability, there are a select few who focus on the grip factor. Is the garden spade you are planning to invest in needs to have a powerful handle? The Nupla SS16D-E Ergo Power Sharp Shooters Drain Spade is ready to stand up to the cause! |
A Detailed Review On The 7 Best Garden Spades You Need
Suncast Outdoor Rolling Garden Scooter
Gardening requires regular maintenance that can sometimes put a strain on any gardener. That’s why the Suncast Outdoor Rolling Garden Scooter is ready to assist you through dirt and grass!
Product Highlights
Aside from it moving effortlessly through dirt or grass, the great thing about the Suncast Outdoor Rolling Garden Scooter is that it comes with two drink holders. Let’s face it; we often forget to hydrate. Spend the day enjoying your garden with a cold glass of your favorite beverage.
The Good
This rolling garden scooter has your comfort in mind. The foam-cushioned seat can be easily removed and used as a kneeling pad. The garden scooter has a bin you can use to store your gardening tools, so you don’t need to carry them around all day.
The Bad
This product is fine on its own when it comes to straight edge cutting. However, if you are looking for a spade that holds a lot of soil, then this item is probably something you will consider as a second option. Its straight edge profile provides limited carrying advantage, and you may need to take twice the scoops when shoveling with this garden shovel.
PROs
- It comes with two drink holders
- The cushion seat converts to a kneeling pad
- It has a storage bin
CONs
- The product is made of plastic and may be vulnerable to breakage
Spear Head Spade Small Mini Reinforced Fiberglass Gardening Shovel
Perhaps you want something durable but is easy on the arms? The Spear Head Spade Small Mini Reinforced Fiberglass Gardening Shovel is ready to assist you in your gardening needs.
Product Highlights
Garden shovels are known for their sturdiness, and this benefit matches its weightiness. The Spear Head Spade Small Mini Reinforced Fiberglass Gardening Shovel does not give the gardener that problem. This is considered to be the best garden spade in its own brand’s family because it is the lightest member that can do the job.
The Good
The Spear Head Spade Small Mini Reinforced Fiberglass Gardening Shovel is the lightest garden shovel you will ever encounter as it only weighs 2 lbs. The lightness of the whole product does not give the rest of its body any disadvantage. It is strong enough to handle the most difficult digging job. Because of its weight, this shovel is perfect for petite women and kids.
The Bad
This product is relatively smaller when compared with its siblings. The digging blade is 6 inches wide, 8 inches long and 2 inches high. The shaft is 24.25 inches between the handle and the blade, or 40.25 inches total in height, which is typically shorter compared to some of the other garden spades, which is why it is perfect for gardeners and kids who are willing to do light work.
PROs
- The “Double Patented” blade profile has the impressive ability to auto-seek the path of least resistance
- The spearhead design reduces effort by up to 80%
- This is perfect for petite women and children
- It can be used on rocky, compact soil and clay
- The blade is sharpened from the tip to the tail at a 35-degree angle
Cate’s Garden Hand Trowel
Do you want a gardening tool that is just as handy and lightweight? Not a lot of gardeners prefer the full-on shoveling motion. In this case, Cate’s Garden Hand Trowel can help you with your gardening needs.
Product Highlights
When looking for a small handheld tool that has a curved scoop to lift soil and plants, you may want to consider Cate’s Garden Hand Trowel because of its high quality and sturdy design. It is ideal for digging into small areas, scooping soil, or cultivating the earth. Most gardeners would also use this tool for compost preparation for flower beds and small vegetable patches.
The Good
The spade itself is made for heavy-duty use, so don’t be fooled by its small size. It comes to you beautifully polished, and it’s rust-resistant, too. It measures 13.37 inches in total. Unlike other garden trowels that use steel for its handle, this hand trowel is made of ash – a preferred wood for garden tools. It is not only strong and durable, but it is also a natural shock absorber. Plus, if you want to be precise with your digging, the blade comes with grade marks that allow you to measure the earth for up to 4 inches and can cut through soil and roots without worry.
The Bad
This product is not for you if you are planning on scooping up large portions of the earth. This hand trowel is perfect for small projects in your garden or if you’re planning on working on a small patch of soil at a time. It may not be able to cut through thick amounts of root and coarse gravel because of its size.
PROs
- The handle is made of wood, which is a natural shock absorber
- The blade has measuring marks
- It is rust-resistant and comes in stainless steel
- It is lightweight
- It comes with a leather strap for easy storage
CONs
- Only great for small patch projects at a time
- It may have difficulty cutting through thick roots or hard graveled earth
Radius Garden 100 Ergonomic Aluminum Hand Trowel
Some gardeners have a small collection of garden spades that can do different types of jobs. Now, if you’re looking for a hand trowel that has a much more comfortable grip, then the Radius Garden 100 Ergonomic Aluminum Hand Trowel is maybe the one for you.
Product Highlights
The Radius Garden 100 Ergonomic Aluminum Hand Trowel is described to be an award-winning ergonomic garden trowel. Its unique, patented blade is specifically created to provide optimal performance in various types of soils. But its main highpoint is the handle. The handle has a comfortable non-latex, thermoplastic grip. It has an ergonomic natural radius grip that provides the gardener extra leverage in order to reduce the stress on the hands and wrists. What a delightful product that is made with the thought of caring for your hands in mind.
The Good
When you invest in this product, you can rest comfortably knowing that you have purchased a garden trowel with a die-cast aluminum blade that is rust-resistant and is stronger than steel. It pairs perfectly well with the ergonomic handle that not only helps you reduce hand and wrist stress but also helps you maximize power and comfort.
The Bad
As it is lighter and smaller in size with 11.8 x 3.3 x 3.6 inches all over, the shoveling rate is minimal and, if used against hard soil or gravel, can snap or break. This product proves to be ideal for smaller projects that do not require a lot of pressured use.
PROs
- The ergonomic handle is ideal for gardeners with limited hand strength, arthritis, or carpal tunnel syndrome
- Radius offers a lifetime warranty
- It is rust-resistant
CONs
- Ideal for digging in soft to medium earth only
- Ideal for digging soil up to 4 inches deep every time
- The metal blade is thin and may break with pressured use
Tierra Garden 900105 Trake
Are you the type of gardener that does not want to carry a variety of tools around? If you are looking to invest in a product that has multiple purposes and uses, then the Tierra Garden 900105 Trake is something you may want to look into.
Product Highlights
The Tierra Garden 900105 Trake is a combination between a rake and a trowel, a handy garden tool indeed. It combines the blade of the garden trowel on one end and the fork of a rake on the other. This combination allows any gardener to have easy gardening experience.
The Good
The Tierra Garden 900105 Trake is 17 inches in length and is considered to be the ultimate gardening tool with its versatile hand digger on one end and a rake on the other. Like any best garden spade, the Trake is rust-resistant because it is made of a solid die-cast alloy that would not rust, distort, or bend. It is a handy tool for all seasons to remove weed and dig up the earth. Have the benefits of two handy tools in one. The angle and design of the handle provide leverage for digging, and the rake end is narrow enough to work between crowded plants.
The Bad
The product itself weighs 12 ounces. Considering the weight of the Trake, it might not be effective for demanding tough soil and gravel work as it may easily snap off.
PROs
- Great for seniors or those who are willing to do light work in small patches
- It is rust-resistant
- Made of solid die-cast alloy that won’t rust, bend, or distort
- It has a non-slip vinyl coating on the shaft
- The ergonomic handle design works in both directions
CONs
- Ideal for digging in soft to medium earth only
- If the handle is overleveraged, the tool can easily break
Spear Head Spade
Do you want something that greatly reduces digging work but is still lightweight? The Spear Head Spade is a hardworking tool that does the job for you, especially if you are digging in rocky and compact earth.
Product Highlights
Companies are already aiming for a multi-use or multi-purpose product, and the Spear Head Spade is part of that movement. The product is a hybrid between a garden shovel and a spade. And according to its specifications, it has recently been awarded “BEST of the BEST” in garden shovels in 2018.
The Good
It features a reinforced pultruded fiberglass handle, and it is 60% stronger than the standard spade. The Spear Head Spade is 3.5 x 9 x 41 inches and is designed for rocky earth, clay and compacted soil. If you’re cleaning out roots from a flower bed, it is also great for separating rooted perennials. The main reason why it is considered the best is because of the lightweight design that makes it very easy to lift and use. While most product strength depends on its weightiness and material type, this item defies that with the use of a spade and shovel in one.
The Bad
While the product is built for digging in rocky, compact earth and cutting through roots, it does have a limit on pressured use. The blade is made of high carbon manganese steel, which is 30% thicker and 25% harder than regular shovels. Carbon steel does not usually rust, but it is not stainless steel.
PROs
- A shovel and a spade in one
- It is built for rocky earth, clay, and compacted soil
- It is lightweight
CONs
- May need regular maintenance from rust
- Works on rocky soil but may require a lot of work
- It is great for an average-sized individual. Taller gardeners may need a full-length handle
Nupla SS16D-E Ergo Power Sharp Shooters Drain Spade
While most gardeners look at the blade for its dependability, there are a select few who focus on the grip factor. Is the garden spade you are planning to invest in needs to have a powerful handle? Nupla SS16D-E Ergo Power Sharp Shooters Drain Spade is ready to stand up to the cause!
Product Highlights
The main highlight of the Nupla SS16D-E Ergo Power Sharp Shooters Drain Spade is the closed D grip. It offers secure handling, pushing, and pulling. The blade measures 27 inch Fiberglass Handle, D-Grip, and 16 Gauge Hollow Back Blade – perfect for shoveling.
The Good
The spade does not easily break, but its Nupla ergo power handle meets the industry’s highest performance ratings. The ergo power handle features Nuplaglass cores that come with a molded nuclad contoured jacket.
The Bad
While the ergo power handle can withstand a set amount of pressure because it is heavily built, the item comes with a hollow back blade, which is perfect for comfortable foot placement. The blade is forward turned compared to solid shank blades, which have a much more solid neck and is more durable.
PROs
- Secure handling because of the closed D grip
- It is lightweight
- The blade is heavily built and strong
CONs
- Depending on the gardener and the toughness of the soil, it may experience wear and tear
What To Think About When Investing In A Garden Spade
You should ask yourself what kind of garden tool you are looking for. It also helps if you understand what kind of soil you are working with and what result you would like. You may want something lightweight if you are not looking at a major project, something sturdy if you are forecasting strenuous work on rocky soil; or maybe just something friendly for your hands and wrist.
These are the best tips to remember when you are spending on a garden spade:
- An Ergonomic Handle – The basic handle does not fit well with some gardeners. Some products are fit for senior gardeners, those who have arthritis, has a petite frame, those who have muscle or tendon problems in the wrists and hands, or for children.
- Rust-resistant – Working with soil does not always mean the environment is dry. Some spades or shovels require regular cleaning, but having a rust-resistant feature extends the lifetime of the product.
- Durable Blade – Depending on the type of work you are looking at, the type of blade helps match the power required for the work. Find a sharp blade for cutting roots and edging sides. Find a wider blade if you’re going to shovel a lot.
- Strong Shaft – Whether it is made of plastic, steel, or metal, the shaft needs to be strong enough to withstand the leverage required to do the job.
Conclusion
There are different kinds of garden tools out there to help you with shoveling, and, with the right checklist, you are prepared to choose which best garden spade is for you. If this is your first time, it can be a little tricky. However, given the tips that you’ve read, you’ll definitely find the best garden spade that will fit your needs. Get more tips on garden spades.