Are you looking for the perfect gardening tool to complete your collection? If you are not a proud owner of a garden spade by now, we are sure that by the end of this review, the situation will take a turn for the better.
The best garden spade is a useful tool that every gardener appreciates for many reasons. First, they have various purposes ranging from soil transplantation to scooping up the soil compost.
However, the right one is tricky to buy. They vary in models, designs, and price ranges, but we are here to make a choice easier.
See for yourself by reading our five product reviews and helpful buyers guide for a successful purchase.
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Top 3 Recommendations of the Best Garden Spade
The Best Garden Spades Available: My Top 5 Picks
Getting the best garden spade can be challenging, especially if you are new to gardening. For making a choice more accessible, we selected this garden spade suitable for all sorts of gardening tasks.
If you are getting through the soft soils, we recommend taking a look at the Fiskars garden spade. This spade is meant for all sorts of grounds, especially soft ones, and is ideal for digging and root stabbing.
While you spend your time in the garden taking care of the lawn, the spade is designed to keep you comfortable. The handle has an ergonomic design that ensures you give a soft and natural hand grip.
In addition, the length of the handle allows you to adopt a posture that is not going to cause any strains. It is accessible on the back and requires little to no effort while you are gardening.
The Fiskars spade will last you for a long time. It is designed from a stainless steel and plastic handle. It is also suitable for storage since it does not take up too much shed space.
- Affordable
- Durable steel construction
- Long handle
- Ergonomic design
- The handle is loose
Spear & Jackson is another exceptional piece of a garden spade. This tool will win you over in a minute with its astonishing design and innovative features.
The very first feature that amazed us was the design of the spade. Spear & Jackson spade has a mirror-polished stainless steelhead. This spade will be in your gardening collection for a long time since the blade is made to be corrosion and rust-free.
The blade also has minimal soil adhesion, so it is easy to clean off afterward. Another valuable feature is that the spade is easy to maneuver because it is made out of lightweight components.
Moreover, the polypropylene shaft has an integral, ergonomic tilted handle for comfortable operation. That being said, you are less likely to get a sore back after gardening.
Due to the sharp and high-quality blade, this spade can be used for various gardening tasks. Whether you are digging around delicate flowerbeds or transporting soil, it will do an adequate job.
Also, the tool easily adapts to any kind of soil. There is no need to purchase an extra tool that will handle soft or hard ground when you have it all in Spear & Jackson spade.
- Ergonomic handle
- Stainless steel blade
- The blade is prone to bending
From Gardena, we have selected another astonishing garden spade, but this time it comes with a twist. Unlike the next product on our list, this Gardena tool is a hand trowel designed from easy transplantation work.
The innovative Gardena combisystem allows you to combine various handles with the tools and practically get a new tool in your collection.
The handles come in a range of aluminum, telescopic, and ErgoLine handles and gives you a suitable handle for any type of gardening task.
As for this particular garden spade, we were amazed at how convenient it served as a transplanting tool. It found its use even among heavy-duty tasks.
The non-slip handle design makes any task that much easier. Every gardener appreciates a quality ergonomic design if he is facing hours in the garden. You should seek to be as comfortable as possible.
This is why the Gardena spade is designed with soft components and an angled handle that prevents your hand from slipping.
As for the blade, the corrosion-free high-quality steel is there to ensure you get a long service out of this garden spade.
- Suitable for transplanting task
- Steel blade
- Comfortable handle design
- Lightweight
- Combisystem handle
- Longer handle
The versatile GARDENA ErgoLine Pointed Spade will amaze you in a matter of seconds. It is an exceptionally well-build tool for various gardening tasks, and it is also budget-friendly.
The Gardena spade is convenient for turning over, loosening, removing, or transporting soil from one spot in the garden to another. It is specially designed to deal with hard ground quickly.
The astonishing performance is due to the specially designed blade and a D-shaped handle. A comfortable grip is delivered from the stem, ensuring you have a natural hand position while working. The D-shape handle also prevents any accidental turning and slipping of the hand.
Moreover, the blade is made out of hardened-steel that ensures the longevity of the tool. This garden spade will be at your service for many years.
Lastly, we were astonished at how easily the blade slides into the soil. This is due to the full foot tread. With its particularly robust profile, it allows for powerful cuts through the ground, and by this, it reduces the risk of any slipping accidents.
- Affordable
- Durable hardened steel blade
- D-shaped handle
- Wide foot tread
- Suitable for hard soils
- The handle is too long
The last one of our list is the Evolution Pro Cut Stainless SE Spade. This model differs from the previously reviewed items in our review by a significant feature.
If you are interested in knowing what function we are talking about, keep on reading.
This spade is designed with plastic shaft and soft handles that give you a comfortable grip while you perform the gardening task.
While the plastic handle lessens the weight of the tool, the handle is perfect for usage in cold weather. There is nothing worse than operating with a massive tool, and Evolution Pro designers made sure to put your comfort as a priority.
As for the blade, it delivers high-quality performance with the help of the stainless steel components. Digging through all kinds of soil has never been easier. The module simply slides through it.
Now, the feature we mention that was unique about this spade is that it is perfect for metal detecting. For all of you adventurous folks out there, feel free to take this companion along with your best metal detector, and enjoy the treasure hunt.
- Affordable
- Comfortable grip handle
- Suitable for metal detecting
- Lightweight
- Too short for some people
Buyers Guide: Select the Best Garden Spade for Your Tasks
Whether you are a gardening enthusiast or a beginner, I think you would agree when I say that choosing the best garden spade is not an easy task.
With their various features, innovative designs, and price ranges, there are a lot of spades on the market worth your attention.
Now, when you read our top five product reviews, we invite you to take a look at the buyer's guide below.
In it, you will find everything you should know if you are a beginner.
1. Handle Type
Usually, spades and shovels have three types of handle designs. Those are the D-shape, O-handle, and T-shaped handle. If you thought that there is no crucial difference between these three types, you would be wrong.
D-shaped handles were one made from wood and proved to be quite uncomfortable for use. However, the manufacturers of today strive to make the most comfortable use out of the spade for customers.
Now, they are usually coated with a non-slip design that provides a firm but a natural grip while you perform the choir.
They are designed to offer soft grip and leverage whenever it is possible.
O-shaped handles proved to be impressive while working with hard soils. Since the soil offers resistance, the handle has leverage by providing a firm and stable grip.
Lastly, the T-shaped handles are not as durable as D-shaped ones. Even though many gardeners prefer them in their collection, they are not as comfortable and versatile as other designs.
2. Handle Material
Now when you have been informed about the handle design, you need to pay attention to handle material.
Traditional models mostly use hardwood handles, but they have some pros and cons.
It is durable, but over time, the wood splinters and that can cause some severe damage to your hands.
Also, as they age, they can break easily and are not as reliable as some of the other materials.
Another popular pick among gardeners is the fiberglass handle. Unlike wooden handles, they age pretty well. They don't develop any weak sports or have splinters so you will not have to worry about that.
In addition, they are more durable than wood and won't break or bend that easily. So far this is our best pick for handle material.
Now, for certain types of spades in the market, a popular material is steel or aluminum handle. The aluminum handle is an excellent choice if you know you are working with lightweight soils and are not in for severe digging operations.
They tend to break easily and are not so durable. On the plus side, spades with aluminum handles are budget-friendly and lightweight.
Next, we have steel handles that are again, a traditional pick. As much as these handles are durable, they can be quite substantial.
Once you pick up a steel spade, you are likely to get more tired from digging and soil transplantation.
3. Blade Material
On the market, you will usually find steel blades, but there are some exceptions. Some gardening scoops are made out of plastic or aluminum.
However, we would not recommend these if you plan on handling some heavy-duty tasks.
These blades can bend easily, and you will find yourself in the constant repurchase. If you want a quality purchase, we advise you to opt for carbon or stainless steel blades.
Carbon blades are durable and lightweight, unlike significantly heavier steel ones. However, you will rarely find carbon-blades that have a rust-free coating to them.
Steel blades, on the other hand, are rust and corrosion-free. They will serve you for a long time before you want to make another gardening spade purchase.
But, they add to the weight of the overall design and can make you tiresome after a while.
4. Weight
Customers tend to overlook this feature, thinking that it will not make any difference to the final result.
We advise you to bring attention to the weight of the spade before you make your final purchase. If it gets you tired even within the first few digging strokes, it is not worth it.
Pick a model that is more lightweight if you are a beginner and slowly work your way up to the expert picks.
To check the weight of the spade, see from which materials it is composed. If it has a steel blade and handles, know you are picking a dense model.
Final Words
If you want astonishing results in your garden, we have chosen the Fiskars Garden Spade for Soft, Stone Soils as the best garden spade.
This model is the perfect combination of quality build and price range. Whether you are a beginner or a gardening fanatic, we are sure you will enjoy the charms of this spade as much as we have.
Last Updated on February 24, 2022 by Sean
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