Best Garden Tools

The Essentials; Good Quality, Easy to Use

There are a million different tools out there for a thousand uses, but how do you choose the ones that will suit you and your gardening style?

I look for used gardening tools in auctions, garage sales and junk shops - the best quality ones still have a lot of use left in them, and usually they're very economical. This means it doesn't matter so much if they get left out in the rain, which,let's face it, we all do at some point in our gardening journey.

The hand tools that most people make the mistake of buying in a cheaper model are shovels, pruners and rakes.

Then they have to replace them, sooner rather than later. The place the shovel will break is right where the handle meets the blade - most often because gardeners, being impatient, will use it as a pry bar.

The picture above shows this happens a lot - these shovels were collected from various places, at different times - only one or two were from me.

If tools are left out in the rain, where the handle goes into the slot in the blade is the place where water will collect, leading to rot. So it's best to keep your tools dry and out of the rain when you're not using them.

Used motor oil is a good protector of both wood and metal. Wipe some on in the fall to give the tools a chance to soak it in over the winter.

The rust that forms on unprotected metal in damp conditions like an unheated shed won't affect them with the help of the oil. Find more tips on maintenance of your garden tools here.

What To Look For

Good quality spades, shovels and rakes are welded, not riveted, and have rolled edges in the case of the spade and shovel.
Sturdy hardwood handles should be attached in a way that doesn't allow any movement of the handle and blade or rake head.
The more expensive a tool is, the heavier it seems to be. Sometimes this is a good way to determine the quality, although balance is a better way to choose - make sure the tool is the right length for you to use comfortably.
Pruning tools in particular have to be sharp and also easy to clean - tree pruning has to be sanitary to prevent the spread of diseases.
Check out the Wheelbarrow Buyers Guide for help choosing your perfect wheelbarrow.