Best Overall
Edward Tools Garden Trowel
- It’s a heavy-duty, ergonomic trowel with a low price.
It’s a heavy-duty, ergonomic trowel with a low price.
- It bends more easily than other options on our list.
It bends more easily than other options on our list.
For a reliable and trustworthy trowel that will help you out with numerous gardening projects, we recommend our top pick, the Edward Tools Garden Trowel.
It’s a heavy-duty tool that’s constructed to be rust-proof, bend-proof, and break-proof, so it’ll last you for years to come. Most notably, it has an extremely comfortable handle and an ergonomic design that lets you use it for long periods of time without fatiguing or getting blisters.
Because of its sturdy stainless and carbon steel make, this trowel is great for digging in rocky soil or heavy clay, in addition to regular planting and transplanting. It also helpfully boasts depth markers on the handle so you can take measurements as you work and ensure your seedlings get placed as deep in the ground as they need to be.
Most notably, it has an extremely comfortable handle and an ergonomic design that lets you use it for long periods of time without fatiguing or getting blisters. The handle features a rubber grip that’s not only super easy to hold, but it also provides plenty of leverage when you’re digging deep into the earth.
Some users reported that this garden trowel bent easily, so we don’t recommend using it for digging up heavy rocks or particularly large weeds. However, we love that this trowel comes with a lifetime guarantee to back up the quality of the product.
Product Details: Blade Material: Stainless Steel | Length: 15 inches
Key Terms to Know
- Dibber: A pointed stick that is used in gardening to make holes in the soil for planting seeds, bulbs, or seedlings.
- Double Hoe: This gardening tool is a hoe that has a flat blade on one side and metal prongs on the other for digging and weeding.
- Tempered Steel: Steel that has been heated and cooled to make it stronger.
Best Budget
Expert Gardener Steel Trowel
- It has a smooth side and a serrated side.
It has a smooth side and a serrated side.
- It’s a bit smaller than some other trowels out there.
It’s a bit smaller than some other trowels out there.
If you aren’t an avid gardener but have a few small weeding or planting tasks to keep up on across your yard, we suggest considering this budget-friendly garden trowel from Expert Gardener. The lightweight yet durable trowel costs far less than most others on the market, but is still a worthwhile pick that’ll come in handy time and time again.
This trowel features a steel blade and a non-slip comfort grip on the handle, so you won’t have to worry about accidentally dropping the trowel as you work. The handle also features a hanging hole, so you can easily store the trowel in your shed without taking up counter space.
There are measurements on the blade so you can always tell how deep you’re digging. Best of all, though, is that this trowel has both a smooth side and a serrated side, so you can use it for a multitude of gardening projects.
Size-wise, this trowel is on the smaller end at just 12.5 inches in length, so it won’t be the best match for anyone looking to do larger projects and tackle bigger plants. If you’re working with smaller tasks around the garden, you’ll be glad you added this handy tool to your gardening collection.
Product Details: Blade Material: Steel | Length: 12.5 inches
Best Splurge
Williams Sonoma Garden Tool Set
- It comes with nine sleek gardening tools that balance style and function.
It comes with nine sleek gardening tools that balance style and function.
- The trowel doesn’t have depth markers.
The trowel doesn’t have depth markers.
Complete your gardening kit in one fell swoop with this chic matching set from Sophie Conran. Not only does it contain a gorgeously designed and highly effective trowel, but it also has a fork, compost scoop, dibber, weeder, twist cultivator, ergo hoe, rake, and pruning shears to complete just about all your gardening tasks.
All the tools are made with ergonomic beechwood handles and stainless steel heads for both style and durability. They’re designed to function for many gardening seasons to come, thanks to their corrosion- and rust-resistant design and brass fittings between the handles and heads to ensure durability.
The trowel in this set is a subtly curved tool so dirt and mulch won’t spill off as you scoop, making it easy to dig, plant, and pull weeds. Just keep in mind that it doesn’t have depth markers on it, so you’ll have to use a measuring tape for precise planting.
Product Details: Blade Material: Stainless Steel | Length: 10.4 inches
Best All-Purpose
Ames Hand Tool
- It’s a versatile tool that can be used for cutting, digging, weeding, and more.
It’s a versatile tool that can be used for cutting, digging, weeding, and more.
- It’s not the longest blade and can feel a bit heavy.
It’s not the longest blade and can feel a bit heavy.
Want a garden trowel that you can use for a large amount of projects and tasks? Look no further than the Ames Planter’s Pale Seven-in-One Hand Tool—a multi-purpose device that can be used for digging, transplanting, cutting, weeding, tampering, and measuring. Whatever your garden needs, this trowel can help get it done.
The trowel features a chrome-plated steel blade that’s durable and precise, with a serrated edge on one side that’s ideal for cutting bags open and a sharp straight edge on the other that works to cut sod and twine.
The blade has helpful measurement markers, and you can also use the trowel to tamp down stakes and pull up even deep-rooted weeds.
The handle, which has an ergonomic grip, is comfortable to use for long periods of time (even on large weeds!), and it features a convenient hanging hole for easy storage. Just keep in mind that the handle doesn’t have grips on it like others on our list of the best garden trowels do, so you may want to use gardening gloves with it for a better grip.
Product Details: Blade Material: Steel | Length: 11 inches
Best Ergonomic
Radius Garden Ergonomic Hand Trowel
- It has a curved handle with comfortable grips for long-term use.
It has a curved handle with comfortable grips for long-term use.
- It doesn’t have a serrated edge or pointed end.
It doesn’t have a serrated edge or pointed end.
While a gardening tool’s functionality may be most essential, it’s also important that it has a comfortable, easy-to-hold design—especially if you spend a lot of time in the garden.
This top-tier option from Radius Garden is created with comfort in mind and features a curved handle that will provide plenty of leverage without adding stress to your hand and wrist as you work.
Designed especially for people who have conditions like arthritis or carpal tunnel, this trowel is also notable for its super comfortable grip, which, combined with the shape of the handle, will make digging and planting a pain-free experience.
Maneuvering the trowel around in the dirt will be a breeze, and it’ll help you be able to garden for hours on end without any issue. This trowel also has a lightweight and rustproof aluminum blade that can be used on all soil conditions and should last for years on end.
On the downside, there’s no serrated edge, nor a pointed end to help with digging through particularly hard soil. That said, the unique ergonomic design of this trowel makes it a must-have for anyone who’d benefit from some added leverage and comfort as they garden.
Product Details: Blade Material: Aluminum | Length: 12 inches
Best for Digging
Garden Guru Trowel Hand Shovel
- It has a wide blade that’ll let you dig quickly and effectively.
It has a wide blade that’ll let you dig quickly and effectively.
- It’s fairly lightweight compared to other trowels.
It’s fairly lightweight compared to other trowels.
When planting seeds, uprooting pesky weeds in your yard, or repotting your favorite houseplant, it’s helpful to have a garden trowel with a sharp point and concave blade to help dig a hole and keep excess dirt out of the way.
We like the Garden Guru Super-Strong Trowel, which is ideal for digging deep into the soil with greater ease and more precision. This trowel features a rust-resistant and durable stainless steel blade that’s notably wider than average, enabling you to dig and scoop up dirt at a faster rate.
It also has a thick, comfortable handle with a thumb rest and finger grooves, which are designed to minimize stress on your hand and provide comfort as you work. Of course, this trowel isn’t just great for digging; it’s also helpful for weeding, shoveling, mixing soil, and transplanting sprouts.
This trowel is a bit more lightweight than some other similar tools out there, so if you’re looking for a heavy-duty option to help uproot large weeds or work on very hard soil, we recommend skipping this option. For more low-key projects, the trowel will definitely be of help and allow you to save valuable time and energy digging through the dirt.
Product Details: Blade Material: Stainless Steel | Length: 13 inches
Best Heavy-Duty
Edward Tools Bend-Proof Garden Trowel
- It’s a bend-proof tool with a larger-than-average head.
It’s a bend-proof tool with a larger-than-average head.
- It’s pretty heavy to hold, so not great for those with small hands.
It’s pretty heavy to hold, so not great for those with small hands.
If you’re searching for a garden trowel that will hold up when breaking up hard soil or removing rocks and weeds, this option from Edward Tools should be on your radar.
It’s a heavy-duty trowel that features a larger-than-average blade head made from durable and bend-proof stainless steel, which allows you to dig up weeds and cut through dry and hard soil with greater ease.
Because of the large size of the head, you can move soil at a faster rate with this trowel, and do so in comfort thanks to the trowel’s easy-to-hold rubber grip.
This includes contoured rubber finger grips as well as a palm rest, so there’s no need to worry about your hand and wrist getting tired after a few hours of effort. Whether you’re tearing through weeds or working your way through rocky soil, this tool will provide plenty of help.
It’s important to note that because this is such a heavy-duty tool, it’s fairly heavy to hold and perhaps not the best choice for anyone with weak wrists or small hands.
Also, the point of the blade isn’t as sharp as some other models. Still, it’s a powerful tool that can make your tougher gardening work feel a whole lot easier.
Product Details: Blade Material: Stainless Steel | Length: 14 inches
Best for Small Plants
Fiskars Garden Trowel
- This narrow trowel has a built-in seed counter.
This narrow trowel has a built-in seed counter.
- It’s not meant for bigger projects or digging through particularly tough dirt.
It’s not meant for bigger projects or digging through particularly tough dirt.
While the generally small size of garden trowels makes them all ideal for dealing with small plants, some trowels are even more attuned to this task, such as the Fiskars Seed Planting Garden Trowel.
The narrow, lightweight tool is designed to be used for handling seeds, digging holes, pushing through dirt, and transplanting small plants, making it a great tool to have in your gardening kit.
In addition to its use as a trowel, this tool has several other handy functions. There’s a removable stylus built into the handle that you can use to count seeds or make small divots in the ground.
There are also measurements built into the head to help you determine the correct depth and spacing of your plants and seeds. And because the trowel is made of rust-proof and durable carbon fiber, you can feel confident that it’ll last long enough to help with planting time and time again.
Because of its small size and narrow head, this trowel isn’t ideal for anyone looking to move bigger plants or make a lot of progress at a time. But if small plants are your focus, don’t miss out on this convenient accessory.
Product Details: Blade Material: FiberComp | Length: 11 inches
Best Serrated Edge
Garden Helper Garden Trowel
- It’s especially great for cutting bulbs and roots.
It’s especially great for cutting bulbs and roots.
- The handle isn’t as comfortable as some of our other picks.
The handle isn’t as comfortable as some of our other picks.
Having a serrated edge on a garden trowel can be a great help when it comes to cutting bulbs and roots or even opening a seedling packet. We love this option from Garden Helper, which has a serrated edge on one side and a mostly-smooth edge on the other, making it a seriously versatile tool.
In addition to cutting, this trowel can also be used for digging, scooping, planting, and more. It has a ruler built into the back of the tool to help you measure the depth of the hole you’re digging or appropriately space out plants.
It also possesses a helpful soil stopper that will stop the soil from spilling and ruining your progress. The tip of this trowel is notably sharp, so you’ll be able to dig through hard and rocky soil without much trouble—just be careful where you place it when not in use. The handle is made of sturdy and elegant wood and it’s easy to grip to keep steady as you work.
While the wood handle certainly isn’t uncomfortable, it won’t provide the same level of comfort as those with rubber, ergonomic grips. We recommend using gardening gloves if you are going to be using this trowel for long periods of time.
Product Details: Blade Material: Steel | Length: 13.5 inches
Best Rust-Resistant Garden Trowel
Mr. Pen Garden Trowel
- It’s a durable, larger trowel that’ll keep its shine for years.
It’s a durable, larger trowel that’ll keep its shine for years.
- It can be a bit hard to maneuver for some people.
It can be a bit hard to maneuver for some people.
Many gardeners know the frustration of finding a seemingly great tool, only to see it get covered in rust after just a few times of use. Not this garden trowel from Mr. Pen, which is a rust-resistant tool that will keep its shine and quality for years to come, no matter how often you use it.
This trowel is made from highly durable and bend-proof stainless steel, meaning it’ll be a helpful asset when you’re trying to work through heavy clay or rocky soil areas. It features a comfortable, ergonomic rubber grip that’s non-slip, so you can hold onto the trowel easily as you work without fatiguing, and it has a built-in hanging hole for easy storage.
The trowel head itself is pretty large, making it great for digging up larger sections of dirt or potting and transplanting medium-size plants. Note that the handle of the trowel is welded on top of the spade and curves more sharply than others on our list, which can make it a little difficult for some people to maneuver in tight spaces.
Product Details: Blade Material: Stainless Steel | Length: 13.3 inches
Best Garden Trowel Set
Ames Garden Tool Set
- The three tools will cover all of your most common gardening needs.
The three tools will cover all of your most common gardening needs.
- They’re fairly lightweight tools that won’t work for tougher projects.
They’re fairly lightweight tools that won’t work for tougher projects.
Add multiple items into your collection with this handy and budget-friendly three-piece set from Ames, which includes a trowel, a cultivator, and a transplanter.
All three tools are made from hardy tempered steel with equally durable hardwood handles that each feature helpful hang-up holes for simple storage.
The trowel features a large, wide blade that you can use to dig deep into the soil for planting flowers, vegetables, and potted plants or for tasks like weeding and moving dirt.
The transplanter’s narrow blade and built-in measurements are great for planting and transplanting seeds and small flowers into beds and planters. The cultivator can be used to loosen, rake, and smooth soil or dislodge pesky weeds and debris.
This tool set is a great choice for anyone with a smaller garden. Just note, though, that the tools are fairly lightweight, so if you’re looking for a heavy-duty gardening set to help with tougher projects, you may want to consider other options.
Product Details: Blade Material: Stainless Steel | Length: 13 inches
Best for Kids
Cute Stone Kids Gardening Tool Set
- The set contains an assortment of miniature, kid-friendly gardening tools.
The set contains an assortment of miniature, kid-friendly gardening tools.
- The plastic build means they’re not as durable as other tools.
The plastic build means they’re not as durable as other tools.
While it’s a wonderful thing to get kids involved in the gardening process, most adult gardening tools can be sharp and dangerous when used improperly. For this reason, it’s helpful for children to have their own set of tools specifically designed to keep them safe from harm.
The Cute Stone Kids Gardening Tool Set offers just that, with an abundance of kid-sized tools made of smooth plastic that tots can enjoy without issue. The set includes a wheelbarrow, watering can, gloves, hand rake, trowel, double hoe, cultivator, hedge clippers, and even an apron, all sized to fit kids’ hands.
And despite their miniature size, these tools are all fully functional, so your child can help you out with low-level gardening tasks like moving tiny rocks or dirt while having a ton of fun. (They can even use the wheelbarrow as storage for all the other tools!)
Because these tools are made of plastic, they’re understandably less durable than a traditional gardening set. Avoid using them on rocky or hard soil, as they may snap.
Product Details: Blade Material: Plastic | Length: 13 inches
Best with Long Handle
Corona Clipper GT3080 Extendable Handle Trowel
- It can be adjusted from 18 to 32 inches, and the blade has measurements etched onto it.
It can be adjusted from 18 to 32 inches, and the blade has measurements etched onto it.
- The edges of the blade are smooth, not serrated.
The edges of the blade are smooth, not serrated.
If you prefer a longer handle, we love the Corona Clipper GT3080 Extendable Handle Trowel. Instead of just being one length, the trowel can be adjusted from 18 to 32 inches, so you can customize it to the length you need.
The trowel can be adjusted by simply twisting the handle close to the blade until you reach your desired length, and we appreciate that there are helpful arrows on the twisting mechanism to guide you to twist in the correct direction.
The top of the handle features an ergonomic grip with gentle contours for your hands and fingers to help reduce fatigue. And to make storing this in your garage or shed easy, it comes with a hook so you can hang it out of the way.
The blade has a coating to help prevent rust, and we love that the blade has measurements etched into it. The blade comes together to form a sharp tip to make digging easier, but keep in mind that the edges of the blade are smooth, not serrated. If you plan on dealing with roots, you may want to opt for a serrated option like the Garden Helper Japanese Garden Trowel.
Product Details: Blade Material: Steel Length: 18 to 32 inches