15 Best Gardening Tools To Make Garden Work Easier {Buying Guide}

Before you get started on your gardening project, take a few minutes to make sure you have the best gardening tools needed to get the job done right. Getting your flower beds in shape will be a lot easier when you have the proper tools.

Not only do you need the right tools but you need to use the right ones for the job at hand. For example, many tools come in different styles and sizes. One style may be more suited for your gardening needs than another. Buying the right one will make your job much easier so you can enjoy the benefits without as much aggravation.

The 15 Best Gardening Tools To Make Work In The Garden Easier

Deciding the best tools for your garden doesn’t have to be complicated. Here’s a list of essential garden tools to make it easier for you.

1. Garden gloves

A good pair of garden gloves will protect your hands from blisters, splinters, and scratches and keep them warm on chilly days. Magid offers professional-quality work gloves with excellent protection, while the sustainable bamboo gloves made by Pine Tree Tools provide a snug fit and breathability (this pair of gloves has well over 11,000 great reviews!).

2. Loppers

When a low branch takes your hat off while you’re mowing or a shrub grows out of control, you’ll find yourself longing for a good pair of loppers. Their long handles make it easy to reach in places otherwise unreachable. Choose one that’s easy to handle yet will last a long time, like the adjustable Spear and Jackson telescopic loppers or clean-cutting Felco bypass loppers.

3. Weedwacker (with metal blade attachment for brush)

Every garden needs a weed eater to keep the yard looking neat by tidying up areas inaccessible by a mower. A metal blade attachment turns the tool into a brush trimmer. For the greatest versatility, choose weed trimmers with interchangeable parts like those by Husqvarna (gas-powered) or Greenworks (electric).

4. Garden hose

Watering plants, bathing the dog, spraying down window screens, washing the car, cleaning buckets…a garden hose has many uses. Choose a lightweight, easy-to-store option like the J&B XpandaHose or something more sturdy like Flexzilla (this heavy-duty Flexzilla has over 30,000 reviews!), and make sure to pick up a quality sprayer head as well.

5. Watering can

For planters and small spaces where a garden hose is unnecessary or even impractical, use a watering can to water plants. Union makes a popular elephant-shaped plastic watering can, and Behrens offers a classic, sturdy metal design (see it here).

6. Lawnmower

If your new home comes with a lawn, you’ll need a mower to keep it in check. Choose a push or riding mower based on the size of the area you need to trim; for a larger lawn, you might need both. Greenworks makes a great cordless electric push mower, and John Deere is a popular go-to for riding models.

7. Garden tiller

There are different types and sizes to choose from. A small hand tiller will be fine for a small area but don’t try using one if you plan on having a large garden. Purchase the one suited for the job at hand.

Earthwise 11-Inch 8.5-Amp Corded Electric Tiller and Cultivator TC70001Sun Joe TJ600E Tiller Joe Garden 14-Inch 6.5 amp Electric Tiller/Cultivator

The Earthwise Tiller Cultivator from Amazon is perfect when you want to start a new garden, or if you need tilling in narrow rows, raised beds, or along fences.

You’ll also need a lawn mower to keep the grass trimmed around the garden. Greenworks lawn mowers are my favorites: see why here.

8. Garden forks

The garden fork is used to help break up the soil for planting. The square tines will be stronger than the flat ones.

If you find yourself in need of digging holes, a digging fork will come in handy, especially if those holes are in tight spaces where larger tools can’t fit properly to do a good job.

DeWit Forged Hand ForkDIG IT! Garden Tools Broadfork Hand Tiller Heavy Duty Steel Construction Broad Fork (7 Tine)True Temper 4-Tine Forged Spading Fork – 2812200

This sturdy 4-Tine Truper Spading Fork from Amazon is perfect for almost any job: spread manure, gather hay, break up the soil, and much more.

9. Hand trowel

Any avid gardener will tell you that a good garden trowel is indispensable. Keep one or two on hand for planting annuals, small perennials, vegetables, and herbs, as well as for digging out stubborn weeds. Spend a little extra money on a sturdy long-lasting trowel from a company like Wilcox (this trowel is called indestructible and is made in the US) or Fiskars (this is one the more popular Fiskas trowels).

A trowel will be needed when you must get around the roots of the plants. Purchase different styles and sizes to make your job easier. The ones with a wide round blade will work best when moving lots of soil but the narrow blade will dig better if the soil is hard.

Kewhill Garden Tool Include Trowel, Transplanter (Hand Shovel) and Cultivator, 3 PieceAmgate 2 Pcs Random Color Thicken Iron Garden Hand Mini Trowel Home Garden ToolsFiskars Big Grip Trowel

These heavy-duty trowels from Amazon will be a great addition to your gardening tools.

Want to know what garden products from Amazon the readers of this blog buy the most? I share this and last year’s top 10 products. You’ll be surprised at what sold the most 😉

10. Garden shovel

A garden shovel will have a round pointed blade and a flat edge at the top where you can put your foot for added pressure. There are also shovels specially designed for women, and if you’re a woman, I suggest using one of those 😉

True Temper Forged Round Point Digging Shovel – 2585600Radius Garden 600 Mini Digger ShovelRadius Garden 25802 Pro-Lite Ergonomic Carbon Steel Floral Shovel, Green

This Fiskars Long Handle Digging Shovel from Amazon is on the heavy side, but it does pretty much any job you need it to.

11. Garden hoe

The hoe is used to keep the weeds out of your garden. It’s easier to get between the plants with a small blade but the rolled stainless steel blades provide more strength. You may want to purchase both.

Nejiri Gama HoeAmes Welded Garden Hoe – 2825700Eye Hoe with Fiberglass Handle

This Nejiri Gama garden hoe from Amazon is small and light, but it does a great job!

12. Garden rake

It’s much easier to keep your garden clear of leaves and other debris with a rake. Use a narrow one when raking around the plants and a wide one to cover large areas to save time. The metal ones are great for smoothing out the dirt after the garden has just been tilled.

Corona RK 62061 Fixed Tine Leaf Rake, 19-Inch WideCamco 42171 Telescopic Collapsible RakeAmazing Rake RK-31020 17 in. 3-in-1 Hot Pink Ergonomic Pickup Rake with Telescopic Rubber Grip Steel Handle

This steel fan hand rake from amazon is great to have around for all kinds of small jobs in the garden.

Plastic leaf rake – not just for leaves, a plastic rake can be useful for cleaning up a variety of yard and garden debris or even spreading mulch. Many people know the Fiskars brand for its quality, and indeed it makes sturdy yet lightweight plastic leaf rakes. If you have a lot of leaves, you might need one of these leaf blowers.

Bow rake – in addition to a plastic leaf rake, a metal bow or garden rake will come in handy for spreading soil and compost in the garden or moving heavier debris than leaves or acorns. Bully rakes are made in the U.S. and come with a lifetime warranty, and Ames rakes, also made in the U.S., have durable wooden handles.

13. Pruning shears

Use hand pruners for light pruning or trimming, harvesting herbs, or cutting flowers for the table. The Gardener’s Friend pruners are sturdy yet comfortable, and the Garden Elite bypass pruners come with a replacement blade and a lifetime warranty.

Pruners and garden scissors help to keep your plants healthy and it makes your garden look cleaner and neater. Look for a style that is comfortable to hold, has replaceable parts, and a style that allows you to sharpen the blades.

These Fiskars pruning shears are a best seller on Amazon for good reason: they are strong, fit well in your hands and do a great job!

14. Garden kneeler

Many don’t think of this until their back and knees remind them. Get a garden kneeler now to protect yourself from pain and misery, or use some knee pads. These professional no cry knee pads have more than 17,000 positive reviews.

Garden Kneeler and Seat with 2 Bonus Tool PouchesThick Kneeling Pad – Garden Kneeler for Gardening,

15. Wheelbarrows

It always makes the job easier if you have a wheelbarrow or some type of garden cart to help you carry your plants, tools, and anything else you need for the garden around. It will certainly save you lots of walking.

Homeowners with large yards will quickly discover just how many things need to be hauled and how simple a wheelbarrow makes moving them. Compost, mulch, straw bales, yard debris, pavers, rolls of fencing, and more can all be carted with a wheelbarrow. Choose a cart with sturdy construction and flat-free tires like those offered by True Temper or WORX.

Jackson M6T22 6 Cubic foot Steel Tray Contractor Wheelbarrow With Front BracesUnited General WH89685 Steel Tray Wheelbarrow, 4 Cubic-Feet 20 GallonMarathon Dual-Wheel Residential Yard Rover Wheelbarrow and Yard Cart – Green

This WORX multi-function wheelbarrow, dolly, and cart from Amazon are perfect for any job, not only around the garden but also around the house.

More must have gardening tools

Here are a few more garden tools you might want to keep in your tool shed:

• garden cart
• hedge shears
• pruning saw
• a good spade
• some soaker hoses

Having these basic gardening tools will make your gardening projects much easier. By reducing stress, you can enjoy your garden projects more instead of looking at them as a dreaded job. Make sure to keep your gardening tools and power equipment protected from the elements, so you can enjoy them for a long time. A garden shed (you can get one at Home Depot or Lowes, or, if you love DIY projects, build your own) is the perfect place to store your landscaping tools and gardening products. Just make sure to keep your tool shed organized, so you can find your tools easily and not waste time.

Gardening helps you get exercise, enjoy the fresh air and it can be lots of fun when done correctly. Get the most out of your gardening experience by making sure you have the right tools for the job.

Do you have any must-have gardening tools we didn’t mention? Please share in the comments.

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