Heavy digging spades are favoured by some because their weight helps the blade cut through the soil more easily. The success of our products depends on a range of factors – this is nature we’re dealing with, after all. There’s also a ‘dent’ whittled into the handle that will stop it from coming loose and twisting over time.

Spades | Shovels | Garden Hand Tools | Screwfix

In a similar way to the all-in-one blade and socket, this means that there are no joins to connect the handle to the shaft. And for removing the old posts, is there a recommended way to go about it or just dig a big hole round them and push them over? This is a nicely designed spade that feels well balanced, digs sharply and has a comfortable handle and good length shaft.

Gardeners with back problems, as well as anyone who tires quickly, should be especially mindful of using a heavier spade. There are a couple of design points to bear in mind, which help improve the strength and longevity of a garden spade. Machine Mart Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, register number 703528 and acts as a credit broker and not a lender. The main benefit of carbon steel is that it’s stronger than stainless steel due to its high carbon content.

The Best Garden Spades in 2023 | BBC Gardeners World Magazine

Landscaping your garden:landscaping needs precision to be fully effective, especially if you’re laying paths, patios, or decking.

There are several small features that help boost the quality of the spade further, including the tread on the top of the head, and the extra bolts on the shaft and under the handle to make it stronger. If you’re filling in a relatively small surface area, you might be OK using bagged topsoil from a garden centre, costing around 20p per litre. The only thing to watch out for is to not push it beyond its limits: it’s a spade, not a shovel, after all.

4 Best Garden Spades That Are Built to Last (2023 Review UK)

This can help with comfort; however, be careful if the handle is overly moulded – whilst this might look comfortable, if the moulding doesn’t line up well with your hands it could be anything but.The ash-wood components are made from FSC approved timber, which reassures that the wood has been responsibly sourced. This beautiful, handmade spade has a stainless steel blade with an integral FSC ash shaft and Y handle.

Roughneck 17lb Post-Hole Digger - Screwfix Roughneck 17lb Post-Hole Digger - Screwfix

Carbon steel blades are a little lighter, tougher and can be solid forged – where the blade and socket are made from one continuous piece of metal – so there is less chance of snapping. Given that the blade head is relatively narrow, at 14 cm, it’s also useful for more precise jobs, like working in tightly-packed flowerbeds, as well as standard digging. Building a play area: if you’re putting a trampoline, slide, swing set, or monkey bars in your garden, you’ll need levelness for structural integrity. The spade should be held close to your body for control and to limit the amount you have to lean towards it to dig. Other considerations will include value for money, along with the weight, length, shaft and the materials the garden spade is made from.Wooden shafts are strong, shock absorbing, and don’t bend; however, they may warp if the wood is not treated, they can rot if exposed to moisture, and are one of the heaviest construction types. The auger works well if there aren't too many large stones it will cope with anything smaller than 1/2 brick and the digging bar will chop through clay with ease - much easier than the two handled ones. Sarah’s role as chief editor at DIY Garden is about more than just making sure we’re literally dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s (although she’s a stickler for detail, so it’s certainly about that too! This helps break up the soil texture, making it more workable while aerating the earth for healthy foundations for your new grass plants. In fact, this is a relatively petite spade overall, not just in terms of the handle but also in terms of length as it measures 96 cm long in total.