A hand spade — more often called a hand trowel — is the one tool you reach for more than any other: for planting bulbs and plugs, lifting weeds, filling pots and working in among established plants. Because you use it constantly, it is worth getting right. The good news is that a genuinely excellent one costs about £13; the choices that matter are the blade material and the shape of the job you do most.
How we chose these hand trowels
We have not run our own lab tests. Our picks and the pros and cons below are based on the materials and construction of each trowel, the makers' reputations and warranties, and consistent verified owner feedback — cross-referenced with independent hands-on testing by BBC Gardeners' World, whose published star ratings we quote and attribute. Where a trowel has a real weakness, we say so.
The Best Hand Trowels at a Glance
Full reviews of each below. Typical UK prices shown.
| Trowel | Best For | From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Overall Wilkinson Sword Stainless Steel Hand Trowel | One reliable, low-maintenance trowel for everyday planting. | £13 | Check Price for Wilkinson Sword Stainless Steel Hand Trowel |
| Best Multi-Tool Kent & Stowe Capability Hand Trowel | One tool for everything — planting, cutting roots, measuring, tapping stakes. | £15 | Check Price for Kent & Stowe Capability Hand Trowel |
| Best Buy-It-For-Life DeWit Professional Planting Trowel | A forged tool to last a lifetime, at a mid-range price. | £21 | Check Price for DeWit Professional Planting Trowel |
| Best Premium Niwaki Moku Trowel | The keen gardener who wants the best, lightest tool — or a gift. | £59 | Check Price for Niwaki Moku Trowel |
| Best for Hard, Stony Ground Spear & Jackson Kew Gardens Neverbend Trowel | Digging and levering in heavy, stony or root-filled ground. | £15 | Check Price for Spear & Jackson Kew Gardens Neverbend Trowel |
| Best Budget & Eco Gardena EcoLine Hand Trowel | An affordable, comfortable, eco-conscious everyday trowel. | £14 | Check Price for Gardena EcoLine Hand Trowel |
Wilkinson Sword
Wilkinson Sword Stainless Steel Hand Trowel
Stainless steel head, weatherproofed ash handle
BBC Gardeners' World Best Buy · 4.5/5 · 10-year guarantee
The one most gardeners should buy — a sharp, rust-free everyday trowel for around £13.
This is the sensible default. The stainless head resists rust and sheds soil rather than clogging, so it needs almost no looking after, and it is well scooped and sharp enough to cut cleanly into a bed. The narrow, weatherproofed ash handle is comfortable in the hand, and a 10-year guarantee at this price is generous. BBC Gardeners' World made it their Best Buy for all-round use, and it is hard to argue.
Pros
- Stainless steel — rust-free and soil sheds off it
- Comfortable ash handle; well-scooped, sharp head
- Excellent value with a 10-year guarantee
Cons
- Stainless holds an edge slightly less well than carbon steel over years
- A plain traditional head — no serrations or depth gauge
- Ash handle wants the odd wipe of oil to stay weatherproof
Buy it if: One reliable, low-maintenance trowel for everyday planting.
Skip it if: You want built-in extras, or a hand-forged heirloom.
Kent & Stowe
Kent & Stowe Capability Hand Trowel
Carbon steel, ash handle · serrated edge + depth gauge + hammer
BBC Gardeners' World Best Buy · 4.8/5
A planting trowel that also saws roots, measures depth and taps in stakes.
The most versatile trowel here, and the highest-rated in BBC Gardeners' World's test (4.8/5). One sharpened edge is serrated, so it saws through roots, twine and compost bags; the blade is marked as a depth gauge for planting bulbs and plugs at the right depth; and the end doubles as a small hammer for pegs and short stakes. If you want a single tool that does five jobs, this is it — just remember the carbon steel needs keeping clean and dry.
Pros
- Serrated edge cuts roots, twine and compost bags
- Depth-gauge markings for accurate planting; hammer end for stakes
- Highest-rated trowel in BBC Gardeners' World's test, at a keen price
Cons
- Carbon steel — needs cleaning and the odd oiling to prevent rust
- The extra features add a little weight and bulk
- A plain trowel digs a hole just as well if you never use the extras
Buy it if: One tool for everything — planting, cutting roots, measuring, tapping stakes.
Skip it if: You want a simple stainless scoop and zero maintenance.
DeWit
DeWit Professional Planting Trowel
Hand-forged tempered carbon steel, ash handle
BBC Gardeners' World Best Buy · 4.5/5 · Lifetime warranty
A hand-forged Dutch trowel that cuts like a knife and comes with a lifetime warranty.
If you want a proper, forged tool without paying Niwaki money, this is it. The Dutch firm DeWit hand-forges the head from tempered carbon steel with bevelled edges and a sharp pointed tip, so it slices into hard or stony ground far more easily than a stamped blade. It carries a lifetime warranty, and it has the feel of a tool you will hand on. The only price is that carbon steel rusts if you neglect it.
Pros
- Hand-forged tempered carbon steel holds a keen, cutting edge
- Sharp pointed tip and bevelled edges bite into hard ground
- Lifetime warranty — genuinely a buy-once tool
Cons
- Carbon steel must be wiped dry and oiled or it will rust
- Narrow forged blade holds less soil than a broad scoop
- Dearer than the mainstream stainless trowels
Buy it if: A forged tool to last a lifetime, at a mid-range price.
Skip it if: You want zero maintenance, or the widest possible scoop.
Niwaki
Niwaki Moku Trowel
Japanese carbon steel, beech handle · lightweight
BBC Gardeners' World Best Buy · 4.5/5 · 2-year guarantee
The finest and lightest of the bunch — a joy to use, if you can stomach the price.
Niwaki bring their Japanese tool-making to a hand trowel, and it shows: the Moku is beautifully finished, light in the hand and razor-sharp. For a keen gardener who spends hours planting, that lightness and precision genuinely matter, and it makes a memorable gift. The catch is the £59 price for what is, at heart, a hand trowel — and a two-year guarantee that is shorter than trowels a fifth of the price.
Pros
- Beautifully made, lightweight and precise
- Sharp Japanese carbon steel; lovely beech handle
- A real pleasure to use, and a special gift
Cons
- Expensive (£59) for a hand trowel
- Carbon steel needs the same care as any forged blade
- Only a 2-year guarantee — shorter than far cheaper rivals
Buy it if: The keen gardener who wants the best, lightest tool — or a gift.
Skip it if: You want value, or hate maintaining carbon steel.
Spear & Jackson
Spear & Jackson Kew Gardens Neverbend Trowel
Reinforced carbon steel, FSC ash handle
BBC Gardeners' World · 4.3/5 · 15-year guarantee
A tough, reinforced trowel for prising into heavy, rooty or stony soil.
Spear & Jackson's Neverbend construction is exactly what it sounds like: a reinforced carbon-steel head built to take leverage without folding, which is what you want when you are levering out weeds or working stony ground. Endorsed by Kew and backed by a 15-year guarantee, it is a proper workhorse at a sensible price. It is heavier and less refined than the premium picks, but it will not let you down in tough conditions.
Pros
- Reinforced "Neverbend" head resists bending under leverage
- Strong in stony, heavy or rooty soil; 15-year guarantee
- Kew-endorsed, FSC ash handle, keenly priced
Cons
- Carbon steel — keep it clean and lightly oiled
- Heavier and less refined than premium trowels
- A workhorse, not a thing of beauty
Buy it if: Digging and levering in heavy, stony or root-filled ground.
Skip it if: You want a light, refined tool or rust-free stainless.
Gardena
Gardena EcoLine Hand Trowel
25% recycled steel blade, 85% recycled plastic handle, FSC tip
BBC Gardeners' World · 4.25/5 · 25-year guarantee
A comfortable, sustainable everyday trowel with a remarkable 25-year guarantee.
The pick for a comfortable, affordable, eco-minded trowel. The blade uses recycled coated steel, the ergonomic handle is 85% recycled plastic with an FSC wood tip, and Gardena back it with a 25-year guarantee. It is not a traditional wood-and-steel tool, and the plastic handle lacks the feel of ash or beech, but it is light, kind on the hand and does the everyday job well for around £14.
Pros
- Genuinely sustainable materials, made to last (25-year guarantee)
- Comfortable, ergonomic handle — kind on the wrist
- Cheap and widely available
Cons
- Plastic handle lacks the feel of ash or beech
- Coated steel is less durable long-term than forged carbon
- Utilitarian looks
Buy it if: An affordable, comfortable, eco-conscious everyday trowel.
Skip it if: You want a traditional wood-and-steel tool or premium feel.
Star ratings are BBC Gardeners' World's published test scores. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Which Hand Spade Should You Buy?
- You want one no-fuss everyday trowel. The Wilkinson Sword stainless — rust-free, sharp, cheap, 10-year guarantee. The right answer for most people.
- You want one tool that does everything. The Kent & Stowe Capability — serrated edge, depth gauge and a hammer end, and the highest test score here.
- You dig hard, stony or root-filled ground. The Spear & Jackson Neverbend for strength, or the forged DeWit for a keener cutting edge.
- You want a tool to hand on. The DeWit (lifetime warranty) — or, for Monty Don's own heirloom choice, the Sneeboer trowel.
- You want the finest, lightest tool — or a gift. The Niwaki Moku, if the price does not put you off.
- You are on a budget, or care about sustainability. The Gardena EcoLine — comfortable, eco-made, and guaranteed for 25 years.
- You hate maintenance. Buy stainless (Wilkinson Sword) and avoid carbon steel altogether.
Stainless Steel vs Carbon Steel
This is the choice that matters most. Stainless steel resists rust, sheds soil instead of clogging, and needs almost no care — rinse it and put it away. It is the easy, sensible choice, and the reason the Wilkinson Sword is our overall pick. Carbon steel (on the DeWit, Kent & Stowe, Niwaki and Spear & Jackson) can be forged sharper and bites into hard ground beautifully, which is why so many keen gardeners swear by it — but leave it damp or caked in soil and it will rust. If you will wipe it dry and oil it occasionally, carbon steel rewards you; if you know you will not, buy stainless.
What to Look For in a Hand Trowel
- Blade material. Stainless for low maintenance; forged carbon steel for the sharpest cutting edge (see above).
- Blade shape. A narrow, well-scooped blade plants bulbs and plugs and works in tight spaces; a broader blade moves more soil per scoop.
- Construction. The strongest trowels have a forged or solid-socket join between blade and handle — avoid ones where a thin tang is simply pushed into the handle, as these bend and work loose.
- Handle. Ash and beech are comfortable and shock-absorbing; ergonomic plastic can be kinder on a sore wrist. Make sure it fits your hand.
- Warranty. A long guarantee (10 years to lifetime here) is a good sign the maker trusts the tool.
How to Care for Your Hand Trowel
Whatever you buy, a minute's care after each use makes it last. Wipe the soil off and make sure the blade is dry before you put it away. For carbon steel, rub a little camellia or raw linseed oil over the metal now and then to keep rust at bay, and give wooden handles the odd wipe of linseed oil too. Hang it up in a dry shed rather than leaving it in a damp bucket, and a good trowel will see you through decades of planting. Stainless steel asks for even less — just a rinse and a dry.
Hand Trowel FAQs
What is the best garden hand spade to buy?
For most gardeners the best all-round hand spade (hand trowel) is the Wilkinson Sword Stainless Steel Hand Trowel — around £13, rust-free, sharp, and backed by a 10-year guarantee. If you want a single tool that also cuts roots and measures planting depth, the Kent & Stowe Capability (about £15) is the highest-rated all-rounder. For a forged, buy-it-for-life tool, the DeWit Professional (around £21, lifetime warranty) is superb value.
What is the difference between a hand spade and a hand trowel?
In everyday use the terms are used interchangeably — both describe the small, one-handed digging tool with a scooped blade and a short handle, used for planting, transplanting and weeding. Strictly, a "hand trowel" tends to have a narrower, more scooped blade for planting, while a "hand spade" or transplanter can be a little broader and flatter; but you will find the same tools sold under both names.
Stainless steel or carbon steel — which is better for a hand trowel?
Stainless steel (as on the Wilkinson Sword) resists rust, sheds soil and needs almost no maintenance, which makes it the easiest choice for most gardeners. Carbon steel (as on the DeWit, Kent & Stowe and Niwaki) can be forged sharper and cuts into hard ground beautifully, and many keen gardeners prefer it — but it must be wiped dry and lightly oiled or it will rust. Choose stainless for low effort, carbon steel for the best cutting feel.
What hand trowel does Monty Don use?
Monty Don's single favourite tool is the Sneeboer Old Dutch Style Planting Trowel, a hand-forged Dutch trowel with a narrow blade and ash handle that he has used for years. It is a premium, buy-it-for-life tool rather than a budget pick. We cover it in detail in our Sneeboer trowel review.
How do you care for a carbon steel hand trowel?
After use, wipe off the soil and make sure the blade is dry before you put it away — never leave it damp or caked in soil. Once in a while, rub a little oil (camellia or raw linseed) over the metal to keep rust at bay, and give a wooden handle an occasional wipe of linseed oil too. Store it hanging up in a dry shed. A stainless trowel needs far less: just a rinse and dry.