The 7 Best Garden Spades of 2023

Whether you’re digging, edging, or transplanting, these picks help you get the job done right.

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Better Homes & Gardens / David Hattan

Whether tending a small garden or tackling a range of landscaping chores, a quality spade can make a big difference. After all, spades are used for a multitude of garden tasks such as digging holes, edging landscapes, and dividing and transplanting perennials.

“A must-have tool, spades specialize in digging and are essential for cultivating,” says Megan Hughes of Hughes, a horticulturist at Nursery and Landscaping. “Often confused with a shovel which is designed for moving dirt, a spade can be used to dig a precise hole that is small or large. It’s also the tool of choice for eradicating large, misplaced plants—weeds!”

When purchasing a garden spade, there are plenty of factors to consider. To help you choose the best garden spade, we researched a variety of picks, keeping in mind the type of spade, blade and shaft material, shaft length, overall weight, and cost.

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The extra-wide forward step on this spade optimizes leverage, stability, and performance.

The unusual round handle grip may feel awkward to some users and take some getting used to.

Our overall pick for the best garden spade is the PRO Stainless Spade from Radius Garden. Both new and veteran gardeners alike will appreciate this all-purpose digging spade inspired by a tried-and-true 120-year-old nursery spade.

The large stainless steel blade and polypropylene-encased carbon steel shaft make this spade a weighty and versatile powerhouse that transitions from tough chores such as cutting deep, clean holes to less demanding ones such as skimming weeds. The super-sharp blade is durable enough to plow through hard-packed or rocky soil as well as work through stubborn roots.

The elevated forward step design gives users extra stability and support and helps complete jobs with less effort. The thermoplastic elastomer grip minimizes slippage when working, but consider testing out the spade’s circular grip before purchasing to make sure it’s comfortable in your hands.

Price at time of publish: $63

Product Details: Blade Material: Stainless steel | Shaft Material: Carbon steel | Length: 43 inches | Blade Type: Digger | Weight: 5.5 pounds

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The handle and shaft feature a no-slip grip that turns tacky when wet to ensure a secure grip in all conditions.

The long, narrow blade isn’t ideal for digging-intensive garden projects.

The Hooyman Spade Shovel is the best garden spade to add to your collection of garden tools if you’re looking for an option that’s less expensive than other picks. Fashioned from a carbon steel blade and lightweight fiberglass shaft, this spade is durable, long-lasting, and an ideal choice for a full day of gardening projects.

With liberal step flanges on both sides of the serrated blade, this spade is efficient for dividing and transplanting perennials, cutting roots, or trenching. For extensive digging projects, however, this probably isn’t the best option.

Hooyman’s no-slip, H-Grip material at the center of the shaft and on the spade’s D-grip handle turns tacky when wet, allowing users to work through rain or damp conditions safely. Overall, this spade is well-balanced with an average length that works nicely for most users.

Price at time of publish: $40

Product Details: Blade Material: Carbon steel | Shaft Material: Fiberglass | Overall Length: 43.25 inches | Blade Type: Transplanter | Weight: 4 pounds

Gardener's Edge

The full steel strap reinforces and strengthens the hardwood shaft and protects it from splintering.

This weighty spade may be a little heavy for some users and rivets on the steel strap can catch on hands or garden gloves.

With proper maintenance, the best garden spades can last a lifetime, so a quality tool such as the Leonard Full-Strap Diamond-Point Spade may be well worth the investment.

This spade features a high-carbon, heat-treated steel blade that tapers to a pointed, beveled cutting edge to slice through dirt and roots with ease. For extra secure footing and comfort during prolonged use, you can attach the included rubber foot pad to the extra-wide turned step on either side of the blade.

A 2-inch lift angle makes this spade ideal for digging straight down to prune roots, transplant, or edge and the hardwood and metal D-grip handle increases leverage. The shock-absorbing hardwood shaft reduces stress and fatigue during use and is reinforced by an impressive full steel strap.

Riveted securely in place, the strap strengthens stress points on the shaft to extend the life of the spade, but the rivets can catch on hands or garden gloves. The steel strap may also make this spade too heavy for some users, however, so keep that in mind.

Price at time of publish: $165

Product Details: Blade Material: Carbon steel | Shaft Material: Hardwood ash with steel strap | Length: 40 inches | Blade Type: Pointed digger | Weight: 6.5 pounds

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This small spade is nice for taking on the go and is expertly handcrafted.

The small T-handle may seem awkward or too small for some users.

The DeWit Perennial Spade is a smart choice when you need something larger than a garden trowel but smaller than a full-size spade. Lightweight yet durable, this small tool is ideal for general garden work such as planting bulbs and perennials, or for traveling to and from a community garden or other worksite.

The short shaft and handle are lightweight, shock-absorbing, and easy to maneuver in tight spaces. The small T-shape handle offers considerable control to navigate confined areas and reduces strain on wrists and hands, but the shape may seem awkward or too small for some users. The boron steel blade is rust-resistant and curved to help minimize soil disturbance and damage to surrounding plants.

At just 2 pounds and 22 inches, this compact option is more lightweight than other picks. Plus, it comes with a lifetime guarantee and stores easily without taking up too much precious space in a garden shed.

Price at time of publish: $62

Product Details: Blade Material: Boron steel | Shaft Material: Ash hardwood | Length: 22 inches | Blade Type: Perennial | Weight: 2 pounds

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The clever dual-grip handle helps reduce user effort and fatigue. Plus, taller users will love that this spade comes in a longer version.

It may be hard to clean between the various joints and grips, and the handle grip may be too large for smaller hands.

It’s hard to overlook the ergonomic features of the Roamwild Multi-Digger Spade. The spade is designed to transfer power directly to the tip of the blade where it matters most, which reduces user effort and means less fatigue and back strain.

The durable coated blade features an arrowhead shape to penetrate rocky, compacted soil and clay. Cutting through roots to separate even the toughest perennials is made easier with the blade’s serrated edge and large foot plates.

This well-balanced hybrid garden spade sports convenient no-slip grip sections on the reinforced fiberglass shaft. Air-cut holes lighten the ergonomic handle, which has two separate no-slip grip areas to accommodate different working techniques and minimize strain on hands and wrists. The large handle, however, may not be comfortable for smaller hands even when wearing garden gloves, and with various joints and grip sections this spade may be challenging to clean.

While this option is 40 inches long, taller users will be glad to know this multi-digger spade comes in a 49-inch length as well.

Price at time of publish: $60

Product Details: Blade Material: Not listed | Shaft Material: Fiberglass | Length: 40 inches | Blade Type: Pointed digger | Weight: 4.5 pounds

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The high-performing stainless steel blade is rust-resistant and minimizes soil adhesion.

Tall users may find this spade too short for comfortable use.

For a more lightweight option, this Spear & Jackson pick is the best garden spade for your collection. With its small head size, shorter length, and weight of just under 3.5 pounds, this spade is ideal for digging and cultivation in borders and between plantings in garden beds where space is restricted.

The spade’s mirror-polished stainless steel blade resists rust and soil adhesion, which helps the blade slip easily into the ground and clean up easily. The one-piece weatherproofed hardwood handle offers a smooth line from where the shaft attaches to the long, double-riveted socket to where it splits to form a comfortable handle.

This timeless spade is strong and durable and appeals to users who prefer a traditional look and feel, though at 37.8 inches long, it may not be comfortable for taller users.

Price at time of publish: $63

Product Details: Blade Material: Stainless steel | Shaft Material: Stainless steel and hardwood | Length: 37.8 inches | Blade Type: Border | Weight: 3.34 pounds

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Sharp serrated edges on both sides of the blade are designed to dig, cut, and pull out debris all at once.

The atypical, pointed blade limits scooping potential.

We found the Root Assassin Garden Shovel Saw to be the best garden spade for slaying stubborn roots and other underground obstructions. The spade’s carbon steel blade is overlayed with a sleek, silver powder coating and features forward turn steps for secure foot placement.

Its long, pointed shape and curved tip allow this tool to dig deeper than most, but the shape does limit the blade’s surface area for moving soil. Sharp serrated edges on both sides of the blade give this spade great sawing capabilities, though the atypical, pointed blade limits scooping potential. Overall, it’s designed to cut, dig, and pull roots out all at once so gardening tasks are completed faster.

The long, steel shaft is designed for optimal balance and digging leverage. The metal D-shape handle is resistant to chipping and rusting and features a red rubber-coated non-slip grip which is easy to spot when set down on a lawn.

Price at time of publish: $62

Product Details: Blade Material: Carbon steel | Shaft Material: Carbon steel | Length: 48 inches | Blade Type: Pointed digger | Weight: 4 pounds

Our overall pick for the best garden spade is the PRO Stainless Spade from Radius Garden. The large stainless steel blade, carbon steel shaft, and smart design combine to make this spade a versatile powerhouse for tough yard work. The large step and elastomer grip ensure control and stability while working and the spade comes at a very reasonable price and with a lifetime warranty.

Many spades are multi-purpose and some are designed to work better for specific tasks. The most common types of spades are digging, transplanting, and border. Using the right spade can help save time, avoid injury to you and to plants, and assure the best results.

Unlike a shovel designed with a deeper, rounded blade for scooping and moving material, digging spades have a flat blade designed for working in soil. Digging spades sometimes have a rounded or pointed edge for working tough soil types such as clay and typically have a shorter shaft than a shovel.

Transplanting spades have an elongated, narrow blade for cutting through roots, and are used for dividing and moving plants and shrubs to new locations. Border spades are designed to dig straight down into the soil and are smaller and lighter than a digging spade. They work well in raised beds or confined areas.

When shopping for the best garden spade for your collection, the blade and shaft material are important considerations.

“Most important when choosing a garden spade, it must be well-made,” Hughes says. “I rely on my spade to do a lot of the tough work around my garden, so it must be well-made, preferably with a white oak handle and a forged, heavy metal blade.”

Look for a spade with steel blades. Stainless steel and boron steel are strong, long-lasting, and rust-resistant. Carbon steel blades are super-durable and a little lighter weight but can be susceptible to moisture and rusting if not maintained properly.

A spade’s shaft should be fashioned from durable materials as well. The top choices are hardwood, fiberglass, or metal. Hardwood is the most traditional shaft material and is an excellent shock absorber. If properly maintained, a hardwood shaft shouldn’t splinter or snap, but if left in the rain, it may swell and deteriorate.

Fiberglass shafts also absorb shock well and are lightweight and low maintenance. Metal shafts are strong and durable but don’t absorb shock well and can get hot to the touch when working in sweltering temperatures.

You’ll want to choose a spade that feels comfortable and balanced, and features that optimize leverage. Some variables to consider are weight, length, footplate, and handle grip. Weightier spades can optimize leverage to make digging and lifting more efficient. Lighter-weight spades are preferable if you have back problems, your strength is compromised, or if you’ll be working several hours.

Using the right length shaft for your height can also reduce back strain by requiring less bending over. “I often feel like my spade is simply an extension of my arm,” Hughes says, “so it’s critical that it fits my body. I’m small in stature and have found that a short spade is the best fit for me. I recommend trying a spade out before purchasing.”

A footplate or step is an appealing feature at the top of the blade. Here users can step with their foot to use body weight to push the blade down into the ground. “Spades with a foot pad on the top of the blade make it easier to dig in hard, compacted soil,” Hughes says.

Most spades have a traditional D-grip or T-grip handle to help hold and manage the spade. Both styles perform well, so the choice is mainly personal preference. If the handle is fiberglass, metal, or plastic, look for cushioned, rubberized coatings that offer a no-slip grip for optimal control and reduced impact on the hand and wrist.

While many spades are multi-purpose, some are designed to work better for specific tasks. The most common types of spades are digging, transplanting, and border spades. Digging spades have a flat blade with a rounded and sometimes pointed edge ideal for working with a multitude of soil types.

“I use my spade exclusively for digging holes and rooting out weeds,” says Hughes. “I always choose spades with a round point blade because I find a round blade sinks into the ground much easier than a flat-tipped blade.”

Transplanting spades have an elongated, narrow blade for cutting through roots, and are used for dividing and moving plants and shrubs to new locations. Border spades are smaller and lighter than a digging spade and are designed to dig straight down into the soil. They work well in raised beds or confined areas.

With proper maintenance and use, a garden spade can last a lifetime, especially ones constructed from solid, reliable materials. “Never put a spade away dirty,” Hughes says. “Use a wire brush—a grill brush is great—to remove any loose soil from the blade before storing the spade. Store your spade and all garden tools in a clean, dry place.”

Regularly cleaning and drying your spade and occasionally oiling it helps deter rust on the blade and splintering of the handle. Keeping the blade sharpened can also extend the spade’s life. Look for spades made of steel, hardwood, and fiberglass and use the tool for its intended purpose. Using a small border spade to regularly scoop loads of heavy rock—a job for a shovel—can shorten its lifespan.

Though some spades can set you back a few hundred dollars, you can buy a spade for a lot less without sacrificing quality. As our best garden spade selections illustrate, a top-notch spade can be purchased for around $50-$60. That said, consider how much wear and tear the spade will get.

Avid gardeners moving shrubs and digging trenches daily may want to invest in a more expensive tool that will withstand years of daily use. Those who use a spade for occasional or light work can be confident selecting a lower-priced tool fashioned from durable materials.

Pamela Porter is a freelance writer with more than 20 years of experience writing and researching products and home design stories for Better Homes & Gardens. For this article, she researched key performance factors such as materials, weight, length, and intended purpose to select the best garden spades. She also interviewed horticulturist Megan Hughes from Hughes Nursery and Landscaping.