The best garden spades in 2026 - tested by our experts

From novices to experts, all gardeners need a trusty spade, and they're often the first tool that gardeners will buy when starting out. These staples of the shed are invaluable and can help with dozens of jobs around the garden. Digging spades are the most common style and are the go-to spade for beginners, but there are also several other styles and models of spades, which are designed with particular jobs in mind.

To help you identify which spade you need, we tested four of the most common types: digging, border, pointed and transplanting spades. Digging spades, with their flat blades, are ideal for moving and turning soil while border spades are smaller and lighter but do a similar job. Pointed spades have curved blades with a pointed edge and transporting spades have sharp, jagged blades.

We've tested these different styles of spade and given some key info so you can compare each and match them to your needs. We've also provided some information to help you safely dig and avoid injury, as well as ways to make your spade last for as long as possible.

In every review we award the outstanding products our coveted Best Buy award. To see these and the others we recommend, browse our pick of the best spades below:

Best garden spades at a glance

• Best digging spade for strength: Kent and Stowe Capability Digging Spade
• Best mid-range digging spade: Kent and Stowe Stainless Steel Digging Spade
• Best premium digging spade: DeWit Solid Socket Spade
• Best border spade: Greenman Half Brite Border Spade
• Best spade for clearing ground: Sneeboer Pointed Spade with Steps
• Best ergonomic spade: Wilkinson Sword Ultralight Pointed Digging Spade
• Best border spade for ease of use: Ames Carbon Steel Border Spade

Jump to:

• Best garden spades
• The best of the rest

• Types of spade
• Choosing the best garden spade
• How to prevent back injuries when digging
• Looking after your garden spade
• How we tested garden spades

Best garden spades

Kent and Stowe Capability Digging Spade

RRP: £44.99

Our rating: 4.5/5

Available from B&Q

Pros

• Robust and long-lasting
• Long shaft for leverage
• Smooth socket
• Sturdy foot treads
• Long warranty

Cons

• Heavy in use

This traditional style spade has been built to last. With a rust-resistant stainless steel blade, it has an internal hardened steel bar through the length of the shaft, which gives it a breaking strain of 130kg (the current UK standard is 55kg), so it's ideal for even the toughest digging jobs and breaking up the soil. It has a long socket for better leverage, and this has smooth rivets so it's comfortable in the hand.

Its D-shaped handle and shaft are made from FSC ash wood, and the blade has wide treads for greater push and protection to your boots. It feels robust and strong in use, and although its strength does impact its weight, and it feels heavy in use, the weight also makes it feel capable and reliable. We awarded it the BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for strength. It comes with a reassuring 20-year warranty.

Buy the Kent and Stowe Capability Spade from B&Q

Kent and Stowe Stainless Steel Digging Spade

RRP: £39.99

Our rating: 4.8/5

Available from B&Q

Pros

• Balanced weight
• Good length shaft
• Smooth socket
• Feels robust
• Sturdy foot treads

Cons

• Feels heavy in use

This beautiful, handmade spade has a stainless steel blade with an integral FSC ash shaft and Y handle. It has a long, double-riveted socket and wide foot treads. Awarded the BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy for mid-range digging spades, it's well designed and extremely comfortable to use.

Read the full Kent and Stowe Stainless Steel Digging Spade review

Buy the Kent and Stowe Stainless Steel Digging Spade from B&Q, Robert Dyas and Wilko

DeWit Solid Socket Spade

Price: £74.99

Our rating: 4.8/5

Available from Crocus

Pros

• Comfortable design
• Solid forged carbon blade
• Long socket
• Feels robust and built to last
• Sturdy T-grip handle

Cons

• No treads

This Dutch-made, handcrafted spade features a solid, forged carbon-steel blade and socket, and an oiled hardwood ash handle and shaft. It has a sturdy, T-shaped handle with a long socket. It's a high-quality, great-value tool. We awarded it the BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for premium digging spades.

Read the full DeWit Solid Socket Spade review

Buy the DeWit Solid Socket Spade from Waitrose Garden and Crocus

Greenman Half Brite Border Spade

Price: £39.95

Our rating: 4.75/5

Available from Amazon

Pros

• Strong and hard-wearing
• Long socket for strength
• Comfortable and well-balanced

Cons

• Rivets catch on hands
• Small for taller gardens

If you’re looking for a border spade, we judged this our BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy. The shaft is long, which helps prevent back strain, and the long socket feels robust. The lower part of the carbon-steel blade is uncoated, so it can be sharpened, and it comes with a lifetime guarantee. The only slight drawback is the rivets, which can catch on your hands while working.

Read the full Greenman Half Brite Border Spade review

Buy the Greenman Half Brite Border Spade from Amazon

Sneeboer Pointed Spade with Steps

Price: £124.35

Our rating: 4.8/5

Available from Sneeboer

Pros

• Strong, wide treads
• Long handle
• Sharp, sturdy blade
• Easy to use

Cons

• T-grip unusual
• Expensive

This traditional-style spade has a short, wide stainless steel blade that has been sharpened to a point. It makes light work of tough roots, and the wide, flat treads are strong and help you gain purchase. The long, wooden shaft eases back strain and absorbs shock. Our testers awarded this the BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for clearing ground.

Read the full Sneeboer Pointed Spade with Steps review

Buy the Sneeboer Pointed Spade from Sneeboer

Wilkinson Sword Ultralight Pointed Digging Spade

Price: £34.99

Our rating: 4.75/5

Available from Tooled Up

Pros

• Substantial but light
• Comfortable to use
• Good for those with less strength
• Cuts through soil and roots easily

Cons

• Only as strong as the rivets

This spade has a stainless-steel blade with a serrated edge, which cuts through the soil easily. It’s a lightweight tool which is easy to use and comes with a 10-year guarantee. The ergonomic shaft has a rubber covering, and there’s a grip insert within the D handle. Our testers gave this a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for ergonomic spades.

Read the full Wilkinson Sword Ultralight Pointed Digging Spade review

Buy the Wilkinson Sword Ultralight Pointed Digging Spade from Amazon, B&Q and Tooled Up

Ames Carbon Steel Border Spade

Price: £37.99

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

Available from Cambridge Home and Garden

Pros

• Light and comfortable
• Handle has a good grip, even for larger hands
• Easy to use, standing and kneeling
• Sharp and penetrates the ground well

Cons

• Shorter than some, especially if you’re tall
• The handle looks cheap

First impressions of this border spade were mixed – the tempered carbon blade looked sharp and strong, with a lacquered finish to protect against rust, but the green rubber handle looked cheap and was a little off-putting. However, this spade really impressed in use. It’s light, at 1.35kg, so it’s easy to carry and use, even when you're on your knees, when any extra weight would be felt in your back. And although its overall length is a little on the short side, it’s well balanced and not unwieldy at all.

The blade slices easily through the soil, and the handle, despite looking cheap, is very well judged in terms of thickness, particularly for larger hands, and feels sturdy and substantial. This spade is ideal for lifting plants, creating planting holes, splitting perennials and working in tight spots amongst plants. It feels reasonably strong with a double-riveted socket and is excellent value for the price with a 15-year warranty. We awarded it a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy for ease of use.

Buy the Ames Carbon Steel Border Spade from Cambridge Home and Garden and Mail Order Trees

The best of the rest

Although some models didn't quite achieve a Best Buy award, they still have features that make them worth recommending. Browse our pick of the best of the rest on test.

Wilkinson Sword Carbon Steel Border Spade

Price: £24.99

Our rating: 4.5 /5

Available from Robert Dyas

Pros

• Strong and robust
• Wide treads
• Good value

Cons

• Rivets on the shaft snag hands
• Heavy

The Wilkinson Sword Carbon Steel Border Spade has a long socket to prevent snapping, a rustproof coating and a weatherproofed shaft and handle. The handle is comfortable, and the wide treads stop the feet from slipping and protect boot soles from splitting on the blade.

Read the full Wilkinson Sword Carbon Steel Border Spade review

Buy the Wilkinson Sword Carbon Steel Border Spade from Amazon, B&Q and Robert Dyas

Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Border Spade with Steps

Price: £42.99

Our rating: 4.5/5

Available from Crocus

Pros

• Easy clean blade
• Light and comfortable
• Handles well
• Long-strapped socket

Cons

• Rivets snag hands

This border spade has good balance and handles well. The shaft and YD handle are crafted from FSC hardwood, but the strapped socket and the rivets that attach it to the shaft catch on the handle occasionally when lifting plants or soil. However, it does feel sturdy, and the stainless steel blade and socket are rust-resistant.

Read the full Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Border Spade with Steps review

Buy the Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Border Spade with Steps from Amazon, B&Q and Crocus

Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Digging Spade

Our rating: 4.3/5

Price: £42.99

Available from Crocus

Pros

• Good leverage
• Comfortable to use
• Feels robust

Cons

• Socket snags on hands
• Narrow foot tread

This is a nicely designed spade that feels well balanced, digs sharply and has a comfortable handle and a good length shaft. However, the strapped socket and raised rivets on the shaft snag on hands when lifting and turning the earth, and testers felt the treads were too narrow to stop slipping on wet, muddy digs.

Read the full review Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Digging Spade review

Buy the Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Digging Spade from B&Q, Crocus and Tesco

Pedigree Stainless Steel Treaded Border Spade

Our rating: 4.3/5

Price: £50.40

Available from Earth Cycle

Pros

• Digs well
• Comfortable and light
• Well made

Cons

• Rivets and strap snag
• Handle rivets catch on gloves

This Pedigree border spade is made with a rust-proof stainless steel blade and a long, strapped socket to prevent snapping. The ash shaft and handle are made from one continuous piece of wood, and the YD handle is capped with stainless steel to make it even more robust. Our testers found this spade to be comfortable, light and great for anyone who needs to dig in raised beds and other confined spaces.

Read the full Pedigree Stainless Steel Treaded Border Spade review

Buy the Pedigree Stainless Steel Treaded Border Spade from Earth Cycle

For more garden tool reviews, browse our selection of the best garden hand trowels, garden hoes, or garden forks to make the next round of planting easier. Need a hand to keep your tools nice and clean? Check out our guide to the best pressure washers.

Types of spade

There is a range of spade types that have different characteristics ,specifically designed to suit particular tasks, as well as the needs of the user

Borders spades are lighter and more compact than a digging spade. The blade is the same shape, but smaller and flatter for digging straight down into the soil. They are ideal for working in any small space where ease and manoeuvrability are key, such as in raised beds or among plants in borders. It can also be a good option for anyone who wants to work longer than a heavy digging spade would allow, or for those who simply prefer a shorter, lighter tool. Watch our buyers' guide video below to find the best border spade for you.

In comparison, a digging spade is wider than a border spade and designed to move and turn the earth and slice through soil and roots. It’s also a good tool for edging lawns and skimming off weeds.

Pointed spades have a sharpened, narrow tip that helps drive the blade easily through hard-packed, stony soil and to burrow deeply into the ground.

Transplanting spades have a sharp jagged blade to slice through dense roots cleanly and without tearing. They are often shaped to grip rootballs and stop them slipping off the blade.

Choosing the best garden spade

Choosing the best garden spade for you and your garden will depend on the tasks you are looking to tackle. We have put to the test four types of spades – digging, border, pointed and transplanting – and each is designed with a specific set of jobs in mind. Other considerations will include value for money, along with the weight, length, shaft and the materials the garden spade is made from. These variants will affect the garden spade's handling, strength and durability.

Choosing the right weight and length for your garden spade

Heavy digging spades are favoured by some because their weight helps the blade cut through the soil more easily. However, if you have back problems or can only dig for short periods, you should consider looking for a spade made from lighter materials like aluminium or one that’s more ergonomically designed.

Longer and angled shafts help you bend less and will take the strain off your back, but it can take a while to adjust to the unusual digging angle. You should also ensure that the garden spade is tall enough. Too short a shaft for your height will put extra strain on the back.

Choosing the right material for your garden spade

Made from stainless steel or carbon, the right blade depends on your soil type and the job you are undertaking. Stainless steel blades are shiny and cut cleanly through soil, in particular clay, so these are a good option if you are digging over heavy ground. Stainless steel garden spades are also easy to clean and won’t rust. However, they are heavy so they’re not ideal for some gardeners. Stainless steel blades are also always welded onto the socket, which creates a weak spot vulnerable to breaking under pressure.

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. A carbon steel blade can start to rust after a while, so it will need maintenance, but if looked after, it should last forever.

Choosing the right garden spade shaft

Spade shafts can be wooden, plastic, metal or fibreglass. Traditional wood is strong, heavy and absorbs shock and vibrations, but it does not like the wet unless weatherproofed. It can splinter, but it’s usually easy to replace. Look for FSC hardwoods such as ash, which is strong and flexible. Metal shafts are strong, but they don’t absorb shock well and can be uncomfortable in hot weather. In comparison, fibreglass and plastic are light, durable and absorb vibrations well. However, they can snap under pressure and are hard to replace.

When it comes to handles, the YD design offers good grip and versatility but can be uncomfortable for small or larger hands. The T-grip is suitable for all hand sizes and is good for applying force to the spade, but if you’re not used to the shape, it can feel flimsy. Traditional wooden handles are comfortable, but plastic is also popular. If you’re interested in buying a plastic-handled spade, look for one with added grip to make it less slippery in wet weather.

The final consideration is the socket, which is where the handle attaches to the blade. Longer sockets are stronger and offer better flex than shorter ones. They are often attached to the shaft with rivets. Make sure these rivets are sunk or flush with the handle so that they don’t snag on your hands when turning the soil.

How to prevent back injuries when digging

To prevent back injury, it’s important to dig with the correct technique. The spade should be held close to your body for control and to limit the amount you have to lean towards it to dig. One foot should be positioned on the spade before digging so that your weight levers it into the ground. To lift the soil, bend deeply with your knees, so that they take the weight rather than your back. Don’t fill the spade too heavily to ensure you always have control over the load.

Be aware of the weight you’re lifting when replanting. Plants with their root balls still intact can be heavy if the soil is wet so lift slowly and carefully, keeping the spade close to your body. Finally, don’t twist and turn your body at the hips. Instead, use your feet and move your whole body. For a visual demonstration of this technique, watch our experts in the Digging Spades Buyer’s Guide video above.

Looking after your garden spade

If you want to look after your spade and ensure you don't have to come back to this guide, you'll have to look after it well. By taking a few precautionary measures, you can ensure your spade lasts a long time and save you money in the long run. After each use, clean soil off the blade and handle, as it can cause carbon steel to rust and wood to rot. This should be done first with a stiff brush, followed by warm, soapy water. Don't worry if you don't do this every time but make sure that if you're storing the spade for a long period of time (over a week) you give it a clean.

At the end of the gardening season, give the blade a sharpen with a sharpening stone. When the season is over, it's also worth checking the wooden handle and shaft for any rough patches and smoothing these down with sandpaper. Before hanging up your spade for winter, oil the blade, along with any wooden elements, wiping off excess oil with a cloth. Finally, make sure the spade is kept away in a cool, dark place, and most importantly, make sure it stays dry.

How we tested garden spades

The BBC Gardeners' World Magazine reviews team tested different spades across a range of garden situations – lifting plants, digging over borders and planting. The following criteria were used to calculate the scores, with equal weight given to each:

• Handling and Performance: Assessed how comfortable the spade was, its weight, shaft length and handle shape, plus how well it dug over different soil types
• Blade and shaft: Looked at the materials these were made of and how they were put together
• Strength: Focused on how well-built and robust the spade was, the strength of the shaft and blade, the socket length and overall sturdiness
• Value for money: Considered all of the above, plus quality and design, the RRP and the length of warranty

Meet our testing panel

Oliver Parsons, Strategic Projects Editor
Oliver is a gardener and magazine journalist of 20 years’ experience. He trained as a professional horticulturalist at RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Chelmsford and has also worked for Gardening Which?, as a freelance gardener and with the gardening team at Down House in Kent. He is now Strategic Projects Editor at BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine and GardenersWorld.com, heading up our reviews desk, Apple News output and weekly newsletter.

Kay Maguire, Magazines Editor
Kay trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and has been writing and making films about gardening ever since. She has written for websites and magazines, including The Garden and Amateur Gardening, was Horticultural Editor on BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine for five years, and has also written several books on a range of gardening topics from growing house plants to making the most of a small space. After several years as Reviews Editor, building up our reviews section into a leading resource for UK gardeners, she has now become Magazines Editor for BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine , responsible for all print output.

Harry Duncton, freelance powered tools tester
Harry has a wealth of experience, from being a language teacher to a tree surgeon, and has built this into a career writing about all things DIY and gardening. A passionate believer in self-reliance, his aim is to inspire others to give it a go themselves and not worry about making a few mistakes along the way. A regular contributor to popular DIY blogs and a recent addition to the BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine team, he loves tracking down the best new tools and writing about them.

Sue Fisher, freelance garden writer
Sue’s extensive horticultural career spans over 40 years, starting with a decade in the garden centre and nursery industry before developing into an accomplished gardening writer, designer and speaker. Sue writes regularly for BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine, GardenersWorld.com, and Garden Answers magazine. She has written 10 books on subjects including container gardening, plants for small gardens and designing with colour, and she has co-authored other books with some of the biggest names in gardening.

Emma Crawforth, Horticulture Editor
Emma holds the Kew Diploma in Horticulture and has been working in horticulture for 18 years, including roles in public gardens, a plant nursery supplying plants for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and a training college for young horticulturists. She looks after an ornamental, fruit and veg garden at home and regularly undertakes trips to see plants growing in their natural habitats. She is the author of the Kew Publications book, Things to Do with Plants.

This product roundup was last updated in January 2026. We apologise if anything has changed in price or availability.