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The 14 Best Gardening Tools To Buy Now

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Keeping your garden in tiptop shape will be much easier if you have the best gardening tools at your disposal. To choose the right ones for you, you'll want to focus on the size of your outdoor planting space and how you plan on getting your hands dirty, whether that's planting some saplings or tending to a serious veggie patch.

Though you'll find the rare multitasking gem, most gardening tools are made to do just one thing really well. That's why it's important to understand the tool's function before investing in a product. Some of the most universal gardening concerns are weeding, digging, pruning, and watering, and you'll find solid options for each as you shop. Though, if you're a beginner — or just looking for the most versatility from the start — a full set will give you the most bang for your buck. Extras like a wheelbarrow or a spade can help with things like digging trenches or creating edging, just make sure to choose ones with ergonomic handles that can make those potentially rigorous jobs easier.

Of course, nearly all of these tools can work across all sizes of green spaces, but the larger your garden is, the more efficient you'll want to be with your time. If you're only tending to a few simple raised garden beds, for instance, short-handled gear can help you with basic maintenance and they won't take up too much storage space. Landscapers with more ground to manage, however, might appreciate the convenience of longer handles and accessories like a lightweight, expandable hose for those times when a simple watering can would be too time-intensive.

No matter what green task awaits, these are the best gardening tools on Amazon — all thoughtfully crafted to make gardening tasks hassle-free.

1 An Affordable Set Of Short-Handled Potting Tools With A Storage Tote

This set of gardening tools includes everything you need for replanting and caring for smaller plants, and it all comes in a durable storage tote. You'll get six stainless tools — pruning shears, a shovel with jagged edges, a transplant trowel with depth markers, a soil scoop, a weeder, and a cultivator — which all have rubberized grips. For the price and quality, they're great for anyone new to gardening or as a gift to a friend with a green thumb.

2 This Incredibly Durable Pruner With 11,000 Five-Star Ratings

These Felco gardening shears are an undeniable favorite with gardeners on Amazon, who have collectively given them more than 11,500 five-star ratings. One of them even went as far as calling it "the best pruner that I have owned in my 35+ years of gardening." The steel pruner has ergonomically designed handles with a cushioned shock absorber and a sharp, steel blade that can take on branches with up to a 1-inch diameter. The pointed, anvil shape ensures precise, clean cuts and makes it equally easy to snip twigs close to a tree's trunk. The brand also makes pruners in 15 other styles and sizes, including ones for thicker branches, or bigger hands.

3 Or, This Highly Rated Pruner That's Less Than $15

These pruning shears are an excellent option at a great price, though they won't take on thick branches. They'll still cut stems with up to a .62-inch diameter, but anything larger could damage them. The pruner has earned an impressive 4.7-star average after a whopping 18,000 Amazon customers weighed in. The steel blade has a low-friction coating that helps it glide through wood, and prevents it from gumming up with sap and debris.

4 An Essential Pair Of Protective Gloves

This highly rated pair of thin gardening gloves will protect hands, without taking away your dexterity, so you can still handle fragile plants and seedlings. Made from bamboo fiber, the gloves are breathable and absorb perspiration, keeping you comfortable while you work. The palm side is coated to give you grip when handling other tools, but still sensitive enough that you can use a touch-screen without taking them off. They come in five sizes, but to help you find the snuggest pair for your hands, check out the brand's sizing guide. For extra protection, consider these long leather gloves also available in five sizes.

5 A Cleverly Designed Watering Can With Two Spout Options

The dual-handle design of this sizable, 2.6-gallon watering can makes lugging and pouring water so much easier than with traditional models. As one reviewer commented, it is "BY FAR the best watering can I have ever owned! Holding 2+ gallons of water can be too heavy with just one hand. "The filling hole is also conveniently located on the side, so the handles don't get in the way. By rotating the spout you can choose one of two watering options, including a diffused shower or a heavier stream. Made from BPA-free, UV-stabilized plastic, the durable container won't get sun-bleached or weathered over time.

If you'd like a smaller option, this sweet galvanized metal watering can is available in three sizes, up to 1.5 gallons, and a ton of colors.

6 This Multi-Purpose Japanese Knife Fans Call "The Only Tool You Need In The Garden"

This Nisaku Hori Hori knife is another dependable Amazon find with a near-perfect 4.8-star rating after 3,000 reviews. It's an amazing tool for transplanting seedlings, freshly-bought nursery plants, and spring bulbs. The blade is made from scratch- and rust-resistant stainless steel and has one flat edge (to power through rocky soil) and one serrated edge (to cut up weeds and destroy their root structure). In addition, its curved design means it can be used to shovel soil from a freshly-dug hole, making it the ultimate multitasker.

For such a small tool it has a ton of might, as one reviewer recounted, "I've used this knife to scrape out and dig up massive stones as large as my head and it didn't even phase it." The blade also has inch markings that will help you size up the right depth for your new plantings. To store your tool safely, use the included sheath though you can also use the hole in the wooden handle for hanging.

7 A Tool For Pulling Up The Most Persistent Weeds

If your garden is overrun by dandelions and other unwelcome guests, this stand-up weed puller will make getting rid of them a quick and painless task. One reviewer even commented, "This bad boy works! It's actually fun to use and rips weeds right out." The weeder has a ratchet design with a steel head that twists and captures weeds in its three spiral prongs. Once the claw grabs the plant, step on the pedal and pull the ejection handle to uproot and release the weed. Keep in mind, this tool is best for pulling up weeds with small to medium root structures. For thick roots that go deep, you'll want to use other tools, like the Hori Hori knife featured above or even a spade.

8 This Lightweight Wheelbarrow That Can Haul 300 Pounds

With a 300-pound load capacity, this garden cart can move a ton of soil and plants in one go. The cart has two air-filled wheels and a loop handle that makes it easy to push, pull, and dump. The base is made of polypropylene, which can withstand a lot of wear, but at 25 pounds is still relatively lightweight. It's also very durable; as one reviewer wrote, "I've hauled huge rocks over rough terrain using this bad boy."

9 A Metal Garden Rake With An Adjustable Width

Much longer-lasting and sturdier than plastic, this metal garden rake has the additional benefit of having an adjustable width, which, as one reviewer expressed "is everything I didn't know I wanted in a rake." When fully fanned out, the head has a width of 22 inches, best for covering lots of ground quickly, but it can also contract to a 7-inch width for clearing out tight spaces. There are 15 steel tines and a zinc-plated steel handle that's rust-resistant.

10 This Shovel Designed To Be Easier On Hands And Wrists

The ergonomic, rubberized handle design of this Radius shovel makes it a stand-out product, especially for anyone hoping to mitigate wrist pain. The shovel is made from one piece of stainless steel that reviewers find cuts through the densest of dirt with ease. The blade has a wide forward step that creates balance and digging leverage. Though plenty of reviewers rave about this tool, some are quick to point out that it may take a few tries to find the right grip, especially if you're used to traditional handles. If you love the handle, the brand makes other ergonomically designed tools, including a spade, a weeder, and a transplanter. Though this truly is a great option for folks with wrist issues, if you prefer a budget-friendly option with a standard handle, this Nupla shovel is another highly rated choice.

11 This Fan-Favorite Trowel That Makes Planting A Breeze

A trowel is a handy tool for digging holes for new plants and adding compost, and this Wilcox trowel happens to be exceptional, with a near-perfect 4.9-star overall rating after 1,300 Amazon shoppers weighed in. Made from stainless steel, the "tough as nails" blade, as reviewers referred to it, has sharp edges that can even get through clay soil and it has markers to help you get to the right depth. The rubberized handle provides a comfortable grip, while the curved "scoop" shape can help you grab dirt and soil with ease.

It's an incredibly durable tool, and as one self-proclaimed lazy gardener, wrote, "I use it for everything, regardless whether a trowel is called for or not. I dig with it, plant with it, hammer the top of it, and rarely wash it." The trowel is available in six sizes (14 inches featured), and some reviewers mentioned collecting more than one to accommodate different planting needs.

12 A Durable Spade For Breaking Up Hard Soil

If you're creating edging, or have especially rocky ground to turn, this Fiskars spade is durable enough to get the job done and an incredible deal for such a quality product. Made from welded steel, the spade won't bend or come apart, and has a sharp, concave blade that can hold and move piles of dirt. Unlike a shovel, this spade has a straight edge, which makes it a better tool for creating a border or digging a trench. The D-handle design makes it great for using both hands to lift and is easy to maneuver, and "the most ergonomic and easy to use digging tool that I have ever dug with," according to one reviewer.

13 This Flexible Garden Hose With Eight Spray Options

Watering hoses can be cumbersome and get kinks that interrupt the water flow, which is where this expandable hose differs. The hose has elastic outer fabric with four layers of latex, which prevents those bends, and protects the inner tube from thorns and sharp rocks. The hose is also expandable, stretching up to 50 feet when the water is on, and contracting to around 15 feet when not in use.

Apart from being compact, at 2.9 pounds, it's not as heavy as traditional hoses, which reviewers appreciate, with one commenting "this hose is extremely light weight & makes watering chores a breeze." The spray nozzle has eight spray modes and a rubberized handle that's slip-resistant and comfortable.

The Flexi-Hose is available in seven color options and comes in three lengths, though note that the length listed is for the expanded mode.

14 A Set Of Accessories That Make Gardening More Comfortable

Even with the best tools, gardening can be back- (and knee-) breaking work. This set of gardening accessories, will make it so much easier. Included, is a machine-washable, canvas apron with adjustable straps and 13 pockets. The set also comes with two neoprene cushioned knee pads with Velcro straps for the best fit, and a pair of stainless steel herb scissors with five blades that you can use to snip greens in the garden and the kitchen. There's even a small comb to keep blades clean.