Late summer may mark the start of autumn planting and leaf season, but lawn and garden chores are year-round. No matter the task, using the right garden tools will make chores easier and take less time. And isn&#;t that the goal with any job?
We&#;ve compiled a list of the best gardening tools and yard tools to make your never-ending list of tasks less of a pain, whether you&#;re a beginner experimenting with new landscaping tools or a seasoned gardener looking for the perfect replacement shovel.
Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
The Hooyman Digging Shovel is the best garden shovel you can buy right now.
Best Shovel
Hooyman Digging Shovel
A quality shovel, as with a sturdy garden hoe, is one of the best gardening tools to invest in, and one of the most basic. The best garden shovel that we&#;ve tested, the Hooyman Digging Shovel features a heavy-duty carbon steel head and no-slip grips for each hand. The slightly serrated blade cuts through everything from hard ground to roots. The lightweight fiberglass shaft is durable but light enough for long stretches of use.
Not all jobs require a full-sized shovel, however. If you want to dig small holes planting seeds, consider a hand trowel, such as the Fiskars Ergo Trowel.
See more of the best garden shovels we tested and reviewed.
Pros
Cons
$29.99 from Amazon
$39.98 from Home Depot
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Reviewed / Sarah Kovac
The Flexzilla Garden Hose is the best garden hose you can buy.
Best Garden Hose
Flexzilla Garden Hose
The Flexzilla hose, our favorite garden hose, is a crucial garden tool to keep in the shed. It&#;s light and flexible without sacrificing durability or performance. Both ends of the Flexzilla have comfort grips that allow the hose to twist freely, making it easy to maneuver around the yard.
The Flexzilla&#;s titular flexibility did lead to a couple of kinks as we pulled the hose taut, but it un-kinked itself after a moment, so it wasn&#;t an issue during testing. The flexible nature of this hose also made it a breeze to coil and carry from one place to another. It can&#;t touch the portability of an expandable hose, but it was the easiest to move, coiled or expanded, of the standard hoses we tested.
See more of the best garden hoses we tested and reviewed.
Pros
Cons
Buy now at Amazon
$39.98 from Home Depot
$39.98 from Walmart
Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
The Dramm One-Touch Shower & Stream is the best hose nozzle we've tested.
Best Hose Nozzle
Dramm One-Touch Shower & Stream
The Dramm One-Touch Shower and Stream is simple, elegant, effective, and high-quality. As the name suggests, the dial&#;s only two options are shower and stream. The fx5low is controlled by an easy-to-adjust rear thumb throttle. Between those two settings, the best hose nozzle we&#;ve tested can perform most garden and yard tasks besides misting.
The only drawback to this otherwise-perfect spray is that its watering radius on &#;shower&#; is small compared to other models, making it less useful for big yards. Still, it&#;s a gardening tool that will make watering far more controlled.
See more of the best hose nozzles we tested and reviewed.
Pros
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Doesn't dribble or drip
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Powerful jet
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Easy to adjust
Cons
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No mist option
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Small spray radius
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No extra gaskets
$16.99 from Amazon
$19.55 from Walmart
Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
While slightly more expensive than others we tested, Felco pruning shears more than proved their worth every penny.
Best Pruning Shears
Felco 2
Our testing of the Felco 2 pruning shears backs up the brand&#;s reputation for making quality gardening tools. Our pick as best pruning shears, these excellent garden tools have hardened steel blades that cut cleanly through every plant you&#;re likely to encounter in your garden, from delicate flower stems to half-inch diameter branches. That versatility is a huge advantage with gardening hand tools. You can cut down the last year&#;s growth on your yew hedge, trim your roses, give them a quick clean, and then snip a few basil leaves to pretty up your plate of spaghetti.
Although the manufacturer says the F-2s have a one-inch cutting capacity, in practice, that &#;capacity&#; depends on your hand strength. If you&#;re a weekend gardener who doesn&#;t spend a lot of time working with yard tools, you might not be able to cut through a one-inch branch even though the shears can open wide enough.
When cutting softer plant materials like raspberry canes, the action can feel a little sticky, as though the mechanism is getting slightly stuck. The cuts are still clean. The lock is easy to close with your thumb but can be hard to reopen one-handed.
See more of the best pruning shears we tested and reviewed.
Pros
Cons
$62.46 from Amazon
$62.46 from Home Depot
$72.56 from Walmart
Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
Most Durable Gardening Gloves
StoneBreaker Gloves Gardener
No home&#;s chest of gardening tools would be complete without a pair of sturdy gloves. StoneBreaker Gardener Gloves are excellent all-around gloves for most light to medium-duty gardening and yard work. The available sizes&#;small, medium, and large&#;roughly correspond to glove sizes 7-9.
At about $20 a pair, the StoneBreaker Gloves aren&#;t cheap, but they&#;re ruggedly durable. They&#;re a great all-purpose pair for anyone who wants just one set of gloves. Made of goatskin and fabric, they&#;re sensitive enough for weeding, but sturdy enough for grabbing thorny stems and rough-edged bricks. They&#;ll also keep blisters at bay during long pruning sessions.
The slim profile of the fingertip seams keeps them from interfering with fine-detail work. The light color and breathable fabric backing help them stay cool on hot, sunny days, and the palms are water-resistant.
There are a few downsides: the backs of these gloves aren&#;t water-resistant, they&#;re on the pricey side, and they must be washed by hand. The cuff is long, but the elastic isn&#;t particularly tight, so some dirt may fall in.
See more of the best gardening gloves we tested and reviewed.
Pros
Cons
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Require hand-washing
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Not water resistant
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Loose elastic cuff
Buy now at Amazon
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Ego Power+
The Ego Power+ LMSP is the best electric lawn mower we've tested.
Best Lawn Mower
Ego Power+ LMSP
Psst. There&#;s a new class of motorized garden tools on the block: the electric mower.
Say goodbye to the familiar and annoying noise that goes with mowing the lawn. You&#;ll love the quiet of the Ego Power+, the best lawn mower that we&#;ve ever tested. No longer will you need to feel bad about waking neighbors if you&#;re mowing early on Saturdays.
This 21-inch electric mower is easy to start&#;just press the power button, pull the green handle, and the blades begin to spin. The mower&#;s 56-volt lithium-ion battery lasts 60 minutes and charges in 50 minutes.
This lawn mower&#;s self-propulsion was powerful enough to go up hills during testing, and the motor produces enough torque that the Power+ can compete with gas-powered mowers. It also features twin blades, which makes mulching more efficient.
See more of the best lawn mowers we tested and reviewed.
Pros
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Environmentally friendly
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Powerful
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Comfortable handling
Cons
$699.00 from Amazon
$699.00 from Walmart
Credit:
Reviewed / Sam Gardner
Bring a racecar to yard chore day&#;with an autopilot mode you can trust.
Best Robot Lawn Mower
Mammotion Luba 2 AWD H
The Mammotion&#;s Luba 2 packs many high-tech features into an effective racecar-shaped robot system. The best robot mower you can buy, it wirelessly communicates with its charging station and follows customizable protocols from the app, which can be adjusted in granular detail.
The Luba 2&#;s app allows you to tweak the robot&#;s schedules, and employ some of its more advanced skills like its first-person view camera, which ports you right into the lens of the robot. It will also help you set precise borders to mow zones and mow in patterns
Those who are excited about customization options and innovative smart features could find the many technological marvels of this robot lawn mower more than worth it. If you&#;re concerned about letting a robot navigate between the ivy beds and detail the flower beds by the steps, this is the one in which to put your trust.
See more of the best robot mowers we tested and reviewed.
Pros
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Sturdy build
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Consistent cut
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Plenty of features
Cons
Buy now at Mammotion
Buy now at Amazon
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Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar
The Worx WG520 Turbine 600 is the best leaf blower we've tested.
Best Leaf Blower
Kobalt KHB -06
This tornado of a leaf blower claims it can move 600 cubic feet of air per minute. Based on our testing, that&#;s easy to believe. Our favorite leaf blower, the Worx WG520 was unmatched in clearing leaves off any surface from a distance, including wet, matted leaves that had glued themselves to the pavement.
To avoid blowing all your potted plants off the porch, the Worx WG520 has a speed dial to adjust its air blasts from its hurricane-pounding maximum to normal leaf-blower levels. For about $60, this is an effective, powerful machine. It&#;s light enough to carry easily at 7.2 pounds, and aesthetically, it looks less like a radioactive &#;Fortnite&#; gun than any other blower we tested.
The Worx&#;s one downfall is that it&#;s loud for a corded pick, generating up to 82 dB at its highest speed. The noise is higher-pitched than landscapers&#; gasoline-powered blowers and less annoying at a distance. Still, this garden tool calls for ear protection.
See more of the best leaf blowers we tested and reviewed.
Pros
Cons
$71.99 from Amazon
$71.99 from Best Buy
$98.52 from Walmart
Credit:
Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar
If you&#;re looking for the power of a gas string trimmer without the fumes, racket, and weight, then the Kobalt 80-volt is the one for you.
Best String Trimmer
Kobalt KST -06
String trimmers are motorized gardening tools that greatly help with manicuring your yard. The Kobalt 80-volt string trimmer packs the power of a gas-powered weed wacker without all the noise. During testing, it easily handled grass, vines, small saplings, and even bamboo.
Weighing a little more than 11 pounds, this electric string trimmer is maneuverable and well-balanced. That being said, it&#;s large. If you need a weed wacker for tighter spaces, you might want to go for a smaller string trimmer.
See more of the best string trimmers we tested and reviewed.
Pros
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Powerful
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Well balanced
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Versatile
Cons
Buy now at Lowe's
Buy now at Amazon
$169.99 from Walmart
Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
The 65-gallon Redmon compost bin was our top choice.
Best Compost Bin
Redmon Compost Bin, 65 Gallon
If you&#;ve ever thought about composting, this trapezoid-shaped outdoor bin is the best compost bin we&#;ve tested. Indoor bins have a temperature advantage that can help your composting, but if you want a traditional option (or just don&#;t want compost inside your home), the Redmon composter is a great choice to add to your garden tools.
The bin&#;s opening is wide enough to shovel in leaves or leftover garden plants easily. The sides have plenty of holes for ventilation, but they aren&#;t fully open. They let in air and moisture and cut down on the smell, but they keep animals out.
During testing, we did run into an issue with mice digging under the side of the bin to get to food scraps. However, we addressed it by pushing the &#;teeth&#; of the bin further into the ground and placing large rocks around the edge to keep them out.
See more of the best compost bins we tested and reviewed.
Pros
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Easy to fill
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Easy to empty
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Large capacity
Cons
Buy now at Amazon
$74.99 from Walmart
Credit:
Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar
The True Temper wheelbarrow is the best we've tested.
Best Wheelbarrow
True Temper 6 cu. ft. Wheelbarrow
The True Temper wheelbarrow is useful anytime you want to carry something heavy, bulky, or awkward through your yard. Our favorite wheelbarrow, it can travel over most yard obstacles and steps, and it holds more than 3 cubic feet of mulch flat (or up to 6 cubic feet mounded) in the spacious tray.
Its best feature is how easy this wheelbarrow is to control. Even when fully loaded with bricks, the True Temper never felt like it was falling or &#;running away&#; downhill. The single flat-free rubber tire is sturdy but soft enough that it easily rolls over rough ground, rocks, and branches. The single-wheel construction allows it to pivot around a 1-foot diameter turn.
On the other hand, this wheelbarrow is large and weighs almost 46 pounds. It can be stored standing on its nose end, but it still takes up a lot of space.
If you are still concerned about tipping, garden carts might be better yard tools for your needs. You&#;ll still be able to transport plants, tools, and yard debris, but the extra wheels add stability.
See more of the best wheelbarrows we tested and reviewed.
Pros
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Sturdy
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Comfortable handles
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Smooth rolling
Cons
$139.00 from Home Depot
$199.70 from Walmart
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Reviewed / Flo Ion
A smart sprinkler can add a whole new dimension to your lawn maintenance.
Best Smart Sprinkler
Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller
While they&#;re not traditional gardening tools like wheelbarrows and shovels, modern smart sprinklers enhance your garden and save water. The second-generation Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller currently tops our list of the best smart sprinklers for its abundant, easy-to-use options and straightforward installation.
The model we tested offers control over eight zones (sometimes called "stations"), though there's an additional model that supports up to twice that. Smart home junkies will appreciate the integrations with Nest, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, and Apple HomeKit. There's even a host of IFTTT recipes available to customize your sprinkler even further.
The Rachio 3 isn&#;t the most affordable smart irrigation controller, but it does offer the most features while still being easy enough for anyone to use. Serious gardening hobbyists will like the Rachio 3 for its fine-tuned smart scheduling and robust automation abilities.
See more of the best smart sprinklers we tested and reviewed.
Pros
Cons
$182.70 from Amazon
$186.99 from Best Buy
$180.03 from Walmart
Credit:
Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar
The Truper Tru handled our toughest raking jobs.
Garden tools include many tools for different jobs. A beginner gardener might only need a shovel, gardening gloves, and a set of pruning shears. The seasoned gardener might expand their tool chest to include more traditional tools, as well as new water-saving gear like smart sprinkler systems and electric power tools like a string trimmer.
Because garden tools come in so many shapes and forms, all of the tools we highlighted on this list were evaluated with attention given to the specifics of that type of tool. This means that while we tested the best wheelbarrows for stability and maneuverability, our tests for leaf blowers focused on an entirely different set of qualities, like the ability to blow loose leaves out from under bushes, and how long each battery-powered leaf blower blows before running out of juice. This was true for each category of garden tools.
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