Spear & Jackson 5030TR Traditional Stainless 5 ½" Hand Trowel

Take it from one who has bent a few of the cheaper trowels, this new one from Spear & Jackson is a winner. I always resisted buying more expensive trowels and opted for the cheaper ones, but after wearing out another one, it was time to try a higher end trowel.Here are the pro's for this trowel:- The blade of the trowel is a heavy, carbon / ferritic stainless, which means it will be magnetic, and also means it is hardened / tempered more than classic austenitic stainless (which is non-magnetic). The blade is very thick and it would take a lot of force to bend it.- The ferrule on the trowel is affixed very well to the hardwood handle, and I cannot detect any play in it - it is not loose and feels it will not fall off like many cheaper tools with ferrules. It is dimpled on two sides where it joins to ensure it stays in place.- The neck of the trowel is a one-piece construction with the blade, and is not welded like some, so there is no joint to fail under force. Additionally, the neck appears to be epoxied? into the wood handle and should be durable.- Finally, the wood handle is recessed toward the middle, making a good fit for smaller hands (like my wife's). The handle appears to be made out of white oak which will make it very water resistant (red oak is not).The con's - can't think of any at this point - but let's see how it holds up under repeated use over time. I will update at a later date if need be.We tested it out today, and it feels great in the hand, and has a lot of staying power and it cuts through the hard AZ dirt well.Overall a five star trowel, I would recommend it to anyone! Not cheap, but quality rarely is. We were going to get a Lee Valley trowel for $5 more, but I think we will be more than happy with this one! 5 stars!Thanks for reading!

This is a sturdy and solid trowel that is good looking to boot! The stainless steel has fared well in my garden's hard clay and rocky soil. I tend to abuse my tools and wrench and pry entrenched stones and roots with it so I'm glad to say that there is little evidence of deformation or rusting at all on the item. The blade is stout and the weld seems secure. The finish of the wooden handle is nice and comfortable to hold with no wiggling of any kind thus far. The leather lanyard is convenient for hanging the tool but not good for much else; it can easily be removed if desired. Overall, it is a substantial tool that feels good in the hand without being too hefty and tiresome to use.5/5 - I love it.

I like using forks for weeding because they don't dig out all the good soil around the weed, just pull out the roots. This fork is sturdy enough, comfortable to hold, and attractive.

Strong and perfect for prying weeds without bending over.

This shovel worked beautifully- until it broke. I was weeding a bed after several days' rain, so the soil was soft.

If you plant annuals or 1 gallon plants, you will LOVE this shovel!!! I start with a pitch fork to break up my woodland ground and then use the shovel to continue. I'm 84. This little shovel is a life saver for me. I step on the shovel to dig just the right size hole and I'm there. You'll be so very happy if you spend the money to buy this little shovel. I planted 12 vinca/perriwinkle plants this morning in an hour.

This is the best tool for removing stubborn roots. I have plants that have roots that look like twisted carrots underground. Almost impossible to pull out of ground. I stick this in ground and pry and with some effort they come out of ground. This has been very sturdy so far. I bought a pitch fork that the tines bent. This has not bent! So far the only tool which has not broken either at the handle or the tines!

This trowel is well designed and the perfect length to stand and use in a raised bed. My only complaint is that the trowel is very loose and wiggles when used. I think there must have been a quality control issue in that the trowel head was riveted to the handle much lower on the tapered end of the handle than it was designed to be. I will make good use of it but wanted to share the quality issue.