By Seven Weaver Producer
Good Housekeeping
When the warm weather arrives, you can’t wait to start prepping and pruning your garden. But all that digging and weeding to nurture blooming plants and flowers can also lead to plenty of aches and pains. GHRI tested the newest gardening tools with ergonomic or strain-reducing features. Here are our top picks.Good Housekeeping
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Stumble It!1. Beloved Gloves
Our testers had to hand it to the Womanswork Nitrile Weeding Gloves ($8), which were unanimously admired for the exceptionally good fit and the waterproof, gripping nitrile coating. Available in three sizes and two colors (yellow and terracotta).
2. Dextrous Digger
The unique beveled edge of the Corona Egrip Trowel ($7) easily penetrates hard dirt and punctures mulch bags. Testers raved that the scoop has a larger capacity than other hand shovels but isn’t any heavier.
3. Weeder Leader
The Corona Egrip Weeder’s ($7) multifaceted design — a forked tip for easy weeding and a serrated edge for slicing roots — makes it ideal for removing pesky interlopers. Testers found other uses for the tool, like dividing irises and cutting bulbs’ roots.
4. Practical Pruner
Our consumer testers loved how the spring-loaded handle of Fiskars Power Pivot Pruner ($18 for small, $22 for large) allows for easy, ambidextrous trimming. The tool comes in two handle sizes for small or large hands. While the pros thought these were just fine for a home gardener, they prefer their high-end — but three times as costly — pruners.
5. Shear Precision
The Fiskars Power Pivot Grass Shears ($23) go where your mower can’t, precisely and quickly trimming long grass around mailboxes and flower beds. This tool utilizes the same consumer-approved spring-loaded handle as the Fiskars pruner, but again, the pros would ultimately pick their pricier shears over these.
6. Safer Branch Removal
For chopping branches of up to 1 1/4 inches, the lightweight Gilmour Bypass Lopper ($37) packs a wallop. Special gear action gives you twice the cutting power, allowing you to make large cuts with less effort. The clever 180-degree handle folds up around the blades for safe storage.
7. Beyond the Pail
When the panel evaluated the Garden Works Presto Bucket ($12), the typical tote paled in comparison. Testers praised its durable fabric construction, and how it rinses clean and collapses flat for storage. It comes in six bright colors, making it hard to misplace in the garden or shed.
8. A Welcome Wagon
Ready to ditch your heavy metal wheelbarrow? Opt for the much lighter Jackson Professional Tools EZ Pour Spout Wheelbarrow ($150) with a narrow spout for easy mulching.
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