Last Updated on November 2, 2022 by Real Men Sow

Best Garden Hoes (Reviewed) 2022

Best Garden Hoes to Cultivate Soil and Remove Weeds

Are you sick of weeding? No one likes weeds. What’s more, if you are keen to start growing your own plants or vegetables from scratch, then you’re going to need a good garden hoe in your tool shed. It’s time to get a handle on those perennials once and for all, without damaging your garden in the process.

Garden hoes are fantastic allies in the fight against weeds, and what’s more, they are great for getting into the surface of the soil, so that you can create trenches and draw soil back and forth for planting.

Choosing the right hoe for the job isn’t always simple. Here are five of the best available for you to buy online right now.

In This Review

Draper 88799 Carbon Steel Dutch Hoe

This lengthy dutch hoe is great for that extra bit of grip, and with carbon steel in the blade, you can be sure it’s tough and long-lasting.

It also benefits from a plastic grip, which you will likely find fairly comfortable over time. This is a good option and it retails ar a pretty reasonable price.

Features

Dimensions: 135cm x 17.7cm x 4cm
Weight: 0.9kg

Spear & Jackson Elements Dutch Hoe

This dutch hoe benefits from hardened steel, which to you and I means that it’s even more resilient than your run of the mill garden hoes elsewhere. Thanks to the epoxy on the blade, this hoe boasts the same standards as stainless steel – it’s impervious to rust.

Beyond this, it’s weather proof! Not many garden hoes come with the extra selling point that you can leave them out in the rain – not that you ever should.

On top of all of the above, this fantastic hoe has a comfy, soft feel grip. There’s a draw hoe in the same line.

Features

Dimensions: 161cm x 13cm x 2.6cm
Weight: 1kg

Kent and Stowe Best Premium Hoe

This long handle hoe is ideal for taller gardeners. Built in stainless steel, this is a weeding tool tour de force, offering you fantastic power over all kinds of horrible weeds. It’s got an ashwood handle, too.

This is one of the best stainless steel hoes on the market for keeping you off the soil itself – it’s really worth investing in if you don’t want to bend down.

Features

Dimensions: 162.56cm x 13.97cm x 10cm
Weight: 1.1kg

Silverline 186817 Best Value Hoe

This hoe offers you pretty much ‘what you see is what you get’ value, and for that reason, we really can’t complain. Usually retailing for less than £10, this hoe offers comfortable use and a nice grip, with a steel blade to help you show those weeds who’s boss.

This hoe tends to cover all grounds and really is the best pick available if you’re looking for something that ticks the right boxes without going specialized.

Features

Dimensions: 142.5cm x 12cm x 2.5cm
Weight: 0.4kg

Bulldog 3232/5N Premier Dutch Hoe

This dutch hoe offers plenty of length and a blade design that’s great for weeding. It’s by no means a short handle, but for taller gardeners, that’s a good thing. This is one of the more premium-end hoes with wooden handles, meaning that if you’re serious about buying hoes for weeding which are going to last, this is a good pick.

Easy for weeding in tight spaces, this is a heavy duty gardening hoe that will likely weather the years to come. It has a firm handle – an ash handle, in fact – and you can pretty much count on it to ‘do the job’.

Features

Dimensions: 139cm x 12.7cm x 4.5cm
Weight: 1.1kg

What Is A Garden Hoe?

The garden hoe or gardening hoe is a pretty common, humble tool you will likely have come across even if you’re a novice gardener. Along with forks and spades, garden hoes tend to be some of the most convenient all-around tools you can use in a garden space.

Many assume that a garden hoe is generally best put to use in a space where you’re going to be growing lots of crops. This isn’t always the case. It’s a garden tool that’s actually pretty crucial for making sure the surface of the soil is turned over and that you’re keeping things nice and fresh.

Learning how to use a hoe is also pretty easy. They are designed, traditionally with a stainless steel blade or similar, to be able to dig into soila nd to allow you to sift and turn with minimal effort. As it transpires, however, there are different types of gardening hoe out there which will likely serve you well depending on the actual job you’d like to tackle.

Keep reading, as we’ll take you through everything you need to know.

What Is The Purpose Of Hoeing A Garden?

A garden hoe is used when you want to get deep into your soil. It’s one of several push pull tools for the garden which help you do all the jobs that other hand tools, forks and spades included, can’t.

Generally, you will need to push and pull a hoe through your garden soil to break it up. This might be in a chopping motion depending on the shaped blade you are using. You’re going to need to hoe your garden when it’s time to turn over flowerbeds, or when you need to dig up a bit of soil so that you can easily layer in compost for extra nutrients. Then, it will be much easier for your seeds to start growing properly.

Turning means that you are effectively digging small holes or divots in the ground which are perfect for your seeds to sow into. Instead of doing all of that by hand, you can use a hoe at standing and walking height. Most gardeners will tell you that a gardening hoe saves them a lot of time, straining and effort. Yes, it’s tempting to try and do it all with a hand tool, but when you’ve got a fantastic garden hoe in your supply, you’re miles ahead.

However, lots of people will also tell you that a garden hoe is great for getting rid of weeds. It’s a weeding tool tour de force for similar reasons to those discussed above. Weeding is one of the least favourite jobs of even the most ardent of gardeners, meaning any way this can be made easier is largely welcomed.

As a weeding tool, you can effectively use a dutch hoe or a draw hoe to scrape along and get the tops of your weeds sliced up. In some cases, you may need to dig down deeper if you have really nasty perennials or a plot where you are looking to start a new crop or two from fresh.

Ultimately, a garden hoe is a garden tool essential. Even if you’re not really into the sowing or planting game, these tools are still really useful at getting rid of those nasty weeds and making sure your soil turns over. A hoe is likely more useful than you imagine it to be.

Benefits Of Hoeing

There are lots of benefits to using garden hoes.

For example, it’s a quick and easy way to prepare soil for seeding. Instead of using awkward hand tools to kneel down with and make dimples and furrow your soil, a gardening hoe is a great choice if you’d prefer a long handle. Taller or less mobile gardeners certainly swear by owning a hoe when it comes to getting seeds in place, getting nutrients into the soil and more.

As mentioned, regular hoeing also means you rid yourself of weeds. Weeds come in all shapes and types, and unfortunately, they can have a habit of coming back time and time again.

That’s why garden hoes are seen as some of the best weeding tools for most types of soil. With a comfortable wood handle and plenty of length, you can easily scrape up and pull out nasty weeds without having to break out other weeding tools, or having to reach for lawn-unfriendly chemicals.

Once you’re done turning, seeding and weeding your soil, you can use a garden hoe tool to add another layer or soil surface over the top. This means you are essentially setting up your garden and your seeds, ready to start growing a bumper new crop.

All in all, the benefits of using a gardening hoe regularly, even if you’re just getting rid of some nasty weeds, are pretty well documented. We all agree here at RMS that this is a tool that’s not just great for weeds, but is easy to use when it comes to anything soil related.

What To Look For When Buying The Best Garden Hoe

It’s pretty easy to think, again, that one hoe is going to do it all for you. As you’ve already seen from our buying guide, there’s a lot to take in. Here are a few things you might want to keep in mind when shopping for the best garden hoe.
What Will You Use it For?

When you want to choose the right garden hoe, you’re going to need to think about purpose.

As mentioned, the types of garden hoe available will differ greatly – meaning you might find it tricky to pick between any one of 50 at any time!

Consider going with a simple dutch hoe to begin with as this will literally cover most ground. We think the dutch hoe is probably your best entry-level choice, simply because it’s a gardening tool you can grow into, instead of having to go too specialist right away.

As you get deeper into your seed sowing and soil cultivation, try looking into a warren hoe. This will likely give you more support when it comes to sowing and harvesting.

The shape of the blade you buy means a lot. It’s the blade, of course, that sets different types of hoe apart from one another. Therefore, whenever you start looking to buy a garden hoe, look at the blade first.

Handle Lengths

The second thing you should look at – naturally – is the length of the handle on your weeding tools.

A hand hoe, by design, should offer you easier access and more practicality when it comes to getting out weeds and preparing your soil for seeds.

However, the length of your hoe handle really is going to depend on your height as well as you ease of access. A short handled hoe, for example, might be great for smaller people and those with lower mobility.

However, taller people are going to struggle with a short handled hoe. They are going to need a long handled tool which allows them to comfortably furrow, dig and turn over without having to bend down.

A long handled hoe is not beyond the realms of possibility. However, height can sometimes be relative, so make sure you measure correctly and choose a garden tool that’s comfortable to use regularly.

Weight and Bulk

It makes sense to consider your own strength, too. A heavy duty garden hoe is going to work well when it comes to digging and furrowing deep.

However, it might also weigh a ton! Carefully look at the weight statistics for your dutch hoe, draw hoe or otherwise. You might otherwise find yourself getting pretty tired, pretty quickly.

Blade Durability

Ok – back to the blade, again. The quality of the blade on your hoe is going to matter a lot. While, as mentioned, using a hoe in wet soil is never going to be good for the tool, you’re still going to want a hoe and blade that is going to withstand a lot of use and a lot of pressure.

Our best picks would generally be a stainless steel blade or a carbon steel blade option. There are exceptions to the rule, of course, but stainless steel and carbon steel tend to give you a bit more resistance against the ravages of moisture and time.

Hoes have a habit of rusting just as much as other gardening tools do. Therefore, it really does pay to look for something that has a bit more resistance in the moisture, in the soil, and over time.

Handle Comfort

And back we go to the handle. The whole point of buying a weeding tool like a long handled hoe is so that it’s comfortable to use. What if you buy a garden tool that’s just going to dig into your palms and give you all kinds of fatigue? There’d be no point.

Therefore, we really do recommend you look carefully for garden hoe lines which come with ergonomic handles or grips. These tend to be really comfortable to use.

Whether you are getting rid of weeds out of tight spaces or are really pushing that blade to create seeding furrows down a large garden, it makes sense to pick a gardening hoe that’s going to be easy for you to just pick up and use over long periods.

Shaft Quality

Try and look for a good quality wood on your hand hoe, too. This, much like the quality of your blade, means you will be investing in a hoe that lasts years of regular use. Again, the last thing you’ll want or need is a tool that’s going to weather down quickly.

It’s not just the quality of what digs into the soil that matters. Ultimately, the whole of your garden hoe is going to need to last the years to come, so make sure you read verified buyer reviews and balance a good, solid handle and shaft with a blade that’s built to last, too.

What Are The Different Types Of Hoe?

If you’re completely new to the idea of using a hoe in the garden, it can be pretty easy to assume that one size fits all. In fact, there are different types of hoe for different jobs.
Here are a few of the common types of hoe you will come across online, some of which we’ve found for you to share in this list.
Believe it or not, there are actually around 50 types of garden hoe out there – and as we’re sure you don’t have the time right now to read the ‘War and Peace’ of hoe type rundowns, we’re going to share information on the ones that are really common.
Dutch Hoes

Dutch hoes are sometimes known as chopping hoes, and these are your most common varieties. A draw how is going to give you a rectangular or square blade shape, which allows you to carefully turn over your soil and dig up weeds.

Generally, dutch hoes are great for beginners. They tend to give you a good all around soil sifting experience, and depending on the length of the tool and the type of wood handle, they are probably your safest bet.

Scuffle Hoes

A scuffle hoe, on the other hand, is a little bit different. Scuffle hoes tend to be fantastic at chopping out weeds.

These garden tools are likely best to fall back on if you are looking for a gardening hoe that really chops into even the most stubborn of thick stuff. It’s a push and pull weeding motion here which can take a lot of action and motivation.

These are sometimes referred to as the stirrup hoe. The stirrup hoe is so-named because, well, the end looks like a stirrup. Moving on!

Action Hoes

The action hoe tends to be a great choice if you are looking for a powerful gardening tool that you can use in a repetitive stroke to really get your seeds down deep into the soil.

Action hoes tend to do a lot of work – much like scuffle hoes really dig down deep when it comes to weeds and cutting off those nasty perennials.

Warren Hoes / Draw Hoes

A warren hoe tends to have a triangular blade. The warren hoe is great for helping you to create furrows in the soil, as you can point it downwards into the ground and dig along with ease.

A warren hoe is likely to be a good choice if you are mainly looking for a gardening tool that will help you to propagate seeds. It might not be as good as scuffle hoes for getting weeds up and out of the way, however, what it is good for, it does well.

The warren hoe is perhaps also better known as the draw hoe. Why these tools have so many different names, we’re really not sure – a warren or draw hoe does the exact same thing.

We’ve listed ditch hoes for our buying guide over draw hoe styles – however, there are plenty of draw hoes to find online.

When Is The Best Time To Hoe Your Garden?

On the whole, when you choose the right time to hoe your garden, you can expect fantastic results. For us, by experience, it’s in the morning, or when the soil is less likely to be damp.

Therefore, using a hoe in soil after a spate of rain or bad weather probably isn’t the best idea. You’re going to need that soil to be nice and soft, or even the best garden hoe with a heavy duty blade is going to struggle. That garden hoe blade can only do so much!

What’s more, wetness in the soil isn’t just bad news for the tool or hoe – it’s bad news if you really want to get those annoying weeds up and moving. Failure to hoe into soil when it’s dry means that you could be missing out on essential roots.

Weeds, like any other plant you’ll find in your garden or allotment, absolutely love water. The more of it the better when it comes to weeds, and for that reason, it’s always going to be a good idea to let that soil dry out before you take any type of hoe or blade to the ground. Any seasoned gardener worth their salt will tell you the same!

How Often Should You Hoe A Garden?

It all depends on the season, the weeds that you see popping up the most, and what you’re using your garden for.

If you’re going to be preparing your soil to grow vegetables, then it’s a good idea to start using a hand or long handle hoe at least once a week. This way, you can be sure that you are taking the best steps to get weeds up and out of your soil.

Essentially, weeds are going to keep coming back time and time again unless you use some kind of chemical to prevent their resurgence, but this really isn’t the best option if you want to keep your soil and lawn free from anything nasty.

Weeds will regrow and propagate once again pretty quickly. Therefore, hoe using this easy to use tool to make sure even the smaller weeds, those which are just coming into fruition, are up and out of the way. Even if you leave anything small behind, you’re going to end up with a crop of nasty perennials that will choke your soil and any of the plants you actually want to grow within.

Conclusion

No one likes weeding, and that much is pretty obvious. However, as you can see, choosing the right hoes from the worst of the bunch really is a bit of a muddle, at least at first.

Do you choose an ash wood handle or a hardwood handle? Are you looking to dig trenches or to use a metal blade to pierce into those weeds? Maybe you’re looking for a short handle, or wooden handles that are easy to grip.

Ultimately, whether you invest in warren hoes or stirrup hoes, you are looking for gardening essentials that you can use from garden beds to soil furrows again and again.

Finding the right one might be as simple as comparing some of our suggested features and differences above. All in all, it’s much easier to get a handle on a garden hoe than it is to go weeding by hand down in the dirt.

We hope you’ve found our guide to the best gardening hoes on the market worth reading – and we hope it works well in helping you find the best tools to work back and forth, to help you really get the best out of your soil. Grab draw hoes to pull back the soil, and a dutch hoe to get those weeds shifting.