Best shovels to buy

We round up some of the best shovels to buy – perfect for moving soil, compost, mulch, gravel and much more around the garden.

By Veronica Peerless

Published: Thursday, 27 April 2023 at 12:00 am

Along with a good spade, a shovel is a very useful piece of kit to have in the garden. It is often tempting to use a spade for moving soil and other loose materials around the garden, but you’ll be amazed at how more efficiently you can work with a good shovel.

The best garden shovels are hard-wearing, weather resistant and durable – many come with a lifetime guarantee. Certain models are better suited to specific jobs, so it’s worth considering your upcoming tasks before buying one. 

Take a look at our list of our favourite shovels that you can buy online. You can also browse our top garden tools, hand trowels and ergonomic tools. 

What is a shovel used for?

You can use a shovel to move loose material such as topsoil, mulch, manure, compost, earth, gravel, sand, snow, cement or garden waste around the garden.

The difference between a spade and a shovel

Spades and shovels are both essential tools for a gardener. If you need to dig precise holes or work in tight spaces, such as a border, a spade is best. If you need to move large quantities of soil or other materials from one place to another, a shovel is the better choice.

Spades have a narrow, flat blade with a sharp edge and an often pointed tip, and are ideal for digging borders, veg patches, trenches or turf. They also often have a foot plate that you can tread on. Shovels have a wider pan that is often turned up at the sides, so they can scoop up and transport large quantities of loose materials such as soil, compost, mulch and so on more easily without spilling them.

Spades usually have long straight handles so that they are comfortable to dig with, while shovels often have shorter curved handles that give better leverage when scooping or pushing materials.

The best shovels to buy in 2023

JCB Professional Yard Shovel

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This sturdy yet lightweight professional shovel is ergonomically designed for ease of use and is a great all-rounder, useful for all kinds of jobs. It has a deep pan that prevent spillages, and is made of hardened and tempered carbon steel. The blade has been forged rather than pressed, making it stronger and more durable. JCB Professional Tools have been developed to be used in the toughest conditions and only gain the JCB logo once they have surpassed British Standard Load Tests. Weight: 2.1kg. Dimensions: 99cm x 30cm x 20cm