4 Best Garden Forks of 2023

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One thing we’ve likely all experienced is the difficult of digging when heavy mud keeps sticking to fork tines or spade blades.

That’s why non-stick tines can make such a difference, and on the Spear & Jackson Traditional Stainless Steel Digging Fork the mirror-polished stainless steel tines significantly prevent mud or clay sticking compared to traditional forks.

Therefore, not only is this already a relatively lightweight tool at 1.95 kg, it’s good at keeping things that way too.

The rest of the body is made from one piece of weather-proofed hardwood which splits to form the wishbone handle. This means there are no weak joins on the shaft itself. It isn’t prone to rust and the wood is also well protected against the elements, although of course storing it inside when not in use will help prolong its life.

When it comes to performance, it’s worth saying that although this is a high quality garden fork, it does have its limitations. If you’re working on vegetable patches and softer, frequently-turned earth, this steel fork is ideal for keeping up maintenance. It’s also possible to use this for aerating soil, given that the tines are around 28 cm long.

However, this isn’t the best garden fork for leveraging very solid ground, or fighting thick roots. As you might presume, for the relatively low price, it isn’t as hardy as some stronger, heavier forks. Therefore, it can’t be expected to manage all of the heavyweight work of more expensive models.

At around 90 cm long, it’s also slightly shorter than the majority of garden forks; whilst it’s likely still suitable for gardeners of most heights, taller gardeners might wish to consider other options.

Overall though, it’s one of the best digging forks if you’re after a good value option with a wooden handle, backed by the reputation of a well-known brand.

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For the bargain-hunters out there, this great value Rolson Ash Handle Digging Fork is well priced for the level of quality and performance it offers. It one of the best garden forks if you’re working to a budget.

Whilst cheaper forks can sometimes fall down when it comes to the quality of materials they use, the carbon-steel head and ash-wood shaft of this garden fork remain very suitable choices. The four tines are heat treated and even have a hammered finish, which helps stop mud from sticking to them.

With further reference to the materials, the ash-wood shaft also helps keep the weight down, and this is one of the lightest garden forks featured here, weighing just 825 g. If you’re someone who finds most garden tools too heavy, this is a good garden fork to help reduce fatigue and help make the process of turning over soil more manageable.

The handle is plastic, which is comfortable to use. However, this does mean that there is a potentially ‘weak’ area where the handle attaches to the shaft. Nevertheless, it seems generally well anchored and sturdy overall.

So, this brings us on to performance: it’s a great garden fork for a lot of different jobs, but may struggle in harder soil and dense clay-based ground. If you’re working in predominantly pre-dug earth, it’s a great value item that should significantly help with turning and digging the soil.

It measures approximately 100 cm in length which seems relatively standard for digging forks, most gardeners will likely find this a suitable size for comfortably getting on with the job.

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We’ve all been there – that heart wrenching feeling when you accidentally damage the roots of your favourite plant, whilst using a garden fork that’s too wide for the space. It’s one of those things that’s easily done, yet also so easily avoided by using a narrower tool like the Spear & Jackson Select Stainless Steel Border Fork.

At approximately 14 cm wide, this is a good garden fork if you want to fit around plants without causing their roots to quake in their boots. As with most border forks, it has a narrower width than a digging fork (despite still having four tines) and this makes it much easier to dig and aerate soil without encroaching on areas you want to leave untouched.

When it comes to design, the stainless-steel tines and polypropylene shaft make for a sturdy but lightweight combination. It weighs 1.76 kg and the handle is an extension of the shaft so there’s no join where excessive force could cause it to snap. The mirror polished stainless steel head also helps with the weight, preventing large amounts of mud from sticking to the tines.

The handle itself is very ergonomically shaped, with a rounded design instead of the standard T shaped handle. This, combined with the non-slip grip coating, makes it quite comfortable to use and easy on the hands. It also allows space for two hands to fit, which can be useful for raking soil or driving the tines into the ground.

One of the primary drawbacks of this garden fork, especially for taller users, is its length. The shaft measures around 71 cm, and the head adds about another 26 cm onto this, resulting in an overall length of approximately 93 cm. This makes it the shortest garden fork featured here, albeit by a just couple of centimetres.

Whilst the short length may let it down, this isn’t the sort of fork that will be used for long, extended periods of time anyway. Instead, it’s one of the best garden forks for small border work, and shouldn’t really be used for trying to dig larger patches. Using this steel fork on softer, pre-dug soil will get good results, but harder ground may pose too much of a challenge.

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One recurring problem with garden forks is their lack of durability – the tines and shafts aren’t always able to hack the pressure we need them to.

This Kent and Stowe Carbon Steel Border Fork is more durable than most border forks, with a solid forged carbon steel head, wooden handle and long crank. The four tines aren’t overly susceptible to bending, meaning it can be used in ground where there may perhaps be a few larger stones lurking, without breaking on contact.

The crank, which is the metal collar where the shaft joins with the head, is a lot longer than that on most forks, resulting in a stronger construction that can stand up to more pressure. This carbon steel fork can turn soil that contains bricks and stones, as well as soil that is more compacted.

If you’re aiming to prepare raised beds, dig out roots, or battle tougher clay-based soil, this is a good garden fork to have in the armoury.

At 1.82 kg, it’s still lightweight despite by no means being the lightest garden fork featured here. It strikes a good balance – it can be used for more heavy duty jobs without picking up so much soil that it becomes unmanageable (thanks to its narrow shape). As a border fork, it has a narrower head than a standard garden fork; it doesn’t move as much soil which keeps the weight down but it’s still hardy enough to be used on tougher tasks.

One shortcoming is that it can be harder to get a foot onto the head, due to its smaller size (especially for those with larger feet). As a result, it can be harder to push down on this steel border fork, compared to some wider models.

Overall though, this is a one of the stronger border forks on the market, and it’s not just confined to light duty work, despite its narrower size.