In this guide we’ll take a look at the best bricklayers trowels for the UK market.
We’ve compared blade length, weight, handle material and cost
to give you our top recommendations.
Every product we recommend is carefully researched, fact checked and tested where possible. If you buy from a link, we may earn a small commission. Learn more.

The UK's bestBricklayers Trowels2022 Review
What is the Best Bricklayers Trowel?
More Detailed Bricklayers Trowel Reviews
Marshalltown M/T1912D Trowel with Red Durasoft Handle
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Marshalltown M/T1912D Trowel with Red Durasoft Handle Review
The MT1912 12” is one of the best bricklayers trowels because it’s made from excellent quality steel and is built to last.
Marshalltown are easily one of the go-to brands for professional bricklayers and other masons when it comes to the best bricky tools. Made in the USA, they’re premium hand tools that will last you the duration.
The 19/12 is the best bricklaying trowel and considered a benchmark tool for anyone in the trade, or for keen DIY block layers. Made from one piece of top-quality tool steel, the best brick trowel on our list is flexible and responsive without being too heavy on the arm. Shaped in the Philadelphia pattern, it’s got a nice, angled heel for precision mortar scraping.
Our favourite feature of what we think is the best brick laying trowel around though is the legendary Marshalltown DuraSoft handle. If you’re going to be laying blocks for hours a day, week in, week out, you need a comfortable handle that won’t ruin your hand. The grippy and ergonomically designed handle on this tool makes it the best bricky trowel around, bar none.
Bon 73-257 Narrow London Block Layer Trowel
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Bon 73-257 Narrow London Block Layer Trowel Review
Family-owned tool company Bon make some of the best bricky tools around and have been innovating since they started in 1958 in Pennsylvania, USA. We took a closer look at their narrow London-shape trowel to see how it shapes up against the competition.
This is a more traditional style of trowel with a diamond shape London-style blade, made from tempered steel that has been precision ground to a tapered end. Overall, the best brick laying trowel from Bon is still long enough for larger block work but is much lighter than some of the others on our list.
The best bricklaying trowel should have a smart handle, so we weren’t disappointed by the turned wooden handle on the Bon block layer. It might not have the soft grip of a rubber handle, but each bricklayer has their own favourite type of handle in terms of control and comfort.
Spear & Jackson Canadian Leather Handle Trowel
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Spear & Jackson Canadian Leather Handle Trowel Review
With a tool making pedigree stretching all the way back to 1760, Spear & Jackson know more than a thing or two about making the best bricklayers trowel. We chose the Tyzack Canadian brick trowel because it’s another tried and tested Philadelphia-style trowel that’s ideal for all sorts of brick and block laying tasks.
As you’d expect from the best brick trowel available, it’s made from one piece of forged steel for extra strength and flexibility and carries the Tyzack name that brickies have trusted for generations. We like the weight and balance of one of the best bricklaying trowels available, it’s the sort of tool you feel like you can use for hours without getting tired.
Our favourite feature must be the beautiful leather-wrapped Canadian wood handle, it gives the best bricklaying trowel a feel of an heirloom tool that you’d be proud to have in your collection. The handle isn’t just about looks though, it’ll mould to your hand over time and just get more comfortable.
Hilka 66306011 Brick Soft Grip Trowel
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Hilka 66306011 Brick Soft Grip Trowel Review
With more than half a century of producing quality tools under their belt, Hilka are a go-to brand for the best brick laying trowels on a budget. Their soft grip trowel might not be up to years of professional block laying, but it’s certainly one of the best brick laying trowels for the keen DIYer.
With a wide Philadelphia shape blade made from heat-treated high carbon steel, it has a decent amount of flex without being too thin. It’s lighter overall than the best Marshalltown trowel, and lacks some of the refinements of a more premium tool, but for the price it’s the best multipurpose trowel for DIYers.
It features a comfortable handle that you might expect from a much more expensive trowel, and a solid feeling brick tamping pommel. For cost conscious tradespeople, it’s a quarter of the price of the most expensive tool on this list, but still performs like the best bricky trowel.
OX PRO Series Steel Brick Trowel with Dura Grip Handle
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OX PRO Series Steel Brick Trowel with Dura Grip Handle Review
Aussie brand OX has been making tough tools since 1974 and produce some of the best multipurpose trowels and masonry tools that we’ve come across. We got hold of one of their Philadelphia shape steel brick trowel to see how it compares against the best bricklayers trowels.
Forged from quality steel, this is one of the best brick trowels in terms of balance and responsiveness, it’s not too heavy in the hand and gives you plenty of control of the tapered blade. It feels like it could be one of the best tools around, almost beating the best Marshalltown trowel.
It comes with a neat finger guard that you might expect to see on the best bricky tools, but at almost half the price it’s a solid choice for budding block layers who don’t want to break the bank. The thick handle has a premium feeling rubberised Duragrip in recognisable OX blue which helps combat fatigue and should stop the best soft grip brick trowel from flying out of your hand.
Bricklayers Trowel Buyer’s Guide
Laying block work and bricks takes skill, experience and hard work. You can make things a bit easier by using the best bricklayers trowel though.
Construction
The best bricklaying trowel blade needs to be strong, flexible and not too heavy if you want to use it all day. The go-to material for the best bricky tool is always going to be high carbon tool steel. Built to take a beating, it’ll move mortar all day long.
The next most important part of the best brick trowel is the handle. It’s the connection between your hand and the job in front of you, so it needs to be well balanced, comfortable and non-slip.
Traditionally, the best brick laying trowel would have a wooden handle, usually hickory or ash, perhaps with leather binding for grip. As technology has improved though, the best Marshalltown trowel uses a trademarked comfortable DuraSoft rubber blend, and other premium brands have followed suit.
Dimensions
Getting the most out of the best bricklayers trowel starts with picking the right size and shape tool for you and the job you must complete. The classic and best Marshalltown trowel is the 19/11, which has an 11-inch blade, perfect for block and brick work.
The two main shapes of trowel are London shape and Philadelphia shape- the London style looks more like a diamond that is more suited for working with bricks, and the Philadelphia has a more pronounced “heel” that makes it the best multipurpose trowel for blockwork.
Usage
The best brick laying trowels are used to place mortar around bricks or blocks when building walls or other structures. They can also be used to cut and shape bricks, with a bit of practice.
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