If you have ever undertaken a lawn project that involved clearing away soil, then you know the potential hassle of not having the right tools to successfully get started. Sometimes, tools that are used for digging out earth can be beneficial but require you to make switches too often to other tools. With the best trenching shovel, you have multiple tools that are rolled into one.
Finding the best trenching shovel for the job is not always easy. There are lots of products available online that are sold in the category, therefore making the search overwhelming since many brands will claim their shovels are better than others, while at the same time having an identical appearance. Here are the best trench shovels found on the internet, picked for their heavy duty build, value, and comfortability of use.
The Best Trenching Shovel Reviews
Truper 33436 Tru Pro California Trenching Shovel
Sold in sizes ranging from three to five inches in blade width, the Truper California Trenching Shovel, manufactured in Mexico, has a fiberglass handle that measures 48 inches. It is designed to prevent your hand (or gloves) from slipping when you want to drive into the ground deeply. You won’t have to worry about the foot handle breaking either. It is strengthened to withstand 400 pounds of pressure.
Unlike some trenching shovels, this product will not allow you to turn the blade to different angles, so it is better suited for digging deep portions of soil. In this regard, you will find issue with using it as a hoe. This does not eliminate the overall quality and tough build of the tool. If the dirt is compact, you might also notice the spade becoming slightly wobbly.
In any case, Truper will be able to quickly pull up dirt, roots, and sporadic small rocks so long as you are familiar with the density of the soil in your location. For softer earth, the shovel will work like a charm, giving you evenly lined trenches that can come out even better when paired with a vehicle-based trencher that’s unable to trim out the lower portions of the digging area.
<strong>AVAILABLE ON AMAZON</strong>
Seymour S702 48-Inch Fiberglass Handle Trenching Shovel
Shovels are notoriously uncomfortable to use bare-handed. With the Seymour S702 tool, this is kept to a minimum. It has five inches of width which makes it easy for digging holes that require drain installations or small irrigation canals. Low-quality shovels sometimes make the user feel as if they are pushing down against a heavy seesaw since the bar will be made of cheap materials.
The tip of this tool (where your hands will go) is layered with cushioning, helping to keep your load stable when you haul over heavy objects. And by heavy, 50-pound rocks will stay on the end without straining your arms from its pressure. Although there are no gauges to make the blade turn, it will come ready for use immediately when you receive it. You won’t have to sharpen the blade to keep hard rocks from bending the tips out of shape. Recommended for those who like the traditional look and feel of trenching shovels.
<strong>AVAILABLE ON AMAZON</strong>
Bully Tools 92720 14-Gauge 4-Inch Trench Shovel with Fiberglass Long Handle
Bully Tools has a nice assortment of homecare products that receive great recognition for being reliable and long-lasting. This four-inch shovel is manufactured in the United States and consists of dense steel that is found in tools used for commercial items of the same build. The fiberglass exterior also prevents it from breaking or becoming weakened overtime, an advantage over shovels with simple wooden handles.
You will also notice that the blade extends significantly upwards, reaching close to the center of the handle. It will allow you to dig in deep areas without getting it stuck from going too far. At 14 inches, the blade won’t bend or lead to wear when prying up artifacts with your foot on the pedal. If you need to go a size lower or higher, there are three and five-inch blade alternatives for intricate to wide shoveling duties. Furthermore, a lifetime warranty means that replacement is easier than experimenting with other trench shovels, making it likely that you will be using the Bully brand for a long time.
<strong>AVAILABLE ON AMAZON</strong>
Nupla TS-6-E Ergo Power Trenching Shovel
The Nupla trench shovel has kept their tool’s design simple but effective. 12 inches in height, the curvature on the steel blade has a great angle that takes into consideration the user’s posture and ergonomically keeps your arms and spine from becoming victims of back strain while you work. In ice, snow, or damp soil, the scoops lift up and keep the holes you dig tidy and even. Other jobs are also well suited with the Nupla shovel, most notably street construction and farming.
One good feature with this shovel is the resistance it has to electric wires. It also won’t become damaged from the handle or blade making contact with chemicals. The fiberglass its made from extends the lifetime, along with the fact that no wood is used in their production. No more concern over leaving your shovel outside and waking up to termites damaging the handle. The heavy duty blade, along with its ergonomic design, will keep you from acquiring premature exhaustion early in your digging.
<strong>AVAILABLE ON AMAZON</strong>
Corona SS 64104 General Purpose Trench Shovel
Trench bottoms can be a nuisance to clear out, especially when the earth has many rocks mixed in with the dirt. At first glance, you will clearly see that the Corona SS has a blade tip that protrudes out slightly farther than some of its competitors. The angle is situated at approximately 35 degrees. If you were to lay the trench blade on the ground to where the blade is even, you will still have enough slack to maintain a firm grip.
While this does use wood, it is mostly hardwood, an easy and dense element that does not succumb to cracks and chipping. One drawback is the unfortunate short width of the foot pedal area, which is difficult to keep a grip on. You will find yourself wishing that it was long since the operation of most modern shovels depends heavily on whether it can easily give you a shovelful of the residue that you are you lifting. The handle is four feet wide and not available in different colors or sizes.
<strong>AVAILABLE ON AMAZON</strong>
Structron STR-S716 Trenching Shovel
Small Trenching blades must be built in a particular way to make them usable. If certain features are poorly built, the entire tool will suffer. The Structron STR S716 has a small blade with one key advantage, which is the slants between the halves of the steel. This allows more dirt to be held, even while the width is just 1.5 inches. This may not seem like much, but it does wonders for landscaping and farming, especially when you need to lay your soil in a way that only edges the surface. Creating makeshift waterways and passages to control the flooding around your home becomes a simpler endeavor.
Tight spaces are also easier to navigate. Plan on having most of your work confined to areas that are risky for using large shoveling equipment? Use this trenching shovel to break through the ground without hitting drains and grounded electrical wires. When planting vegetation around the perimeter of a building, the STR S716 can navigate the hard to reach areas that other tools simply cannot. However, when large-scale trenches need digging, you may want to look elsewhere or use as a backup for fine tuning the ground once the larger debris is excavated already.
<strong>AVAILABLE ON AMAZON</strong>
AMES COMPANIES, THE 47025 5″ Trenching Shovel
The AMES Trenching Shovel is another tool that has a wooden handle. Despite this, it weighs slightly more than some of the similar items reviewed. At 4.18 pounds, you may consider this a plus or a small inconvenience, depending on your experience with using such products. To make up for this, the foot pedal has a 180-degree bend at the portion you place your shoes on to grab at the soil. Pushing down is painless and will help make your holes in record time. There are no cushioning areas on the handle, so you will probably need a pair of gloves when working in humid or wet conditions.
Also relevant to the handle is a small dip in its shape near the center, the area where your hands will be during most of your working with the shovel. The V-shaped tip is sharp, helping areas filled with weeds and an abundance of roots come out easily without ripping the edges of your trench off, of which would make your project look crooked and lined up incorrectly. The AMES Trench Shovel is another item to keep everything looking precise and straight.
<strong>AVAILABLE ON AMAZON</strong>
Fiskars 46 Inch Steel D-handle Transplanting Spade
Fiskars Steel D Transplanting handles are nothing but trench shovels that are sometimes smaller and have handles at the end of the tool. When viewing the steel portion, you will see that the bar which connects the handle is welded together at the opposite side. While the tool performs great, the shape and size make the product feel as if the blade can come off easily. This is not the case. The lowered total weight and smaller dimensions (compared to other trenching shovels) help this product become useful around steep holes where shoveling is trickier.
The exterior is made of steel and relies on a big step for getting into the dirt while the blades have been previously sharpened, making this tool handy for using as a pick. On top of this, a layer of coating around the shovel’s entirety keeps it from rusting or becoming corroded from the water.
<strong>AVAILABLE ON AMAZON</strong>
Spear Head Spade – Long Handle Reinforced Fiberglass Gardening Shovel
The Spear Head Blade is a lot like a normal trenching shovel yet is built with two distinct advantages. First, the foot pedal near the blade is wider and allows feet of large sizes to stay on without annoyingly slipping off while you work. The other is the grips, featuring two areas located on the top and center of the handle. This allows the shovel to clear out areas that are not deep in the ground with fewer passes.
As a result, digging time is reduced. It is also perfect for building or maintaining large gardens. If you live in a rocky area that has uneven soil, this should be a top choice for purchase, as such conditions can require more energy from you. Spear Head helps to keep things from getting tiresome by having less of a reliance on heavy work from the user.
<strong>AVAILABLE ON AMAZON</strong>
Things You Should Know – Best Trenching Shovel Buyers Guide
Before you are set on what trench shovel you will buy, there some factors that you should know before going through with any orders. Here are some useful tips:
Region – In the United States, the soil can vary from region to region, and even from state to state. For example, the state of Georgia is famously known for its red clay soil, which is soft during periods of dry weather but extremely muddy when it rains. Find out what type of soil you are walking on and try to pick a trenching blade accordingly. For hard soils, look for tools that are pre-sharpened, unfazed by rocks, and assembled with a foot pedal immediately behind the steel plates in the front. Most often they will be part of the blade and turn up when close to the handle.
Safety – If you know that your home or place of work has many areas with important items underground, you should be extremely cautious about buying a trench shovel that is too long. You don’t want to accidentally hit anything that will cause damage to other items you could have in the earth that is close to the areas where you’re shoveling. In this case, looking for tools that have less than average height will be enough for most people.
Level of use – If your trenching blade will primarily be used for commercial purposes, such as employment, you will need a product that is not only durable but safe from rust. Furthermore, try to consider tools that can be used for more than one purpose, if possible. Many brands will list their warranty as a selling point for the shovels.
Conclusion
Now that you have an understanding of what trenching tool that is right for you, think about the products that were listed. They may have identical features but utilize different materials in their construction. Know what shovel is the largest and smallest, then peer into your garage to see if you should choose a tool that you won’t have to put it down every time you need to pick. Trench shovels are a very customizable tool for anyone. Their quality will only get better as time goes on.
