An essential gardening tool, the trowel is one of the most versatile tools available. The soil can be mixed, scooped, dug, and broken while weeding, planting, combining earth with fertilizer, or putting garden plants into planters. It can also be employed to break up large chunks of rock or gravel. The handle on them is shorter and scoop-shaped than the typical shovels, making them more ergonomic to use.
When it comes to browsing for the best garden tools, it’s fair to say that it’s not a simple process, especially considering the many distinct kinds currently accessible. It is no different when looking for the best garden trowel. They are currently available in a wide variety of shapes and materials.
Today, we’ll take a look at one of the most renowned garden trowels on the market right now: the Fiskars 384220-1001 Ergo Garden Hand Trowel. Garden trowels are not particularly expensive as is, but Fiskar’s trowel is one of the most affordable options available. Even though it is less expensive, it does not lose quality or features.
Features
Founded in 1649 in a Finnish village named Fiskars, the Fiskars Corporation that we know today was established. Back then, the company was noted for manufacturing plows that were both innovative in design and of high-quality steel construction. Fiskar has become one of the world’s largest suppliers of consumer items for home, garden, and outdoor living spaces. There are many various gardening equipment and accessories produced by Fiskars, many of which you are likely to already have in your possession.
The Fiskars 384220-1001 Ergo Garden Hand Trowel has been designed for ease of use and long-lasting durability. It has a distinctive handle design that eliminates hand and wrist fatigue while gardening. The cast-aluminum head is rust-resistant and will not come loose while you’re digging, no matter how difficult the earth is to work with. Additionally, a hang hole is included in the handle for easy storage.
Materials
Metals such as stainless steel, polystyrene, fiberglass, and aluminum are commonly used to manufacture garden trowels. Even if each of them has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, it is necessary to weigh them against one another when determining which one is the most appropriate for the job at hand.
The polished aluminum head of the Fiskars 384220-1001 Ergo Garden Hand Trowel adds to its ergonomic design. Although an aluminum garden trowel is comparable in price and weight to a plastic garden trowel, it is more rust-resistant.
Because it is composed of aluminum, the trowel is lightweight and only weighs about 6 ounces, making it ideal for preventing wrist and hand strain. Such a lightweight trowel is particularly useful if you spend significant amounts of time outdoors gardening, pulling weeds, and planting flowers, as well as using a trowel frequently in your everyday life. It also prevents the handle from injuring your palm, which can occur if you continually push it into compacted dirt or use it to remove weeds, among other things, over time.
Unfortunately, aluminum is the least lasting of all the materials, as it is not as robust as steel blades and loses its sharpness more quickly than steel blades do. It’s also prone to chipping, so it’s vital to use caution when working with it.
Handle
When working in the garden for an extended amount of time, the comfort of the handle should be taken into consideration. The most suitable alternative would be an ergonomic design that blends a soft substance with a firm grip. Paddled handles with a contoured grip are a good option for those looking for more leverage without increasing their hand and wrist strength.
Additionally, a larger handle with a rubberized palm rest and a finger grip with a contoured form might also be beneficial in dealing with this problem. It’s also important to decide whether to dig with a long or a short spade, with the former providing greater control while digging deep in compacted soil and the latter being useful for scooping soil from a small plant or flower box.
The Fiskars 384220-1001 Ergo Garden Hand Trowel is 13 inches long and has an orange and black plastic handle. Fiskars’ trademark orange hue in the handle makes it simple for gardeners to locate in the grass or garden, which is a bonus for them.
To provide you with a better grip, the handle has been ergonomically constructed. There is even a non-slip patch in the center to ensure that you don’t slip while holding the tool.
Blade
The dimensions of the blade are vital considerations, but the sharpness is even more critical to the overall performance. Check to see if the blade is pointed, curved, or beveled; the shape of the blade will affect how hard it will be to break through stubborn soil.
A long, narrow blade is the most effective when digging deep holes for flower and small bulb planting. If you want to get accurate measurements of the soil, a blade with gradation markings is a good option to consider. As a result, identifying the appropriate type of blade for your garden trowel depends on the type of work you have to do with it.
A cast aluminum blade is used in the Fiskars 384220-1001 Ergo Garden Hand Trowel, which is rust-resistant and lightweight. Although it is not razor-sharp, the tip is more beveled than the rest of the tool, making it easier to dig into the earth. The blade’s sides curve up to keep soil, which is useful when digging holes, moving earth aside, and filling containers.
Storage
An end hole is located at the end of the Fiskars 384220-1001 Ergo Garden Hand Trowel’s handle (from front to back), through which a black nylon cord is looped so that you can hang the trowel in the tool shed. It doesn’t brush against the palm of your hand because the hole is drilled through the front.
Warranty
Garden trowels with a limited lifetime warranty are available on the market. However, it’s crucial to note that this will not always be the case, which is why it’s important to double-check if they have one or not. This will be very useful for production flaws and save you a few dollars in the process. In contrast to their generic rivals, well-known brands are more likely to provide a warranty on their products.
For the duration of time that the client has possession of the goods, Fiskars 384220-1001 Ergo Garden Hand Trowel is guaranteed by Fiskars to be free from defects in material and workmanship. The warranty does not include sharpening, regular wear, and tear, environmental causes, accidental damage, misuse, or industrial or commercial use.
A return policy for Fiskars products that have been purchased online is available on their website. The trowel can be returned for a refund or replacement within 30 days of purchase, but it must be in almost unused condition to qualify.
Conclusion
Any gardener will benefit from the Fiskars 384220-1001 Ergo Garden Hand Trowel, which we recommend. It is compact, lightweight, extremely durable, and has a secure fit in one’s hands. Because of its ergonomic design, it digs efficiently through a wide range of soil types and is comfy to use as a result.
The fact that this is not a trowel that needs to be regularly washed, dried, and pampered makes it a cost-effective model for novices or young gardeners to experiment with.
Please check out our comprehensive buying guide for more amazing garden trowel choices and suggestions on choosing a solid one.