My 5 Favorite Garden Tools on Amazon (That I Actually Use!)

These are my 5 favorite garden tools on Amazon. I use each of these regularly and would recommend them all to my friends and family. So here I am, recommending them to you! Read on to find out why they’ve earned a permanent spot on my homestead.

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I truly use and love!

Homesteading comes with its fair share of thorns, clay, and stubborn weeds—but the right tools make all the difference. These are the garden tools I’ve personally used, abused, and reordered (some more than once). Whether you’re prepping a new bed or pulling weeds with a vengeance, these trusty tools have earned their place in my homestead stash.

5. Seed Starting Heat Mats

Seed starting used to feel like a gamble. But since adding these heat mats to my setup, my germination rates have skyrocketed. They provide just enough warmth to mimic that cozy spring soil—perfect for jumpstarting stubborn seeds like peppers, tomatoes, and herbs.

They’re especially helpful for late starters (like me most years). I use them indoors on a seedling rack with grow lights and bottom trays to catch excess moisture. Just plug it in, set your tray on top, and let the magic happen.

Bonus Tip: Pair them with a humidity dome and you’ll have a mini greenhouse effect that even finicky seeds can’t resist.

Get your seed starting heat mats here

4. Garden Weasel Garden Claw

I don’t use this tool every day, but when I need it, I need it. I’ve used the Garden Claw to break up tough Tennessee clay and create several garden beds from scratch. It’s like a manual tiller that gives your arms, shoulders, and back a heck of a workout while prepping your soil for compost or manure.

It’s ideal for mixing in amendments, aerating compacted beds, and even fluffing up neglected soil before planting.

Best For: New garden beds, heavy clay soils, and homesteaders who like to earn their dinner.

Get your Garden Claw here

3. Grampa’s Weeder

If your homestead is crawling with deep-rooted weeds like dock and cat’s ear, you need this tool in your arsenal. Grampa’s Weeder is a stand-up weed puller with a claw that grips weeds and pulls them right out—roots and all—without bending or kneeling.

It’s especially handy in pathways, raised beds, and around fruit trees or perennials where you don’t want to dig too deep or disturb the roots of your plants.

Hot Tip: I like to dry some of those “weeds” (like cat’s ear) for herbal use or feed them to the rabbits!

Get your Grampa’s Weeder here

2. Thorn-Proof Gardening Gloves

I can’t rave enough about these gloves. Long leather sleeves, adjustable cuffs, and serious puncture resistance make them a must-have for thorny garden work. They’re perfect for pruning rose bushes, taming wild blackberries, or dealing with those nasty thorned invaders like Carolina horse nettle.

I’ve also used them for poison ivy—thanks to the extra-long sleeves, they offer much better protection than standard gloves. When we’re done, we let them sun-dry for a few days to break down any urushiol oils that might be hanging around.

My Motto: You can never have too many good gloves. I’ve bought these twice already and plan to buy more soon.

Get your thorn-proof gloves here

1. Nisaku Hori Hori Knife

This tool is hands-down my favorite. So much so that I’m ordering a second one just to keep one in the front yard garden and one in the back. The Hori Hori is a Japanese-style digging knife with a sharp edge on one side, a serrated edge on the other, and a thick stainless steel blade perfect for everything from weeding to transplanting to root slicing.

I use it to plant seedlings, harvest root crops, divide perennials, dig out tough weeds, and even open bags of compost. It’s like a trowel, knife, and mini saw all in one. Durable, precise, and built to last.

Why You’ll Love It: It cuts into the soil with ease, unlike any other trowel I’ve used. Once you start using one, you’ll wonder how you ever gardened without it.

Get your Nisaku Hori Hori Knife here

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re new to gardening or knee-deep in mulch, investing in quality tools saves time and frustration. These five picks are all under $40 (most under $30!), tried and tested by yours truly, and have earned permanent spots in my garden tool rotation.

What are your favorite garden tools? Drop a comment and let me know!