I prefer die-cast aluminum alloy myself. The key is to get one with a thick, solid neck that goes all the way to the end of the handle. The neck is the vulnerable point for breaking.

I believe this is the one I've been using for 3 or 4 years now : Corona egrip trowel

I really like the grip and feel. It is plenty strong as well. Doesn't even come close to bending. Under 1/2 lb.

Don't let the name scare you! lol

I have several stainless garden tools and they are the only ones I use anymore. I've bent too many of the cheaper ones.

LoneJack, why do you prefer aluminum? I'd think it would be kinda bendy.

Mainly because I have a tendency to leave tools in the garden and the elements don't phase them. It's not at all bendy. It's the most solid trowel I've ever owned by far and I've had quite a few.

Stainless steel for me too. Mine’s been with me over 40 years, along with its matching fork.

I have stainless steel also and my tools are very old. The wood handles need a little loving though. I have a few plastic tools that are ok. I have grandkids so everyone needs a tool to dig for worms. lol

I have been using Wilcox All-Pro Diggers for years and would replace in a heartbeat if lost. (I say lost because they really can't be damaged.) You can see by the photo which is the oldest and gets used the most.

Kate

The Wilcox's are pretty pricey, though their shape is what I could best use.

This is my favorite "trowel." It makes great furrows and digs weeds wonderfully. It does not have a brand name on it and I've had it for so many years that I have no idea what brand it is. I use it just about every time I'm gardening, even today.

It is stainless steel.

I use the same one that Lonejack linked to.

Cindy - that's not quite what I'm looking for, but it looks like a handy tool. I think they are called "hand plows".

The only advantage of aluminum compared to stainless that I can see is that it would be light weight. I'd actually like some heft.

403 stainless (what the Wilcox's seem to be made of) is not the best stainless for corrosion resistance, but it can be made HARD.

I have to assume that, corrosion-wise, it doesn't make a lot of sense to get carbon steel, though it is cheaper. Anyone use the fiberglass composites?

I have a Fiskars trans-planter tool that I love. I actually lost mine last year and had to order a new one. I think it went into the trash in error when cleaning up one day. I was so mad at myself. It has a life time warranty. (unless you loose it) lol!!

One thing I have learned is that many aluminum garden tools have an admixture of lead. The instructions that came with them actually suggested regular hand-washing, and referenced CA Prop 65. Not sure how common that is now. Lead is a common additive to aluminum to help with machining, but is not used in stainless steel. If I purchased an aluminum tool, I'd like it to be identified as lead-free.

This is not a trowel but a great tool for planting out 3 or 4 inch pots. Following Eliott Coleman's suggestion made it out of a masons trowel. very easy on the wrist. It is steel so will trust if not kept busy.

I think I'll try the Wilcox suggestion, maybe the 11" thou Kate's favorite seems to be the 14", and the weeder looks nice too.

Wilcox Trowel at Amazon

Aluminum tools seem decent for basic gardening, though I think the "soft grip" handles get nasty, wear out in a couple years. Corona seems to dominate the market.

@ CA Kate - those Wilcox All-Pro Diggers are all great looking. I looked them up for cost. If I was going to give a new gardener a really nice set of tools those really would be loved for years. They are a bit pricey but well made here in the USA. I will remember this brand for the future. I do not like to loose my go to tools but if I do I will have to invest in a replacement from Wilcox. Happy Spring All!

Interesting comment from Daninthe dirt about aluminum trowels containing lead!!! I finally found an aluminum trowel that I liked, and bought several of them so that I could leave one in each bed and not have to go looking for one when I needed it. Guess I'll have to replace them with Stainless, although there doesn't seem to be a lot of choice around here :(.

Linda

I'm not sure I'd get too worried about lead in aluminum tools. Not as if we're eating off of them, or rubbing our skin on them. Your soil already has lead in it, especially so if it's anywhere near a roadway. But if I had the option to get lead-free, I'd go for it.

Sounds like a plan Dan ;).

Linda

Yes, the Wilcox are expensive, but then they last forever. The biggest one I've had for so long that I can't remember not having it. Like Labradors I use to have a plastic mailbox in each garden that held tools - like diggers, clippers and tie-ups - which is why I now have several more Wilcox diggers... one for each box.

Dan, I frequently use the biggest one as a small-space shovel. Now that I mostly garden in pots it is my go-to tool.

Kate

I agree, I have a few aluminum tools laying out all year and I don't worry either. In the future, I too would purchase the lead-free if buying. So @daninthedirt what tool have you decided to get for yourself?

I am leaning toward getting a Wilcox 11". Thank you, Kate! I really like the shape. The pointed end is a big plus, in my book. Also, there isn't a shaft that can break, but the blade seems to wrap around into a handle. The ratings are nearly unanimously positive. I should say that one low rating says that it can't be stainless, because magnets stick to it, and they don't stick to stainless. NOT TRUE. This is 403 martensitic/ferritic stainless, and magnets DO stick to that.

Got the Wilcox 13" Weeder, the 14", the 11"... compared to an old $6 aluminium scoop. The 14" seems a little too big, the 11" a little too small. Might send one back, have to decide.

You could dig up small weed trees, these are tough tools. That weeder is sort of a dirt crowbar.

I did get the Wilcox 11". It's arriving today. I had a chance to see various aluminum trowels in the store, and they looked pretty durable, but they just didn't "feel" quite right. It's just a matter of taste.

I didn't realize that Wilcox had a weeder. I consider that to be my most useful tool. It's how you dig without a scoop. When I'm planting out, I dig a hole for the root ball, and then loosen the soil at the bottom of the hole, to depth, with the weeder. So when my old one gives out, I'll head over to that one.

Dan, I hope you like your new digger as much as I like mine.

Kate

And, MADE IN AMERICA!

The Wilcox 14" is absolutely great for digging up and transplanting, and making small holes. It is a great "digger" but the sharp edge isn't really needed in well worked soil. Moves soil around nicely in veg garden too, sort of more than a trowel, less than a shovel but not much of a scoop. Highly recommended for moving or digging up perennials, bulbs, unwanted plants and roots.

The true test would be any hand trowel/spade that survives being digested in my compost pile for 12 months, that works for me.

This one would. I actually know that it will. 🙃 Well, actually, over a Wisconsin winter.