Creating and maintaining your perfect garden is incredibly satisfying, but it usually involves a lot of hard work, which can take its toll on your body. Even tasks like deadheading can quickly become tiring or cause pain.
Happily, there’s no need to hang up your gardening apron; you can find loads of ergonomic garden tools designed with ease of use in mind. In fact, there are so many ergonomic garden tools available, you should be able to find gadgets to help with almost every outdoor activity.
We’ve rounded up the best ergonomic tools to help avoid muscle strain and joint pain.
The best ergonomic garden tools
Ergonomic Anvil & Bypass Garden Secateurs
- Buy the set from Amazon (£13.99)
Secateurs are one of the most versatile tools in any shed, so an ergonomic design can save you a lot of trouble if you’re a frequent gardener. These ones come with geared handles for reducing the effort needed to snip plants, as well as auto-rotating grips to distribute any stress evenly across your hand.
Thanks to the adjustable handles, you can change the width of the secateurs by up to 50% to suit your hands. There are also finger guards, which allow for a more comfortable grip.
This set includes bypass secateurs for pruning live plants, as well as an anvil version for slicing through thick branches and dead wood.
Radius Garden Root Slayer Perennial Shovel
Radius is a great brand to browse for ergonomic garden tools as it has a wide variety of different products designed to make outdoor tasks easier.
This shovel is ideal for dividing perennial plant roots, thanks to its V-shaped carbon steel head. It was designed as a lightweight alternative to Radius’s original Root Slayer shovel, which can be too heavy for some gardeners.
The real game-changer here is the O-shaped handle, providing four times the surface area of standard shovels. It’s finished with a grippy coating to keep both hands steady as you dig.
Radius Garden Ergonomic Garden Hand Tool Set
Featuring five different designs, this set from Radius is a simple solution for anyone who wants to stock up on ergonomic hand tools for a range of garden jobs.
You’ll get a trowel, transplanter, weeder, scooper and cultivator, all made from lightweight aluminium, which is stronger than steel and won’t rust. The handles have plenty of grip and are designed with a curved shape to reduce strain on the hand and wrist.
RHS Burgon & Ball Ergo Deadheader
These neat, compact clippers should save you a lot of hassle when it comes to pruning and deadheading. They’re designed to fit perfectly in the palm of the hand as you pull together the two arms. There’s also a well-placed loop just below the blades to keep your finger stable.
A high-quality gardening tool, these clippers are endorsed by the RHS, so you can be sure they’ll perform well for years to come. Just remember to clean and dry the blades to keep them sharp.
Easi-Grip Peta Garden Hand Tools
- Buy the trowel with arm cuff from Complete Care (£17.98)
To keep your hand and wrist in a neutral position and avoid unnecessary strain, these ergonomic garden tools have vertical handles. They’re ideal for anyone with weak grip.
The tools are made from lightweight stainless steel for durability and, thanks to the brightly coloured design, they should be easy to find in your shed or garage.
For even more control, you could opt for the trowel with the additional cuff support.
Cordless Rechargeable Hedge Trimmer
- Buy now from Coopers of Stortford (£49.99)
Using handheld power tools like grass trimmers can be tough on your back, no matter how fit and healthy you are, so long-handled options like this are a useful alternative. Thanks to its 60cm, long-reach lever and rolling wheels, you can trim your lawn without bending down.
To make tasks as easy as possible, the trimmer is cordless and its battery lasts for 35 minutes after a five-hour charge. Plus, it’s lightweight and compact, making it easy to manoeuvre around the garden.
Switching between the grass edger and hedge trimmer attachments is quick and simple, so you’ll be able to get on with your outdoor tasks without interruption.
Long Handled Leaf Grabbers
- Buy now from Coopers of Stortford (£19.99)
Scooping up autumn leaves with grabbers can quickly take its toll on your back, but these long-handled ones are designed to be used while standing. Just make a scissor action to trap leaves inside and then release them into your wheelbarrow or compost bin.
This is a versatile tool, as you can also use the grabbers for collecting up grass clippings, weeds and other waste around the garden.
The soft foam handles should reduce any strain or blisters on your hands as you get to work.
If you're in the process of cleaning and tidying your garden, take a look at our round-up of the best pressure washers you can buy.