Written by Terry Smith

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The best hand cultivators

This article was last updated on August 28th, 2021 at 1:58 am

6 Best Hand Cultivators

Hand cultivators sit somewhere between a garden weeder and a grubber, managing tasks too delicate for the latter and too tough for the former. Weedkiller is out of the equation for me if I am working in my flower beds, I would never subject the plants I love to that. The best hand cultivators have a nice grip and the prongs have a good angle that are easy to use. The construction needs to be robust and ideally stainless steel for longevity so with those integral characteristics I have collated the best hand cultivators to save you time.

Comparison table: The best hand cultivators

ProductWhat We ThinkPrice

Spear and Jackson - Traditional Long Handled Stainless 3 Prong Cultivator, 12 Inch

  • Traditional hand three prong cultivator with 12-Inch handle
  • Mirror polished stainless steel head
  • Rust resistant with minimal soil adhesion
  • Hardwood shaft, weather proofed for durability
  • Tanged for knuckle clearance

Radius Garden 103 Ergonomic Aluminum Hand Cultivator Original Green

Radius Garden 103 Ergonomic Aluminum Hand Cultivator Original Green

  • Award-winning ergonomic garden cultivator with unique
  • Ultra-lightweight die-cast aluminum blade
  • Patented ergonomic Natural Radius Grip provides extra leverage and reduces hand and wrist stress...
  • Member tested and recommended: National Home Gardening Club
  • GORE C5 WOMEN Trail Light Shorts

Kent and Stowe 70100086 Stainless Steel with 3 Prong Hand Cultivator

  • Ideal for use in heavy soil and imperfect ground
  • Suitable for cultivating surface soil
  • Stainless steel head
  • FSC approved Ash handle
  • 15 year guarantee

SILVERLINE Hand Cultivator 3 Prong 365mm

SILVERLINE Hand Cultivator 3 Prong 365mm

  • Three powder-coated steel prongs
  • Comfortable plastic handle with hanging hole
  • Corrosion-resistant
  • For turning and aerating soil
  • Head L x W: 60 x 65 mm

The best hand cultivator saves you time weeding and will do the intricate work a grubber is too large to handle, and at the same time a garden weeder isn’t robust enough for. On my brick paved area, I use cleaning solution or patio cleaner but before doing so I use a little knife to dig what I can of the weeds but otherwise I like a hand cultivator.

If you’ve been noticing some small weeds sprouting up through your soil, but you’re worried that a large cultivator is just not the right tool for the job because of the close proximity to your herbs, crops, or flowers, you probably need a hand cultivator.
 These tools are great or getting in those tight areas and getting rid of those harmful weeds, and they do so very quickly and efficiently.

Here is a list we put together for you of the best models available in the UK complete with reviews. We hope you enjoy it and find it useful. If you are interested in any of the products reviewed, you can click on the links we have provided for you. Let’s start with….

1. Spear & Jackson Elements 3 Prong Cultivator

Specification: Materials: carbon steel head/wood handle, Size L x W x H: 159.5 x 13.5 x 10.5 cm, Weight: 0.88 kg

Spear and Jackson elements 3-pronged cultivator is from a gold medal winning company in the ‘Grow Your Own’ Great British growing awards 2018. This hand cultivator is built with a long 137 cm handle with a soft additional grip for the user’s comfort. We found the handle to be soft enough to use for long periods of time without the need of gloves.

The handle has been treated to ensure the longevity of the ash wood. Spear and Jackson always produce long lasting products and not only has the ash wood handle been made with durability in mind but so has the carbon steal head. The carbon steel head and three prongs of this hand cultivator have been coated in an epoxy. The epoxy finish ensures protection against rust, general wear and tear and soil alkaline too.

This Spear and Jackson hand cultivator has been hardened and weatherproofed for complete robustness. The guys at Spear and Jackson have decided to give this hand cultivator a ten-year guarantee, and why not? We can agree it feels like it has been built to last. The price for this well-made garden hand cultivator is £69.99 on Amazon. We this this is a great price for a decent garden tool with a great design too.

  • 3-pronged design
  • Long Handle with a soft grip
  • Weatherproofed ash wood handle
  • Heat treated (hardened) steel head
  • Epoxy coating for rust and alkaline resistance

2. Spear & Jackson Traditional long-handled (12 inch) 3 Prong Cultivator

Specification: Materials: mirror polished stainless steel head/Hardwood shaft, Size L x W x H: 44.5 x 8 x 6 cm, Weight: 0.25 kg

Don’t be confused by the name of this Spear and Jackson hand cultivator. Spear and Jackson have created a shorter than the previously mentioned hand cultivator from the ‘elements’ range yet still longer than most hand cultivators that are designed to be used with only one hand. 
The Handle is a decent length of 12 inches for a cultivator of this type. The waterproofed and hardwood handle or shaft, is fairly long and has been crafted into a traditional design and also with resilience to weather in mind. It’s comfortable to hold and does the job equally as well as the above-mentioned Spear and Jackson ‘elements’ model.

The handle has a leather loop which was ideal for hanging and storage. 
This 3-pronged hand cultivator has tanged to save the under from repeatedly hitting or scraping their knuckles. This did happen on occasion but, honestly didn’t make a difference at all. The head has a stainless-steel mirrored finish to combat soil adhesion and to minimise rust.
 The sale price of this item is under ten pounds at £10.99. This great deal can be found on Amazon right now.

  • 12-inch hardwood, waterproofed (longer than most) handle
  • Traditional 3 prong design
  • Leather loop, ideal for storage
  • Tanged for knuckle clearance
  • Stainless steel finish for rust protection and soil adhesion

3. Kent and Stowe 70100086 Stainless Steel with 3 Prong Hand Cultivator

Specification: Materials: stainless steel head/FSC approved Ash handle, Size L x W x H: 33 x 10.2 x 2.5 cm, Weight: 0.2 kg

With its solid ash wooden handle and shiny stainless steel triple prongs, the Kent and Stowe hand cultivator gives us a nice mix of traditional style and modern practicality. 
It is made for cultivating heavy soil down to a depth of 3 inches and the stainless steel construction protects the head of the tool from corrosion damage. Stainless steel also helps to stop too much soil from sticking to the prongs and creating a build-up.

The tapered handle allows you to get a nice grip on this cultivator and the ash wood used is FSC approved, and it also looks great. There is also a leather hanging cord threaded through the end of the handle so you can hang it in the shed.
 All the components have been made and assembled to a high standard so durability can be assured. Kent and Stowe are very confident in the reliability of this product and have given it a 15 year guarantee.

  • Nice traditional look paired with practicality
  • Solidly built and will last a while
  • Solid FSC approved ash handle with leather cord for hanging it up
  • Stainless steel head and prongs to battle corrosion
  • Great for cultivating up to 3 inches deep in heavy soil

4. Draper Expert 28268 Stainless Steel Heavy Duty Soft Grip Hand Cultivator

Specification: Materials: stainless steel head/duty soft grip hand, Size L x W x H: 33.6 x 12 x 5.5 cm, Weight: 0.27 kg

This draper hand cultivator is an ‘Amazon choice’ product meaning it has been getting a lot of good reviews and also has a competitive price tag.
It is very comfortable to hold thanks to an ergonomically shaped handle that has also been made from soft materials, ensuring that your grip remains solid without giving you blisters.
The metal shaft and prongs are all made of stainless steel that has been not only hardened but also tempered for extra strength, so you can feel confident about ploughing it into your soil without having to check for any hidden stones first.

The steel has also been mirror polished and really gives this tool an eye catching shine. The polishing is also practical though and helps to prevent soil adhering to the prongs while you are working.
This is a great product, produced to a high standard and, at the time of writing this article, it was on sale with a 50 percent reduction in price, making it an excellent deal.
The tool’s dimensions are 33.6 x 12 x 5.5 cm and it weighs in at 272 grams.

  • Amazon choice product with a lot of good reviews from customers
  • Very comfortable to hold thanks to its ergonomically crafted handle
  • Soft grip material prevents blisters while giving a solid grip
  • Hardened, tempered, and mirror polished stainless steel head
  • Great build quality at a low price

5. SILVERLINE Hand Cultivator 3 Prong 365mm

Specification: Materials: powder-coated steel head/plastic handle, Size L x W x H: 40 x 6.5 x 8 cm, Weight: 0.16 kg

If you’re on a very tight budget, this product from Silverline might be just the hand cultivator for you.
 Silverline have a reputation for making reduced cost imitations of popular brand products, and of doing a good job of it for the most part. This tool can be added to their list of accomplishments. 
The long tapered plastic handle is easy to hold and feels good in the hand and there is a handy hole in the top for hanging it up when you’re not using it.
 The head of the cultivator is made of steel that has been powder coated to improve its rust and corrosion proof qualities.

At only 168 grams, this is a very lightweight hand cultivator, but it is in no way too flimsy and actually does what it’s designed to do very well. From top to bottom the Silverline cultivator measures 365mm and the head is 65mm wide.
 Costing just £2.00 at the moment on Amazon, you can’t really expect the same high quality finish as much more expensive products, but nonetheless this is very good value for money.

  • Very cheap but good quality for the price
  • Long and comfortable tapered plastic handle
  • Powder coated steel head prevents corrosion and rust
  • Very lightweight and weighs only 168 grams
  • Good value for money and perfect for people on a tight budget

6. Radius Garden 103 Ergonomic Aluminium Hand Cultivator

Specification: Materials: aluminum steel head/natural radius grip, Size L x W x H: ‎33.99 x 8.51 x 10.8 cm, Weight: 0.24 kg

This hand cultivator from Radius Garden not only stands out for its striking looks, but also for its performance.
This award winning tool’s talon-like blades are made to a patented design to offer you top level cultivating in all types of soil. 
The blades are made of die cast aluminium, a metal that is known for its combination of super lightweight and strength, and also for the fact that it doesn’t rust. 
Radius garden have given this hand cultivator a uniquely shaped grip.

It’s curved at an angle that offers you an excellent grip while providing you with more leverage and taking strain away from your wrist.
The handle is very comfortable to hold thanks to the materials used in its construction, a combination of non-latex thermoplastic elastomer, and sturdy polypropylene which is a very popular material these days because of its strength and durability.

  • Unique and eye catching design is also very practical in application
  • Award winning tool
  • Die cast aluminium head and prongs will never rust
  • Very lightweight
  • Patented blade design gives great performance in any type of soil
  • Curved handle gives you a great grip that gives you more leverage
  • Handle is made from very comfortable but durable materials

About Terry Smith

I’m Terry Smith from gardentoolbox.co.uk, a professional landscape designer, hobbyist gardener, and barbecue fanatic with 20 years experience building and restoring. So as you go through my site you'll watch me document some of the professional garden installs I make as well as the major projects I take on at home. While sharing those experiences and guiding you, I'll be recommending some great tools I use to enable this along the way so you can really buy in confidence. Always feel free to pop me a message: info@gardentoolbox.co.uk

View all posts by Terry Smith

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