The 8 Best Weeding Tools of 2023

Best Overall

Kinsman Korean Hand Plow

4.9

View On Kinsmangarden.com

This handy and versatile garden tool is sold under several different names: Asian plow, Korean plow, EZ digger, Ho-Mi gardener, and more. All have the same elegant design of a solid piece of forged metal attached to a wooden handle, but Kinsman's has a reputation for quality tools that last. The tip of an Asian plow will nimbly get into cracks and crevices, like those between bricks and stones. Flick it slightly to the side, and it will wipe out broad swaths of tiny weeds in just a pass or two. Hack with it to get out deeper, tough roots. You can even carve out trenches or use it for planting bulbs and other plants in hard, dry autumn soil. 

The short-handled type is the most widely available, but long-handled versions are sold, too, and are perfect for gardeners who don’t want to bend down. Note that over time, the metal shank may become loose in its wooden handle. If this happens, simply tap the tool upright on a hard surface. Then tap it sharply on the top with a mallet to force it, like a nail, back into the wood of the handle.

Price at time of publish: $25

Best Splurge

DeWit Cape Cod Weeder, Right-Handed with Short Handle

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The Cape Cod weeder has a large following, with some gardeners swearing it's the only weeder they ever use. Its small blade is precise enough for gouging out grass between sidewalk cracks or weeds from between bricks and flagstones. But the blade is also strong enough that it can hack out larger weeds, pulling them up securely. It's excellent for getting those weeds that are growing right next to the flowers or vegetables you want to keep. It can also be used as a small-scale edger, running it along the edges of your beds and borders to keep grasses and other weeds out. 

The slender, angled blade allows you to penetrate the soil to get at even deep roots, making it an excellent tool for removing dandelions and small tree seedlings. The blade design also allows you to get under mulch with minimal disturbance. The Cape Cod weeder also is useful for digging shallow furrows for seeds or planting small annuals and other seedlings. You can also use it to aerate the soil, preventing compaction and improving water absorption. It can be tough to find left-handed and long-handled versions but DeWit, a Dutch company known for generations for making quality tools, offers both.

Price at time of publish: $45

Best Knife

Corona Hori Hori Knife 8-inch

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Like a good pocket knife, a hori knife is a garden essential that will make you wonder how you ever gardened without it. It's the one tool that reliably can dig and gouge out the deep, slender roots of small trash trees with minimal disruption of surrounding soil and plants. The stainless steel blade won't rust and stays sharper longer than more cheaply made versions. The serrated side is ideal for sawing through thick stems and small roots. 

You'll want to keep it at your side as you move through your yard, using it for everything from weeding to planting to cutting twine to opening up a plastic bag of mulch. In fact, many models come with a holster. This model's gel handle is exceptionally useful, since a hori knife is often used to stab a hole into hard soil, so any cushioning eases impact on hands and joints.

Price at time of publish: $28

Best for Larger Areas

DeWit Dutch Hand Hoe

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When you have large expanses of small weeds to tackle, this is your tool, wiping them out with just a pass or two. It's also excellent for quickly cutting through the top inch or so of soil, toppling small weeds. Plus, it's efficient for loosening and aerating the soil.

Use the points to get in close to existing plants without harming them, and to get into tight spots. This tool is expensive, but it comes with a lifetime guarantee from a fifth-generation family-owned Dutch business and is made from forged high-carbon steel with a welded socket and integrated tang. This tool should be hand-sharpened every year or two, but with proper care, it should last several decades. A left handed version is also available. 

Price at time of publish: $63

Best Dandelion Weeder

Fiskars 373600-1001 Weeder W-Ergo Handle

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To effectively remove dandelions and thistle, you must get at least the top two inches of the deep, slender taproot. That can be difficult to do without the right tool. This notch-type dandelion weeder is designed to go deeply and efficiently into the soil, even when it’s hard and dry, to get at least the top portions. In ideal conditions such as loose or moist soil, a slight bend of the shaft allows you to pop out the entire weed. In other conditions where the root won't give at all, the sharp and forked end allows you to slice through the taproot, removing most of it. 

This tool also can be used for other tough weeds that have a single deep taproot that needs to be pulled without disturbing the surrounding plantings, such as small weed trees. 

Price at time of publish: $9

Best Stand Up Weeder

Fiskars 4-Claw Deluxe Stand-Up Weeder

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If you want to be able to tackle weeds without bending or kneeling (or if you simply don’t want to be as close to the dirt!), here's the perfect tool for you—a long-handled foot action weeder that eliminates kneeling and stooping. And since you never have to touch the weed, it’s also nice for weeds that shouldn’t touch your skin (such as poison ivy, poison sumac, rue, nettle) as long as they are not too large for the claws to grip the base effectively. 

Just position the claws around the weed, step on the lever, and the weed yanks right out of the ground. Then eject the weed from the weeder. This weeder only gets one weed at a time, but that also means it is precise and doesn’t disrupt surrounding grass or plantings. 

Price at time of publish: $48

Best Budget

Yardworks 16" Steel Handle Hand Garden Tiller

View On Menards.com

Sometimes you need to bring in the big guns and this versatile, budget-friendly hand tool fits the bill. Use the blade end to hack in soil that is rock hard or to hack out roots that refuse to give, such as invasive ditch daylilies or purple loosestrife. This tool is useful to have on hand when removing small trash trees or large shrubs, when you need to chop through the roots to remove the plant. 

The fork end is convenient for raking through soil loosened by the mattock to find and lift chunks of remaining roots. All that hacking can be tough on hands, causing sore wrists, elbows, and shoulders the next day. The cushioned handle can help minimize that strain. We also like the bright handle that can make it a bit easier to find.

Price at time of publish: $6