Spear Head Spade 30" Mini Garden Shovel Model SHMini
- The lightest Spear Head spade. Small and light enough to carry one-handed and work with while kneeling, for bulbs, containers, and raised beds.
- Gets into tight spaces a full shovel cannot. The narrow 6-inch blade slips between established plants to weed, divide, and plant without disturbing the neighbors.
- Cuts clay and roots, not just loose soil. The same spearhead, sharpened blade as the full-size Spear Head Spade, scaled down.
- Arrives sharpened, ready to dig. A 35 degree bevel runs down both curved edges, straight out of the box.
- Backed by our family. If you are not satisfied, we will do whatever we can to make you happy.
- Hand-packed by our family in New Jersey when it is back in stock.
Back in stock soon
A precision tool, on purpose
Sometimes a full-size spade is more than the job needs. The 30-inch mini is built for close work: slipping between established perennials, planting bulbs, digging in a raised bed, or weeding a tight border without disturbing the roots around it. One owner put it best, it is for when a spade is not quite enough but a shovel is too big.
The same blade, scaled down and built to last
The mini uses the same spearhead, sharpened blade design as the full-size Spear Head Spade, in hardened high carbon manganese steel, 33 percent thicker and 25 percent harder than standard shovel stock, with an epoxy powder coat. The handle is steel-reinforced fiberglass with a cushioned D-grip: lighter than wood, and it resists rotting, splintering, and cracking.
Which Spear Head spade is right for you
Three sizes, same blade design. This is the 30-inch mini. Pick by your height and the job.
The lightest in the family. Bulbs, small containers, raised beds, and close work.
The all-rounder for gardeners roughly 5 foot 6 to 6 foot. Transplanting shrubs, dividing perennials, and precise digging.
The most reach and leverage with the least bending, best for taller gardeners over about 6 foot.
How it compares to a standard spade
| Spear Head Spade | Standard spade | |
|---|---|---|
| Blade edge | Pointed, sharpened tip to tail | Straight and unsharpened |
| Cuts roots | Yes, slices through root mats | A flat, unsharpened blade tends to bruise roots rather than slice them |
| Tight spaces and close work | Built for it, narrow 6-inch blade | A full-size shovel is too big for close work |
| Handle | Steel-reinforced fiberglass D-grip | Usually wood, can splinter |
| Recognition | Spear Head Spade named Best Shovel/Spade, Better Homes and Gardens 2025 | None |
What owners say
The mini Spear Head Spade is very useful for when a spade is not quite enough to do the job but a shovel is too big.
Love this little shovel and it's sharpness. Perfect for those tight areas and for smaller folks like myself.
I literally carry this spade at my side for all of my gardening needs. It’s great to loosen soil, dig for planting, even while seated, and so much more.
It is great for weeding and digging in tight spaces between plants, which is what I wanted it for.
This is my second, my second small version.. It is the best shovel for a dirt gardener. who is female and 80 plus.
At the estate I work on, we call this "the miracle shovel"! After buying one for myself to use at home, I have bought or ordered four more for friends. It's the best!
I’m a landscaper and my guys really like that mini for small digging jobs. Jobs too small for a shovel and close to having to use a hand trowel- they use the mini. It’s a winner
Specifications
| Model | SHMini |
|---|---|
| Overall length | 30 in |
| Blade size | 6 in wide by 8 in long |
| Blade shape | Spearhead, outward-curved edges with forward-bent footrests |
| Blade material | High carbon manganese steel, epoxy powder-coated |
| Handle | Steel-reinforced fiberglass with a cushioned, UV-resistant D-grip |
| Edge | Sharpened bevel, 35 degrees, tip to tail |
| Weight | The lightest Spear Head spade, easy to carry and use one-handed |
| Best for | Bulbs, containers, raised beds, weeding, and close precision work |
| Color | Yellow |
| Care | Rinse and dry after use and store out of standing water. The blade never needs sharpening; digging keeps exposing the factory edge. |
Questions gardeners ask
Is the mini meant to be my only garden shovel?
No, and we would rather be honest about that. The 30-inch Spear Head Spade SHMini is a precision tool for close work: bulbs, containers, raised beds, and weeding in tight spots. For heavy transplanting or moving a lot of soil, the 40-inch or 58-inch Spear Head Spade is the better tool.
Will the mini still cut through roots and clay?
Yes. The Spear Head Spade SHMini has the same spearhead, sharpened blade as the full-size models, just smaller. It slices through roots and works into clay and rocky soil far better than a flat trowel or hand shovel.
How big and heavy is the mini?
The Spear Head Spade SHMini is 30 inches long overall with a 6 by 8 inch blade. It is the lightest spade in the family, easy to carry one-handed and to use while kneeling, which is why gardeners keep it within reach all day.
Does it have a D-grip?
Yes. The Spear Head Spade SHMini has a cushioned, UV-resistant D-grip on a steel-reinforced fiberglass handle, sized for gloved hands. The D-grip gives you a controlled two-hand hold for precise, close-in digging.
Which size should I choose, the 30-inch mini, the 40-inch, or the 58-inch?
The 30-inch SHMini is the lightest, for bulbs, containers, raised beds, and close work. The 40-inch SHFD3 D-grip is the all-rounder for most gardeners. The 58-inch SHLF2 long handle gives taller gardeners more reach with less bending.
Is it good for gardeners with less strength, or for kneeling?
Yes. The Spear Head Spade SHMini is light and short enough to use one-handed and while kneeling, which suits gardeners who want less weight and more control in a raised bed or a tight border.
Does it come sharpened?
Yes, and you should never need to sharpen it. The Spear Head Spade SHMini arrives pre-sharpened at the factory to a 35 degree bevel along the entire edge, tip to tail. The powder coating wears away gradually at the edge as you dig, continually exposing that factory edge, so the more you use it, the sharper it gets. The steel is tempered carbon manganese, 33 percent thicker and 25 percent harder than standard shovel stock. A regular file or grinder will not touch it, and it should never be needed.
Hugh and Harry
Our promise to you
If you are not satisfied, contact us and we will do whatever we can to make you happy.
No forms, no runaround. Every order is hand-packed by our family in New Jersey and ships in 1 to 2 business days.
The Spear Head Spade family
Questions before you dig in? Contact us.
