Spade Shovels and Garden Spades
A garden spade should cut, not just scoop. Every tool here is built around that idea: a spear point blade in high carbon manganese steel, 33 percent thicker and 25 percent harder than standard shovel stock, pre-sharpened tip to tail at a 35 degree angle, on a steel reinforced fiberglass handle. Steady foot pressure does what jumping on a flat shovel never will. Every Spear Head Spade is a spade shovel, the first hybrid spade and shovel: curved to carry, pointed to cut.
Over 600,000 sold. We are a family business, and the range stays small on purpose. The 40 inch D-grip spade is where most gardeners start. The 58 inch long handle adds leverage and spares your back the bending. The 30 inch mini handles the close work in raised beds and containers. And a ten dollar cushioned kneeler looks after the joints your spade cannot. Wherever you shop for garden spades, make the sharpness of the edge your standard. Ours is the point.
In stockSpear Head Spade 40" with D-grip Model SHFD3
In stockSpear Head Spade 58" long handle Model SHLF2
In stockSpear Head Spade 30" Mini Garden Shovel Model SHMini
In stockGarden Spade and Kneeler Gift Set
In stockMini Spade and Kneeler Gift Set
In stockSpear Head Spade Garden Kneeler
Sold outSpear Head Hoe 60" Long Handle
What is a spade shovel?
A spade shovel is a digging tool that combines a spade and a shovel: the curved blade of a shovel, which carries soil, and the pointed, sharpened edge of a spade, which cuts it. A flat garden spade slices cleanly but carries little. A round-point shovel scoops well but skates off hard ground. The Spear Head Spade was invented in Windsor, CT fifteen years ago as the first hybrid spade and shovel, and it is double patented. The spear point enters where a flat edge stalls, and the curve lifts what a spade would leave behind.
Spade vs shovel: which one do you need?
If your ground is compacted, full of roots or heavy clay, you want the spade side: a sharp edge and a foot rest, so your body weight does the cutting. If you are moving loose soil, mulch or gravel, you want the shovel side: a curved blade that carries a load. Most garden jobs need both in the same afternoon, which is why one hybrid tool earns its place in the shed. Our guide to spade vs shovel walks through blade shapes, handle lengths and the jobs each suits.
Which Spear Head Spade is right for you?
The 40 inch D-grip is the one most gardeners start with: the right length for digging with a foot on the foot rest, and the D-grip gives you a second hand on the tool for prying and lifting. The 58 inch long handle adds leverage for deep holes and stubborn roots and spares your back the bending. The 30 inch mini is for raised beds, containers and tight borders, where a full-size spade cannot swing. If you are between two, the spade finder asks a few questions and matches you to one.
What is a spade shovel used for?
A spade shovel is used for digging planting holes in clay and rocky ground, where the double-patented profile takes the path of least resistance around a rock instead of stopping at it. Edging beds with a straight, clean line. Cutting through roots when you transplant shrubs or divide perennials. Planting bulbs, where the point opens a slot instead of a crater. Lifting sod and cutting narrow trenches for edging or drip lines. For the technique on each, see cutting through roots, planting bulbs and the best shovels for digging.
Why gardeners choose a Spear Head Spade
Over 600,000 sold. Rated 4.9 stars across more than 500 reviews. Named Best Shovel/Spade 2025 by Better Homes and Gardens, and rated "Best of the Best" by BestReviews. The blade is tempered carbon-manganese steel, 33 percent thicker and 25 percent harder than standard shovel stock, pre-sharpened, and it never needs sharpening. It takes up to 80% less effort than a standard shovel. We are a family business in New Jersey, and every order is securely packaged and shipped.
Questions gardeners ask
What is the difference between a spade and a shovel?
A spade has a flat or pointed blade with a sharp edge and is made for cutting into soil. A shovel has a curved, scooped blade made for lifting and moving loose material. Most garden digging needs both actions in turn, which is why the Spear Head Spade was designed as the first hybrid spade and shovel. People use the two words interchangeably, and that is fine at the hardware store; the blade shape is what decides the job.
What size spade shovel should I buy?
Start with the 40 inch D-grip if you dig in-ground beds and plant shrubs. Choose the 58 inch long handle if you want more leverage and less bending, or if you are tall. Choose the 30 inch mini for raised beds, containers and tight borders. The spade finder asks a few questions and matches you to one.
Does the Spear Head Spade work in clay and rocky soil?
Yes, that is where it earns its keep. The spear point enters compacted clay with steady foot pressure instead of a jump, and the double-patented profile wedges around rocks and roots rather than stopping at them.
Do I need to sharpen a Spear Head Spade?
No. The blade is tempered carbon-manganese steel, thicker and harder than standard shovel stock, and it arrives pre-sharpened. It never needs sharpening in normal garden use.
What is the best spade shovel?
Better Homes and Gardens named the Spear Head Spade Best Shovel/Spade 2025, and BestReviews rates it "Best of the Best" among shovels. It is the first hybrid spade and shovel, double patented, with over 600,000 sold and 4.9 stars across more than 500 reviews.
