On test: 10 readers choose the best hand weeders
Reviews Editor Kay Maguire worked with 10 GW readers to put hand weeders to the test
Warmer weather is great for encouraging growth in the garden, but not all plants that are romping away now are welcome. Weeding is a constant job throughout the summer, with both annual and perennial weeds popping up, unwanted, in beds and borders, veg gardens, lawns and even containers.
The best way to banish weeds is to dig them up, roots and all, and although hoeing and forking them out are good ways of tackling large, weedy areas, when you need to attack individual weeds or are working among other plants, the best way is to simply get down on your knees and deal with them one by one.
A hand weeder is about the size of a hand trowel, with a similar handle, but the end differs and can come in a range of designs. Some have a long, simple blade with pronged ends, others have serrated edges, individual tines, or features such as a fulcrum for greater leverage. To see which styles work well and how effective they are at wrestling with weeds, we enlisted the help of 10 GW readers, who put a range of hand weeders to the test.
How we tested
Each reader was sent one weeder and asked to use it for a period of time, tackling different types of weeds, including deep-rooted perennials and annuals. Each weeder was then reviewed according to the following criteria:
K Comfort Assessed how it felt in the hand, it’s weight and whether the weeder had a good, comfortable grip.
K Design Considered the materials the weeder was made of, features such as a fulcrum or serrated edge, strength and ease of cleaning.
K Performance Focused on ease of use, how well it removed different types of weeds and how it coped with different soils.
K Value for money Looked at all of the above plus any special features, RRP and warranty.