Fiskars Garden Shovel for Digging, Heavy Duty Steel Gardening Tool with Straight Handle

I had some heavy digging to do around the house and decided it was time to retire my old, rusted shovel that I'd had for decades. This was the highest rated one I could find, so I ordered it. I spent the following full weekend digging up several dozen large and tough agave that had overgrown some areas of my yard. I couldn't have done it without this shovel. The combination of the wide stomp edge and sharp blade let me dig into hard packed desert dirt that is full of rocks and heavy roots.I live out in the desert in Arizona, and the soil is so hard that you often need a pick axe to loosen it before you dig. I was able to do this project with only my new shovel.The steel handle was a real plus. It is sturdy enough that I could trust it not to break when I got the blade up under a tough agave root and needed to pry things loose. I was able to put my full weight into it, which I would have been afraid to do with my old wooden-handled shovel. The extra long handle also helped with this, as it gave me additional leverage for the prying.I've seen questions and comments about whether the steel handle gets hot working in the sun. I live in the desert outside Phoenix, and it was a balmy spring day when I did my digging (only 105, I think). The sun was overhead, and intense, and the handle never overheated. I did wear leather work gloves to protect my hands, but picked up the shovel with bare hands several times when I left it lying on the ground during breaks and never noticed the heat.Others have questioned whether the steel handle is too heavy for some users. I'm a 60 year old woman, and not athletic by any means. Yes, it's heavy than my old style shovel, but that didn't make it difficult to use. As I mentioned above, the long steel handle was one of the features that make this an exceptional shovel. Most of the work with a shovel doesn't involve lifting. It involves stomping, leveraging, then lifting shovels of dirt. The weight of the shovel didn't interfere with that. Someone who has difficulty lifting a six-pound shovel probably won't be doing the kind of work you'd need such a tool for.I don't want to suggest that this was an easy job. I worked outside most of Saturday and again on Sunday, and was sore, exhausted, and bleeding after digging up and dragging around about 300 pounds of agave.with spikes that are deadly sharp. This is hard work, but if I'd tackled it with my old shovel, I would probably have given up after only a couple of these stubborn desert plants.My husband was out of town when I bought the shovel and did this project. I think he was tired of my talking nonstop about this amazing shovel. He eventually reminded me that it's "just a shovel." Oh no, I argued, it's a wonder-shovel. When he got home, he had to see for himself how a shovel could get me so excited. Then he spent THAT weekend digging up stumps from old shrubs I'd chopped down, and then digging holes to plant all the new things I bought. He loved it, too.

Strong, heavy duty shovel. Foot press at top to dig down easily. Can't beat Fiskers when you want quality for a few bucks more.

This is a very good shovel. I like that it is all metal and no parts that will separate that I see. I'm a petite weak lady and I can't use other shovels because it is just too hard for me. I would rather use a trowel and take forever than use a big shovel. This one was actually fun for me to use. I can position the shovel to go in the ground and balance on the step part of it and wiggle it back and forth for it to go into the ground and then I can pull back on it without worrying about it breaking and it lifts up the dirt. I look like I'm on a pogo stick and it still takes me a while because I'm slow and not heavy and not strong but it is easier and faster than my trowel and doable for me rather than the other shovel that I use to have with a wooden handle that broke.I've dug 3 holes since I got this shovel and that is a lot more big holes that I ever could do without it. 2 times were happy times and my plants are happy but the 3rd time was unfortunately sad because I had to bury my kitty in the rain.It is harder to dig in the rain because the wet dirt sticks to the shovel and makes it heavier so I would have to use my foot to get the mud off and then the step gets slippery but the shovel cleans up quickly. I don't recommend digging in the rain. It seemed more dangerous because of the slipperiness. But if you think you have to do it like I did then it still works pretty well.Whenever my husband uses it he says that it is a good sturdy shovel. He uses it the regular way that I see most people use a shovel and he can dig a hole for me in like a minute or three. Very impressive to me but then again he is a man.I like that this has a bigger step for me to use.This is heavy but maybe that is a good thing.The color of this is nice and it goes in the ground easy.It has a coating on it so that it won't rust.It seems like it will last a long time.The best part is that I can use it myself when my husband is busy.I'm glad I got it for it has been useful.Update: It is now 2023. My neighbor borrowed my shovel and now it is broken. ;( I am sad.It was useful a long while.

Very very good quality and strength 💪👍 good job makers !