Not every shovel is built for every job. For professional landscapers, horticulturists, and serious home gardeners, the right configuration makes a real difference in output, fatigue, and tool life. This guide walks through every meaningful decision in a shovel purchase: blade construction grade, blade shape, handle material, handle length, grip type, and lift angle. If you already know what you need, the tool finder at the bottom will point you straight to the right Leonard shovel. If you want to browse the full collection by spec, the Leonard shovels and scoops collection is the place to start.
Shovel vs. spade: what is the difference?
A shovel has a curved, scooped blade designed to move material from one place to another. A spade has a flat, straight blade with a sharp edge designed to cut, edge, and slice through soil or sod. Think of it this way: a shovel lifts, a spade cuts.
| Tool | What it does best |
|---|---|
| Shovel (round or square point) | Digging holes, moving piles, loading wheelbarrows |
| Spade (flat, straight edge) | Cutting bed edges, transplanting, slicing through sod |
| Drain spade / trench shovel | Narrow trenches, irrigation lines, post holes |
If you are primarily doing edging, transplanting, or bed work, the A.M. Leonard spades collection may be the better starting point.
BLADE CONSTRUCTION TYPE
Open Back Shovels: GOOD
An affordable option, open back shovel blades are stamped into shape and provide a low weight at a low price, making it a popular choice to outfit your whole crew or home!
Closed Back Shovels: BETTER
Considered a mid-range shovel, closed back blades have a flat (closed) back due to the addition of an extra welded plate. This plate adds strength and rigidity while providing a flat, smooth surface that prevents added weight due to soil buildup.
Forged Shovels: BEST
The workhorse of all shovels! A forged blade is formed from a single piece of steel under great pressure, resulting in the strongest and thickest sockets, shanks and blades! The forging process provides varying steel thickness not possible by the stamping process.
BLADE TYPE
Best Shovel For Moving Dirt
Round Point
These shovels are good for general digging, plantings, moving piles of soil, gravel, stone, etc. The round point allows for improved penetration of materials. These shovels are available with either a 48" long handle or 30" D-grip handle.
Best Shovel For Gravel
Square Point
Square point shovels are ideal for scraping-up soil, debris, gravel, sawdust, etc. from a hard surface, as well as moving piles of soil, gravel, stone and other loose material. They are available with a 48" long handle or 30" D-grip handle.
Specialty Shovel Types
Beyond the standard round and square point, several specialty blade profiles are designed for specific tasks. If your work regularly involves trenching, irrigation, or nursery transplanting, one of these is worth knowing.
Trench shovel
A trench shovel has a long, narrow blade with a pointed tip. The narrow profile lets you work inside an existing trench without widening it, making it the right tool for irrigation line installation, electrical conduit runs, and post hole cleanup. The pointed tip can also be used to score along the edge of the trench to form clean vertical walls.
Best for: Irrigation and drainage lines, post holes, any narrow vertical digging.
Drain spade
Also called a tile spade or transplanting spade, a drain spade has a narrow, flat blade with a rounded tip. It is the standard tool for digging around live root balls when transplanting large shrubs or small trees, and for uprooting saplings without damaging adjacent plants. The narrow profile reduces root disturbance on either side of the cut.
Best for: Transplanting established plants, balled-and-burlapped work, nursery production.
Irrigation shovel
An irrigation shovel is similar in profile to a round point but with a narrower, slightly flattened blade. It is designed for opening, clearing, and redirecting irrigation ditches in field and production settings. The narrower head moves through wet or dense soil with less resistance and is a standard in production horticulture and agriculture.
Best for: Field irrigation maintenance, opening water channels, wet soil work
Scoop shovel
A scoop shovel has a wide, high-sided blade with a flat bottom. It is not designed for digging and will not penetrate compacted ground. Its purpose is moving large volumes of loose material quickly: gravel, mulch, compost, grain, or snow. The deep sides hold more material per scoop than a standard round or square point.
Best for: High-volume loose material handling. Not a digging tool.
HANDLE TYPE
Wood
A traditional design which is contoured over the length of the handle for a classic feel and good control. Grain is lined up vertically when placed in shovel head for maximum handle strength. Large diameter base makes for a strong handle/socket connection. Handle end is notched so it can bend to conform to curve of handle blade, providing core support through the neck and features thru rivets for strong a connection. This category also, in most cases, offers a D-Grip option, unlike Composite or Fiberglass.
Best for: Landscapers and gardeners who prefer a traditional feel and natural shock absorption. Good choice for moderate use where the shovel will be stored dry.
Tuff-Flex™ Composite
Stronger than wood, but still provides a wood feel and contour. Smooth poly covering with UV inhibitors makes our Tuff-Flex handles more weather resistant than wood. Tubular fiberglass core with second, honeycomb fiberglass tube inside provides strength through entire length of handle. Solid fiberglass core at shovel blade for a strong riveted connection to shovel head.
Best for: Regular outdoor use where weather exposure is a concern but you still want a wood-like feel. A step up from wood on durability without the weight of fiberglass.
Tuff-Strong™ Fiberglass
Multi-chambered, thick wall fiberglass, with a honeycomb interior, runs the complete length of the handle for an incredibly strong design. A resin veil exterior resists splintering of the fiberglass while a UV protected separate fiberglass exterior ensures long service life. Solid fiberglass core at shovel blade for a strong riveted connection to shovel head and a Poly expander that fills the lower socket area to maintain strength of neck. Tapered poly adapter insert for tight handle to blade connection.
Best for: Professional and high-frequency use. The strongest handle option short of all-steel — best for crews, contractors, and anyone who puts tools through sustained daily work in variable conditions.
All Steel
Many of our shovels and spades feature all steel handles. These are among the strongest designs available, but carry with them a weight increase for all that strength. The tubular to oval shape of these handles increases strength and features a fully welded end cap, covered by a rubberized grip for good control. Blades are then fully welded to the handle for an amazingly strong handle-to-blade connection. This category also, in a lot of cases, offers a D-Grip option, unlike Composite or Fiberglass.
Best for: The heaviest-duty applications where handle failure is not an option: prying, breaking hardpan, rocky soil work. Worth the extra weight if you need maximum strength and a fully welded connection.
Handle Lift
Low-Lift Tools
Low-lift shovels include caprock shovels and certain round point shovels as well as spades. A more vertical digging angle is best served when digging out plant material, dividing perennials, digging stright down, or redefining landscape bed edges.
Best For:
- Digging straight down with a vertical stroke
- Extracting plant material and dividing perennials
- Redefining and cutting landscape bed edges
- Caprock and hardpan work where blade angle matters
High-Lift Tools
This is right choice for most loading, spreading, and moving work. In this group are most square point shovels and round point shovels. These tools are at their best when used to load or spread materials or to clean out trenches or planting holes. The high lift angle allows the user to stand more upright, when scooping or spreading.
Best for:
- Loading material into a wheelbarrow or truck
- Spreading soil, gravel, or mulch across a surface
- Cleaning out the bottom of trenches or planting holes
- Any task where standing more upright reduces fatigue
Handle length and grip type
Choosing the right handle length
The general rule: stand the shovel upright and the handle should reach roughly to your shoulder. For most adults, this lands between 44 and 52 inches. A handle that is too short puts more strain on your lower back during scooping and loading. A handle that is too long reduces leverage for precise digging.
| Task | Recommended length | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Loading, spreading, moving material | 48" long handle | Leverage and upright posture |
| Planting holes, digging | 48" long handle | Full stroke depth |
| Confined spaces, transplanting | 30" D-grip | Control and wrist torque |
| Nursery production, bed work | 30" D-grip | Precision in tight areas |
Long handle vs. D-grip
- Long handle: Better leverage for scooping and spreading, more natural upright posture when loading. Standard choice for most digging and moving tasks.
- D-grip: Increases wrist torque for tight spaces and precision work. Reduces arm fatigue during repetitive planting or transplanting. Also useful when working in confined areas where a full handle swing is not possible.
Matching the shovel to your work
Not sure where to start? Use this quick-reference table to match your primary task to the right configuration.
| Task | Blade type | Construction | Handle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digging in clay or rocky soil | Round point | Forged | Long or D-grip |
| General digging and planting | Round point | Closed back or forged | Long handle |
| Moving gravel, mulch, debris | Square point | Forged or closed back | Long handle |
| Transplanting or nursery work | Drain spade or narrow round point | Closed back | D-grip |
| Trenching and irrigation lines | Trench or irrigation shovel | Closed back or forged | Long handle |
| High-volume loose material | Scoop blade | Open or closed back | Long handle |
| Daily professional / crew use | Round or square point | Forged minimum | Long or D-grip |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a shovel and a spade?
A shovel has a scooped or curved blade designed to move material — digging holes, loading wheelbarrows, moving piles of soil or gravel. A spade has a flat, straight-edged blade designed to cut, edge, and slice through soil or sod. In general, you dig and load with a shovel and cut and edge with a spade. A.M. Leonard stocks spades separately in the Spades category.
What shovel is best for digging in hard or clay soil?
A forged round-point shovel is the best choice for clay and compacted ground. The forging process creates varying steel thickness across the blade — thicker at the socket and shank where stress concentrates, thinner toward the cutting edge for penetration. That structure handles repeated impact and prying without flexing or failing at the neck the way a stamped blade can. For extremely hard or rocky subsoil, a caprock or sharpshooter shovel with a narrow low-lift blade is the more specialized option.
Should I get a long handle or a D-grip handle?
Long handles (typically 48 inches) are better for most digging and loading tasks. They provide more leverage and let you stand more upright when scooping or spreading material, which reduces lower back strain over long jobs. D-grip handles (30 inches) are better for precision work in tight spaces — transplanting, planting holes in established beds, and nursery production where full arm extension is not practical. Many professional crews keep one of each.
What does forged mean on a shovel?
A forged blade is formed from a single piece of steel under high pressure, rather than stamped from flat sheet stock. The forging process distributes steel strategically: thicker at the socket, collar, and upper shank where stress concentrates, and thinner toward the cutting edge for better soil penetration. The result is a stronger, longer-lasting blade than a stamped alternative at comparable weight. Leonard forged shovels use this construction throughout the round-point and square-point line.
How long should a shovel handle be?
The general rule: stand the shovel upright and the handle should reach roughly to your shoulder. For most adults this lands between 44 and 52 inches. The most common long-handle length is 48 inches, which suits the majority of digging and loading tasks. A handle that is too short increases lower back strain during scooping. A handle that is too long reduces leverage for precise digging. For confined spaces or transplanting work, a 30-inch D-grip is typically more practical.
What is a trench shovel used for?
A trench shovel has a long, narrow blade designed to work inside an existing trench without widening it. It is the standard tool for irrigation and drainage line installation, electrical conduit runs, post hole cleanup, and any narrow vertical digging where a standard round or square point would remove too much material on either side. The pointed tip can also score trench walls to form clean vertical edges.
How do I clean and maintain a shovel?
After each use, knock loose soil off the blade and wipe it clean. Apply a light coat of linseed oil or a similar protectant to steel blades to prevent rust, particularly if the tool will be stored where it is exposed to temperature changes. For wood handles, inspect for cracks annually and treat with linseed oil to prevent drying. Keep the cutting edge reasonably sharp using a flat mill file — a sharp edge penetrates soil with less force and reduces fatigue on long jobs.
