Good Housekeeping tests some gardening tools
Story By: Kristin Hawley
Source: AP
The joy of gardening can vanish if your tools cause fatigue. To help find the gardening tool for you, the Good Housekeeping Institute put some tools to the test.
Gardening director Kathleen Huddy says, "here at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute we looked at 16 of the newest tools that claimed to be ergonomic. Out of those 16 we found some best of the best winners, we found some that worked, and some that didn't."
The Corona EGrip Trowel received a green thumbs up from both testers and pros because it easily penetrated dirt. "They liked the big width of it; they liked the beveled edge because it could puncture mulch bags and move lots of dirt very quickly and of course they loved the ergonomic handle because it made it lightweight and easy to use," says Huddy. This trowel costs $7.
Another winner in the tests is the Fiskars Power Pivit Pruner and the Jackson Professional tools wheelbarrow. Huddy reacts to the Pruner by saying, "the best thing about these pruners is you don't have to use very much hand force to close them so there isn't a lot of fatigue." And the wheelbarrow, "this is a new wheelbarrow from ames true temper called the Jackson Professional. Its wider than most, and it has a spout in the front, which i really like because you can just dump without a big deal," says Huddy. The Pruner costs $22. and the wheelbarrow costs $150.
Fiskars Power Pivot Grass Shears made the cut with Good Housekeeping because they can go where a mower can't. but the testers weren't wowed by the healthy back garden kneeler. They cost $23.
To get your older garden tools ready for spring, Good Housekeeping says, dunk them in a buck of sand and vegetable oil. The sand removes stain and rust and the oil prevents future rusting.
