Top 5 Best Shovels for Digging Roots – Expert Picks for Tough Jobs

Customer Review: “Excellent piece of equipment!! The digability of this tool is astronomical!!! It slices through roots like a saw and out comes your problem child with ease. Grip of terminator shovel is 5 stars. Design and quality is also a 5 star reward. Because of ruggedness conditions it went through, durability of mr. root terminator passed with flying colors. 5 stars! In my stand point, value for the money for this thing’s capabilities is outstanding.”

Customer Review: “The shovel works well for uprooting small stumps and shrubbery. The serrated edge can hack through most smaller roots, speeding up the process. You might still need a clipper or saw on the roots that are over 1/2” or so. Also the shovel is not made of adamantium. Don’t use it as a pry bar, it is a small shovel and can deform if abused. Use it for digging around the roots.”

Customer Review: “Being easier to carry around than the two or three shovels it replaces, this has rapidly become my go to. It penetrates packed earth with ease and takes about half as long to dig out stubborn weeds as a sharp shooter. The blade is sharp and very sturdy. I have pushed as hard as I could on it without any sense that the blade or shaft was weakening. A hard stomp will break through roots about a quarter-inch thick. I have not been able to make it work efficiently like a saw as some reviewers have, but for really thick roots an old folding saw is an easy substitute. In addition to cutting roots I like the shovel as a shallow trenching tool, and have used it to prepare the ground to lay out a walkway. Similarly, it works well for very light weeding. It is also an easy way — being light enough to use one-handed — to break up packed soil in preparation for planting. I really like the length; it is short and light enough to manipulate while kneeling, and comfortable to use when standing up. I was a bit unsure of the strange looking handle at first, but found the design makes it easier to use one-handed (when, for example you are holding back branches with your other hand). In all, had I known how useful this little tool would be I would have bought one a long time ago.”

Customer Review: “I am a female freelance gardener and I do a lot of shoveling and digging holes, installing plants for people (and in my own garden). I absolutely love the Radius Root Slayer shovels. I own both this mini shovel which I use for small plantings like annuals, and the larger shovel for bigger plants. I will never use any other brand of shovel again but the Radius because I consider these shovels to be extremely female friendly and of very high quality. In the past I found digging holes on jobs using a regular shovel to be difficult, requiring more strength, time, exertion and resulting in an aching back. That all changed with the Root Slayers because these shovels are unique in that they have teeth so to speak, which will literally cut through whatever tree roots, compacted soil etc may be in your way within the ground that make it harder to dig a hole. I now dig holes for plants quickly and like a pro thanks to Radius. This jagged edge ‘teeth’ design is what makes these shovels so effective. I can also say based on the fact that I use my Radius shovels over and over for work (and am frequently too busy to clean them properly after use) that these things are rugged, sturdy and hold up to long term use. These shovels are well worth getting!”

Customer Review: “Over the course of the last five spring weekends, I have been working on revitalizing a neglected area of my backyard. The list of tasks that I had to do seemed to be rather intimidating, including breaking up deep clay, transplanting rose plants, and removing tenacious shrub stumps. After a few difficult sessions with my previous spade with a short handle, I decided to convert to this garden shovel with a long handle in the hopes of finding a solution that would solve all of my problems. Because of the difference in leverage, I was able to feel it from the very first push into the ground. Through the use of the extended shaft, I was able to maintain my upright position, direct my weight over the blade, and cut through compacted dirt without having to engage in the twisting action that would normally slow me down. The act of digging holes for planters became a routine rather than a struggle. As a result of my curiosity, I decided to set a timer, and I was able to produce 10 holes that were uniform for my flowers in a little under thirty minutes. This was something that would have taken me more than an hour in the past. The dirt is brought up in solid plugs rather than loose crumbs as a result of the shovel’s ability to reach deeper with each push. This makes the process of replenishing around root balls more organized and expedient. In addition, the length of the handle prevents my shoes from falling into the hole, which is an unanticipated benefit that results in fewer clumps of mud being dragged over the patio after the event.”

Customer Review: “This shovel is fantastic. Super easy to put together and extremely easy to use. It’s lightweight and a good size. I’m able to easily shovel out weeds and plants I no longer want with the sharpness of the shovel. It actually makes it fun to garden, which is not my favorite task to do. I would recommend this to everyone that plants anything into the ground or has weeds that need to go. It’s a great price for how great it functions.”

Customer Review: “This is a very handy, versatile, strong shovel. The serrated edges and spade tip are aggressive, but not sharp. Neither pose any risk of cutting the user under normal use–you can safely touch any part of the shovel as you would any other. Those features will help break tough ground or get through roots, though. The shovel is the same, strong, manganese steel from handle to spade. The three pieces (handle, stem, and spade) are easily connected in two places with the provided wrench for the nuts and Allen wrench for the screws. The handle and stem connection, even when the nut and screw are fully tightened, still has just a bit of ‘play’ (~1/8″) that I do not get at the stem and spade connection. This is not ideal for the feel of the shovel, but it does not really affect the shovel’s performance and can be eliminated with a variety of simple modifications. The shovel can be easily disassembled for transporting or storage. The extended footrests make digging and control easier. The handle is ideal for using as a lever, though it is not coated–just round, strong, steel–so wear gloves. This is a great shovel for trenching, tight spaces, hard soil, rooted soil, planting/gardening, and metal detecting, making it a very versatile shovel. The shovel easily held my full weight and is welded extremely strong where the spade meets the stem, eliminating worries of a collapsing/bent spade. Based on other shovels I have bought, this is a good value for such a durable, versatile shovel.”

Customer Review: “This shovel is fine for light-duty use, but I wouldn’t consider it a long-term, heavy-use tool. The modular connection points are both its best feature and its biggest drawback. Being able to break it down makes it convenient for transport. Great for tossing in the car for a beach trip or keeping with basic garden supplies. That said, the connections don’t lock together especially tightly. When using it, there’s a slight shifting feeling that doesn’t inspire much confidence if you’re putting real weight or force behind it. I’d be cautious about applying much torque, as it doesn’t feel built for heavy digging. For light gardening, sand, or occasional use, it’s fine, but I wouldn’t rely on it for tougher jobs.”

Customer Review: “Being easier to carry around than the two or three shovels it replaces, this has rapidly become my go to. It penetrates packed earth with ease and takes about half as long to dig out stubborn weeds as a sharp shooter. The blade is sharp and very sturdy. I have pushed as hard as I could on it without any sense that the blade or shaft was weakening. A hard stomp will break through roots about a quarter-inch thick. I have not been able to make it work efficiently like a saw as some reviewers have, but for really thick roots an old folding saw is an easy substitute. In addition to cutting roots I like the shovel as a shallow trenching tool, and have used it to prepare the ground to lay out a walkway. Similarly, it works well for very light weeding. It is also an easy way — being light enough to use one-handed — to break up packed soil in preparation for planting. I really like the length; it is short and light enough to manipulate while kneeling, and comfortable to use when standing up. I was a bit unsure of the strange looking handle at first, but found the design makes it easier to use one-handed (when, for example you are holding back branches with your other hand). In all, had I known how useful this little tool would be I would have bought one a long time ago.”

Customer Review: “I am a female freelance gardener and I do a lot of shoveling and digging holes, installing plants for people (and in my own garden). I absolutely love the Radius Root Slayer shovels. I own both this mini shovel which I use for small plantings like annuals, and the larger shovel for bigger plants. I will never use any other brand of shovel again but the Radius because I consider these shovels to be extremely female friendly and of very high quality. In the past I found digging holes on jobs using a regular shovel to be difficult, requiring more strength, time, exertion and resulting in an aching back. That all changed with the Root Slayers because these shovels are unique in that they have teeth so to speak, which will literally cut through whatever tree roots, compacted soil etc may be in your way within the ground that make it harder to dig a hole. I now dig holes for plants quickly and like a pro thanks to Radius. This jagged edge ‘teeth’ design is what makes these shovels so effective. I can also say based on the fact that I use my Radius shovels over and over for work (and am frequently too busy to clean them properly after use) that these things are rugged, sturdy and hold up to long term use. These shovels are well worth getting!”