The hand excavator, which is used in a variety of ways in the garden and on private construction sites today, has its origins in the military. This practical device is also known to soldiers as a folding spade. With the hand excavator - which is sometimes also referred to as a perforated spade - it is not only possible to excavate holes for plantings and piles in a targeted manner. Read on if you are interested in our recommendations and would like to pick up tips for purchasing and possible uses.
With a hand excavator you can easily dig nice round holes
Our recommendations
our recommendation
Earth hole extractor with tubular steel handle & safety handles, hand excavator, perforated spade
61.20 EUR To the product| material | painted steel |
|---|---|
| shovels | sharpened |
| safety chain | Yes |
| height | adjustable between 170 to 190 cm |
| Weight | about 8 kg |
This hand excavator is just as cheap as it is high quality. It is the only model to date that has safety handles that minimize the risk of slipping and also make it easier to insert and remove the device. With this hand excavator, you can dig holes with a diameter of up to 30 centimeters - larger if necessary if you cut off the soil on the side of the hole edges. The tubular steel handle is 170 centimeters long, but can be extended to a length of 190 centimetres. The manufacturer recommends using the device primarily in loose soil and first loosening up compacted soil with a spade.
our recommendation
Silverline 555508 Heavy Duty Fence Post Hole Spade Black
To the product| material | Steel shovel blades, hardwood handle with soft grip |
|---|---|
| shovels | 22 cm long, oval shaped, stamped and hardened |
| safety chain | no |
| height | 120 cm |
| Weight | 5kg |
This digger from the brand manufacturer Silverline digs holes up to 15 centimeters wide for fence posts or plantings with its punched and hardened, oval-shaped steel blades. The device creates narrow and deep holes with pinpoint accuracy, so that you save filling concrete when inserting the posts later. The robust hardwood handle is 120 centimeters long and has a comfortable soft grip for a better grip. Customers are positive in their Amazon reviews and describe the hand excavator as robust. It could even be used to pick up holes in gravel without sustaining damage.
our recommendation
Roughneck 68265 Heavy Duty Post Hole Digger
75.06 EUR To the product| material | industrial steel, PVC |
|---|---|
| shovels | 13.9 cm, narrow and very stable |
| safety chain | no |
| height | 109 cm |
| Weight | about 8 kg |
Slightly more expensive than other models, but according to the various Amazon reviews, this high-performance hand excavator from the manufacturer Roughneck is well worth the money. The very hard-wearing device will last a long time even with regular use, as the robust shovel blades are made of industrial steel. The high, PVC-covered handles also ensure uncomplicated work with the digger.
This hand excavator has a double hinge mechanism that allows you to dig deeper holes with a narrow diameter - the spade heads can be locked together thanks to the additional hinge. If necessary, open it again and you can also carry out larger excavations.
Purchase Criteria
material
The shovel blades are made of (often painted) steel on most hand excavators. However, not all steel is the same, and there are considerable differences in quality. The different types of steel have different degrees of robustness, which is why you should attach importance to high-quality industrial steel. The blades are usually screwed to wooden handles, although some models are made entirely of solid steel. Although these are heavy and less comfortable, they also break less quickly.
stem length
Hand excavators come with longer and shorter sticks. As a general rule, the longer the handle, the longer the lever, reducing the effort required to use the tool. In addition, long-handled hand excavators allow back-friendly work while standing, which proves to be much more comfortable, especially during longer operations. Shorter handles, on the other hand, make sense if the perforated spade is used, for example, for digging planting holes or very precise excavations.
handles
Some hand excavator models have handles that are intended to make work easier. Make sure these handles are covered in PVC or some other plastic to minimize the risk of slipping. However, you should not use hand excavators without sturdy work gloves anyway, in order to avoid abrasions, bruises, etc.
shovels
Furthermore, the various hand excavators dig holes in the ground of different sizes. So think carefully about the purpose for which you want to use the device and how wide the desired excavations should be. Before buying, pay attention to the information about the possible hole diameters, which also depend on the respective design and the width of the spade blades. If you want to dig holes for fence posts, we recommend narrow, long and pointed shovel blades.
safety chain
With many hand excavators, the distances between the two spade blades are fixed and cannot be changed. Some models, on the other hand, have safety chains with which you can variably set the hole diameter within certain parameters. These hand excavators can be used more flexibly, but are also less stable than models without a chain.
Weight
Hand excavators are heavy equipment and weigh between five and eight kilograms, depending on the material and manufacturer. This heavy weight can make it difficult to work as it is easy to get tired. However, it also has an advantage: the heavier the hand excavator, the easier it is to drive into the ground - the weight basically helps. When buying, however, make sure that you buy a device that suits your stature and strength. After all, you have to be able to handle it well.
frequently asked Questions
What is a hand excavator?
Hand excavators or perforated spades, as they are also known, are tong-like devices that are ideal for digging holes in the ground. Depending on the size and shape of the hole - both determined by the shovel blades - you can use it for fence posts, setting foundations or planting shrubs, shrubs or flower bulbs.
How does a hand excavator work?
Hand excavators work like pliers: a spade shovel is attached to each handle. These are located parallel to each other, the distance between them can be opened and closed with the help of the handles. You open the tongs, drive the spade into the ground at the desired distance between the shovels, press the handles together again and then lift out the soil between the shovels - the hole of the desired size is done.
How much does a hand excavator cost?
How much you actually spend on a hand excavator depends on the manufacturer (brand or no-name product?), the materials and the dealer. Hand excavators of satisfactory to good quality are available from a price of 30 to 40 EUR, there is no upper limit. In the higher price ranges, the devices often have special features. For example, these are high-performance hand excavators, such as those used in the professional sector, or they are hand-forged from a particularly robust material.
Where can you buy hand excavators?
Hand excavators are available both online and in bricks-and-mortar stores - DIY or garden stores. Of course, the selection on the Internet is larger, here you have the choice between the large Internet department stores such as Amazon and Ebay as well as the online shops of the well-known DIY and specialist stores as well as the own online shops of the respective manufacturers. Price comparisons are possible here with just a few clicks, so you can choose the best offer. Anyone who prefers brick-and-mortar retail and would like to hold the device in hand and check it before buying is guaranteed to find what they are looking for in a hardware store.
Which well-known brands make hand excavators?
Well-known manufacturers of hand excavators include Fiskars, Silverline, Freund Victoria or the British company Roughneck. In addition, there is a large number of rather unknown brands on Amazon that are cheaper - but often deliver satisfactory or even good quality.
What alternatives are there to the hand excavator?
Precise holes - for planting, for example - can also be drilled with a hand auger. These devices, also known as plant drills, do not have to be driven into the ground, which means that you have to use less force. Instead, you drill the twisted drill into the ground using a lever. Hand augers are easier to use, but also a bit more expensive than classic hand excavators.
equipment
level
our recommendation
Bosch Professional spirit level 25 cm with magnet system (readable from all sides, aluminum housing, robust end caps)
28.00 EUR To the productWhen setting posts, it is important that they stand straight. After digging the hole in the ground, you drive the stake into the ground and measure before anchoring whether it is really "perpendicular". With a spirit level like this practical, all-round readable model with a magnet system from brand manufacturer Bosch Professional, you can do this in no time at all.