The top 3 recommendations and buying guides

Our recommendations

These Pickaxe from the brand manufacturer Fiskars consists of a ground, broad and a sharpened point Tool side that is ideal for working hard, stony soils and for cutting through Root strands are suitable. With a weight of 3.2 kilograms, the tool is particularly heavy to give it a special penetrating power.

The ensures that working with the Fiskars tool hoe is not too painful special anti-vibration and anti-slip handle made of fiberglass for a firm hold and cushioning the bumps. The tool head and handle are delivered separately from each other, but are easy to assemble: just plug them in Simply place the oval-shaped head on the stem and then tap it firmly several times Document.

With this product, users particularly praise the low weight compared to other pickaxes. After all, not every gardener is a strong muscle man who smashes every rock with one blow of a 3-kilogram hoe. This lighter model makes muscles tire less quickly and thus enables more endurance Work - for example, to loosen hard garden soil, reclaim fallow areas and create new beds to put on.

Here, too, the handle and tool head are separate from each other and can be connected by simply pushing them on and tapping them lightly. However, watch out for any sharp burrs on the handle, which you should first grind down before attaching - otherwise the connection between the two components will suffer.

Anyone who prefers models with a classic wooden handle for their gardening equipment and tools is well advised to use this inexpensive pick from Idealspaten. According to the manufacturer's instructions, the stable tool head is made of special steel, which is both hard and elastic and therefore meets the special requirements for this tool.

The sturdy wooden handle is made of hard beech wood - also according to the manufacturer's instructions - but Amazon customers report that it is actually ash. Otherwise, the majority of reviewers expressed their praise, because the light pickaxe lies comfortably in the hand and is robustly made.

Purchase criteria

material

Each pickaxe consists of two parts, the tool head and the handle. The head of all models is made of steel, although there are differences between the various manufacturers in the use of the type of steel. Carbon steel, for example, is a very fine-grained material that enables particularly sharp blades - but is also harder and can break more easily. Special or stainless steel, on the other hand, is less sharp, but more elastic and therefore more robust.

stalk

With the handles you have the choice between plastic and wooden handles. Plastic models are easier to hold because wood is naturally heavier. However, wood is cheaper than fiberglass handles and can be made more straightforward if necessary replace - all you have to do is buy a new handle and mount the tool head on it. Make sure to use hardwood handles such as beech or ash, as these are much more robust and therefore more durable.

Anti-slip coating

Plastic handles (e.g. made of fiberglass) have the advantage over wooden handles, to be provided with a practical anti-slip coating and thus easier to grip permit. In addition, these materials absorb vibrations or Bumps better so that the joints and back are less stressed. An ergonomic shape also contributes to better handling of the tool - not unimportant for one Device with which you want to work hard floors and which therefore makes use of every facility for this difficult work can.

Stem length and assembly

Most pickaxes come with a matching handle, although you usually have to connect both components yourself. However, this is usually not a problem, all you have to do is put the head and handle together and tap the end of the handle on a hard surface several times. But be careful: some stems still have sharp burrs or other unevenness from the manufacturing process, which must first be removed. The ideal length of the device handle is around 90 centimeters or a little more if you are taller than 180 centimeters.

processing

Especially with heavily used tools such as the pickaxe, it is not just the material that counts, but also how it is processed. So that the device does not break the first time it is used, forged rather than cast tool heads are recommended - experience has shown that these have proven to be more robust and therefore more durable. A well-made tool is also ready for use upon delivery and does not have to be deburred or removed. be smoothed.

weight

Good pickaxes weigh between 1.5 and 3.2 kilograms. The weight you choose depends, among other things, on what you want to process with the device and who is using it. Heavy hoes have the advantage that they develop more momentum and therefore have a higher impact power - but you also need a lot more power to operate them. Lighter pickaxes are better in the hand, but you have to develop more clout yourself.

frequently asked Questions

What is a pickaxe?

The pickaxe is a 2-in-1 garden tool, the head of which has two different sides. On one is a Pickaxe ("Pimple"), on the other a wide cutting edge. This is why the device is also known as a flat-cross, flat-pointed or cross-pointed pickaxe. In southern Germany as well as in Austria the pickaxe is also known under the name "Krampen".

What can you do with a pickaxe?

Pickaxes are ideal for working on hard, frozen, dried out and / or stony soils, and they can also be used to cut through roots in the earth. Use the pointed side for opening and loosening, the wide one to push the loosened material aside and to reduce it. The device is only unsuitable for levering - for example when removing tree stumps.

Which manufacturers produce pickaxes?

Since the pickaxe is a very common tool, suitable models can be found at almost all gardening equipment and tool manufacturers. Established brands such as Fiskars, Spear & Jackson, Silverline, SHW Friedrichstal and Connex are particularly mentioned here.

Where can you buy pickaxes?

You can purchase the right pickaxe both on the Internet and in brick-and-mortar stores. While you will find a large selection in the shops of the large Internet department stores as well as the well-known gardening and hardware stores and to be able to compare quality and prices with one another in peace and quiet, the devices can be checked in hand in the stationary trade to take. Quality features such as workmanship and weight are easier to check there.

What does a pickaxe cost?

Depending on the material, workmanship and quality, a pickaxe costs between approx. 20 and up to around 70 EUR. In principle, high-quality devices made of plastic are more expensive than, for example, models with a wooden handle. Do not just choose based on price, as a particularly inexpensive device often breaks down quickly and you then buy twice.

Are hoopoe and pickaxe the same thing?

Even with the Hoopoe respectively. -haue is a 2-in-1 device, but other tools are used here. While the pickaxe has a pickaxe and a broad ax, the hoopoe has a broad side and an ax. Both devices can be used for similar purposes, but you can use the Hoopoe hoe also pry out tree stumps.

equipment

Replacement handle

If you prefer pickaxes with a wooden handle, you should always have a spare handle ready just in case. When buying, pay attention to whether you have a large or a small stem eye need so that the tool head also fits. Ring and / or S-Fix wedges are also useful for secure fastening.