You might think buying a trowel is fairly straightforward and it probably is …as long as you know what you want it for. Trowels these days come in slightly different shapes and sizes so you need to choose one that is closest to the garden tasks you have in mind. Trowels can be used for different purposes - scooping compost into pots, easing young plants out of pots, making holes in the soil for planting out young plants and for weeding. Some are better for one thing than another. Of course, the easiest solution is to buy a set, which will include a wide trowel, a slender one and a hand fork.
A HEADS-UP
The first thing to look at is the blade. What is it made from - usually carbon steel or stainless steel. The former usually comes with a coating for rust resistance, whereas stainless steel is good for rust resistance without any coating. Often the coatings - in green or brown, for example - are rather pleasing on the eye. Look too at the shape of the head - broader ones are good for scooping, ones with a pointed end are good for penetrating hardened soil, and some come with engraved measurements which help you to gauge the depth of the planting hole you are making. Also consider the depth of the head: some have only a slight curvature whereas others are deeper and therefore good for scooping compost or soil. Most trowels do most of the tasks you will need them for. Some - usually narrower ones - have serrated edges so that they also act as a weeding tool, sawing through roots as you slide it through the soil.