The Best Manual Lawn Edger for Your Needs

Choosing the Best Manual Lawn Edger: A Buyer’s Guide

As you can see from the reviews above, depending on your grass, different lawn edgers produce varied results. Surprisingly, this seemingly simple tool has many questions, usage options, and capabilities. You could be scratching your head over some of the finer features if you're new to this tool (or edging your lawn in general).

We've included some additional information below to assist you in picking the perfect tool for your needs and achieving "gold star lawn owner" status.

How to Pick Out A Good Tool

After you've answered the most common questions, there are a few more details to consider before purchasing a manual edger. These are separated into two groups: size and construction.

Size

The size of the edger has a significant impact on how well it works and how much energy it requires. A few factors will decide the appropriate size for you.

• Length: Based on your height, the total length is critical. You'll have to bend repeatedly to achieve the correct amount of power if it's too short. If the grass is too tall, you won't be able to get the right amount of leverage to break through it.
• Handle: It's also crucial to consider the size and shape of the handle. A T-handle is recommended since it provides a stable platform to put pressure to cut through your lawn.
• FootPlate: The footplate and the handle absorb most of the force you use to cut through the dirt. A wide plate allows you to take a comfortable and easy step down. If you don't feel comfortable balancing on one edge, we recommend taking a center step.
• Blade Size: The blade size is determined by how deep you want your edge to be. It is self-evident that the larger the blade, the more force is required. It will take longer to use a smaller blade, but shorter blades are more effective in tighter turns and smaller areas.
• Weight: With a manual tool, weight can make a major impact. When making a purchase, keep the entire weight in mind. A few pounds can significantly reduce the amount of work you have to accomplish.

Construction and Durability

Manual edger blades are often steel, carbon steel, or 12- to 15-gauge steel. They're all strong and long-lasting, so the final decision is yours. The most common deciding element is price.

Rather than the blade, the other tool elements are the more crucial aspects of the creation.

• Shaft: The last thing you want is for the handle to bend or break while you're working. Steel or hardwood like Ash is typically recommended.
• Handle: A T-handle is the most effective, as previously stated. The handle is usually composed of the same material as the shaft. On the other hand, a padded handle is what you want to seek. It will keep your hands from being raw and sore, whether foam, gel, or another cushioned material.
• Footplate: Again, a steel footplate is a way to go, but check for non-slip features. Overall, however, the strength of your foothold is critical. A fractured footplate can result in injury. Furthermore, you should seek out a wide ledge to confidently walk down.
• Blade: As previously said, blades are often composed of tough materials, making them unlikely to shatter. The sharpness of the blade, though, makes a significant impact. It makes no difference whether the blade is half-moon or V-shaped. Saw-tooth blades can also be used to easily cut through difficult materials.

Edger Blade

A rust-resistant stainless steel edger blade of high quality stays sharp for a long period.

Edger Shaft

Select a shaft that is long enough to extend above your waist. It enables you to complete the task without becoming overly weary.

Hand Grip

Choose a padded hand grip to minimize slippage and prevent blisters on your palm.

Warranty And Price

Compared to a motorized lawn edger, a manual lawn edger is less expensive. However, you have a few choices, and you should choose the one that fits your budget and comes with a longer guarantee.

What is a manual lawn edger?

A lawn edger is a landscaping tool that can cut or trim grass and weeds on your lawn. Edger aids in the creation of a neat border between your grass and roads or walkways.

It helps you maintain your yard while also improving the beauty of your property. You may use the edger to give your patios, flower pots, trees, and raised garden beds a distinct look.

How to use a manual lawn edger

Using a manual lawn edger is a simple procedure. However, learning to use the right techniques will make your task much easier and a much cleaner cut.

Make sure you have some type of ground marking to help you stay on your preferred edging course. It's quite simple to lose track if you don't use any labeling, so we strongly advise you to do so.

Place the edger blade on the designated line and hold the shaft firmly in your hand once you've made a mark on the ground. Push your foot down to the ground on the edger step. To get it to dig further into the earth, you may need to wriggle it a little.

Shake the blade while it's in the ground to loosen the dirt and cut any exposed roots. Move the edger to the next mark after removing it from the soil. To loosen the ground, repeat the technique along your marking line.

The grass or weed can then be manually pulled out of the dug-out earth and planted elsewhere or composted.

We've put together a little video illustrating how to operate a manual step edger because a picture is worth a thousand words.

What makes you want to use a manual lawn edger?

A manual lawn edger is a basic gardening tool with a long shaft and an attached edging blade. In contrast to other edgers powered by a gas motor or electricity, you utilize your physical force to cut.

There are various advantages to using a manual lawn edger over a gas-powered one.

Reliable

Depending on the size of your yard, you may only need to edge a small portion of it. If you have a tiny garden, you may need something that can accomplish the edging quickly.

You can use a manual lawn edger, which is easy to store and use whenever you need it. You don't have to bother about filling the gas tank or charging the batteries as you do with powered lawn edgers.

Inexpensive

A motorized lawn edger is more expensive than a manual lawn edger. It does not incur any additional fees to keep it running. It's a one-time investment that could pay off over time.

Low Maintenance

Manual lawn edgers are a straightforward tool with no complicated mechanical parts. It's simple to maintain because all you have to do is keep it clean after each usage, so it doesn't rust. You're good to go with a quick swipe of the edger blade.

Easy To Store

Manual lawn edgers are small and don't take up a lot of storage space. You may hang it in your garage or simply put it in the shed when you don't need it, and you won't have to worry about it again.

Eco-Friendly

A manual lawn edger is environmentally friendly because it does not require gasoline. The edging is done with your upper body strength, and there is no carbon emission.

Zero Noise

The manual lawn edger makes no noise, unlike gas or electric-powered lawn edger. You can edge anytime you want, without worrying about disturbing your neighbors.

Workout

A manual lawn edger necessitates physical exertion, which aids in the burning of calories and keeping the body active. You receive all of the benefits of exercise while keeping your lawn in good shape. It's ideal for yards that are small to medium in size.

What are some of the most prevalent manual lawn edgers?

There are three types of manual lawn edgers:

• Rotary Edger
• Standard Edger
• Spade Edger

Rotary Edger

On one side of a rotary edger is a wheel for moving the edger, and on the other is a rotating blade for cutting. The wheel assists you in walking in the chosen direction while the blade edges the way.

The rotary edger blade is flat and sharp, making it ideal for edging sidewalks and driveways. The rotary edger's wheel usage makes lawn edging less physically demanding.

Standard Edger

The most prevalent manual lawn edger you'll encounter is standard edgers. The edger blade can be either half-moon-shaped or V-shaped, and it has a simple design. When you have a lot of grass and weed roots to cut, V-shaped blades are the way to go.

Place your feet on the top half of the cutting blade and shove it into the dirt to help push the edger deep into the earth to cut roots.

Spade Lawn Edgers

The blade of a spade lawn edger can be square or rectangular. There is a stepping surface at the top of the edge to provide you more leverage. The broad-edged spade edger performs as well as other edger instruments in terms of efficiency and cleanliness.

With the longer blade, you can cover a larger edging area with each swipe. You might use a chalk line or spray paint to mark the area. 3 to 4 inches deep into the earth, push the spade lawn edgers. The spade is then pushed forward and pulled back to form a V-shaped trench.

Conclusion

We hope this article has provided some insight into manual lawn edgers and how to choose the right one for your needs. We recognize how challenging it can be to navigate the world of online tools, so we hope our reviews have provided you with some food for thought.

The AMES 2917200 Saw-Tooth Border Edger is, in our opinion, the best manual lawn edger you can get delivered to your front door. This is a piece of lightweight, long-lasting equipment that will make yard cleanup stress-free and straightforward. This versatile edger may be used on everything from pathways to flower beds.

We recommend the Yard Butler EDGE-180 Step Edger if you want something easy on your pocketbook and back. The saw-tooth blade slices through the hardest ground and makes your lawn the envy of all your neighbors, despite being a little heavier.