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Home maintenance means more than keeping up with indoor projects. For matters of curb appeal and changing seasons, hands-on homeowners need to be ready with a garden shed of outdoor supplies, ranging from sprinklers and string trimmers to chainsaws and snow blowers.
Our team worked year-round watering gardens, trimming lawns, piling leaves, and scooping snow to find the best hoses, mowers, rakes, and shovels. By spending well over 300 hours extensively testing 173 tools, we gathered enough data to confidently deliver the 21 top lawn and garden products our testers swear by.
See the best of each test with this list of the number one lawn and garden products of 2022.
1. Brome Squirrel Solution200 Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder
Birds have their particular preferences on how they like to feed. Thankfully, Brome’s Squirrel Solution200 feeder features four perches and an outer wire cage to satisfy clinging and perching feeders.
This tube-style feeder is also squirrel proof. When a squirrel climbs onto the feeder, its weight automatically forces the cover down, closing access to the ports without harming the animal.
This feeder performed well in testing, successfully foiling squirrels over and over again. The size and design is perfect for small bird species such as house finches and chickadees. However, we noticed that larger birds seem reluctant to feed on it. Nonetheless, it’s an excellent, durable feeder that will hold up for years.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Bird Feeders guide.
Get the Brome bird feeder at Amazon or Lowe’s.
2. Aterod 75-Foot Black Expandable Garden Hose
Albeit a larger version of the model we tested, the Aterod garden hoses share the same hallmarks: Connect the collapsible garden hose to a spigot and turn on the water, and it expands nearly three times in length. Its solid-brass fittings didn’t leak at the nozzle or the spigot connections. An included nine-function nozzle offers the right spray pattern for watering the garden, washing the dog, or cleaning the windows.
The hose didn’t seem to be negatively affected by spending a day and night outdoors, nor was it harmed when we backed over it with a vehicle. The only drawback was the shell fabric, which may not withstand dragging across abrasive surfaces. However, when fully expanded, it was strong and rigid.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Expandable Hoses guide.
Get the Aterod expandable hose at Amazon.
3. Teknor Apex Zero-G ⅝-Inch Aluminum Garden Hose
Out of the box, the Zero-G hose was plain looking and unimpressive—just a wrinkly gray hose that was problematic to untangle. Wow, are first impressions ever deceiving! Despite its initial drab debut, this hose ended up taking the top spot.
The wrinkly Zero-G hose transformed into a super-resilient hose that refused to kink, even when we looped it into a knot and pulled on the end. Impressive. It also withstood being stretched across the driveway and backed over.
The hose comes with a flexible inner vinyl core and is encased in a thick layer of high-density woven fibers that reinforce and protect the hose. The attachment fittings are made from rugged aluminum for strength, and they come with brass inserts for durability.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Garden Hoses guide.
Get the Teknor Apex garden hose at Amazon, Ace Hardware, or Lowe’s.
4. Dramm ColorStorm 9-Pattern Turret Sprinkler
With the flexibility of delivering nine different spray patterns, the Dramm ColorStorm sprinkler dispenses just the right amount of water at the turn of a dial. It comes in a variety of cheerful colors, and the paint is more like a quality enamel than a thin coating.
The Dramm sprinkler features a heavy-duty metal base that weighs 14.4 ounces, so it didn’t move—as flimsy sprinklers are prone to do—when we turned on the water pressure. We were able to control the width and distance by adjusting the spigot.
With just a quick rotation of the sprinkler’s black ring, we selected the different watering patterns. The spray patterns are accurately depicted on the dial’s face, and each one offers a uniform water spray.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Lawn Sprinklers guide.
Get the Dramm lawn sprinkler at Amazon.
5. CobraHead Original Weeder & Cultivator Garden Tool
Great for removing stubborn weeds from heavy soil, this weeding tool’s curved forged-steel end hooks deeply beneath the weed to lift and remove it. In testing, the versatility of this handy little tool truly impressed us. The blade dug deep into the soil for removal of taproot, yet it just scratched the surface to cultivate safely next to young seedlings.
In addition to our inground and container garden weeding tests, we used the CobraHead to prepare planting spots for new seedlings. The tough blade quickly loosened the surface to a depth of about 4 inches with little effort. The thick handle provided a sure, comfortable grip in either hand.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Weeding Tools guide.
Get the CobraHead weeding tool at Amazon or Grow Organic.
6. Bully Tools 12-Gauge Round Point Shovel
The Bully Tools 12-gauge round-point shovel performed well throughout our tests. It powered through hard-packed clay soil and cut cleanly through sod and roots. The wide step area made it easy to use even while wearing soft-soled shoes instead of work boots. The handle offered just enough flexibility to absorb the shock of digging without bending under a load of soil.
One possible concern with this shovel is the welded area where the socket meets the blade—if users try too hard to pry out a rock or thick root (which they should not do), they could cause the metal surrounding the weld to break. Still, this is an excellent tool for all-purpose digging in the yard and garden.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Shovels guide.
Get the Bully Tools shovel at Amazon, The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Tractor Supply Co., or Gempler’s.
7. Greenes Fence Cedar Raised Garden Bed
We were excited to open the Greenes Fence Cedar Raised Garden Bed and put it together. Cedar is a naturally weather-resistant wood, and there was no question that it was natural cedar—the fresh aroma of the wood confirmed it.
After assembling the 4-foot-by-8-foot Greenes garden bed, we placed it on a level section of the yard and filled it with potting soil. Since this raised bed is open on the bottom, it drains freely, making it well suited for fruits, vegetables, and flowers that require ample drainage. The sides are 14 inches high, which is just about right for pulling an occasional weed or picking a ripe green pepper without back strain.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Raised Garden Beds guide.
Get the Greenes Fence raised garden bed at Amazon, The Home Depot, Lowe’s, or Tractor Supply Co.
8. AeroGarden Harvest Indoor Garden
The AeroGarden Harvest Indoor Garden comes with six pods, non-GMO seeds (basil, parsley, dill, thyme, Thai basil, and mint), and plant food. AeroGarden is arguably the top name in indoor gardens; right out of the box, it was clear this indoor garden was designed to grow fresh, delicious herbs.
We filled the water tank, adjusted the LED light, dropped the pre-seeded pods into the growing ports, and hit the power button. Every 14 days, the AeroGarden Harvest prompted us—via a bright green light—to add more fertilizer to the tank, and when the water level dipped too low, a bright blue light reminded us to add water. The plants grew quickly, and we were harvesting small snips for cooking in just 4 weeks.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Indoor Gardens guide.
Get the AeroGarden indoor garden at Amazon or Lowe’s.
9. Snapper XD 82V Cordless Battery-Powered Lawn Mower
The Snapper XD features a variable-speed transmission and design features that allow for adjustments to meet different grass-cutting demands. In our tests, the Snapper XD traversed all types of terrain and left behind a smooth, even cut on a single pass. It easily powered through overgrown grass and weeds up to 10 inches tall.
In overall performance for the price, this mower offers excellent power and runtime to mow about ⅓ acre, or 15,000 square feet, per charge. The mower’s impressive 21-inch steel cutting deck can mulch, side discharge, or bag with a capacity of up to 2.1 cubic feet of grass clippings. When the yard work is done, this mower folds up conveniently for vertical storage in the garage.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Battery-Powered Lawn Mowers guide.
Get the Snapper battery-powered lawn mower at Amazon or Mower’s Direct.
10. Ryobi 38-Inch 100 Ah Electric Riding Mower
This Ryobi rear-engine riding mower is an excellent choice for lawns up to 2.5 acres. A trio of brushless 10-amp motors delivers 48 volts—enough power to mow for about 2.5 hours with a recharge time of up to 6 hours. This small electric lawn mower is mighty, built with 16-inch wheels for maneuvering over rough terrain. Its 12-gauge steel deck and sturdy frame offers superior durability.
The dual-bladed 38-inch cutting deck can be adjusted in 12 different positions for cutting the grass to the desired length. A control panel allows users to engage the blades, power on the bright LED headlights, enable cruise control, and charge devices with the built-in USB port. Other useful features include a cupholder, a built-in hitch, and a battery-level indicator.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Electric Mowers guide.
Get the Ryobi electric mower at The Home Depot.
11. Worx Landroid M 20V 4.0 Ah Robotic Lawn Mower
The popular Worx Landroid robotic mower lineup includes models S, M, and L for yards up to ⅛ acre, ¼ acre, and ½ acre, respectively. Assembling and programming the Landroid M was easy, mowing was reliable with excellent coverage, communication through the mobile app was intuitive, and runtime was superior—all for a very competitive price. Runtime was especially impressive: We clocked it at 2 hours 35 minutes, the longest of all the mowers we tested.
Aside from an issue docking itself in its base station, the Landroid provides outstanding overall functionality. It can mow on a 20-degree slope. Its 8-inch self-leveling mowing disc cuts closer to the edges of the yard than many competitors, and the blade height manually adjusts from 1½ to 3½ inches.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Robot Lawn Mowers guide.
Get the Worx robot mower at Amazon or The Home Depot.
12. Greenworks 40V 10-Inch Cordless Cultivator/Tiller
While corded tillers offer plenty of advantages, the cord can get in the way during operation and limit gardeners who need to work 100 feet or more from an electrical outlet. We were impressed that this battery tiller proved as effective as the corded models we tested.
The Greenworks tiller is fast and aggressive, even in our hard-packed garden paths and clay-based soil. The padded grip was comfortable and made it easy to control the machine. It can be configured with two or four tines, which changes the tilling width from 8.25 inches to 10 inches. Small and relatively lightweight, it’s a good choice for smaller gardens as well as gardeners who want a compact tool that is easy to operate and store.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Electric Tillers guide.
Get the Greenworks electric tiller at Amazon or Northern Tool + Equipment.
13. Ego Power+ 15-Inch String Trimmer with Powerload
For medium- and large-size landscapes, clean, quiet battery-powered lawn equipment has arrived. In our backyard tests, the Ego Power+ trimmer performed as well in grass as the gas-powered equipment. It has a well-balanced feel for good maneuverability and is light enough to work for hours comfortably if necessary.
This cordless trimmer looks, feels, and cuts like a conventional 2-cycle weed wacker but without the noise or fumes. The kit includes a 56-volt 2.5-Ah battery that lasts up to 45 minutes and recharges in 50 minutes. Those familiar with gas equipment may feel right at home operating this trimmer with its variable-speed trigger and bump-head line feed.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best String Trimmers guide.
Get the Ego Power+ string trimmer at Amazon, Ace Hardware, Lowe’s, or Acme Tools.
14. Ryobi 40V HP Brushless 18-Inch Battery Chainsaw
Ryobi’s 18-inch-bar 40-volt chainsaw hits on all criteria needed to be a top battery chainsaw. Through our hands-on testing, we found that it delivers top chain speed, instant response trigger, and superb power. Even when it was deep in larger cuts—where other saws could be slowed down—the Ryobi powered through.
It has great runtime, which is ideal for work not adjacent to an electrical source. Battery exchange is a snap, the tool is well balanced, and the price and availability of other parts and supplies is great. The unit ships in its own blow-molded carrying case that also houses spare chains, the battery and charger, and a bottle of bar oil.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Battery Chainsaws guide.
Get the Ryobi battery chainsaw at The Home Depot.
15. Worx 40V Power Share Turbine Cordless Leaf Blower
The Worx 40V Power Share Turbine Cordless Leaf Blower has an impressive motor that provides power to the turbine to generate airspeeds up to 90 mph and airflow volumes up to 430 cubic feet per minute (CFM). This cordless electric leaf blower actually boasts variable speeds—users can go fast and heavy, slow and light, or somewhere in between, depending on their needs and the task at hand. The Worx blower weighs only 7.3 pounds and is made to allow one-handed control.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Leaf Blowers guide.
Get the Worx leaf blower at Amazon, Tractor Supply Co., or Target (tool only).
16. Husqvarna 360BT Backpack Leaf Blower
The Husqvarna 360BT gas-powered backpack leaf blower is a good all-around pick for large or small landscapes. The 65cc 2-cycle X-Torq engine pushes up to 631 CFM of air at 232 mph for general landscape cleanup. In our tests, the Husqvarna blower excelled in air movement, easily outperforming all the others. It weighs in at 23.5 pounds, and its engine was comparatively loud, but it was easy to start and comfortable to carry.
Husqvarna’s X-Torq engine design reduces exhaust emissions by up to 60 percent and increases fuel efficiency by up to 20 percent. Its offset handle makes the blow force easier to control, preventing arm strain and fatigue.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Backpack Leaf Blowers guide.
Get the Husqvarna backpack leaf blower at Amazon, Lowe’s, Tractor Supply Co., Acme Tools, or Husqvarna.
17. Worx 13-Amp Bladeless Electric Leaf Mulcher
This electric leaf mulcher from Worx is designed with the sole purpose of shredding leaves, which it does quickly and efficiently. The WG430 shreds much faster than any blower/vac-type leaf mulcher we tested. We just dropped leaves into the hopper by the armload (or basket full) and they were gone before we could pick up the next load, allowing us to fill a 30-gallon trash bag with shredded leaves in less than 5 minutes.
The trimmer lines on the cutter shredded enough to fill five bags before they needed replacement, a task that took under 2 minutes. If shoppers have lots of leaves to shred, this would be an excellent tool for the job.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Leaf Mulchers guide.
Get the Worx leaf mulcher at Amazon, Lowe’s, or Tractor Supply Co.
18. True Temper 26-Inch Dual Tine Poly Leaf Rake
Two of the worst aspects of leaf-cleanup season are the time commitment and physical exertion that raking requires. This dual-tine poly leaf rake by True Temper helps get the job done quickly and easily thanks to its lightweight, efficient design.
In our tests, the dual tines really did collect more debris faster, including hard-to-reach pine needles, acorns, and grass thatch, eliminating the need to double rake. We liked that the working edge where the tines meet the ground is relatively flat because it allows the rake to pick up more new material on each stroke regardless of the user’s height. However, the tines are quite stiff, which makes them less suitable for those applications in which “digging in” is less desirable.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Leaf Rakes guide.
Get the True Temper leaf rake at Ace Hardware or Tractor Supply Co.
19. Snow Joe Shovelution Strain-Reducing Snow Shovel
Anyone on the hunt for a solid overall snow shovel should give the Shovelution from Snow Joe a look. We admit that during testing, we didn’t want to like the Snow Joe shovel. The additional lift-assist handle seemed like a gimmick, but did it ever open our eyes.
The Snow Joe shovel is lightweight, meaning just about anyone can use it, whether adult or child. It’s also easy to use, requires much less bending over than a traditional shovel, and provides plenty of leverage for scooping. Our only complaint was that the additional handle was a little awkward when we turned the shovel over for chipping, but it does come with a strap to hold it in place.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Snow Shovels guide.
Get the Snow Joe snow shovel at Tractor Supply Co. or Snow Joe.
20. Troy-Bilt Storm 26-Inch 208 cc Gas Snow Blower
Anyone on the hunt for an all-around capable snow blower may want to check out the Troy-Bilt Storm 26-inch snow blower. This gas-powered model can handle small properties while being heavy-duty enough to hold its own on large ones as well.
In testing, we liked that the chunky tires offered plenty of grip—even on loose, grainy snow. The chute controls, including angle and trajectory, were easily accessible from the control panel. It doesn’t seem to throw snow as far as other models, but it was very effective at removing plowed snow from the end of a driveway. Also, starting this model was very easy; it started on the first pull almost every time.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Snow Blowers guide.
Get the Troy-Bilt snow blower at The Home Depot.
21. Ego Power+ Peak Power 21-Inch Snow Blower
This Ego Power+ cordless model (SNT2112) was our favorite all-around snow blower. During testing, it was easy to operate and push, even over less-than-smooth terrain. Despite being a single-stage model, it threw snow the advertised 40 feet, which was plenty for managing the snowfall. We also enjoyed the folding handle with quick-release levers, as it made storing this model a breeze. On the downside, it was a little heavy, but the extended battery life was a fair trade-off.
The SNT2112 features a 21-inch capacity, which is a bit larger than most comparable models. It comes with two 56-volt 5.0-Ah batteries that power the brushless motor enough to clear a 12-car driveway. The adjustable throttle also allows the user to regulate the power and battery as needed.
Learn about how we tested and reviewed more top picks in our Best Cordless Snow Blowers guide.
Get the Ego Power+ cordless snow blower at Amazon, Ace Hardware, Lowe’s, or Acme Tools.
