After the detector and a pinpointer, a proper digging tool is the thing that makes the biggest difference to a day’s detecting. UK soil is hard work: heavy clay, flint, stones and roots. A garden trowel will bend, and a garden spade makes big, messy holes that landowners notice.
How we chose: from specifications, current Amazon UK prices and ratings, and what UK detectorists say about digging tools. We haven’t tested every tool ourselves.
Spade or hand digger?
- Long-handled spades are best for farmland and pasture. You dig standing up, which saves your back over a long day, and they cut through clay and roots easily.
- Hand diggers (trowels) are best for parks, gardens and beaches, where you want a small, neat hole and to carry as little as possible. They’re also cheap enough to keep one as a spare.
Many detectorists end up with one of each.
What makes a good detecting spade
- Serrated edges to cut through turf and roots, so you can cut a neat, hinged plug and fold it back afterwards.
- A strong blade and socket. UK clay and flint bend weak tools, and the joint between blade and handle is usually where they fail.
- Light weight. You’ll carry it all day.
- A step or tread on a long spade, so you can push it in with your foot.
The best long-handled spades
Best overall: CKG Carbon Metal Detecting Shovel (about £64)
The CKG has a double-serrated blade for cutting turf and roots and a light carbon handle, so it's easy to carry all day. It's the highest-rated long detecting spade on Amazon UK with a decent number of reviews: 4.6 stars from 199 ratings. A blue version is also available at a similar price.
From a detector brand: Minelab Stainless Pro Spade (about £56)
Minelab's own spade has a stainless steel blade, which won't rust after a day in wet clay, and it's designed specifically for detecting. It has fewer reviews than the CKG (25, averaging 4.6 stars), but it comes from one of the biggest names in the hobby.
Best budget spade: Roughneck Gorilla Micro Shovel (about £16)
Not made for detecting, but the Roughneck is popular with detectorists because it's tough and cheap. It's 69cm long, with a sharp round blade, a reinforced socket and a fibreglass handle. It has no serrations, so it's slower through turf, but at this price it's hard to beat. It's rated 4.7 stars from 135 reviews.
The best hand diggers
Best hand digger: INCLY double-serrated digger (about £19)
A heavy-duty hand digger with serrated edges on both sides and a belt sheath, so it's always to hand. It's the most-reviewed detecting hand digger on Amazon UK, rated 4.7 stars from 625 ratings. It's ideal for parks and gardens, and as a second tool alongside a long spade on farmland.
Compact alternative: Detecting Innovations Mini Spade (about £16)
A short carbon-steel spade from a UK detecting accessories brand, somewhere between a hand digger and a full spade. It's heavy duty and small enough to strap to a bag. It has only a handful of reviews so far (4.5 stars from 17). As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Type | Price (approx.) | Serrated | Amazon UK rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CKG Carbon Shovel | Long spade | £64 | Yes, both sides | 4.6 (199) |
| Minelab Stainless Pro Spade | Long spade | £56 | — | 4.6 (25) |
| Roughneck Micro Shovel | Short spade | £16 | No | 4.7 (135) |
| INCLY digger | Hand digger | £19 | Yes, both sides | 4.7 (625) |
| Detecting Innovations Mini Spade | Short spade | £16 | — | 4.5 (17) |
Prices are Amazon UK prices checked in September 2026 and change often.
How to dig a neat hole
- Pinpoint the target with your detector so you know roughly where it is.
- Cut three sides of a square or a horseshoe around it, about 15–20cm across, leaving one side uncut as a hinge.
- Fold the plug back on the hinge, keeping the turf in one piece.
- Find the target with a pinpointer, in the hole or in the plug.
- Put the soil back, fold the plug down and tread it in. Done well, you can hardly see where you dug.
This is what the National Council for Metal Detecting’s code of conduct asks for, and it’s what keeps landowners happy to have you back.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a normal garden spade? For your first few trips, yes, but it makes bigger holes and is heavier to carry. A detecting spade soon pays for itself.
Are carbon spades strong enough? Good ones are. They’re lighter than steel, but look for reviews that mention clay and flint.
Can I take a spade to the beach? A sand scoop works much better on the beach. See our beach detecting guide.