It's good to read the report and now we'll all know where to go when we have a problem that requires a good tool. Thanks to Dave, Trish, and all members who contributed to the list.

Amazon now has the Cobrahead in several sizes so check it out if you prefer a long handled weeding tool.

It was fun to read everyone's very biased (in a good way) opinions about their favorite tools. Perhaps I'll try a cobrahead since it garnered the #1 position. I've always looked at them in bewilderment.

My favorites are my circle hoes. I have both the long and short handled ones.

Karen

The expandable rake is my second favorite. It can get in tight spaces as well as performing as usual for raking leaves or spreading mulch.

I had never heard of the Cobrahead weeder before, but with so many folks singing its' praises, I may have to check it out and get one.

Thanks!

The tiny weeds and moss, growing between these very heavy slabs, are such a nuisance to weed. Thanks to the Cobrahead, it took less than a minute to clear them out.

I can see its use for small spaces (I carry a paint scraper thing in my tool bucket for that), but how is it useful for larger areas? It just seems like such a tiny head to me.

Some liken it to a steel fingernail and it is. I used it to edge a garden when the old rubber (wavy after 20+ years) was removed. The job went so fast. You can use it for breaking up hard soil, cultivating where you want to plant something, even transplanting. As I get out in spring I'm sure I'll find more uses for it. I'm sure it could also scare away annoying neighbors depending on how menacing you can appear!

I love it because it is versatile. Small spaces, digging (lifting) out transplants, scuffle weeding, and don't forget how good it feels to just swing it into the soil and get some of that frustration out!

Use it sideways, skim weeds, makes getting under some weeds a lot easier to lift them out as well as the digging out transplants. After I got mine I just couldn't imagine how I ever lived without it! I have both short and long handled. LOVE THEM!!!

Well, I love to browse the tool section of the feed store, and need dog and bird food so perhaps I'll pick one up and give it a whirl. I tried one of those wing-hoe things for a couple years but never could make sense of that either and finally put it at the end of the driveway with a free sign on it (love doing that). My gardening style seems to be either (a) go big with a shovel or (b) get on my knees and use the fingers. I keep trying to learn how to use tools.

pirl said:The tiny weeds and moss, growing between these very heavy slabs, are such a nuisance to weed. Thanks to the Cobrahead, it took less than a minute to clear them out.

Wow...I have been hand weeding. Didn't relish the idea of grating on rock with a too big tool. Will it function for flagstone that is not flush to the ground? Yours looks fairly set ..the hoe would have to descend a bit...like 2-3 inches

I haven't had the chance to use it as you need it to, but 2-3" wouldn't be a problem. I'll give it a try tomorrow and report back.

Appreciate that very much!

Those flagstones very thick and I do try to back fill but it either washes or ...well I don't know.
The weeds "appear" to be at surface but in some spots several inches deep to reach the hoeing surface. So I hand weed...but I really hate it.. Snakes have emerged from under a flagstone or two. I don't see how...but they do .. hate to use my hands --even gloved. Amazing, can grow beautiful thick weeds between those stones but not a strong stand of ground cover.

Mine are also very thick but I guess my work at the sides of each stone loosens the soil enough that it creeps back between them. Then come the weeds and I've been on my trusty, old scatter rug for years using knives to get the weeds out but this Cobrahead makes it so easy. No snakes here but nothing like a "Cobra" head to whack down the snakes.

I picked up an entire clutch of baby snakes bare handed years ago while picking up leaves from an inside corner against the chimney...I think I got PTSD from it. Now I can't stand sticking my hands into anything densely growing. I did see a black snake emerging from the underside of a flagstone.

Well......at least no "cobras" here!😳😳 at least not the slithery kind. Thank you for giving it a try. Even if not compatible it sounds like a good investment.

You are far braver than I am!

Getting the weeds out is fine, even at 3" deep. The only problem I can see is if there's something underneath that can't be seen. Ran into that today with an old pine root but got a saw and removed it.

Thanks! Appreciate it!

What a great article... this will help me in years to come!

Rosie, I love the long handled cobrahead just because you never know what is hiding in the mulch. It is more comfortable working it from a distance.