You Don’t Need More Gardening Tools This Spring – I’ve Relied on One Multi-Tool for Years

Once you're done, fold it up and put it in your pocket

Floral borders leading up to rustic wooden door
(Image credit: Mark Bolton Photography via Future)

If you've decided 2026 is the year you finally tackle the garden, don't rush into buying a whole range of expensive tools. Instead, I recommend a garden multi-tool that I have used for years: a singular, compact tool with multiple functions.

Take this Amazon garden pocket multi-tool, for example. It combines seven different tools for pruning, weeding, and DIY jobs in one gadget that folds away small enough to carry in your pocket. At $17.99, it's a more affordable way to test out different cutting tools if you're a novice gardener and aren't entirely sure which you need most. Plus, I love that its wooden finish makes it feel more expensive than the plastic alternatives.

Shoppers who already bought it have given it a 4.7-star rating, claiming 'it's probably one of the best garden tools [they've] ever owned' and it 'far exceeds any other similar pruners.' So, if you've got a long to-do list of garden jobs to get through, waste no more time (or money) shopping for large, flashy tools – this all-in-one option might be all you need to get started.

Why Use a Garden Pocket Multi-Tool

Pruning an apple tree in winter

A pocket multi-tool is useful to hold onto for the unexpected jobs that come up

(Image credit: Getty Images/grapegeek)

There are lots of reasons to get your hands on a garden pocket multi-tool: it's convenient, keeps all the essentials in one place, takes care of the basic gardening jobs, and saves you money on purchasing a wide range of separate essential pruning tools.

Every multi-tool differs slightly, but they generally have a number of cutting tools for the most common garden tasks. This hand garden multi-tool from Amazon, for example, has clippers, a knife, saw, and pruning shears.

Pruning shears (like these bypass pruning shears from Amazon) are usually the largest blade, taking care of the biggest pruning jobs in your yard, while mini garden knives within the tool can handle smaller and more precise jobs.

They often include a hand tool for weeding too, with a trowel or blade to pull up roots.

Beyond garden tasks, you often find these multi-tools also equip you for quick DIYs, with a saw or screwdriver.

Essentially, it's a handy companion to keep in your pocket while you walk around the yard, offering versatile, convenient on-the-go maintenance. Above all, it saves you the time and energy of having to go back and forth to your shed to retrieve heavier tools that aren't so easy to carry around.

Why Shoppers Love the Amazon Garden Multi-Tool

Pruning woody stem

Multi-tools work just as efficiently as separate pruning tools

(Image credit: egiss via Getty Images)

The reviews of the Amazon garden pocket multi-tool rave about just how much this compact tool levels up your gardening game.

'It's really easy to just slip this in your pocket if you're walking around your garden and then prune when you feel inclined to,' one five-star reviewer writes. 'The snippers are sharp, the knife and saw work for some light duty projects – often saving a trip back to the shed to get a bigger tool,' they add.

With seven tools, including pruning shears, a knife, and even a cross screwdriver, this pocket multi-tool has everything for on-the-go pruning, cutting twine, fixing garden structures, and more.

According to shoppers, all of the tools are 'good quality and reliable.'

'Everything is very, very sharp and cuts clean when pruning,' one reviewer adds.

If you're a beginner gardener and don't know where to start with tools, the reviews of this multi-tool suggest you don't need anything else:

'It's just become [my] go-to for any gardening,' one person shares.

It's great for bigger pruning jobs, with the main shears cutting through 1" branches, while the knife can be used for more precise jobs.

The shovel helps to pull up weeds by the roots and the saw helps with tougher plant matter, as well as DIY jobs alongside the screwdriver.

Of course, one of the best parts of this Amazon garden pocket multi-tool is the fact it folds away. The safety lock keeps it secure, safe for carrying around in your pocket or garden apron.

However, there are just a couple of downsides noted in the reviews:

'[The shears] open pretty wide – if you have small hands, it might be hard to open fully,' one person notes, as another adds it can be 'heavy and awkward to hold.'

Likewise, it is a small hand tool and can't help with every job in the yard – pruning tall tree branches, for example, may require some long-handled loppers (like these from Amazon).

But, for less than $20, this multi-tool saves the need to purchase separate tools for the most basic garden jobs, making it a great all-in-one yard companion to conveniently carry with you.


Don't forget to clean your garden tools after every use. This helps prevent a spread of pests and diseases among your plants.

Love inspiring garden ideas, outdoor advice, and the latest news? Sign up for our newsletter and get the latest features delivered straight to your inbox.

Shop Gardening Accessories

Tenielle Jordison
Gardens Content Editor

Tenielle is a Gardens Content Editor at Homes & Gardens. She holds a qualification in MA Magazine Journalism and has over six years of journalistic experience. Before coming to Homes & Gardens, Tenielle was in the editorial department at the Royal Horticultural Society and worked on The Garden magazine. As our in-house houseplant expert, Tenielle writes on a range of solutions to houseplant problems, as well as other 'how to' guides, inspiring garden projects, and the latest gardening news. When she isn't writing, Tenielle can be found propagating her ever-growing collection of indoor plants, helping others overcome common houseplant pests and diseases, volunteering at a local gardening club, and attending gardening workshops, like a composting masterclass.