Useful for digging, cutting and planting, hori hori knives are versatile gardening tools. Although they might look fairly simple in design, most have several clever features to make them well-suited to a range of different outdoor jobs.
We’ve scoured the internet to find the very best hori hori knives you can buy online - only high-quality designs have made it onto our list. Scroll down to see our favourites and find our buyers guide at the bottom of this article.
The best hori hori knives for gardening tasks
Flora Guard Professional Hori Hori Garden Knife
A great option for discerning gardeners, this hori hori knife combines smart aesthetics and durable materials. Its stand-out feature is the hard redwood handle, which is water-resistant to stop it rotting over time.
Another great feature is the full tang, as the stainless steel blade extends along the full length of the handle for extra strength.
Like all the best hori hori knives, this one has two cutting edges: a sharp, straight blade for slicing and a serrated one for sawing through roots. Plus, the makers have included depth markings, making it easier to judge measurements when planting.
The full-grain cowhide sheath is the finishing touch, and it comes with a hanging loop and a popper strap to keep the knife safely in place.
Niwaki Hori Hori Knife
- Buy now from Sarah Raven (£32.95)
No list of the best hori hori knives would be complete without a mention of Niwaki. The renowned outdoor brand takes inspiration from Japanese gardening techniques, so it's no surprise the company's hori hori knife is a favourite among gardeners.
This one has a 17cm carbon steel blade, which comes with a tough canvas sheath. The handle is beechwood, certified by the FSC.
There are no depth markings here; this is a classic hori hori knife with a minimal, sleek look.
Garrett Wade Hori Hori & Sheath
- Buy knife from Garrett Wade ($35.00)
- Buy knife with sheath from Garrett Wade ($63.00)
Garrett Wade is an Ohio-based brand focused on creating high-quality garden tools and equipment designed to last.
This is its Japanese hori hori knife, made from stainless steel and tropical redwood. The blade itself is 17cm long and over 3mm thick, and comes with a leather belt sheath for safety as you move around the garden.
Barebones Hori Hori Garden Knife and Sheath
- Buy now from Bespoke Post ($70.00)
If we were handing out a prize for the best multi-purpose hori hori tool, this one from Barebones might just win it. Not only does it come with both a straight and serrated knife edge; it also has a curved scoop, a pommel base for hammering and a notch for cutting twine or removing bottle caps.
Plus, the 18cm stainless steel knife has depth markings to help with bulb planting.
The makers have finished the hardwood handle with walnut for a smart look, and included a waxed canvas sheath with stylish copper and leather details.
Spear & Jackson Kew Gardens Planting and Weeding Knife
While the makers describe this multifunctional gardening tool as a planting and weeding knife, it shares lots of its features with the Japanese hori hori, so it might be worth considering if you’re after a design from a well-known brand.
This tool is not only made by the trusted brand Spear & Jackson, but it's endorsed by Kew Gardens, so you can be sure you’re getting a high-quality design if you opt for this one.
You’ll get a mirror-polished stainless steel blade with one serrated edge for sawing through roots. Use the pronged tip to remove weeds and daisies from your lawn, and the cut-out notch for slicing through twine.
As you’d expect, there’s a handy measuring guide too, for planting bulbs.
Radius Garden Multipurpose Tool
- Buy now from Garden Imports (£9.99)
For a slightly different design, try this multi-purpose tool from Radius Garden. It combines the best features of a trowel, transplanter and hori hori knife, so it should work well for a range of different gardening tasks.
Radius has used die-cast aluminium for the blade, which is lightweight yet stronger than steel and shouldn’t rust if it gets wet.
The design also incorporates a grippy thermoplastic handle, making this knife a great choice for those who want to avoid less ergonomic wooden handles.
Grumpy Gardener Hori Multi Purpose Garden Tool
Most of the hori hori knives you can find online come with classic wooden handles, but if you’re after something with extra grip, try this design from Grumpy Gardener. The makers have used a rubber handle alongside the serrated steel blade.
A few extra features also set this hori hori knife apart from others you can buy. The blade comes with depth markings for bulb planting, and a forked tip designed to help with uprooting weeds and cutting through hard ground.
Buy this hori hori knife and you’ll also get a protective sheath with a belt loop.
What is a hori hori knife used for?
A hori hori knife is a traditional Japanese gardening tool with several different functions. Many have a straight and a serrated blade for cutting and sawing through roots, and some have in-built weeding forks and twine cutting notches too.
The best hori hori knives also come with depth measurement markers on the blade to help with bulb planting and other precise tasks.
Here are some of the gardening jobs you can tackle with a hori hori knife:
- Digging
- Scooping
- Cutting / sawing
- Weeding
- Bulb planting
- Transplanting
Features to look for in a hori hori knife
The best hori hori knives usually have a strong stainless steel or aluminium blade and a hardwood handle. If you’re on the lookout for a particularly grippy or ergonomic design, you can find versions with moulded, rubberised handles.
Some hori hori knives come with extra features too. Look out for designs with:
- Straight and serrated blades
- A slightly scooped blade
- Depth measuring marks
- A weeding prong
- A twine-cutting notch
- An extended tang for strength
- A protective sheath with a hanging/belt loop
For similar options, see our round-up of the best gardening knives for pruning. Don’t forget to keep them sharp with one of these whetstones, which you can use for lots of different gardening tools.
For tougher jobs, where compacted earth, rocks and roots are a problem, consider using a pickaxe to cut through quickly.