15 Must-Have Lawn Care Tools That Are Worth Every Penny

Taking care of your lawn is a year-round job. From prepping the lawn in Spring to raking in leaves in Autumn, it's not easy making your lawn look great. The right tools can make your job much easier.

Some tools are so valuable that, over the long haul, they can actually boost your bank account by allowing you to take a DIY approach to lawn care instead of hiring a professional.

Here are the best gadgets that can help you maintain your lawn throughout the year.

A lawn mower can be an expensive purchase, but the long-term cost is likely to be less than hiring a mowing service to care for your lawn once a week. Lawnmowers come in both gas and electric versions.

As with many items on this list, you might even be able to use your lawn mower to make some extra cash by caring for your neighbors' yards.

You may know string trimmers by their brand names, such as Weedwacker or Weed Eater. 

This is a helpful lawn tool that reaches those spots around flower beds, playsets, and fences that your lawn mower can't reach. Like a lawn mower, you can get either a gas or electric version.

A leaf blower is a great option to move tree leaves with less work than a rake.

Check out different leaf blower options to clean up your backyard. Remember that a leaf blower also helps in areas where a rake may not work as well, such as walkways, driveways, or decks.

There are several different types of leaf collectors. For example, check out a leaf hauler that allows you to put the leaves on a large tarp and move them to where you need them.

Or consider a leaf bag funnel if you put leaves in paper lawn bags for collection. Finally, check out a leaf bag holder to keep your bag upright and open so you can put leaves inside.

A fruit tree can be a good addition to any yard, as you can use it for free food. But it might be difficult to grab pieces that are up high on the tree.

So, check out a fruit picker to keep your property free of rotting food underfoot and increase the amount of enjoyment you can get from the tree.

To get a garden started or prepare your flower beds for new plantings, you will need a rake with more punch in it than a typical leaf rake.

Pick up a soil rake to churn up soil and prepare it for your next project. This type of rake can also help you spread mulch or work on pea-sized gravel.

Want to get your hedges looking clean with crisp lines? There's a tool for that.

A hedge trimmer can help you clean out random leaves and branches that stick out from your hedges. Give them a more uniform look by cutting them evenly.

You can find hedge trimmers in gas or electric versions.

Aerating your lawn can be an important way to keep it healthy. Aeration can break up the soil to help your lawn get the air, water, and nutrients it needs for healthy growth.

But aeration can also be expensive if you hire a lawn service to do it.

So, pick up some aerator shoes, which have long spikes that allow you to aerate your lawn while walking over it yourself. It's a cheaper alternative to hiring a lawn service.

There are situations where specialty planters can be a big help.

For example, you might want to grow vegetables but need raised beds or special planters to keep them away from animals. Or, perhaps, you don't have an outdoor space with enough soil to grow plants and vegetables.

Check out specialty planters that can help you create your own garden with flowers, plants, and other options in a tight space. A confined planter is also ideal for things such as berries or mint.

Digging in the dirt — and reaching through bushes, plants, and leaves to pull out weeds or trim plants — can be tough work that will scratch up your hands.

So, pick up some good garden gloves to keep your hands protected. A strong pair is worth the money.

Sprinklers protect your grass from burning up by keeping it well-hydrated. A sprinkler attached to a hose is a great and affordable option, especially for smaller yards.

You can also get a sprinkler system, but the cost of installation and maintenance can be higher.

Pruning shears are good for trimming small bushes and plants to keep them in order.

They are also great for detailing smaller pieces on plants or bushes once you have used larger shears to get things cleaned up overall.

A hose can be a cheap and easy option for getting water anywhere so you can keep the yard and flowers healthy.

Invest in a good hose that can reach far enough to cover your yard. And if you use a hose, remember to turn off the hose bibs leading to your hoses in the winter so the water doesn't freeze and damage pipes.

Shovels are useful tools that come in a variety of sizes. One great option is a hand-held shovel.

These types of shovels are easy to use for small jobs such as planting flowers or vegetables in the spring and digging up pesky weeds when cleaning flower beds.

It's easy to spread mulch, move dirt, or get plants in place with the help of a wheelbarrow.

Check out a variety of wheelbarrows to find one that works for your particular needs. Be sure to factor in things such as size and durability.

You might have to spend some money to stock your garage or shed with lawn care gadgets and tools. But over time, this spending can actually help you keep more money in your wallet.

Doing lawn care yourself can result in big savings compared to hiring someone else to do the job.