AMES Tools Review and Gear Up Your Garden Giveaway

 

We’ve teamed up with AMES Tools to bring you a review of their new line of garden tools.  AMES has a history that spans more than 230 years manufacturing lawn and garden tools for home gardeners. Captain John Ames  began making shovels for American pioneers in 1774!  The company has a rich history  and has provided tools that built several famous American landmarks. We’re ecstatic to have this opportunity to test out a few of their new line of tools this past week. As an added bonus, AMES will be giving one of our lucky fans a set of the same tools in this review! Let’s get this review and giveaway started.

*Giveaway Closed*

Disclosure: We received free tools and hose reels from AMES in exchange for writing a review on the blog.  Our opinions are %100 our own and are in no way influenced by AMES.

Mark’s Review

NeverLeak® Hose reels:

These stylish new hose storage solutions from AMES feature the brand’s patented NeverLeak aluminum water system, which resists cross threading, stands up to cold temperatures, and is 8x stronger than typical plastic water systems.

These sturdy hose reels are fantastic! They are stout enough to stay put when you crank the handle, and it doesn’t feel like you are going to pull the handle off, even at a fairly rapid pace. We trialed three different models: two wall mount hose reels and a free-standing hose reel cabinet. The plumbing on all three includes a heavy duty 4′ lead hose to connect the unit to the water supply, and sturdy aluminum intake and supply fixtures on the units themselves. The wall mount units are both made of poly. The cabinet is metal.

The two wall mount units are extremely similar, the difference being the manually operated hose guide on the deluxe model. This is a really nice feature for keeping the hose evenly distributed on the reel while keeping your hands clean and dry (and warm in December). They come completely assembled, with screws for mounting on wood. If you are mounting to masonry, you’ll need to purchase anchors separately. Mounting is as simple as pre drilling four holes and turning four screws. Then simply connect the lead hose and your garden hose. It took about 3 minutes out of the box to install the one I mounted on a wood backing. The masonry one took a minute or so longer. I like the shelf on the top of the units because it is a convenient location to place tools or gloves when you are switching out nozzles or mixing sprays. As far as the NeverLeak name, I have high “street” pressure on my front hose bib that has been known to blow up hose-end sprayers, and this hose reel did not blink under the pressure.

The metal hose reel cabinet is attractive in a clean, simple way. The sturdy design is highlighted by the installation of the four legs: they are inserted into 1″ deep sockets and screwed in at the base, making them as solid as any garden furniture you may have on the patio. I located this one in my vegetable garden area where it serves as an attractive water relay point at the end of the reach of my house hose. Along with the heavy duty plumbing detailed above, this unit includes the Auto-track hose guide system, which automatically guides the hose as you crank the handle. Everything about this unit is sturdy, and looks good enough to serve as an end table for your patio set.

Back to basics:

Garden spade – ideal for creating defined landscape borders, and digging and transplanting trees and shrubs.

This spade is a bit different from the traditional D-handled garden spade. It has a nice broad tread that doesn’t cut into your foot when you step down on it. It also has a curved face; not as much as a “sharp shooter” or even like a round point shovel, but enough to envision it making a serviceable trenching or drain shovel on occasion. I like multi-taskers, and this spade fits the bill. It also looks like the handle will be easy to replace when the time finally comes, with only one rivet and the collar to remove. The D handle itself is poly, so should last a long time.

 

Debbie’s Review:

Gel-Grip Hand Tools:

AMES has three new additions to its popular line of ergo, gel-grip garden hand tools including a 2-in-1 cultivator, a 3-in-1 weeder and a hand rake. Each features an ergonomic handle design with a soft gel-grip insert that cushions the hand and provides maximum comfort, making it the perfect gardener’s companion.

1. The cultivator features a stainless steel, dual-purpose head for tilling and light digging.
2. The weeder features a stainless steel head and serrated edge for cutting and removing roots.
3. The hand rake features a flexible, steel head for raking in tight places and can be used to dislodge small weeds and smooth soil in planters and beds.

Although I have several hand tools in my garden toolkit, I believe I have a new favorite :-). Most of the tools I own have wood handles. We tend to lean towards wood handles because of comfort in the hand and the ease of restoration. AMES’ gel-grip line has made me a convert. The handles are extremely comfortable and my hands were not sore after a vigorous weeding session. The stainless steel heads are firmly attached to the handles and looks like they will take some wear and tear. All three tools effectively help cultivate and weed in-between plants. They are tough enough to dig up pesky, deep rooted weeds but flexible to reach between tightly planted veggies. I particularly enjoyed using the 2-in-1 cultivator. It’s a great, all purpose hand tool to use for most of your weeding chores. All three new tool in the ergo line will help make quick work of your garden weed eradication tasks!

 *Giveaway Closed*

Win one of each AMES tools we reviewed!

Through January 4, 2015, enter for your chance to win one of each tool we reviewed from AMES Tools~  a $275 value!  The entry form is located below. All the methods of entry are 100% optional. It only takes one entry to win, but the more entries you complete – the better your chances!
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