A Hori-Hori knife is an essential multipurpose gardening tool. Whatever type of gardening tasks you need to do like digging, weeding, potting, or landscaping tasks, the Hori-Hori knife is the tool of choice for any gardening enthusiast.
The 5 Best Hori-Hori Knives
- CIELCERA Hori-Hori Garden Knife
- Nisaku NJP650 Hori-Hori Weeding & Digging Knife
- RiverView Enterprise Hori-Hori Multi-Use Garden and Camping Knife
- Sensei Tools Hori-Hori Digging Knife
- Hokuru Hori-Hori Knife (Our Top Pick)
Our Top Pick for the Best Hori-Hori Knife
Our top pick for the best Hori-Hori knife is the Hokuru Hori-Hori Knife. If gardening is your passion, the Hokuru Hori-Hori knife is the only tool you will ever need to keep your gardening looking fabulous.
Featuring a superb design, a razor-sharp blade, and an exquisitely carved wooden handle, this premium Japanese-inspired Hori-Hori knife is destined to take pride of place among your gardening tools. The Hokuru Hori-Hori knife comes with a thick leather sheath and a sharpening stone so it will make an excellent gift for family and friends who also love their gardens.
Check the price on AmazonThe Hori-Hori Knife: The Ultimate Gardening Tool
If you love to garden or your patio is adorned with all sorts of flowers and herbs in pots, a Hori-Hori knife is one of those gardening tools that you just cannot do without. This fantastic tool was first designed in Japan to transplant and trim Bonsai trees and create spectacular Japanese gardens and was even used by Japanese farmers as a weapon for self-defense.
However, this ultimate gardening tool can also be used for hunting, camping, hiking, fishing-related tasks and so much more:
- Digging and loosening soil
- Removing stones and rocks
- Weeding
- Pruning
- Cutting and removing roots
- Cutting through slim tree branches
- Transplanting seedlings and bulbs
- Removing Bonsai plants from pots
- Marking rows
- Cutting open fertilizer bags
- Cutting firewood
- Opening cans
- Cutting twine
- Gutting fish or animals
- Metal detecting and prospecting for gold
- Working on an archaeological dig
How to Choose the Best Hori-Hori Garden Knife
To be able to choose the right Hori-Hori gardening knife, here are things to look for:
Blade
The secret to the Hori-Hori knife’s success lies in its specially designed blade.
The blade features a concave (slightly rounded) design that allows it to function like a trowel to scoop out soil from a flower bed or a pot and the extra sharp spear point or tip is ideal for digging into hard, compacted soil.
Like bread knives or Swiss Army knives, the blade should be solid and strong and made from durable thick metal such as stainless steel, which is highly resistant to rust and corrosion, which makes it a very good material for outdoor use.
Size
The overall size of a Hori-Hori knife is usually about 12-inches long and the length of the blade ranges between 6.5-inches and 7.5-inches. The longer the blade, the deeper it can penetrate down into the soil.
Sharp Blade
A Hori-Hori blade should also be razor-sharp so that it can be used for a wide range of heavy-duty gardening tasks such as cutting and turning over and removing sharp stones and rocks. Some manufacturers put their knives through a special pre-sharpening process. They also include a diamond rod to maintain the blades sharpness over the long term.
Some Hori-Hori knives come with a whetstone, a solid stone that is specially designed for knife sharpening.
Serrated Edge
The blade has a straight edge and a serrated edge. The serrated edge is the most important part of the Hori-Hori knife as these individual serrations act as a saw to help you to cut through hard roots, slim tree branches, rope, fertilizer, and feed bags.
Full Tang
The blade should also have full tang which means the blade and handle are one solid piece, with the blade extending through the knife’s handle. This will increase the overall strength and reliability of the knife and also make sure that the blade will not snap off when you are digging into the hard soil or cutting through tough root systems.
Graduation or Measurement Marks
The extra special feature of a Hori-Hori knife is the graduation or measurement marks that are engraved onto the blade. These very handy marks allow you to accurately measure out soil or fertilizer and ensure that seedlings or bulbs are planted in the right depth so that they can take root and thrive in the soil.
The graduation or measurement marks should be easy to read. Depending on the manufacturer, they will be displayed either in Imperial (inches) and Metric (millimeters) or have both measurement systems.
Handle
As well as the blade, the Hori-Hori knife’s handle is extremely important. It protects you from cutting your hand while you work in the garden and it should allow you to maintain a good secure grip in challenging soil and garden conditions. The handle needs to be strong and securely riveted to the knife so that it does not snap off in the middle of your chores.
Most handles are made out of wood and have a solid Beechwood handle which is securely riveted onto the blade. The ideal handle should also be comfortable to hold and the rivets should be flush or set smoothly on the handle’s material.
Although wooden handles are strong, plastic handles are a good choice too. Plastic is durable and easier to keep clean, which means this type of material is just right for working in the outdoors.
Plastic handles are textured and have a non-slip finish handle, such as the Sensei Tools Hori-Hori Digging Knife, which features a more ergonomic design and is very comfortable to hold. Choosing wood or plastic comes down to a personal choice and both are well suited for gardening.
Sheath
A sheath or carrying case protects the knife when it is not being used. If you need to store it in your backpack or camping gear, it protects you from being injured by the sharp blade. Sheaths come in different materials such as premium genuine bonded leather, vinyl, or nylon.
Vinyl or nylon is the lighter choice especially if the sheath has a belt loop to keep the knife close for quick and also easy access. However, a leather sheath is highly durable and it looks attractive as well. Hori-Hori knives that come with a genuine leather sheath, such as the CIELCERA Hori-Hori Garden Knife, will make an excellent gift for the other gardening enthusiasts in your life.
5 Best Hori-Hori Knives – Reviews
1. CIELCERA Hori-Hori Garden Knife
If you are a gardening enthusiast, the CIELCERA Hori-Hori Garden Knife is a multi-purpose knife that is destined to be your best friend in the garden. You can use it for almost any type of gardening task: from digging, weeding, loosening soil, planting, transplanting, grafting, harvesting, and even measuring out soil and other plant-related materials.
The knife features a curved 7-inches blade that has a sharp serrated edge on one side and a sharp, smooth cutting edge on the other side, which makes this knife just right for digging into most types of soil and cutting open a soil bag.
Built to last, the high-quality thick, rust-resistant 420-grade polished stainless steel, the strong, stout, and durable blade has a full-length tang design that extends through the handle, which adds to the knife’s overall strength.
The blade has large easy to read markings and graduations in both inches and millimeters, which helps you to effectively measure out soil when replanting your favorite seedlings or cuttings at the correct depth.
To give you a good solid grip and to give the knife added strength for the toughest gardening and landscaping tasks, the beautifully smooth wooden hardwood handle is sturdy and strong and helps to reduce any hand fatigue, and it is riveted securely with 3 rivets onto the blade.
For extra safety, while you are trimming your garden into perfection, a metal safety guard will protect your hand from any injuries.
To help protect the quality of the knife and its steel blade for long-term use, the Hori-Hori knife comes with an attractive thick leather sheath, complete with brass snaps. A hanging hole is perfect for storing the knife after use.
The CIELCERA Hori-Hori knife also comes with a diamond sharpening rod, which helps keep both flat and serrated edges constantly sharp and always ready for use and can also be used to sharpen your kitchen knives.
As well as getting this Hori-Hori knife for yourself, why not give one to family or friends as a birthday or Christmas gift?
The CIELCERA Hori-Hori knife is covered by a 90-day money-back guarantee.
Pros
- Excellent quality
- Multifunctional Hori-Hori knife
- Ideal for digging, weeding, loosening soil, planting, transplanting, grafting, harvesting, and even measuring
- Made from thick stainless steel
- Rust-resistant
- Strong and stout 7-inches blade
- Pre-sharpened serrated and flat edges
- Blade has large easy to read Imperial and Metric measurements
- Full tang for extra strength
- Beautifully smooth wooden handle
- Attractive thick leather sheath
- Diamond sharpening rod
- Hanging hole
- Great gift idea
- 90-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Sheath is not overly durable
- Not ideal for heavy-duty tasks
2. Nisaku NJP650 Hori-Hori Weeding & Digging Knife
Whether you are a professional landscaper or a home-based gardening enthusiast, you need to have professional quality hand tools for the job. The Nisaku NJP650 Hori-Hori Weeding & Digging Knife is a solid, well-made knife that is perfect for all sorts of gardening tasks from digging, cutting, weeding, transplanting and any other tasks you need to do.
It is also the ideal tool for camping when you need to dig a hole for a fire or setting up a tent.
The Nisaku Hori-Hori knife is forged by master blade craftsmen from the finest Japanese stainless steel that is famous for durability, precision, and control, and it has high rust and corrosion-resistant abilities, so it can withstand intense use and harsh conditions.
The extra-long super sharp 7.25-inches blade has a good depth for digging and its serrated edge and straight edge gives you a lot of versatility for different gardening tasks. If you need to dig through hard soil, cut through thick plant stems, or scoop up soil for replanting, the blade also features a concave blade design with a good-sized width.
For extra control for all-day digging, the knife has a comfortable well-balanced 5.25-inches wooden handle that allows you to maintain a good, solid grip. It also helps you to push and dig the knife into the compacted soil. To accurately measure out soil and to ensure your plants and bulbs are planted at just the right depth, there are easy to read Imperial and Metric markings on the blade.
The knife also comes with a leather sheath for easy storage. To keep the knife ready for quick access, there is a hole at the end of the handle so you can hang it up in your gardening shed.
Pros
- Multi-purpose garden knife
- Perfect for gardening, landscaping, and camping
- Made from Japanese hand-forged stainless steel
- Strong and durable blade
- Super sharp extra-long 7.25-inches knife
- Serrated and straight edge
- Large easy to read Imperial and Metric measurements on the blade
- Wide concave blade is ideal for scooping up soil
- Strong, well-balanced wooden handle gives good control
- Quality leather sheath
- Stainless and resistant to rusting
- Hole in the handle for easy storage
Cons
- Not very durable wooden handle
- Small serrations
3. RiverView Enterprise Hori-Hori Multi-Use Garden and Camping Knife
If your garden resembles a jungle with lots of weeds that are obstructing your beautiful foliage, the RiverView Enterprise Hori-Hori Multi-Use Garden and Camping Knife is the tool for you. This Japanese-style Hori-Hori knife has a well-balanced, sturdy, and full-tang design which makes it an excellent gardening tool for most outdoor tasks.
Its extra-sharp point is just right for removing stubborn weeds from the cracks in the pavement or between pavers. For your safety, the solid water-resistant Rosewood handle has 3 rivets for extra strength and the handguard reduces any slippage.
The durable stainless steel 7-inches concave blade is rustproof and designed to withstand a lot of pressure while you are digging and planting in tough soil. Its sharp flat edge is ideal for any cutting task and the sharp serrated edge saws easily through hard materials such as branches or vines.
You can remove bonsai plants from pots and transplant seedlings or bulbs to the correct soil depth due to the easy-to-read measurements that are displayed in inches and millimeters on the blade.
One of the highlights of this affordable Hori-Hori knife is that it can be used in place of a Swiss army knife, which makes it an excellent tool for camping, hiking, fishing, hunting. You can also use it to prepare small tree branches for firewood at the campsite, opening cans, gutting a fish, or cutting up an apple.
To keep your Hori-Hori knife super sharp, RiverView Enterprise includes a whetstone. The heavy-duty brown leather sheath will keep your knife in great condition. You can use the belt loop on the sheath to keep the knife close for easy access. RiverView Enterprise offers a lifetime warranty on their amazing Hori-Hori knife.
Pros
- High quality
- Great value for money
- Affordable price
- Perfect for digging, planting, and cutting
- Can use it for camping, hunting, and fishing
- Full tang construction
- Well-balanced and sturdy
- Durable and rustproof stainless steel blade
- Concave blade has a sharp, scooped tip
- Sharp flat edge can be used for any cutting task
- Serrated edge is ideal for sawing through hard material
- Solid Rosewood handle is water-resistant
- Protective handguard and long-lasting 3 metal rivets
- Easy to read measurement graduations in Imperial and Metric
- Bonus whetstone for sharpening
- Smart heavy-duty brown leather sheath has a belt loop
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- Expensive
- Square end on the handle can get uncomfortable after long-term use
- Not ideal for digging in hard clay soil
4. Sensei Tools Hori-Hori Digging Knife
Harness the power of your inner Japanese garden warrior with the Sensei Tools Hori-Hori Digging Knife. Whatever type of gardening tasks you need to complete, the Sensei Hori-Hori knife is up to the challenge.
This highly multi-functional knife features a traditional Japanese design and not only serves as a powerful cutting tool, but you can also use it as a trowel for digging and dividing and also transplanting seedlings and bulbs. It is an excellent tool that is perfect for other outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing and even working on an archaeological site.
The Sensei blade has an attractive mirror polished sheen and as it is a little longer than other digging knives at 7.5-inches, it gives you that extra depth and purchase when digging. Its special concave (slightly rounded) shape makes it perfect for scooping soil and plants. The blade is slightly offset to give extra leverage in difficult garden conditions.
As well as being an exceptional gardening tool, the Sensei is the ideal knife to take with you when you go hiking or camping as it has a strong carbon steel blade that is chrome plated, while the serrated and straight edge is extra sharp and will easily cut and saw through tough plant roots and small tree limbs.
To make sure that soil depth measurements are correct, the blade has a depth scale in Imperial measurements, which is especially useful when planting bulbs or seedlings.
The Sensei is one of the easiest knives to use, for both men and women, as the handle is specially contoured and has an improved texture grip design that improves the comfort and grip of the knife.
The knife comes with a black mock-leather sheath (with belt loop) for the Hori-Hori knife for added protection. It also comes with a 100% 90-day money-back guarantee.
Pros
- Solid, reliable gardening Hori-Hori knife
- Great quality
- All-purpose heavy-duty knife
- Can use it as a cutting tool and as a trowel
- Ideal for gardening, hiking, and also camping
- Improved textured grip design
- Extra-long 7.5-inches blade
- Strong carbon steel chrome plated blade
- Attractive mirror polished blade
- Extra sharp straight and serrated edge
- Blade is slightly offset to give extra leverage
- Special concave (slightly rounded) shape
- Easy to read measurements on the blade
- Sturdy and comfortable plastic handle
- Black mock-leather sheath (with belt loop)
- 100% 90-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Plastic handle has a rubbery feel
- Sheath is not genuine leather
- Measurements are only displayed in inches
5. Hokuru Hori-Hori Knife
Stylish, sturdy, and sharp, the Hokuru Hori-Hori Knife is the only tool you will need to maintain your garden. For weeding, digging, transplanting, and pruning, this rugged knife will help you to accomplish garden tasks quickly and efficiently.
If you are not a gardening guru, you soon will be with the Hokuru Hori-Hori knife. Beautifully crafted, the full-tang gardening knife is the perfect addition to your gardening tool kit as its durable and rustproof stainless-steel 7-inches blade is less likely to snap under pressure and it is very easy to sharpen.
The concave blade has a sharp, scooped tip that makes this Hori-Hori knife just right for digging, scooping up dirt, and turning over stones. Its flat edge has a machete-like sharpness that makes it easier to hack and cut while the serrated edge saws through tough roots, slim branches, and even fertilizer bags.
To make sure that your seedlings and bulbs are planted to the correct depth, the knife has graduation markings in millimeters and inches for accurate measuring results.
Its rich brown handle is comfortable to hold and the 3 metal rivets are long-lasting. For extra safety, the protective handguard prevents any hand slippage while you work in the garden. The Hokuru Hori-Hori knife comes with a sharpening stone to keep it always ready for action.
To keep your knife in good condition, store it in the bonus thick leather sheath that has a metal snap for safety and a belt loop to attach the knife to your belt or backpack.
This Hori-Hori knife will also make an excellent multi-purpose tool for camping, hiking, fish, or hunting, and it is an essential item for your survival kit.
Hokuru offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 3-year quality warranty on its Hori-Hori knife.
Pros
- High quality
- Great value for money
- Beautifully crafted and stylish
- Rugged design
- Can use it for gardening, camping, hiking, fish, or hunting
- Durable and rustproof stainless steel
- Full tang design
- Concave blade has a sharp, scooped tip
- Flat edge has a machete-like sharpness
- Sharp serrated edge
- Imperial and Metric measurements
- Stable rich brown wooden handle
- Comfortable to hold
- Three long-lasting metal rivets and protective handguard
- Thick leather sheath has a metal snap and a belt loop
- Sharpening stone
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Three-year warranty
Cons
- Handle is not designed for heavy-duty use
Our Top Pick for the Best Hori-Hori Knife
Our top pick for the best Hori-Hori knife is the Hokuru Hori-Hori Knife. If gardening is your passion, the Hokuru Hori-Hori knife is the only tool you will ever need to keep your gardening looking fabulous.
Featuring a superb design, a razor-sharp blade, and an exquisitely carved wooden handle, this premium Japanese-inspired Hori-Hori knife is destined to take pride of place among your gardening tools. The Hokuru Hori-Hori knife comes with a thick leather sheath and a sharpening stone so it will make an excellent gift for family and friends who also love their gardens.
Check the price on Amazon
