The Tool Set That Surprised Me

When we started planning our gardening classes at Winkky Farms, I faced a dilemma: how do you equip 8-10 students with quality tools without breaking the budget? That’s when I discovered this WORKPRO garden tool set.

After using multiple sets for our classes over the past year, and watching how they hold up to both beginner enthusiasm and experienced hands, I can give you the real story on whether this kit delivers.

What’s in the Box

The set includes everything you need to start gardening:

• Hand trowel with depth markings
• Transplanting trowel (narrow blade)
• Hand cultivator (3-prong)
• Hand weeder with forked tip
• Pruning shears (bypass style)
• Garden gloves (medium size)
• Carrying tote with multiple pockets
• Knee pad for ground work

Everything comes organized in a sturdy canvas tote that’s actually useful for carrying tools around the garden.

Real-World Testing: Class Environment

Beginner Students (Ages 25-65)

I’ve watched complete gardening novices use these tools in our “Vegetable Gardening 101” classes. The tools are intuitive enough that people pick them up and start using them correctly without much instruction.

Trowel performance: The depth markings are brilliant for teaching proper planting depths. Students love being able to see exactly how deep they’re planting seeds.

Durability with beginners: Surprisingly robust. Even when students are a bit rough (digging in clay soil, prying rocks), the tools hold up well.

Experienced Gardeners

We also use these in our advanced classes where participants already have their own tools. Interesting to see how they compare to people’s personal gear.

Quality comparison: Most experienced gardeners are pleasantly surprised by the build quality. Several have asked where to buy their own set.

Professional acceptance: These tools don’t embarrass you if you know what you’re doing. They feel substantial and work effectively.

Individual Tool Performance

Hand Trowel: 4.5/5

Strengths: Comfortable grip, depth markings are accurate, blade holds its shape well Weaknesses: Could be slightly sharper out of the box Best for: Transplanting, planting bulbs, container gardening

The depth markings alone make this worth having. Perfect for teaching proper planting depths for different seeds.

Transplanting Trowel: 4/5

Strengths: Narrow blade gets into tight spaces, good for precision work Weaknesses: Handle could be slightly longer for leverage Best for: Working around established plants, tight spacing

This is the tool I reach for when working in our herb garden where plants are closely spaced.

Hand Cultivator: 4/5

Strengths: Sturdy tines, comfortable grip, good for breaking up soil Weaknesses: Tines could be slightly more aggressive Best for: Surface cultivation, mixing amendments

Great for working compost into the top few inches of soil without disturbing plant roots.

Hand Weeder: 3.5/5

Strengths: Forked tip works well on tap-rooted weeds Weaknesses: Not as effective on fibrous-rooted weeds Best for: Dandelions, plantain, other tap-rooted weeds

Does what it’s designed for, but you’ll still need other tools for different weed types.

Pruning Shears: 4/5

Strengths: Clean cuts, comfortable grip, good spring action Weaknesses: Not quite as sharp as standalone WORKPRO shears Best for: Harvesting, deadheading, light pruning

These are perfectly adequate for most garden tasks, though serious pruning still calls for dedicated shears.

Gloves: 3/5

Strengths: Decent protection, washable Weaknesses: Only one size, not the most durable Best for: Light garden work, keeping hands clean

The weakest part of the set. Most people end up buying better gloves, but these work for getting started.

Carrying Tote: 4.5/5

Strengths: Well-designed pockets, sturdy construction, comfortable handles Weaknesses: Could use a few more small pockets Best for: Organizing and transporting tools

This tote has become my go-to for carrying tools around our larger garden areas. The organization is excellent.

Who Should Buy This Set

Perfect For:

• New gardeners starting their first vegetable garden
• Class instructors needing multiple tool sets
• Gift giving for someone getting into gardening
• Apartment gardeners with limited storage space
• Backup tool set for experienced gardeners

Consider Alternatives If:

• You’re a professional landscaper (need heavier-duty tools)
• You already have quality individual tools
• You specialize in one type of gardening (might need specific tools)
• You have very large hands (some tools might feel small)

Value Analysis

Set price: Around $35-45 depending on sales Individual tool equivalent: Would cost $60-80 to buy separately Quality level: Comparable to mid-range individual tools

The math works strongly in favor of the set, especially for beginners who need everything at once.

Teaching Tool Perspective

As someone who teaches gardening classes, this set hits the sweet spot:

• Students can afford it without major investment
• Quality is good enough to not frustrate beginners
• Complete kit means they have everything needed
• Organized storage helps maintain tools properly

I’ve seen too many people get discouraged by cheap tools that break or don’t work well. These tools actually help people succeed.

Comparison to Individual WORKPRO Tools

The individual WORKPRO tools I’ve reviewed (like their pruning shears) are slightly higher quality than what’s in this set. That’s expected - you’re trading some premium features for convenience and value.

Set tools: 85% of individual tool quality Price advantage: 40-50% savings over buying individually Convenience factor: Everything coordinated and organized

Long-Term Durability

After a year of class use (probably equivalent to 3-4 years of home use), here’s the wear pattern:

• Trowels: Still solid, some paint wear
• Cultivator: Tines still straight and sharp
• Shears: Still cutting cleanly, spring still good
• Tote: Showing wear but still functional
• Gloves: Most worn out (expected)

Tips for Getting the Most from This Set

1. Sharpen tools when you first get them - improves performance significantly
2. Clean after each use - especially important with the tote storage
3. Replace gloves first - upgrade to better gloves that fit your hands
4. Use the depth markings - they’re more accurate than you’d expect
5. Keep tools organized in the tote - prevents loss and damage

The Bottom Line

This WORKPRO garden tool set delivers exactly what it promises: a complete, quality tool kit at a reasonable price. It’s not the ultimate in garden tools, but it’s a smart choice for most gardeners.

Best value proposition: Everything you need to start gardening successfully, organized in one package, at a price that won’t break the budget.

My recommendation: Buy this set if you’re starting out, need a complete backup kit, or want to gift someone a serious introduction to gardening. You can always upgrade individual tools later as your needs become more specific.

Rating: 4/5 stars - Excellent value with good quality across the entire set.

The real test? Three of my class participants have bought this exact set after using it in class. When students spend their own money on the tools they learned with, that tells you everything you need to know.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, Winkky Farms may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we actually use and believe in.

Next week: Building your garden tool collection - which tools to buy first and when to upgrade.