CobraHead Broadfork

I tested the CobraHead Broadfork here on our Indiana homestead, where the soil is heavy clay and the drought has made it even tougher than usual. I’ll admit - it wasn’t effortless at first, but the more I worked with it, the easier it became to use. I could actually see and feel the soil loosening and breathing again.
What impressed me most was how the Broadfork opens the soil gently, without disturbing the layers underneath. It’s sturdy, well-balanced, and clearly built to last - yet light enough that I could comfortably use it myself. For gardeners who want healthier soil and better drainage without relying on a tiller, this tool is a true game changer.
Disclosure: CobraHead provided me with a Broadfork to test. This review includes my honest opinions.

With 6 inches of snow topped by 10 hours of drizzle, we had a driveway covered with very hard-packed icy snow. Snow blower was completely inadequate, snow shovels useless. What to do? Pull the Broadfork out of the garden shed and start creating crevasses everywhere. Then relocate the broken-up pieces of hard pack with the big scoop snow shovel. YES, a four-season tool!

Works great. Great company with great products

I have seen this tool in gardening magazines for years, and it looked like something that would work great in my raised bed vegetable gardens, but the price felt a bit steep. This year, I took the plunge and am very happy that I did. My beds were much easier to work up and not turning the soil with a spade made it possible to plant despite the very wet spring. I find myself using it in flower beds that have been overtaken with grasses too. I can avoid harming perennials and the grass roots pull out easily. Even the rocky, clay soil that lies under the gardens is less of a challenge now.

I’ve been using the tool for several weeks now. It’s a very versatile tool. Depending on your specific application, there is simple and pleasant learning curve. The more you use the broadfork, the more uses you’ll find for it and the more efficient you’ll complete your tasks.

This broad fork is awesome! I love that it can work a wider area than my regular garden fork. It's just what I need to remove a large swath of grass so I can rewild that area with natives!

Makes hard tasks easier.

It does what it’s meant to do but I need my husband to do the tilling as this thing is HEAVY!

Comparing two broad forks, this one does a better job of soil loosening. The knife style does slice, like well, a knife. The round tines are simply better. If you are going to expend the energy get a tool that does a superior job.

It’s no fun to use, which is what makes it perfect! Built great, stands up to hours of monotonous use. If this is your thing, this will be your thing, enjoy.Nice craftsmanship no complaints.

I've had one for 5 seasons and it is a work horse. Still as good as new. Can't go wrong with this broarf fork. Built like a tank!

It is heavy as would be expected. Very sturdy. The only ground that has stopped it is some very solid red clay areas of my yard.

Works great! Handel's are very strong and the broad fork is nearly indestructible. My soil is clay and this has no problem working it.

Well made, comfortable to use. Great for airation, loosening soil around roots of existing plants without tearing up the mulchin landscapes or gardens for increased water, fertilizer utilization. A bit spendy $$$ but it will last forever with proper care... great design, tines are enter soil with minimal effort. I use this now to prep garden in place of tilling. The added earthworm activity has been a benefit because of this "no till" change in gardening soil prep..

It is a well made product. Worth the price tag. Only suggestion would be more packing in the tine end of the box. The tines were sticking out of the box when it was delivered. No harm to the product but I see how it could have been damaged in transport.

Breaks up ground perfectly. Heavy duty and easy to use.

I am very pleased with this broadfork. I am 68 and wanted something to make weeding between the rows easier. I cannot believe how quick and easy it is to use. I saw it a couple of years ago but kept thinking I didn't really need it--definitely wish I had bought it then. It makes quick work of long roots and stolons. And it takes much longer for the weeds to grow back.

After I purchased a broadfork from a DIFFERENT company and used it in my raised bed no-till garden with very few rocks and soft earth, and after only two passes over the rows, the number 2 and 4 tines had twisted into pretzel shapes, I returned that fork and began researching higher-quality broadforks. I came across the COBRAHEAD and was immediately impressed with the 1/2" tines and the sturdy construction. I ordered it, and though there was delay in shipping due to illness at the manufacturing facility, it was definitely worth the wait. This fork is almost indestructible. I've done multiple flowerbeds, my raised garden rows, and broken up a grass-thatched strawberry bed. It hasn't even flinched! I'm very happy with the product, the quality, and the service from the company. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this tool.

So easy to use and very little disturbance to the worm population. Every good gardener knows the importance of not overtilling the soil. This was definitely worth the money. Best yet - it's made in Wisconsin!

I received my broadfork last fall (2018), but only lately (in February 2019 ) have been able to use it in preparation for spring. I am 71, but in good health; however, I was worried the weight might wear me out in 10 minutes as I lifted and inserted it around the garden area. I used it for about an hour and it was much easier to use for the extended time than I anticipated. It was my first vigorous workout in the garden since last fall. I was sore the next morning, but it didn't last long. It was a good kind of sore you get after using lazy muscles. The soil was pretty moist and I have no rocks so it went very well. I think it was less tiring than using a shovel as I usually do when the vegetable garden has been invaded by weeds. As I like gardening activities for exercise, I think the broadfork is excellent as it uses muscles or arms, shoulders, back and legs although I need to alternate legs to keep them equally exercised. There are less expensive broadforks online, but in reading reviews of some of them, they aren't all made well. I don't think I will be having a problem with this one failing as long as I don't leave it outside to ruin the wooden handles. I loved using it.