Personally, I like the Lesche Predator. The one pictured with the orange handle.
http://www.predatortools.com/
It is well made of good quality steel and the serrated edge is good for helping to cut through roots and sod... It looks intimidating at first glance but the edges are not sharp and the tip is rounded over.
Lesche makes a number of shovels and other digging tools that, it appears, are also popular among landscape and nursery professionals.
The other digger, the one with the black handle, that I have is nice, in that it is constructed out of one piece of steal. It is bent and shaped all out of one piece which means no welds to break. It has a more broad end that is more sharp than the edges of the Predator. There are many cheaper immitations of this digger out there so look carefully.
Before these, I was just using off the shelf trowels from the local hardware or home center. There was one that I saw once that was cast out of one piece but when I went to find one for my detecting kit, I could never find one. All I was able to find were trowels with handles made of steel rod etc. that were tack welded to a metal blade. In no time, the welds would break and the blade would come off. So, I would suggest spending the money and getting a good digger like the Lesche or the other that I have pictured above. Look around at MDing sites and you might even find some other good candidates.
When I ordered my Lesche, I was a little concerned over it's appearance. I had thoughts of whether I could get in trouble using it in public parks or on the beach.... Being that it has the Rambo kind of appearance. Keep in mind, when selecting a tool, local laws and ordinances regarding knives, daggers or bayonets. While you are talking about a digger, some may fall into another legal catagory by their design. Pointed tips, sharpened edges or length from tip to handle can be specifications here. The predator is probably too long for here in Illinois. However it's tip is definately rounded, the blade is cupped some and the edges while honed down to be thinner than the rest of the blade are NOT sharpened. So, I felt that it might be a safe tool that shouldn't cause me any problems. At quick glance someone could mistake it but on close examination I don't think one could mistake it for a knife. Some people do use survival or hunting knives and such so if you are going to consider that, check your local or state laws first.
In addition to the above diggers, I also keep a sand scoop in a 5 gal bucket with my other tools. I keep that in the back of my car with my detector. I take the bucket out on the beach with me and pick up my trash and put it in there. Then I dump my garbage in an appropriate container, on my way back to the car.
I also bought a digger that is used for digging holes to plant bulbs. I am still looking for a better quality one. The one I got is made of cheap tubular steel. I had one other just like it but after about 20 minutes of detecting last fall, the handle bent. I took a hacksaw and cut the damage off, tapped some new screws and fixed it. 15 minutes later it was bent again. The problem is the light weight steel and the fact that the handle is offset from the center of the digger end. So, as you twist it to take your plug out, you easilly can bend it up. Got to keep looking for a better one.
