Shovels have numerous uses in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. You’ll need to know about the different types of shovels and how to obtain them if you want to get digging and planting around your island.
Table Of Contents
What Are Shovels Used For?
Shovels have various uses in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Some shovel uses include digging up fossils, digging up stumps, burying money to grow a money tree, digging up parts for Gulliver, planting flowers, digging up manila clams, and burying pitfall traps.
How to Get Your First Shovel
At the beginning of the game, the process to get a shovel is a bit different. To get your very first shovel, you’ll need to donate five fish or bugs to Tom Nook. This will prompt Tom to have Blathers give you the crafting recipe for a Flimsy Shovel.
How to Get Every Type of Shovel
You’ll want a different type of shovel depending on how much time and bells you’re willing to spend. Some shovels have more durability than others, and some are simply more stylish. Additionally, some shovels can be crafted while others can only be purchased. Check out the table below to figure out which shovel is right for you.
| Type of Shovel | Duration | Craftable | Where to get recipe | Recipe | Customizable | Purchasable | Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 via Fandom | Flimsy Shovel | 40 uses | Yes | From Blathers | 5x Hardwood | No | Yes | 800 bells |
 via Fandom | Shovel | 100 uses | Yes | From Pretty Good Tools Recipe book (3,000 miles at Nook Stop) | 1x Flimsy Shovel, 1x Iron Nugget | Yes | No | - |
 via Fandom | Golden Shovel | 200 uses | Yes (only after helping Gulliver 30 times) | From helping Gulliver 30 times | 1x Shovel, 1x Gold Nugget | No | No | - |
 via Fandom | Printed-Design Shovel | 100 uses | No | - | - | Yes | Yes | 2,500 bells |
 via Fandom | Outdoorsy Shovel | 100 uses | No | - | - | Yes | Yes | 2,500 bells |
 via Fandom | Colorful Shovel | 100 uses | No | - | - | Yes | Yes | 2,500 bells |
