That is a great question, and can be argued by many people as to what they prefer to use when mulching, but after 18 years and several thousand yards of mulch put out, I want to share my opinion of what I like.
Now let me start out by linking you to another blog that defines "All the Different Types of Mulch ". That will give you the overview of the different types of mulch and what they try and accomplish. The most common mulch put out in my area of Middle Tennessee, is brown, black or red Hardwood mulch. It is bought either by the bag, or by the cubic yard scoop (bulk). When bought by the scoop in the back of a truck or in a trailer, there are several tools you want to make it easy to get out and spread. The first one is a pitch fork. Most people do not want to invest $25 in a pitch fork for once a year mulching, but it has so many other uses around the home for gardening, etc. The pitch fork will gently glide into the pile of mulch and give you a nice scoop to transfer to your flower bed. Then you can use the empty fork to spread the mulch in the bed. I never mulch with anything but the fork. You can then use a regular or square point shovel to get the last of the mulch out of the truck or trailer. Some people will use a metal garden rake to smooth the mulch around after they make piles all over the bed. This is fine, just a different technique, and usually takes a little longer. If you do a lot of mulching, they sell extra large pitch forks and scoop shovels, but are unnecessary for the average mulcher.
All you will need is your hands when using any type of bag or bale mulch. A razor blade will come in handy to cut the bags or string off the bale. Some people will dump each bag and spread with a metal rake or pitch fork, others will shake and spread with only their hands. Pine needles need to only be spread with your hands to ensure consistency. Gloves are usually helpful in this application, (especially for the guys that have a woman!), to keep their hands protected a little bit.
Happy Mulching
