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Best gardening gloves
We've tested garden gloves so you'll find the best ones to protect your hands from thorns and dirt, while still being comfortable and tactile
Even those gardeners who like to get their hands in the soil have times when a pair of garden gloves is essential.
No one wants freezing fingers while gardening on cold and damp days, and a good pair of thornproof gloves can also save our hands from nettles and thorny shrubs, as well as preventing ingrained dirt in your skin.
From lightweight to heavy duty wear, we wanted to find the best gloves to protect our hands, but also be versatile enough to help us through a wide variety of tasks, including delicate work like sowing seeds and tougher tasks, such as pruning roses. A decent pair allows dexterity, won't get wet and stiff and is comfortable to wear.
Best tough garden gloves
When testing tough garden gloves, we looked for the products which provided the ultimate protection from thorns and thistles while remaining comfortable and versatile.
One of our Best Buys had thick (yet comfortable) leather which didn't let a single thorn in, no matter how tightly we squeezed our handful of cuttings. Another Best Buy, a gauntlet-style pair, protected the wrists and forearms while fitting remarkably well around the fingers.
Which? members can log in now to see the full results and which are our Best Buys. If you’re not a member, join Which? to get instant access.
| Product name | Price | Comfort | How easy to take on and off | Stiffness when dried | Breathability | Protection when pruning thorny shrubs | Protection from nettles, thistles and brambles | Dexterity | Protection from wet and dirt | Overall score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradleys Floral English Leather & Linen | Little Garden Shop: £33 | |||||||||
| Briers All Rounder | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50020820 | |||||||||
| Briers Professional | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50020821 | |||||||||
| Gold Leaf Dry Touch Gloves | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50020812 | |||||||||
| Gold Leaf Tough Touch Gloves | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50020809 | |||||||||
| Gold Leaf Winter Touch | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50020819 | |||||||||
| Kent & Stowe Premium Comfort Gloves | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50020813 |
OVERALL RATING Ignores price, based on: comfort (ease of taking on and off, stiffness when dried and breathability) 27%; protection when pruning thorny shrubs, nettles, brambles and thistles 25%; dexterity (tying twine, weeding out seedlings, opening and closing secateurs) 21%; protection from wet and dirt 21%; protection when digging 6%.
Best lightweight garden gloves
For a less cumbersome wear, or for undertaking less heavy-duty garden tasks, a pair of lightweight garden gloves can provide protection while feeling like you're wearing no gloves at all.
We donned three Best Buys that did just that. One pair fit like a second skin and gave fantastic defence from dirt while providing excellent grip. Another cheap and cheerful pair featured a latex covering and gave the wearer a great level of feeling while remaining protective.
Which? members can log in now to see the full results and which are our Best Buys. If you’re not a member, join Which? to get instant access.
| Product name | Price | Comfort | Durability | Protection from dirt and water | Ease of weeding | Ease of handling seeds | Hard physical work | Pulling nettles | Overall score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Briers All Seasons Gardener | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50020825 | ||||||||
| Briers Seed & Weed | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50020826 | ||||||||
| Gold Leaf Dry Touch | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50020812 | ||||||||
| Gold Leaf Soft Touch | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50020828 | ||||||||
| Showa 341 Advanced Grip | Protec: £3.96 | ||||||||
| Showa Floreo 370 | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50020823 | ||||||||
| Town & Country Master Gardener | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50020827 |
The more stars the better. SCORE does not include price and is based on: comfort, including how easy it is to get the gloves on and off, sweatiness and stiffness (20%); durability, including wear and tear, and washability (15%); weeding (15%); protection from dirt and water (10%); deadheading (10%); hard physical work and pulling nettles (10%); dexterity, including writing labels (10%) and handling small seeds (10%).
Best winter-weight garden gloves
In winter, it’s good to have a pair that keep your hands warm and dry, while also being flexible enough to allow you to feel what you’re doing and move your fingers easily.
We donned four Best Buys that really impressed us with prices starting at just £4.99.
Which? members can log in now to see the full results and which are our Best Buys. If you’re not a member, join Which? to get instant access
| ClipGlove Shock Absorber | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50022618 | |||||||
| Gold Leaf Dry Touch | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50020812 | |||||||
| Gold Leaf Winter Touch | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50022620 | |||||||
| Kent & Stowe Sure & Soft Leather Gloves | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50022616 | |||||||
| Niwaki Winter Gloves | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50022619 | |||||||
| Sealskinz Anmer Waterproof All Weather Ultra Grip Knitted Glove | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50022617 | |||||||
| Showa 451 Thermogrip | Safety gloves: £4.99 |
The more stars the better. OVERALL SCORE Ignores price and is based on: protection from tool/machinery use 25%; protection from plants 20%; protection from moisture/soil 20%; wear and tear 20%; good dexterity 15%.
How to choose the right gardening gloves for you
We can probably all think of occasions when we need a stout pair of gloves in the garden, but how tough do they need to be?
- A thick pair of gloves is essential if you have a thorny shrub that needs a regular prune, such roses. However, bear in mind that you will need to be able to open and close your secateurs, and possibly tie in stray stems, so the gloves should allow some dexterity. Many that we tried had very thick leather, which was great for repelling thorns, but they were ill-fitting, especially around the fingers, making it hard to carry out finer tasks.
- If nettles and brambles area problem, then your gloves need to repel sharp thorns and stings. However, do you really need gauntlet gloves? Many thorns will rip wind and water-proof jackets, but if you garden in a thicker jacket, this may give enough protection on its own.
- You might not want to garden in the rain, but it doesn’t have to be pouring down for your soil to be wet. Digging and weeding can lead to very wet hands, as can handling damp compost. We found leather gloves gave the best protection from cold and wet, but not all of them were comfortable when damp.
- Sizing is often difficult for gloves. Most we tried had very little information online on how large or small the gloves are. Tight gloves can limit your movement, but gloves that are too large will slip around and chafe. Check with your garden centre or DIY store to find out if you can try on different sizes of the gloves you’re interested into see which size fits you best.
- Adjustable cuffs can help with the fit and comfort of the glove, and prevent debris getting inside.
- Look for colour-fast gloves if you’re buying leather or fabric gloves to be worn over a prolonged period. That way, if your hands sweat, the dye won’t transfer to your skin. Many gloves can be washed carefully without their performance deteriorating.
- Some gloves that are described as ‘leather’ are made entirely of leather, but others have it added to fingertips and palms for reinforced strength and durability. Cheap leather gloves can have hard seams inside the fingers, which can become painful if the gloves become wet and ingrained with soil. Look for lined leather gloves that are the right size for your hands.
Prune your shrubs with Best Buy secateurs