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Best garden gloves
We've tested tough and lightweight garden gloves so you'll find the best ones
for any job in the garden
Even those of us who like to get our hands in the soil have times when a pair of gloves is essential.
No one wants freezing fingers while gardening on cold and damp days, and a good pair of thorn proof gloves can also save our hands from nettles and spiny shrubs.
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.
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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 | 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 | |||||||||
| Briers All Rounder | |||||||||
| Briers Professional | |||||||||
| Gold Leaf Dry Touch Gloves | |||||||||
| Gold Leaf Tough Touch Gloves | |||||||||
| Gold Leaf Winter Touch | |||||||||
| Kent & Stowe Premium Comfort Gloves |
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 | 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 | ||||||||
| Briers Seed & Weed | ||||||||
| Gold Leaf Dry Touch | ||||||||
| Gold Leaf Soft Touch | ||||||||
| RHS Tough Tips Gloves | ||||||||
| Showa 341 Advanced Grip | ||||||||
| Showa Floreo 370 |
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%).
How to find the best garden 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 a wall-trained pyracantha. 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.
Prune your shrubs with Best Buy secateurs