Gardening gloves are available in an array of designs, materials and with various features, including waterproofing, added grip and cushioning, and mesh panelling to help regulate hand temperature.
The design and features you need will depend on the gardening jobs you intend to carry out. Thin, lightweight gloves are best for duties such as potting and planting where dexterity and being able to feel what you’re doing is key. Heavy duty gardening gloves are better for protection and support when using tools or doing hard landscaping jobs.
Our expert reviewers spend hours trialling tools and equipment from essentials like the best garden hoes and secateurs to the investment spends of lawn mowers and pressure washers.
In this article, we’ve reviewed the best gardening gloves to find out which are the most comfortable, durable, value for money and protective, safeguarding your hands from damage. Each pair of gloves has been given a score out of 5 depending on how well they performed, along with clear pros and cons lists.
If you’re in need of other gardening essentials, have a look at our recommendations for the best garden kneelers and garden hand trowels, or find the best kids’ gardening gloves to get the whole family involved.
Black Friday deals:
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just around the corner, on 26th to 29th November, so it’s a great time to make the most of discounts on useful items like gloves. While we haven’t tested the gloves listed here for Black Friday, if you’re looking to make a saving, the following offers might be worth consideration:
- Briers Thermal Gloves |
£7.99£5.99 (save £2 or 25%) - Town & Country Flexigrip Gloves Triple Pack |
£10.69£7.99 (save £2.70 or 25%)
- Unisex Thorn Proof Gloves |
£11.99£5.94 (save £6.05 or 50%) - Women’s Cooljob Breathable Gardening Gloves |
£13.99£11.99 (save £2.80 or 20%)
Plus, offers from Thompson & Morgan, Mano Mano and Jules:
- Wowcher have a huge price drop on its Garden Gloves with Claws | £19.99 £4.99 (save £15 or 75%)
- Thompson & Morgan is offering a deal on 3 Pack Garden Work Gloves |
£8.99£4.99 (save £4 or 45%) - Mano Mano has reduced its Men and Women’s Leather Gardening Gloves |
£34.98£17.67 (save £17.31 or 49%) - Jules is offering 25% at checkout with the code FRIYAY, so bag a bargain on the Garden Trading Garden Gloves|
£16£12 (save £4 or 25%)
With Black Friday starting tomorrow, there will be great deals on some of your favourite brands – check out our Black Friday Pressure Washer deals for 2021 and Black Friday Lawn Mower deals for 2021. Looking for other types of gardening kit? Why not bookmark our Black Friday gardening deals page, which we’re regularly updating to bring you up-to-the-minute Black Friday offers.
How to choose the best gardening gloves
Choosing the best gardening gloves for you will depend on the jobs you’re planning to do. Gardening gloves are typically categorised as either light, medium or heavy duty.
Light duty gloves will keep your hands clean during low intensity jobs and enable dexterity when seed sowing and undertaking other light, everyday tasks. For potting on, pruning and working in borders, medium duty gloves will suit you needs, while heavy duty gloves will protect your hands during tougher jobs such as landscaping or when you need additional protection from nettles or thorns.
A range of materials are on offer including leather, bamboo, latex and nylon. Bamboo fibre is one of the more environmentally-friendly options and is typically soft, close fitting and flexible. Latex and leather are both tear-resistant and are often used to improve grip.
Additional padding or cushioning can also be helpful. Look out for padding on knuckles, fingertips, wrists and palms for increased protection when taking on manual tasks. Elasticated cuffs will provide a snug fit, prevent soil and plant debris falling in and are easy to get on and off.
Finally, if you intend to use gardening gloves all year round, water-resistance is helpful. This is often done using latex or leather or synthetic materials can be specially treated to repel water.
Best gardening gloves at a glance
Through extensive testing, we have determined 10 of the best gardening gloves to keep your hands warm, protected and clean no matter which gardening task you’re doing.
All of the gardening gloves within this list received a rating of four (out of five) or above so we can be certain of their high quality and performance.
- Best Buy for Light Work: Clip Gloves Bamboo Fibre
- Best Buy for Heavy Duty Work: Clip Gloves Shock Absorber
- Best Buy for Wet Weather Work: Gold Leaf The Dry Touch
- Best Buy for Every Day Use: Clip Gloves General Purpose
- Best Buy for Winter Use: Stihl ThermoGrip
- Burgon and Ball Love the Gloves
- Town and Country Weedmaster Bamboo
- Niwaki Gardening Gloves
- Burgon and Ball Dig the Gloves
- Clip Gloves Cosy Garden Gloves
Best gardening gloves to buy
Browse our pick of the best gardening gloves, below.
Clip Gloves Bamboo Fibre
Our rating: 4.8 out of 5
RRP: £4.99
- Buy now from Plantagogo (£4.99), Amazon (£11.95)
Pros:
- Comfortable and light
- Second skin fit
- Breathable
- Feel strong
- Excellent value
Cons:
- Bamboo snags occasionally
Awarded Best Buy for light use, our reviewers found the Clip Gloves Bamboo Fibre a good fit, easy to take on and off, comfortable and breathable. The gloves are washable and they come with a carabiner to clip them on to your belt. They did snag occasionally but they’re great for delicate work and all day wear in spring and summer. Available in both men’s and women’s designs.
Read the full Clip Gloves Bamboo Fibre review.
Clip Gloves Shock Absorber
Our rating: 4.8 out of 5
RRP: £14.99
- Buy now from Wrigley DIY (£11.71), Amazon (£17.95)
Pros:
- Comfortable and well fitting
- Good dexterity
- Sturdy and durable
- Good for heavy duty jobs
Cons:
- None
These gloves mould to the hand to provide good dexterity and an excellent fit and our experts praised their well thought out materials. They’re comfortable and durable but not bulky. There’s a carabiner to clip gloves to a belt and padding on the palms for extra protection. Awarded Best Buy for heavy duty work. Clip Gloves Shock Absorber come in both men’s and women’s sizes and design.
Read the full Clip Gloves Shock Absorber review.
Gold Leaf The Dry Touch
Our rating: 4.8 out of 5
RRP: £20.95
- Buy now from Amazon (£19.99), Crocus (£18.69)
Pros:
- Comfortable with good control
- Soft, high quality leather
- Tough and long lasting
- Water resistant
- Good investment
Cons:
- Expensive
The Dry Touch gloves from Gold Leaf are tough, long-lasting and water resistant, making them the best for wet work. Made from soft, supple leather, the gloves have a sturdy, yet luxurious feel. They’re available in both men’s and women’s sizes.
Read the full Gold Leaf The Dry Touch review.
Clip Gloves General Purpose
Our rating: 4.5 out of 5
RRP: £16.95
- Buy now from Amazon (£15.95)
Pros:
- Snug, comfortable fit
- Padded and reinforced
- Great for everyday, medium duty work
- Hard wearing
Cons:
- Lack warmth
- Not water resistant
With an adjustable wrist strap, extra padding and a tailored fit, these gloves were awarded Best Buy for everyday use. They may not be waterproof but the gloves dry well, keeping their shape. Sizes range from small to large in both men’s and women’s styles.
Read the full Clip Gloves General Purpose review.
Stihl ThermoGrip
Our rating: 4.5 out of 5
RRP: £7.50
- Buy now from Sam Turner and Sons (£5.99)
Pros:
- Comfortable and snug
- Warm
- Good grip
- Good value
Cons:
- Bulky
Designed to keep your hands toasty and warm in the winter months, Stihl’s ThermoGrip gloves are thick, sturdy and have a snug, knitted fit. Their chunky thickness means they lack a little dexterity but they have a good grip and a waterproof latex layer. They were awarded Best Buy for winter use.
Read the full Stihl ThermoGrip Gloves review.
Burgon and Ball Love The Glove
Our rating: 4.5 out of 5
RRP: £17.49
- Buy now from Waitrose (£16.99)
Pros:
- Comfortable and snug
- Good dexterity and control
- Strong and durable
- Attractive, quality materials
Cons:
- Wrist strap fiddly for some
Made from artificial suede and tweed with a leather trim, the Burgon and Ball Love the Gloves were some of the best ladies gardening gloves on test and were awarded Best Buy for year round use. The materials are high quality and the gloves are breathable, tough and provide protection all year round. The wrist strap is adjustable for a snug fit but some may find it fiddly.
Read the full Burgon and Ball Love the Glove review.
Town and Country Weedmaster Bamboo
Our rating: 4.3 out of 5
RRP: £5.99
- Buy now from Town and Country (£5.99)
Pros:
- Comfortable
- Good for everyday tasks
- Grip well
- Washable
Cons:
- Not for winter
These gloves from Town and Country are soft, comfortable and easy to take on and off. However, the sizing does run a little big. The latex was thicker than on some other gloves tested so provides good protection and grip, but it does limit the dexterity. A good option for everyday tasks.
Niwaki Gardening Gloves
Our rating: 4.3 out of 5
RRP: £6.00
- Buy now from Trouva (£6.00)
Pros:
- Comfortable
- Second skin feel
- Breathable
- Water resistant
Cons:
- Lack durability
The Niwaki Gardening Gloves have a second skin feel that makes them comfortable and breathable. They’re easy to take on and off, but are very thin so may not be as durable as others on test. A good choice for all day use on light, delicate work such as seed sowing, weeding and potting on.
Burgon and Ball Dig the Glove
Our rating: 4.3 out of 5
RRP: £15.99
- Buy now from Crocus (£14.87)
Pros:
- Comfortable with wrist strap
- Attractive, quality materials
- Don’t go stiff when wet
Cons:
- Padding limits dexterity
- Not for heavy duty or fiddly tasks
The Burgon and Ball Dig The Gloves are the men’s version of their Love the Glove. They’re comfortable, breathable and ideal for general use. Made from denim and synthetic suede with a leather trim, the gloves come up a little big for size and have a loose fit but an adjustable wrist strap helps ensure a snug fit.
Clip Gloves Cosy Garden
Our rating: 4.3 out of 5
RRP: £7.99
- Buy now from Amazon (£11.95)
Pros:
- Snug, soft and comfortable
- Good control and dexterity
- Grip well
- Good for cooler weather
Cons:
- Not for freezing days
The Cosy Garden Gloves from Clip Gloves are warm and thick without being bulky. Features include water-resistant latex, good grip and a carabiner to clip onto a belt. A good choice for the cooler, but not freezing, months.
