Need a hand choosing gardening gloves? Here are the best ones we’ve tried

And no matter how much protection they offer, you need to be able to remain dexterous: using tools safely, handling delicate seedlings and fiddling with awkward locks, for example. No one wants to be continually taking their gloves off every few minutes or having to swap pairs around for different tasks unless absolutely necessary. 

It’s a tall order for your gardening gloves to satisfy. There are so many different types of gloves on the market – from sturdy rigger gloves to cosy pairs offering thermal protection. That’s why we’ve tried a broad selection of branded gloves that can be used for most general gardening jobs, and suit a range of budgets. 

Despite a bit of bulky stitching and extra material at the end of the index finger and thumb (something many of us gardeners with small hands are no doubt used to) the fit is snug and supportive in warm, cold and wet conditions.

Jobs requiring precise dexterity – such as handling seedlings and operating a combination lock – were tricky, but otherwise we could get rid of weeds, grab brambles and use tools with a strong grip. In fact, we were bowled over by the thorn protection. Even the sharpest, thickest bramble thorns could be grabbed slowly without piercing the soft leather.  

There’s no lining, but you don’t feel like you’re missing out as the deerskin is so supple. The company warns that this does mean some dye might rub off your skin, but we didn’t find that in our tests. The vibrant yellow dye did fade after one hand-wash (more so in one glove), which was a shame, though we were impressed at how much muck also disappeared from the luminescent palms and fingers.

If you’re OK for these gloves to never look as pristine as they did when you first put them on, then they’ll become a staple in your gardening kit. 

How solid these gardening gloves feel. They were comfortable to wear in all temperatures and made us feel confident enough to tackle tough jobs.  

The thick stitching and fit of index fingers and thumbs were a little distracting from the overall excellent quality of the gloves. And we were surprised at how much dye one glove lost after washing, though the company does warn of some loss.  

OK, so £2 isn’t going to buy you the best-quality gloves. But that’s the point. This pair do not look like they’re about to fall apart either. And they hold their own in the garden, too. Despite the elasticated cuff rolling up a little, they fit well and are comfortable – if a little sweaty in the heat. 

What stood out to us with these gloves was the grip. The mottled green rubber fingertips temporarily bind to metal in particular, meaning stubborn bolts and outside taps were particularly easy to operate. This also meant that soil clings to the surface – and the gloves do stick to each other a bit – but this is tempered with the ability to grab weeds, grass and tools well.

Thorns, however, pierced right through. We were pleasantly surprised with the protection the gloves offered from the cold, but the same can’t be said for waterproofing, as the cuff and palm backs soaked through instantly.  

These gardening gloves are best worn for short, sharp bursts – I admit I was glad to take them off after wearing them in hot weather, and the rubber smell stayed on my skin for a while after. 

When you’re only spending £2, there’s not much to complain about. These gardening gloves are cheap and cheerful, and offer a pleasing amount of grip and dexterity for the price.  

The synthetic smell they left on our hands, but that’s a minor niggle. 

Being able to feel absolutely everything isn’t always a good thing. We found that these gloves’ biggest strength is also their weakness. Thorns, spikes and other nasties will make you wince, so keep these for lightweight, fiddly jobs.

When it comes to how your hands feel when working, sensations are heightened here, too. We found ourselves getting a bit clammy in the heat and felt cold very quickly. Damp jobs aren’t an issue, though, with the gloves offering a surprising amount of protection when faced with water. In our submersion test, it was only in the final few seconds that they gave way and flooded.  

Unlike some of the other gloves we tested, there’s no itchy or unsightly care label (a huge bonus for us) though it did mean taking a quick look at the website to discover they’re hand-wash only. And when they do get wet, drying isn’t an issue. These gloves are so lightweight that they dried on the line in the sun within a couple of hours, and still felt supple. You’ll be back to pottering around in no time. 

These gardening gloves are the definition of a ‘second skin’. If you want to keep your hands clean while repotting, transplanting, watering and tidying – and want to feel as dexterous as possible – then we can’t fault them. 

These gardening gloves aren’t suitable for tougher, sharper jobs – and won’t offer much protection from the cold if you’re particularly sensitive to that.  

With 11 designs available, there’s a pair for every personality (making them ideal for a gift). Immediately, the gloves felt wonderfully soft, inside and out. The stitch detailing on the padded palms (covered with synthetic suede) that followed the natural creases of our hands was a nice touch, especially when you’re expecting a comfortable, snug fit that feels protective.   

A little loop helps to hang them to dry after a wash; the wrist strap enhances the security of the elasticated cuff; and the two-way mesh, synthetic suede and patterned polyester/elastane meet harmoniously with neat, subtle stitching that looked secure.   

We tried out this pair in winter, compared to the other gloves’ summertime testing period. Wearing these gardening gloves on bitingly cold, yet sunny, afternoons – tackling frozen soil – was a mixed experience. Our palms did stay nice and toasty, but our fingers were useless after about 10 minutes each time. These gloves are lightweight, which will work in their favour in warmer weather, but not when you need extra insulation from the elements.    

The number of designs available (meaning ‘ladies’ gloves aren’t just pink). A secure wrist strap and padded palm meant that dry, light-to-medium duty garden tasks were a pleasure.  

Lack of thorn protection and zero water resistance are its Achilles’ heel, but at no point does Burgon & Ball claim otherwise. The snug fit was let down by the fact I could still pinch around 1.5cm of loose fabric at the top of each thumb.  
 
Read our Burgon & Ball Love the Glove review 

These gloves are a safe pair of hands in the garden, easily taking on many tasks some of the other gloves in the wider collection have been specifically designed for. We could securely grip and pull weeds, handle tools and potter about happily. They offered ample protection from the cold in our ice test, and though they felt hot wearing them outside in the sun, our hands weren’t as clammy as expected when we took them off. (Just don’t get them wet – they let in water immediately, and the material clung to our hands, making them tricky to remove.)  

Fresh from the packet, they’re strikingly smart. Though we did wonder why the marshmallow-white hue was chosen for the palms. As you might suspect, these gloves are pristine only once. Generally, they fitted our small hands well – though the absence of lining meant the thick stitching where the leather meets the green spandex in the fingertips made our index finger a bit sore after prolonged use. As with any glove featuring a Velcro strap, we had to be careful not to snag the softer material.  

The tag suggested heading to the website for cleaning tips, but we struggled to find any. We went with the only information provided on the tag, which was to avoid putting them in a washing machine. After a thorough hand wash, we found these gloves took a while to dry in the sun and were still very wet after two hours hanging on the line. Once dry, the leather had lost its initial suppleness inside and out – especially at the fingertips. 

Even though these gloves are lightweight, they can navigate tough, thorny tasks without immediately showing signs of wear and tear, only discolouration.  

That they didn’t stay pristine – although anyone who buys white gardening gloves, only to be disappointed when they get dirty, should perhaps know better. We also hoped they would provide a better barrier against water, too.  

Being one size (and the label saying ‘Men’s’), these shabby chic gloves were never going to be a good fit on small female hands. The digits, palms and cuffs swamped us, though across the knuckles there’s a thicker lining that anchors the gloves into your grip. So, despite not being able pick up a key or handle delicate plants due to next-to-zero dexterity, the gloves didn’t fall off once when we undertook the tougher jobs (like bramble clearing) – and did them with ease. For added comfort, there’s a single patch of soft lining loosely stitched into the inner palms, which confused us at first, but meant the tough chrome leather didn’t chafe or cause blisters – even in hot weather.   

The upside of using gloves that don’t look pristine to begin with is that they age subtly. Aside from stiffening of the leather at the fingertips and stubborn stains, the gloves maintained a steady quality after washing. There were no washing or care instructions provided. Sadly, we did notice a small tear in one of the palms after a few uses, during their first wash. 

These gloves are charmingly shabby chic from the outset, and their thick chrome leather construction offers reliable protection.  

Being one size meant that they barely stayed on our small hands, and they might be too ‘rough and ready’ for those seeking a more comfortable glove.  

These gloves are, of course, designed for heavy work in cold, wet and snowy conditions. As expected, we found their warmth useful in cold conditions, but what we didn’t expect was this this warmth would stay with our hands after taking them off. Excellent news if you struggle with cold hands and troublesome circulation.  

We assumed that our ability to easily work different locks and tools – and grip strong weeds with ease – would mean that these thick gloves would also grant dexterity for fiddlier jobs. Sadly, this wasn’t the case. We tried to transplant some wildflower seedlings and had to take them off to avoid obliterating the poor plants. The same mottled latex found on the Wilko gloves plays the same role here, but we found it a lot less ‘sticky’. 

When we went to wash the gloves, the thick instruction booklet they came informed us that the symbols on the back of each glove explained both how to wash them, and some specs (such as whether they were waterproof and how cut-resistant they are).

Though each symbol has been designed to convey lots of specific info in succinct way, we found them difficult to decipher. We eventually followed the booklet’s care advice in the absence of a corresponding symbol. We found these gloves easy to hand-wash with some soap and water, and were able to wring them out and dry easily considering the thick thermal material. 

These gloves are a hug for your hands. They withstand cold temperatures, yet also remain comfortable to wear in hot weather too. Wearing these, you’ll be able to spend longer in the garden than usual in the winter. 

We hoped they’d provide a better barrier to thorns, and we had to take them off to be able to transplant seedlings – which would undo all their hard work keeping our hands warm on colder days.  

Though the colour isn’t our favourite choice (we think they’re a little anaemic), the carabiner clip to hold these gardening gloves together could have been useful if it hadn’t broken so easily (more on that later). We found it didn’t get in the way of tasks too much if you kept it attached, though when paired with the large rubbery logo on the Velcro strap of each glove, they can begin to feel slightly cumbersome. The hanging loop is useful to pull the gloves off with, as they were a snug fit.

As with all the designs we tested where multiple materials meet around the fingertips, the stitching added some bulk and caused a bit of difficulty with very fiddly tasks (like opening a combination lock). But otherwise, we could feel the edges of plant pots and completed tasks with ease. 

The synthetic material of the gloves was pleasingly durable, and nice and light to wash, much like the Burgon & Ball palms, and didn’t snag or stiffen. The mesh, however, showed signs of wear, with fibrous fuzz appearing after a couple of uses. We also developed two sore patches on our middle fingers from pulling tough weeds out and using a trowel while wearing these gloves. Sadly, the carabiner mechanism wasn’t robust at all and broke the first time we attached the gloves to the line with it to dry after handwashing. 

Being able to keep them together with the clip, which is these gardening gloves’ namesake. The fit was one of the best of the ‘stitched together’ gloves we tried. 

Knowing the gloves don’t offer consistent protection against thorns and damp conditions. 

If you’re still unsure about which type of gardening glove is right for you, we can help. We spoke to gardening expert Dan Cooper to see how he chooses his own gloves, from deciding on a material to knowing how much to spend.

There are so many types and styles of gardening gloves – each made from different natural and synthetic materials. You may need to avoid latex if you have an allergy, or you might prefer to leave leather behind and not use animal-based products.  

Knowing which material is best for gardening gloves really depends on what you’ll be using them for. 

“It’s leather all the way for me,” says Cooper. “Like other materials, there are different grades and qualities. A thinner, lightweight leather combined with some stretchy nylon and Lycra offers durability and flexibility for general jobs. A thicker, full-grain leather provides better protection against thorns and sharp stones. However, it’s not indestructible.  

“Safety gloves made from multiple layers of leather and artificial fibres should be worn when using powered cutting equipment, such as hedge trimmers or chain saws.” 

If you need waterproof gloves, then Cooper suggests popping on a pair of rubber ones.  

“They’re perfectly acceptable for some gardening tasks, but they will no longer be waterproof if they are punctured,” he says. “Your hands will sweat inside, so don’t wear them for long periods or if you have a latex allergy.” 

If you’re buying gardening gloves online, there’s always a risk they might not fit perfectly on your first attempt. But it’s good to know what you should look for when you try a pair on for the first time.   

“The ideal gardening glove will feel like a second skin: snug and close fitting, but not tight or restrictive,” says Cooper. “You should easily be able to form a fist and flatten your hand back out again. If it feels as if you are wearing boxing gloves or there’s excess material at your fingertips, try a different glove.  

“Also, pay attention to how a glove fits at the wrist. Ideally, there should be no space for dirt or debris to fall inside. Look out for knitted or elasticated cuffs that will hug your wrists.” 

With such a huge range of gardening gloves available, knowing whether to splash out or stick to a value-driven budget can be tricky. 

“While you will get what you pay for, how much you should spend is more about what you intend to do wearing the gloves,” advises Cooper. “An inexpensive pair of nitrile-coated gloves will be perfectly adequate, comfortable and even space-saving if you’re an occasional gardener who prefers to be outside in fine weather.  

“If you’re tackling a garden clearance project, shifting paving slabs or pruning thorny shrubs, you should pay a little more and get gloves that offer superior levels of protection.” 

These will cost more, but it’s important that your hands are protected.