10 best gardening gloves for sprucing up your green spaces

Score: 93/100

These are designed for medium to heavy-duty work and, like all Clip Gloves designs, come with a handy carabiner clip for easy storage when not in use. They cover the wrist well and moulded nicely to our expert’s hands.

On test, they were hard to fault; the latex coating on the palm meant testers found their grip sturdy yet flexible when cleaning damp leaves, digging, and holding small tools. But, this didn’t fully protect against our thorny rose bushes, so be vigilant when handling any holly or roses.

Score: 92/100

Another Clip Gloves pair, these light-duty gloves are designed to offer the same secure grip and comfort as our winner. They aren’t waterproof but they kept moisture at bay when clearing damp leaves, and the bamboo fibre fabric meant they were breathable, moisture wicking and insulating.

Again, these gloves were very flexible, moulding easily to the hand and providing a good grip for small tools and plants. However, it was a similar story with thorns and prickles from rose bushes – the only real area that these gloves lost marks.

Score: 91/100

There's a theme here. Once again proving that Clip Gloves is worth the consideration, these medium-duty gloves are totally waterproof, making them ideal for wet weather gardening, potting and weeding.

These gloves were responsive to our testers' movement and gripped any secateurs or trowels securely, while the soft lining made them comfortable too. However, we did get a few grazes from thorns and our hands felt a little cold after prolonged wear. For fair weather gardening, this shouldn’t be a bother, but when you're working in winter, maybe keep a hand warmer close by!

Score: 91/100

Our testers loved the tapered cuffs on these unisex gloves, which help them stay securely on your hands. The latex moulds well, and during our digging and pruning tests, they were pleasingly grippy and flexible.

They have no inner seam, which our testers said makes them feel a little like washing-up gloves. But that’s not a judgement on their comfort levels, which they were impressed with. They are water-resistant but watch out for the fabric cuffs, which prevent them from being fully waterproof. You’ll be fine picking up damp leaves, but otherwise they’re best suited to spring and summer jobs.

Score: 91/100

We loved the design of these gloves with the purple flower-detailing, while the elasticated wrists and padded palms provided extra comfort when tackling a variety of tasks. They gripped everything from delicate plants to large handfuls of debris excellently too.

Due to the deerskin leather, these are the first gloves on the list that actually protected our hands against brambles, so you’ll be safe when pruning thorny bushes and prickly plants. Unfortunately, moisture seeped through the leather quickly, so avoid using them for damp tasks like potting or weeding. Note that they’re one-size only, so they probably won’t fit everyone perfectly.

Score: 91/100

The thin fabric and flexible design of these gloves makes them an excellent pick for dry gardening jobs and general tidying, especially in the summer months. They fit our testers' hands like, well, a glove, and offered great grip – you can properly feel what you’re picking up through the material.

Testers found there was good palm protection when handling prickly items too, just not on the back of the hands. And moisture seeped through quickly when picking up damp leaves, so you may want to invest in another pair you can turn to for autumn and winter tasks.

Score: 90/100

The gauntlet-style design of these gloves, complete with a suede cuff, offers plenty of protection for your wrists and arms. The supple leather made picking up delicate plants easy and no moisture seeped through when handling damp foliage and debris either.

The leather also protects against thorns and thistles, so these are a good option for heavy duty tasks. They tended to slip down during wear though, and our testers found their hands got hot. But all in all, they’re a great choice for those difficult chores.

Score: 90/100

With the bonus of a leather palm and a suede gauntlet, these gloves provide serious protection when handling weeds and trimmings. They’re grippy and flexible when clearing damp leaves and pruning with small tools too.

Testers found them difficult to clean, however, as there are no clear washing instructions. We also would have liked more sizes, but that’s being picky – they're comfortable, soft, warm and secure.

Score: 90/100

There’s no gauntlet on these gloves but our testers still loved the overall design; an elasticated wrist keeps them secure while a fleece lining ensures comfort and cosiness.

During heavy-duty work, our hands were totally protected, and they were completely waterproof too. Just note that, again, these gloves have no cleaning instructions and come in a limited range of sizes, so they won’t suit everyone.

Score: 90/100

These gauntlet-style gloves may be expensive, but the long, protective linen cuffs make them a worthwhile investment. Pruning prickly plants like holly was risk free, as testers’ hands were fully protected. Plus, the leather was comfortable and flexible – with the latter only improving as the material softens with use.

Obviously, the linen cuffs aren’t waterproof, but the main body of the gloves was on test. That said, testers did have a quibble about the grip, which was affected when the gloves got particularly wet and therefore slippery. They’re a little bulky too, meaning picking up small plants was fiddly, but they excelled at tackling big jobs.