Having a high-quality pair of gardening gloves ensures clean hands and nails, prevents scrapes, cuts, calluses, and blisters, and protects against harmful chemicals as well as insect bites.
Since you’ve landed on this article, it’s safe to assume that you haven’t yet found the right pair of gardening gloves for your needs. Fret not! You’re in the right place.
In this article, we shed light on some of the best gardening gloves on the market today. We also cover how you should go about pinpointing the perfect pair, so stick around.
Quick glance at the best gardening gloves:
- Magid Glove & Safety Bella Comfort Flex Coated - Best Overall
- Foxgloves Original Gloves - Runner Up
- Atlas Gloves Atlas Nitrile Touch Gloves - Budget Pick
- Exemplary Gardens Rose Pruning Gloves - Heavy Duty
Related:
Best Gardening Gloves Reviewed
Having sifted through countless top-rated gardening gloves, we were finally able to filter out four impressive products that hit the nail on the head.
No matter what you intend to use any of these gloves for a while you're digging in your garden; you can rest assured they'll suffice and stand the test of time.
Magid Glove & Safety Bella Comfort Flex Coated - Best Overall
Kicking off our list is the water-resistant Magid BE337T Bella garden work glove, with its form-fitting design, double-coated palm, and breathable nylon back.
With the BE337T Bella covering your hands, you don't have to worry about getting your hands wet as you're doing your gardening. Instead, the water will simply bead up and roll off the gloves.
The double-coated palm, which incorporates nitrile and polyurethane, is sure to remain unscratched and in good shape even after years of use. It’s also quite comfortable.
Thanks to Comfort Flex technology, this garden glove’s nylon back flaunts exceptional breathability, so you can forget all about sweaty, slippery hands. You can get the BE337T Bella gloves in size L or XL.
Pros
Durable, form-fitting design
Breathable nylon back
Waterproof
Can easily be hosed clean
Reasonably priced
Cons
A little too thin for yard work
Not the best insect protection
Foxgloves Original Gloves - Runner Up
The Foxgloves Originals are a bit more expensive than the Magid BE337T Bella, but for a few good reasons. For starters, the Foxgloves Originals are made of high-tech sports fabric that ensures superb durability and water resistance. They also incorporate lycra elastane to provide flexibility and stretch.
On top of that, these gloves do an excellent job of keeping your hands and fingernails clean. They also feature longer cuffs to provide wrist protection.
Not just that, but they incorporate Supplex nylon to boost durability and provide a comfortable, cottony feel. The gloves are available in nine vibrant colors and three sizes: small, medium, and large. They're perfect for both men and women.
Pros
Unisex design
Flexible and comfortable
Water-resistant
Super lightweight
Available in many colors
Cons
Not the most breathable
Relatively expensive
Atlas Gloves Atlas Nitrile Touch Gloves - Budget Pick
Just because the Atlas Gloves NT370A6M are affordable doesn’t mean they’re not reliable. In fact, they’re one of the best-selling gardening gloves today, mainly because of their reliability.
These unisex gloves are made of nitrile, which is why they feel as if they’ve molded to your hands once you put them on. They’re also available in several color options, including purple, blue, teal, and green, so you’ll surely find something to appeal to your taste.
Now, even though the Atlas Gloves NT370A6M are puncture- and abrasion-resistant, they're not really intended for heavy-duty work. Instead, they're intended primarily for light gardening work that requires dexterity.
Pros
Unisex design
Perfect for light gardening
Good puncture resistance
Available in many colors
Great value for the price
Cons
Too large for smaller hands
Not suitable for heavy-duty work
Exemplary Gardens Rose Pruning Gloves - Heavy Duty
Designed for all green-thumbed men and women, the Rose Pruning Gloves from Exemplary Gardens are the perfect pick for heavy-duty gardening, as they’re made of 100% natural goatskin leather and boast remarkable puncture resistance.
This high-quality leather glove features an extended suede cuff to protect your arm from cuts and scratches. And while it's durable and super sturdy, the Rose Pruning Glove maintains excellent flexibility, allowing you to deadhead without any constrictions or any risk of hurting yourself.
By the way, if you have sensitive skin, you’d be happy to know that these gloves incorporate lanolin as a moisturizing agent to help keep your hands supple.
The Rose Pruning Gloves are available in four unique color options and in five size options to accommodate hands of all sizes.
Pros
Durable goatskin leather
Great wrist closure
Comfortable and pliable
Smooth internal texture
Excellent grip
Cons
Not entirely thorn-proof
Quite expensive
How to Choose Gardening Gloves
There are several things you should consider before choosing a pair of gloves.
Material
Possibly the most important part of any pair of gloves. Let's look a little closer at the materials.
Nylon
Nylon gardening gloves strike an excellent balance between durability and elasticity. They’re quite popular because of their low absorbency, especially when compared to PU (synthetic leather) gloves. What’s more, nylon gloves are highly resistant to puncture and tear. They’re also lightweight and offer a reliable grip.
Leather
Leather gardening gloves are arguably the strongest and most durable, making them perfect for heavy-duty work and pokey jobs like wire fencing and rose pruning. What we don't like about leather gloves is that they're bulky and don't usually fit snugly enough. Nonetheless, they provide excellent protection and are guaranteed to last long.
Bamboo
Gloves made of bamboo fiber are soft, breathable, flexible, and quite comfortable. They’re also close-fitting and environmentally friendly. The main downside of using bamboo gloves is that they’re not water-resistant. They’re also not the most reliable when it comes to grip.
Grip
Another major factor. Grip can help you or hinder you, depending on what tools you use.
Coating
There are two common types of coating that you’ll come across when sifting through gardening gloves: rubber and nitrile or neoprene coating.
Gloves that are coated with rubber provide great protection against chemicals like pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. They also have excellent grip. The only problem with such gloves is that their coating restricts their breathability, so they tend to get hot and sweaty.
Neoprene or nitrile gloves are similar to rubber gloves in the sense that their coating is derived from synthetic rubber, but they’re much more breathable and flexible. They’re not the most resistant to puncture, though.
Textured Material
Most uncoated gardening gloves are made out of textured material to provide a reliable grip. As a result, such gloves tend to be more breathable and ideal for light-duty gardening.
However, the downside is that they're not really water-resistant, so water can seep through their seams, making it difficult for you to carry out your work.
Size
When it comes to choosing the right-sized gardening gloves, it’s vital that you check the manufacturer’s sizing chart, especially if it’s not possible to try on the gloves before you buy them.
Ideally, you should measure your hands before buying a pair of gloves to ensure a comfortable and snug fit. To do so, you need to grab a tape measure and wrap it around your knuckles. The measured circumference is what you should be looking for in the manufacturer’s sizing chart.
Use the measurements below for reference:
- S: 6.5-7.25 inches
- M: 7.5-7.75 inches
- L: 8-8.75 inches
- XL: 9-9.75 inches
- XXL: 10-10.75 inches
- XXXL: 11-12 inches
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the most common questions that people have.
What Should I Look For in Gardening Gloves?
Three essential factors should influence your purchase decision, namely comfort, hand protection, and durability.
It would be best if you opted for a pair of gloves that are flexible and breathable to ensure comfort. Further, the gloves should provide enough protection for your knuckles, palms, and fingertips. Lastly, the gloves should be made of a durable material that will last long.
Should You Wear Gloves When Gardening?
Most definitely! Wearing gloves when gardening will significantly help protect your knuckles, palms, and fingertips from scratches and cuts. It’ll also keep your hands and nails clean.
Gardening gloves are especially important when working with harmful chemicals like pesticides and herbicides. They also provide protection against insect bites and stings.
Is It Safe to Garden Without Gloves?
Gardening without gloves can result in dangerous microorganisms finding their way into your body, causing serious infections that you could easily avoid. Not to mention, you run the risk of getting scratched, cut, bitten, or stung if you’re gardening without gloves. Accordingly, why not use gloves with all the available options?
Are Garden Gloves Washable?
Yes, most of them are actually. All you have to do to clean your gardening gloves is soak them in tepid water for enough time. Alternatively, you can wash them with water and soap while wearing them. Some can even be hosed clean, which makes them all the more convenient!
Recap
- In our experience, the Magid BE337T Bella is the most well-rounded gardening glove. It provides excellent protection, and it’s durable, breathable, and water-resistant.
- The Atlas Gloves Atlas Nitrile Touch Gloves are a perfect alternative if you’re on a limited budget.
- If you engage in heavy-duty gardening work on a regular basis, you can’t go wrong with the Exemplary Gardens Rose Pruning Leather Gardening Glove. They’re incredibly durable and protective.
