8 best garden kneelers for comfort and protection

Score: 97/100

Thick and well-cushioned, this kneeler from garden tools expert Spear and Jackson performed best on test to earn its well-deserved crown. It provided total protection (our experts couldn’t feel anything through it) and comfort on a variety of surfaces, even when used for long periods.

It’s a generous size and didn’t slip on damp surfaces. It only lost marks due to dirt traps around the seams and a lack of cleaning guidance – small niggles given your hands will be submerged in the earth anyway. A great piece of gardening kit.

Score: 97/100

Another option from Spear and Jackson, these are the knee pad equivalent of our winning garden kneeler. Unsurprisingly then, they also offered brilliant protection, whether on gravel, grass or concrete.

They were easy to attach, and testers found them comfortable both when kneeling and walking around. There were no issues as time passed either; our experts even forgot they were wearing them!

Score: 93/100

With 10 colours available, you can have fun matching these pads to your gardening outfit. They offer plenty of padding and protection, so you don’t need to worry about kneeling down to weed on hard pavement either.

The neoprene cover is water-resistant and quick to dry. But some testers found that when they sat back on their feet, the straps behind the knees dug in slightly. This may not be the case for everyone, though.

Score: 91/100

This large, multi-tasking kneeler has a different foam density on either side; one is firmer and best used when gardening for long periods, while the other is less dense to provide quick support during short jobs. Thanks to its size, it protected the tops of our testers' shins as well as the knees, but some noted that the firm side of the pad was harder than expected, making it a little uncomfortable for prolonged kneeling.

That said, it scored full marks when used on concrete flooring and performed well on damp grass and gravel too. Plus, it’s waterproof if you get caught in a downpour.

Score: 87/100

If you’re a fan of leather garden accessories, then these are the ones to go for. The knee pads performed particularly well on gravel and grass; testers felt cushioned and comfortable, and water didn’t seep through on damp ground. However, their knees didn’t feel quite as cushioned when working on concrete.

Testers also noted that the raw padding was slightly prickly, so we'd recommend opting for another style if you like to do the gardening in shorts.

Score: 87/100

This versatile garden kneeler also functions as a stool and provides storage for tools – ideal if you regularly forget where you last left your gardening fork! It sits a couple of centimetres off the ground, so offers total protection against hard, damp or gravel surfaces, while remaining stable.

Testers found the foam kneeler was generally comfortable but think the padded provided is best suited to quick jobs. Everyone was grateful for the side handles too, which offer support when standing up after working down low.

Score: 87/100

Don’t be fooled by the simple design of this foam kneeler as it still has a high-quality feel to it thanks to the tough, waterproof canvas cover. It performed impressively across all our tests, remaining secure on a variety of surfaces and protected knees against sharp gravel.

This kneeler is the firmest of the bunch though, which may not suit everyone. But if it’s solid support that you’re after, it’s hard to beat.

Score: 78/100

This budget offering is made from textured foam, meaning it remains secure even on slippery surfaces. Our testers were pleased with the level of protection it gave on gravel as well as the general comfort it offered across different gardening tasks.

Be warned though, it’s small and doesn't offer much manoeuvrability – we had to keep our knees together when working. At this price point, however, we can’t really complain and it’s well-suited to short-term use. A good buy for beginner gardeners.