A good garden broom should have stiff bristles for cleaning surfaces like grass and concrete, a firm and ergonomic handle and a wobble-free connection between the handle and the brush head.
Get a garden broom that works well on a variety of outdoor surfaces including pavement, grass and dirt.
In this buying guide, I recommend the best garden and yard brushes you can order online in the UK. I also give you some pointers on what features to look for when shopping for the right broom.
Features To Consider When Choosing A Garden Broom
A. Bristles
You want a broom with stiff bristles that can easily sweep leaves, twigs and other debris in the yard. A soft-bristled broom is more suitable for the porch or indoors. It’ll be frustrating to use outdoors.
How stiff the bristles are depends on the kind of surfaces you’ll be cleaning.
For flower and grass-planted gardens, medium-stiff Bassine bristles are perfect. Bassine bristles are made from the leaf fibres of a palmyra palm tree. They are the bristles you’ll find on most garden brooms. They handle both wet and dry debris with ease.
If your garden has a lot of hard landscaping such as pavement, a concrete deck or a long driveway, you may need a stiffer bristled brush especially if you struggle with mould and moss growth. Many homeowners find a broom with wire bristles to be the best for concrete and other hard surfaces.
B. Handle
Next, check the quality and size of the handle.
Most garden brooms comes with a wooden handle or shaft. It’s relatively light and easy to grip. The main downside of a wooden handle is rotting. If you buy a broom with a wooden shaft, be careful not to leave it outside in the garden exposed to the elements.
Another common problem with wooden shafts is that they break more easily.
A plastic handle is great alternative. Plastic does not rust or rot, and plastic handles don’t snap easily. A plastic handle is also light, making your cleaning chores less tiring.
A metal handle is another good choice. To make sure it doesn’t make the broom too heavy look for an aluminium handle. Aluminium is light but strong, and it doesn’t rust.
C. Handle And Broom Head Connection
The biggest problem with garden brooms is the handle separating from the broom head. Some start with some wobbliness and then separate completely. Others come right off without a warning.
To ensure you are buying a durable and reliable broom, check how the handle is connected to the broom head.
I love brooms that have a plastic or metal bracket secured onto the broom head with screws. You then attach the handle to the bracket by screwing it in. The tip of the handle has threads that screw onto threads on the inside of the bracket.
Avoid brooms where the handle simply sticks into a hole in the broom head. This type of connection gets loose quickly especially if you do a lot of yard work. Many homeowners end up driving a nail into the handle to try to secure it, usually without success.
D. Width And Length
Check the width of the broom head. The standard width is 12 inches or about 30cm. That’s wide enough to cover the yard quickly without making the broom heavy and unwieldy.
You can find broom with smaller 10” wide broom heads. A 10 inch head is perfect for sweeping small garden paths and getting into tight areas where a wide broom cannot fit.
Don’t forget to also check how long the handle is. The standard range is between 120cm and 150cm. Choose a length that will be comfortable for your height. A too-short broom will force you to bend and can hurt your back.
It’s better if the handle is slightly longer than you need since you can always hold the handle lower.
Best Garden Brooms: Top 5 Reviews
1. Draper 88618 330 mm Contractors’ Yard Broom
The Draper 88618 yard broom is designed for contractors. That should give you an idea of how sturdy and well-made it is.
One thing you’ll notice is that the bristles are longer than those on mot garden brooms. This allows the Draper broom to move more debris and reach deeper into grass.
The stiff bristles consist of two fibres, one natural and the other synthetic. The natural fibre is Sherbro. It is sourced from palm trees growing in Sierra Leon in West Africa. The synthetic fibre is Polypropylene.
Sherbro and Polypropylene combine to make a stiff and hardwearing bristles that are suitable for a wide range of surfaces from grass to pavement and driveways.
The wooden handle is 137cm long, providing plenty of length for taller users.
The one weak point of the Draper broom is the connection between the handle and broom head. It’s not the screw-on type that I typically recommend.
Most customers say they’ve not experience any wobbliness or the handle coming off, but I still recommend being careful when sweeping.
What I like about it:
- Stiff and durable Sherbro and Polypropylene bristles.
- Bristles are longer than average – great for sweeping the yard.
- Long handle.
2. Charles Bentley Garden 12″ Natural Bassine Sweeping Broom
If you are tired of replacing the handles on your old broom because they keep coming off, I recommend the Charles Bentley natural bassine garden broom.
The handle screws onto a bracket that is itself secured to the broom head using four screws. This keeps the handle firmly in place no matter how hard you ae sweeping.
The bristles are made from natural bassine. They are suitable for hard surfaces such as pavement and tiled areas. They also work well on grass that’s not too thick.
The wood broom head is FSC Certified. This means it is made with wood that meets the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council. The wood is sealed to keep it from warping or rotting.
The Charles Bentley broom comes with a 130cm handle. It includes a padded grip at the top, preventing your hands from slipping when sweeping.
What I like about it:
- Strong and lightweight.
- Handle secures firmly to the head.
- Environmentally friendly construction – natural bristles and FSC-certified wood.
3. Newman & Cole Outdoor Sweeping Brush
The Newman & Cole outdoor brush also uses natural bassine bristles that are tough enough for a wide range of outdoor surfaces.
The wooden broom head has a wide 12-inch sweeping path, which is handy for sweeping wide garden paths and tidying up large gardens.
The 120cm handle attaches to the head using a bracket. The bracket is set at an angle to improve your grip and sweeping action. Four screws secure the bracket to the broom head. The handle then screws into the bracket.
The screw fit design is durable and eliminates issues of wobbliness.
The handle itself is wooden. It’s strong and doesn’t break easily, but it’s a good idea to be gentle with it. And remember to store it inside away from the elements when not using it.
What I like about it:
- Wide broom head.
- Secure handle and head attachment – no wobbling.
- Strong wooden handle.
4. Wolf-Garten B40M Multi-Change Patio Brush
The Wolf-Garten B40M is part of the company’s Multi-Change system. The idea is simple: you can fit different kinds of handles on the brush depending on your height and needs.
And once you find the handle that works best for you, it’s compatible with most other Wolf-Garten heads including garden scrapers, forks and rakes.
The B40M comes without a handle, letting you choose the one you prefer. Most customers go with the 150cm long WOLF-Garten ZMI15 lightweight aluminium handle.
If you prefer a shorter handle to fit your height, get the 100cm WOLF-Garten ZM100W Multi-Change wooden handle.
If you need an extra-long reach, Wolf-Garten also sells the ZMV4 Multi-Change Telescopic Handle that extends from 220 to 400cm.
Keep in mind that the handles cost about the same or more than the brush head. So combined, the B40M brush and one of the handles will cost you more than other garden brooms.
But I think it’s worth it. The broom head is well made with tough PVC bristles that are perfect for a variety of outdoor surfaces from the patio to the yard.
Measuring 15.7 inches wide, the head is wider than average, making it easy to cover large yards in less time.
The handle clicks securely into the brush head. Once it clicks into place, it doesn’t wobble or come off. To change handles or attach the handle to another head, simply press the red button to detach the handle.
What I like about it:
- Convenient and space-saving Multi-Change system.
- Well-made broom head.
- Wide variety of handles available.
- Extra-wide sweeping path.
5. TDBS Stiff Garden Sweeping Brush
If you prefer a garden broom with a metal handle, I recommend this one from the The Dustpan and Brush Store (TDBS).
The 129cm long handle is durable and less likely to snap compared to a wooden pole. The metal is coated to keep out corrosion. A plastic stopper at the top provides a comfortable place to hold and includes a loop to hang the broom from a hook or nail on the wall.
The other end of the handle has threads that screw onto a plastic bracket. The bracket itself is secured to the broom head using four screws, ensuing it doesn’t come off or get wobbly.
The broom head consists of natural bassine bristles embedded in a piece of wood. The bristles are stiff enough for use on pavement, the driveway, the patio or on the grass.
At 10 inches, the broom head on the TDBS garden brush is narrower than average. This makes it perfect for sweeping narrow paths and getting into hard-to-reach areas such as under flowers and along the edges of the garden.
What I like about it:
- Sturdy metal handle.
- Smaller brush head is perfect for garden paths and hard to reach area.
- Secure screw fit handle attachment.