Best greenhouses in the UK, compared for 2026
38 greenhouses, polytunnels and cold frames from 15 brands, compared on glazing, ventilation, what comes in the box, guarantee and price per square metre. No made-up award badges, just every number out in the open.
Our picks
Palram's top model with auto vents and 10mm panels
A heavy-duty glasshouse built for exposed sites
Top-scoring walk-in greenhouses
See allA heavy-duty glasshouse built for exposed sites
Palram's top model with auto vents and 10mm panels
Clear sides for light, twin-wall roof for warmth
A strong aluminium 8x10 with a built-in base
Twin-wall all round for the warmest budget Palram 6x8
A long clear greenhouse for a summer of tomatoes
By category
Greenhouse accessories
Grow your own: the next step
Greenhouse up? Next come your own eggs and your own rainwater. Our guides to chicken coops, water butts and raised beds.
Everything on growing your ownGuides
Where our data comes from, how the 0 to 10 score works and what we do not do: we have not put up or tested any of these greenhouses ourselves.
Size, glazing, base, vents and price: the questions to answer before you buy a greenhouse in the UK, with links to the detail.
Light, warmth, safety and lifespan: how horticultural glass, toughened glass and polycarbonate compare in a UK garden.
4 mm, 6 mm or 10 mm: how twinwall polycarbonate panels work, why thickness matters in a UK winter and what to check before you buy.
Why your greenhouse needs a level base, which base types work in a UK garden and how to anchor a greenhouse against wind.
Permitted development rules for greenhouses in England, from the Planning Portal: heights, boundaries, the 50% rule, designated land, listed buildings and building regulations.
How we compare
We have not built these greenhouses ourselves. We read the makers' spec sheets, work out the price per square metre of floor, look at panel thickness or glass type, vents, what comes in the box and the guarantee, and add the ratings of real buyers on Amazon.co.uk. That gives a score from 0 to 10. Every rule behind it is out in the open in How we score.