The best soil blockers, compared.
Top pick: Moendergo 4-cell 2 inch soil blocker kit Best value: QWORK 4-cell 2 inch soil blocker – Lowest galvanised steel price with a UK review file, about £19.98, 4.3 from 17. Updated October 2026.
A soil blocker is a handheld press that squeezes a wet compost mix into free-standing cubes, so you can sow without a plastic module. In the UK you buy one to cut pot waste and to air-prune roots: the root tip stops at the cube face, and you plant the whole cube. Quality is a frame that stays square, a plunger that ejects cleanly, and a mix wet enough to hold. The usual first tool is a four-cell press of about 50 mm (2 inch). A twenty-cell press of about 20 mm is for germination and nesting, not the only pot for tomatoes or cucumbers. You tell a suitable press from the cell count, the cube size, and a zinc-plated or galvanised steel frame rather than light plastic. The same search also returns weed fabric, potting mats and soil-pipe valves. How this method compares with a cell tray is set out in [soil blocker or module trays](/hub/fertiliser-soil-and-bark-mulch/soil-blocker/sub/soil-blocker-or-module-trays).
A soil blocker is a handheld press that squeezes a wet compost mix into free-standing cubes, so you can sow without a plastic module.
26 products checked · 61 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What cubes do you need?
The Moendergo kit is a galvanised 4-cell 2 inch press with a seeding kit and three plastic seed-plug inserts, at about £27.99. Item weight is 2.26 kg, the heaviest row here, and the country of origin is China. The star line is 4.5 from two reviews. Both kept texts were reviewed in Germany, so that score is not a UK sample. The kit extras do not change the press class: you still get four 50 mm cubes. The unit-count field reads 1.0 gram on a tool listing. Buy it for the inserts if you already know the mix, not because 4.5 looks like a win.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want plastic inserts in the box and you will ignore a two-review German star line.
Less suitable: You need a UK review file, or a light press for a windowsill.
Specifications
Common questions
What is in the kit?
The listing names a seeding kit and three sizes of plastic seed-plug inserts, with a 4-cell 2 inch press.
Are the two reviews from the UK?
No. Both kept texts were reviewed in Germany. The star line is 4.5 from 2 reviews.
What does the unit-count field say?
It reads 1.0 gram on a tool listing. The item weight on the same listing is 2.26 kg.
The nanovi 4-cell press forms four 2 inch cubes from a wet mix at about £30.55, with three seed-pin sizes in the box and a zinc-coated steel frame at 1.11 kg. Across 152 amazon.co.uk reviews the star line is 4.4, and two United Kingdom texts sit with the listing, the deepest sample in this set. The listing names greenhouse work and cuttings. The pins are given as 0.82 × 0.43 inch, 0.43 × 0.39 inch and 0.66 × 0.66 inch. That review depth is why it is the top pick here, not a laboratory win. Wider reviews also mention frames that arrive out of square or missing a bolt. Most of those notes are not UK texts, so check the press on arrival. The technical card does not state the dimensions. It is a mid-band steel press with pins, not a genuine Ladbrooke Mini 4.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 4-cell press of about 50 mm, with pins and the deepest review file in this set.
Less suitable: You only need a 20 mm mini, or you want a UK-made Ladbrooke press with cube inserts.
Specifications
Common questions
How many cubes does this press make?
The listing is a 4-cell tool. The bullets say four 2 inch x 2 inch x 2 inch blocks.
Does it include seed pins?
Yes. The listing names three pin sizes: 0.82 x 0.43 inch, 0.43 x 0.39 inch and 0.66 x 0.66 inch, plus a user manual.
What is the amazon.co.uk review line?
4.4 out of 5 from 152 reviews. Two United Kingdom texts were kept with the listing.
The QWORK press makes four 2 inch cubes from galvanised steel at about £19.98, 800 g, and 19 × 5 × 25 cm. Across 17 amazon.co.uk reviews the star line is 4.3, and three United Kingdom texts were kept. Those UK notes talk about a snowball-wet mix, a second squeeze to eject, and a fine compost rather than barky multi-purpose. Seed dimples are weld-in steel beads, not a set of loose pins, and the listing is the press only. A page question asks whether the frame is stainless. The technical field says galvanised steel. It is the best value because it is the lowest steel shelf price with a UK review file, not because it outlasts every mid-band press.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a first 4-cell steel press, you will wet the mix, and you do not need spare pins.
Less suitable: You want three pin sizes in the box, or a 20-cell mini.
Specifications
Common questions
What size blocks does this QWORK press make?
The listing says a group of four 2 inch x 2 inch blocks. Product dimensions are 19 x 5 x 25 cm and the item weight is 800 g.
Is the frame stainless steel?
No. A question on the listing asks that. The technical field says galvanised steel, not stainless.
Are there UK reviews?
Yes. Three United Kingdom texts were kept with the listing. The star line is 4.3 from 17 reviews.
The Transplant press forms four cubes about 5.1 cm square, with extra height about 6.1 cm, at about £21.00. The frame is galvanised, with a rubber handle, and the item weight is 910 g. Across 121 amazon.co.uk reviews the star line is 4.0, and four United Kingdom texts were kept, the largest UK-text count in this set. The title says 2 inch and names greenhouse use. Cuttings are not on the listing. The seed hole is fixed, and one review says larger inserts were missing. Dimensions are 19.5 × 5.2 × 24 cm. The 4.0 line sits below the two awarded rows, so this is a documented 50 mm-class press with a mixed star file.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a cube of about 5.1 cm with extra height, and a UK text file, at about £21.
Less suitable: You need loose pin sizes, or a 20-cell germination press.
Specifications
Common questions
What cube size is printed?
The bullets say four blocks about 5.1 cm square, with extra height about 6.1 cm. The title says 2 inch.
Does the listing name cuttings?
No. Recommended uses are seed starting and transplanting. Greenhouse use is in the title.
What is the review line?
4.0 out of 5 from 121 reviews. Four United Kingdom texts were kept with the listing.
The Lyreh press makes twenty 3/4 inch cubes and includes a five-outlet seed dispenser, at about £28.99. The listing gives 13 × 10.5 × 8 cm and about 310 g. Across 15 amazon.co.uk reviews the star line is 3.0, and one United Kingdom text says the mini blocks are not large enough for tomato or cucumber seedlings. The title says iron. The bullets say stainless steel and plastic, so both words stay on the page. Each cell has a formed seed pit. This is a 20 mm-class tool for germination and nesting, not a stand-in for a 50 mm press.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You will nest 20 mm cubes into a 50 mm press, and you already own the larger size.
Less suitable: This mini would be your only pot for tomatoes or cucumbers.
Specifications
Common questions
How small are the cubes?
The listing is a 20-cell 3/4 inch mini. Dimensions are 13 x 10.5 x 8 cm and the item weight is about 310 g.
Is it iron or stainless steel?
The title says iron. The bullets say stainless steel and plastic. The listing does not settle that clash.
What did the UK review say about size?
The United Kingdom text says the mini blocks are not large enough for tomato or cucumber seedlings.
The DONGKER listing is a 4-cell ABS press at about £16.89 and 100 g, with an anti-slip handle in the bullets and no printed inch or millimetre cube size. Across one amazon.co.uk review the star line is 1.0. The United Kingdom text calls it very cheap plastic and says it lasted three attempts. Cuttings and greenhouse use are named. If a frame snaps in normal use, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 is the return route. That is a fault with the goods, not a mix problem. The cheapest row here is a one-season trial at best, and the kept review already failed that trial.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are only trying the method for a weekend and you accept a plastic frame that may snap.
Less suitable: You will sow again, fill allotment trays, or you need a stated 50 mm cube.
Specifications
Common questions
What is the frame made of?
The listing says ABS, with an anti-slip handle. The item weight is 100 g.
Is a block size printed?
No. The listing says four square soil blocks and does not give an inch or millimetre figure.
What is the review line?
1.0 out of 5 from 1 review. The United Kingdom text says very cheap plastic and that it lasted three attempts.
The YUKERMARB press is titled as a 2-in-1 iron 4-cell 2 inch tool at about £76.09 and 1.26 kg. The bullets describe one handheld press. A second tool is not listed, so the 2-in-1 line is title wording. There is no star line and no review text with the listing. Seed pins are not stated. The listing names cuttings and professional use. At more than twice the mid-band steel presses, the price is for an iron frame with no review file. Ladbrooke Maxi and gift-set prices sit in this band as market context. This listing is not that line.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You specifically want an iron 4-cell listing and you will accept no UK review file.
Less suitable: You are buying a first press, or you are comparing it with a steel press around £20 to £31 that has reviews.
Specifications
Common questions
Why does the title say 2 in 1?
That is title wording only. The bullets describe one handheld 4-cell 2 inch press. A second tool is not listed.
What is the frame material?
The listing says iron, and describes it as rust-resistant. The item weight is 1.26 kg.
Is there a star line?
No. The listing has no customer-review score and no review texts.
Seven amazon.co.uk listings were scored from the stored pages and the UK review notes already on file. There is no laboratory test. The stored score is the amazon star rating times 20, and it is 0 when the listing has no star line. The top pick is the deepest kept review file with UK texts, not the highest star line. The best value is the lowest steel shelf price that still has a UK review file. The cheaper ABS listing does not take that badge. The weights below sum to 100.
Cube size and cell count
25%A four-cell press of about 50 mm is the usual first tool. A twenty-cell press of about 20 mm is for germination and nesting, not the only pot for tomatoes or cucumbers. A listing with no printed cube size cannot be checked against that split.
Frame material
20%Zinc-plated or galvanised steel is the repeat-use frame. An ABS body is treated as a one-season trial. An iron title that clashes with stainless-steel bullets stays as a clash, not as a resolved material.
Pins and inserts
15%Loose seed pins suit more than one seed size. Weld-in beads are a fixed dimple. Plastic inserts and a dispenser do not change a four-cell press into a 20 mm tool, or the other way round.
UK review evidence
25%Stars and counts are the amazon.co.uk lines. A United Kingdom note about the mix or the cube size counts for more than a high score from two reviews written in Germany. No star line scores 0.
Price for the job
15%Entry steel with a UK review file is enough to learn the method. A mid-band press is scored when the box adds pins. A premium price with no review file does not outrank a reviewed steel press.
Buy the cube size and the frame before you buy the star line. A 50 mm steel press, a 20 mm mini and a plastic body are not one ladder. Prices below are the amazon.co.uk figures stored with these listings. This is not a laboratory test.
Start with cell count and cube size. The usual first soil blocker is a four-cell press of about 50 mm (2 inch). A twenty-cell press of about 20 mm is for germination and for nesting a small cube into a larger one. It is too small as the only pot for tomatoes or cucumbers. In this set, six listings are four-cell presses and one is a twenty-cell mini. One four-cell listing does not print a cube size at all. Frame material comes next. Zinc-plated or galvanised steel is the repeat-use choice.
A 20 mm cube is for germination and nesting. A UK review of the 20-cell press says it is not large enough for tomato or cucumber seedlings on their own.
The mix needs to hold like a snowball. Unsieved multi-purpose compost and an overhead rose are why cubes collapse, not a reason to buy a second press.
A 4.5 from two texts written in Germany is not a UK sample. A United Kingdom note about moisture or cube size is the evidence that counts here.
Choose 50 mm before 20 mm unless you already own the larger press and you will nest. Zinc-plated or galvanised steel is the frame for a second season. Loose pins cover more than one seed size. Weld-in beads and formed pits do not. Ladbrooke's own Mini 4 takes cube inserts. The Mini 5 does not take a Micro 20 insert. None of the seven listings is that maker's tool, so do not buy a clone title as if it were.
Use the amazon.co.uk star line, then ask whether any text is from the United Kingdom. Entry steel with those notes sits near £20 to £21. A press with pins sits near £31. Two German reviews at 4.5 do not jump that queue. No star line at about £76 does not either. The cube only holds if the mix is wet and fine. Sieve out bark, squeeze to a snowball, and bottom-water. A peat-free bag needs a binder. A proposed retail peat ban is not an enacted nationwide shop ban as of 2026.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You sow one spring of trays and want a 50 mm steel press with pins. The nanovi 4-cell tool is about £30.55, with 4.4 from 152 reviews and three pin sizes. Check the frame is square when it arrives. It is the top pick on review depth, not a laboratory result.
You make a lot of 50 mm cubes and want a UK review file near £21. The Transplant press is 4.0 from 121 reviews, with four UK texts, cubes about 5.1 cm and a rubber handle. Cuttings are not named, and one review says larger inserts were missing.
You want the lowest galvanised price that still has UK reviews. The QWORK press is about £19.98, 4.3 from 17, with weld-in beads and no loose pin kit. It is the best value. The cheaper ABS frame is a poor bet if you will sow more than once.
The top pick is the nanovi 4-cell 2 inch soil blocker at about £30.55. It has the deepest review file in the set, 4.4 from 152 with two United Kingdom texts, plus three seed-pin sizes on a zinc-coated frame. The best value is the QWORK 4-cell press at about £19.98, the lowest galvanised price with a UK review file, at 4.3 from 17. The Transplant press has the larger UK text file, at 4.0 from 121. The Moendergo 4.5 is two German texts. The Lyreh mini is for nesting, not for tomatoes on their own. The DONGKER ABS press failed its one UK review after three attempts. The YUKERMARB iron press is about £76.09 with no star line. None of these scores is a laboratory test.
QWORK 4-cell 2 inch soil blocker
Lowest galvanised steel price with a UK review file, about £19.98, 4.3 from 17.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK and maker sources from the research digest, used for this page in October 2026. Prices, stars and review counts are from the seven amazon.co.uk listings in this set. A German review line is not a UK sample. Ladbrooke prices are market context from the maker's site. A nationwide shop ban on peat compost has not been enacted.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Lee Burkhill (Garden Ninja) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk (tag pcuk26-21). If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are from the listings. This is not a laboratory test.
