The best Planting tables, compared.
Top pick: Small plastic potting tray Best value: HYGRAD 3-tier potting station – Full bench at about £74.99, about 49.5 cm square, with a lipped galvanised top and 4.2 from 28 reviews. No drawer. Updated October 2026.
A planting table is a waist-high potting bench for sowing, repotting and keeping compost, pots and hand tools off the ground. UK gardeners buy one for a greenhouse, a shed or a patio when kneeling hurts, or when wet compost should stay off the kitchen table. Read the worktop before the shelves. Galvanised metal or stainless steel wipes clean. Bare softwood stains in damp air. Raised edges keep soil on the bench. Standing potting feels like a kitchen worktop, a rule of thumb near 90 cm. Seated work suits a lower table, roughly 76 to 82 cm. On a narrow balcony, measure depth as well as width. A drawer, open shelves and side hooks cut extra trips, but a full bag of compost belongs on a lower shelf. Treated fir is common. A metal frame needs a rust-resistant coating. Wheels can wobble unless the bench sits on level paving. How to judge size, top and placement is in the [planting table buying guide](/hub/plant-accessories/planting-table/sub/planting-table-buying-guide).
A planting table is a waist-high potting bench for sowing, repotting and keeping compost, pots and hand tools off the ground.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What do you need?
The small plastic potting tray, at about £17.99, is not a bench. It is a tray about 43 cm outside, with a raised back lip, that you set on a table to catch compost. Fifteen reviews at 5.0 is a positive sample and a small one. That star line does not take the top pick, and the tray is not the best value bench. A UK note mentions comfortable seated use. Internal space is about 36 by 24 cm and 7 cm deep, so large pots will not sit inside. Bullets call the plastic easy to rinse. Some buyers report sticker residue on arrival. It suits a balcony when a flat-pack bench will not store. It does not replace shelves, hooks or a drawer.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Balcony and flat repotting when you already have a stable table and need spill control.
Less suitable: Allotment sessions with heavy compost bags and many seed trays at standing height.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a full potting bench?
No. It is a tray you place on a table or bench so compost stays in one place.
Can you use it while sitting down?
A UK review says it works while you sit at a garden table.
Is it easy to clean?
The bullets say it is simple to clean and reuse. Plastic wipes down after repotting.
The HYGRAD potting bench with metal top, at about £79.90, adds raised back and side panels and corner protectors on the galvanised top. The title also mentions a balcony. amazon.co.uk shows 4.6 from only three reviews, so that star line is too thin to outrank the Outsunny file or the HYGRAD 3-tier potting station. The dimension row reads about 105 cm deep, 49.5 cm wide and 122 cm high. That is a deep footprint, and lifestyle photos can look larger than the box. Bullets describe a rust-resistant galvanised top and lacquered fir. Plan a touch-up, and store it under cover through a wet winter. Three side hooks are listed. No drawer is listed. It is an alternate layout if the raised panels matter and you will accept an early review file.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A courtyard where raised side panels matter and you accept a file of three reviews.
Less suitable: Buyers who want dozens of UK review lines before spending near £80.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this weatherproof?
Bullets describe a rust-resistant galvanised top and fir for outdoor use. Treat it as coated garden furniture, not as covered storage.
Can it store garden tools?
Three side hooks are listed for tools and towels.
How reliable is the star rating?
The listing shows 4.6 from 3 reviews. The HYGRAD 3-tier potting station has 28 reviews if you want a larger file.
The FOYUEE metal potting bench on wheels, at about £127.46, is a coated metal frame with two wheels, a large lower shelf and a 300 lb load claim in the specification rows, about 136 kg. Overall size is about 99.1 by 55.9 by 91.4 cm, so the height sits near a kitchen worktop for standing work. amazon.co.uk shows 4.2 from 151 reviews. The captured review text has no United Kingdom blocks, so check the live UK listing before you treat those stars as British buyer experience. Captured notes from outside the UK often describe overlapping panels, short bolts and a long afternoon, sometimes with a second person. Wheels help you roll the bench into sun or shelter. A loaded shelf can wobble unless the paving is level. The listing weight is 9.98 kg, which is light for a steel bench, so treat it as a catalogue figure. It is the highest price in this set.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An outdoor station on level paving where you want a metal frame you can roll.
Less suitable: A balcony with a weight limit, or a buy decided only on UK review text in this file.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it have wheels?
Yes. Two wheels are listed so you can roll the bench.
Are UK buyer reviews in this file?
The listing shows 151 reviews at 4.2. The captured text has no Reviewed in the United Kingdom blocks. Check amazon.co.uk before you buy.
Is assembly straightforward?
Captured notes from outside the UK often describe overlapping panels and short bolts. Allow time, and consider a second person.
The Outsunny potting table with metal top, at about £82.44, is a 115 cm galvanised worktop with raised edges, a drawer, tiered shelves and three hooks. That is the fullest storage layout in this set, which is why it is the top pick. Across 79 reviews at 4.2, buyers like wiping wet compost off the metal and hanging hand tools on the hooks. Several warn that the fir feels soft and that screws can pull if you overtighten them. The thin galvanised sheet dents if you drop a pot. That theme is more common in the UK texts than rust. Shelf bullets quote 5 kg on the top shelf, 10 kg in the middle and 30 kg on the bottom, and 5 kg on each hook. A full compost bag belongs low. The listing points it at patios and courtyards. It is a weak match under about 50 cm of depth, or if the timber will stand uncovered all winter.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Patios and courtyards where you repot often and want a drawer for labels, twine and small tools.
Less suitable: A path under about 50 cm deep, or timber left uncovered all winter.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this potting bench include a drawer?
Yes. The listing includes a drawer, hooks and shelves.
Can you use it indoors?
The bullets target patios and courtyards. Use a mat indoors, because compost is messy.
What do UK buyers say about the metal top?
Several praise wiping it clean. Others report dents and scuffs on the thin galvanised sheet.
The HYGRAD 3-tier potting station, at about £74.99, is the best value. The footprint is about 49.5 cm square, with a galvanised top and a three-sided lip, so it fits a greenhouse path where a 115 cm bench will not turn. Twenty-eight reviews at 4.2 lean to UK buyers. Greenhouse and polytunnel use come up, and so does patience with the picture instructions. There is no drawer, only open shelves and three side hooks. Bullets quote 20 kg on the top and 10 kg on each tier, while a load row says 30 kg, so treat both as seller guidance. Listed weight is 14.5 kg. It gives up width and a drawer next to the Outsunny top pick.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Greenhouse aisles and small gardens where you want a full bench without paying for a drawer.
Less suitable: A long row of seed trays, or anyone who relies on a built-in drawer.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it include a drawer?
No. Included parts are shelves and hooks. A page question asks about a drawer, and the bullets do not list one.
Is it suitable for a greenhouse?
UK reviews mention greenhouse and polytunnel use, and storing compost on the lower shelves.
What is the footprint?
About 49.5 cm square in the dimension row, which suits a narrow path.
Five amazon.co.uk listings are on this page. The headline score is the captured star line scaled to 100, so 4.2 becomes 84. A 4.6 from 3 reviews and a 5.0 from 15 reviews therefore show a higher number than 4.2 from 79. The awards do not follow that number alone. The top pick is the Outsunny potting table with metal top: a drawer, shelves, hooks and the largest review file among the fir benches. Best value is the HYGRAD 3-tier potting station, a full bench at about £74.99 with 4.2 from 28 reviews. Price is used only for that award. It does not raise the headline score. Review text with no United Kingdom block in the capture is not treated as British opinion. There is no laboratory trial.
Worktop, lip and frame
35%A galvanised or metal top that wipes clean scores above bare softwood for wet compost. Raised edges count. Soft fir, a thin sheet that dents, and a frame left out all winter are recorded in the assessment.
Storage, footprint and stated loads
25%A drawer, open shelves and side hooks are what the listing names, not what a photo implies. Footprint is judged against a greenhouse path or a balcony. Shelf loads are seller guidance. A compost bag belongs on a lower shelf.
Star line, review count and UK text
40%amazon.co.uk stars count only with the review count on that listing. A handful of reviews does not outrank a larger UK file for the award. Written UK reviews inform dents, assembly and greenhouse use. Price sets best value only.
Start with the job, then the worktop, then the footprint. A fir bench with a metal top, a metal bench on wheels and a tray on a table you already own do not do the same work. Shelf prices in this capture run from about £17.99 to about £127.46. The top pick is the Outsunny potting table with metal top. The best value is the HYGRAD 3-tier potting station. Nothing on this page is a laboratory trial.
A planting table, often sold as a potting bench, is a waist-high surface for sowing, repotting and holding compost, pots and hand tools. UK gardeners use one in a greenhouse, a shed or on a patio so they are not kneeling, and so wet compost stays off the kitchen table. The listings in this kind of search fall into three jobs. A wooden bench with a metal top is the usual flat-pack: a fir frame, a galvanised work surface, shelves and hooks.
UK reviews on budget benches warn that the bench looks larger in pictures than in the box. Read width, depth and height, and measure the path before you compare the shelf price.
Treated or lacquered fir still needs cover or a fresh coat if it stands in British rain. A galvanised top does not make the wooden frame a covered store.
Seller load figures are guidance. A full bag belongs on a lower shelf. Overtightening short screws in soft fir is the other common assembly fault. Keep fixings finger-tight until the frame is square.
Choose the worktop before the brand. Galvanised or stainless steel wipes clean. Bare softwood stains and rots where compost stays wet. Raised back and side lips keep soil on the bench, which matters more than a decorative shelf. A plastic tray has a lip and no legs. You still need a table under it. Standing work feels like a kitchen worktop, a rule of thumb near 90 cm. Seated work suits roughly 76 to 82 cm.
A drawer, open shelves and side hooks cut trips back to the shed. Count only what the listing names. Load lines disagree on some benches, so treat kilograms as seller guidance and keep compost bags low. Wheels help you move a bench under cover. They wobble if the shelf is loaded and the paving is uneven. Budget fir shows up in UK reviews as soft timber, short screws and picture-only instructions. Allow an afternoon rather than a few minutes.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a dirty surface at standing height and a drawer for labels and twine. The Outsunny potting table with metal top at about £82.44 is the top pick: a 115 cm galvanised top, shelves and three hooks, with 4.2 from 79 reviews. UK texts also report soft fir and a top that dents. Skip it on a path under about 50 cm deep.
You need a full bench that turns in a greenhouse aisle. The HYGRAD 3-tier potting station at about £74.99 is the best value: about 49.5 cm square, a lipped galvanised top, and 4.2 from 28 reviews. There is no drawer. Skip it if you need a long row of seed trays at once.
You only need something to catch compost. The small plastic potting tray at about £17.99 is a 43 cm tray with a raised lip, and 5.0 from 15 reviews. A UK note mentions seated use at a garden table. Skip it for standing sessions with heavy compost bags.
The top pick is the Outsunny potting table with metal top, at about £82.44. It is a fir bench with a 115 cm galvanised worktop, raised edges, a drawer, tiered shelves and three hooks. amazon.co.uk shows 4.2 from 79 reviews, the largest file among the fir benches here, which is why it leads despite a higher star line on thinner listings. UK reviews praise wiping compost off the metal. They also report soft timber, short screws and a thin sheet that dents. Shelf bullets quote 5 kg, 10 kg and 30 kg from the top shelf down, so a compost bag belongs low. The best value is the HYGRAD 3-tier potting station, at about £74.99. It is about 49.5 cm square, with a three-sided lip, open shelves and three hooks, and 4.2 from 28 reviews. There is no drawer. UK texts mention greenhouse use. None of these scores is a laboratory trial.
HYGRAD 3-tier potting station
Full bench at about £74.99, about 49.5 cm square, with a lipped galvanised top and 4.2 from 28 reviews. No drawer.
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 sources used for this comparison. Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures captured for these five listings. Last checked 22 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the UK listing lines captured for these five products. We did not run a laboratory trial.
