Potting benches can make jobs around the garden more manageable. From aching backs to sore knees, a potting table can save them all, while keeping everything tidy.
A bench can be a part of your outdoor furniture, but if you work in a far off area in your garden, or you live in a smaller home or apartment where space is limited.
A potting station that can move easily makes your outdoor garden work more of a joy than a chore.
Here are the best potting bench reviews to find the ideal bench that will help planting a garden for beginners, or be useful to seasoned gardeners.
Contents
What is a Potting Bench Used For?
A potting bench table can be used for multiple things, but manufacturers are leaning toward these benches being used as a focal point in a garden.
However, their primary purpose is to make gardening much more comfortable. This is true for container gardening.
You can use these as a work surface where you can transplant your seedlings into pots or containers without the need for bending and getting sore knees or an aching back.
A planting bench of this nature does make things much more comfortable, as well as making your gardening area much tidier.
A garden potting table can also be portable; this makes life in the garden much more comfortable. You can use them in raised beds to work, or you can use them as a seat when you are pruning.
An outdoor potting table takes the backbreaking work out of any gardening.
Some smaller portable models can be reversed to act as a kneeling pad while you are troweling around your plants or vegetables. This saves wet pants and lots of discomfort.
Top Rated Potting Benches in 2019
1. TomCare Garden Kneeler Seat Garden Bench Garden Stools Foldable Stool with Tool Bag Pouch EVA Foam Pad Outdoor Portable Kneeler for Gardening
When it comes to gardening equipment, TomCare is one of the better-known names. This TomCare garden bench is ideal when you are weeding or planting.
The stool is easy to keep clean, and the extra-large tool pouch is made of a clean wipe material.
The small folding potting bench is very sturdy, and it can take up to 330 lbs. in weight, so there is no worry of it collapsing in use.
Once finished, you can quickly fold it up with the spring mechanism. We did have concerns over the longevity of this from corrosion, but keeping it well-oiled can help prevent this.
Pros
- Large tool pouch to store tools
- Comfortable foam cushion for kneeling or sitting
- Lightweight and portable
- Fold up bench design
- 1-year limited warranty
Cons
- Too small as a workbench
- Can be too low in kneeler mode for some individuals
- The spring mechanism may rust over time
Technical Specifications
- Size: 23.1 x 11.5 x 5.4 inches
- Weight: 5.73 lbs.
- Materials: Steel, EVA foam and plastic
- Max weight: 330.69 lbs.
Because the TomCare bench is dual-use, it is equally at home in both positions, and the feet can be used to help stand after kneeling.
Getting up close to beginner vegetable garden will never be as straightforward or as comfortable.
With a guide price of just over $40, this portable bench stool can be a blessing when it comes to working in the garden.
It is also more versatile to use around the garden than large hefty potting tables.
2. Best Choice Products Potting Bench Outdoor Garden Work Bench Station Planting Solid Wood
Construction
This small potting bench doesn’t take up much room. It delivers enough working space for repotting and planting, and with the slatted work surface, it is easy to clean up.
While the natural wood finish looks great, if you plan to use this where it will be exposed to the elements, it will need weatherproofing.
Depending on what coat you use, this could mean you need to do this every year.
There are hooks on the side, one small shelf around head height, and a side drawer. In testing, we experienced a few problems with the drawer. This can stick the wood swells through damp.
On assembly, the instructions are not the clearest, yet the Best Choice potting bench is still easy to assemble. We also found it was prone to wobbling if the floor was not perfectly level.
Pros
- Easy to assemble
- Affordable for the size
- Simple design
- Side hooks for storage
Cons
- Wood needs weatherproofing before use
- Limited storage capacity
- Not very durable
- Some pieces prone to splitting
Technical Specifications
- Size: 45.5 x 20 x 43 inches
- Weight: 29 lbs.
- Material: Fir Wood
With a guide price of just above $80, it is affordable, but for the limited features and no weatherproofing, it may appear on the steep side.
In use, though, it can be a great addition undercover where any gardener needs some extra space while looking good.
3. Convenience Concepts Deluxe Potting Bench, Light Oak
The design of the Convenience Concepts Deluxe Potting Bench has been well thought out. It comes with dedicated hooks on the sides, a top shelf, and two lower shelves.
With the addition of a drawer, there is ample space for storage. There is a higher model than this, which is a potting bench with cabinet.
What makes this stand out is the sink that sits on the top work surface. While it may appear to cut down on the space, it does make things easier.
You can add potting soil rather than water and you have no need to keep reaching for your sack.
Pros
- Multiple shelves
- Plastic sink included
- Durable oak construction
- Side hooks and drawer for storage
Cons
- Sink can be damaged from continual sunlight
- Expensive
- Wood prone to split
- Needs weatherproofing before outdoor use
Technical Specifications
- Size: 46 x 17.8 x 47.6 inches
- Weight: 28 lbs.
- Material: Light oak wood
The wood potting bench looks good in light oak, but for the guide price of a little under $400, it is quite an investment.
If you are using it outdoors, it will need some treatment before facing rain and sun.
Some users have also said the sink is prone to wearing when it is exposed, so the plastic there may not be as durable as it appears.
The bench itself is sturdy, and much of this comes from the added support and shelf.
Overall, this garden workbench is a joy to use, but it comes at a premium that many gardeners may not want to face.
4. Foldable Potting Bench
There is one thing that is different from most of the other larger potting benches in these reviews.
The Merry Garden potting bench can be folded up when not in use. The problem with this is that the way it folds, it grows very much taller.
It isn’t the heaviest potting bench, but you may need two people to move it in the flat position.
Pros
- Folds up for convenience
- Two shelves and hanging rail
- Inexpensive for the design
- Easy to use in small areas
Cons
- Still large once folded flat
- Does need some assembly
- Wood stain not weatherproof
Technical Specifications
- Size: 48 x 24 x 63 inches
- Weight: 31 lbs.
- Material: Kiln-dried Canadian Hemlock
The potting bench comes with two full-length shelves, but on the top, they have chosen a rail rather than another shelf.
This does limit some space for storage apart from towels or hanging tools if they have holes in the handles to fit on the rail. The bench does take some assembly, and there are easy to follow instructions.
With a guide price of just above $230, it is a lot to pay for convenience, and the wood will require staining or weatherproofing if you plan to leave it outdoors.
It has already been stained. However, this isn’t sufficient on its own to withstand sun and rain for extended periods.
In testing, it felt sturdy, but the top shelf only has a capacity of 150 lbs. This is much less than other offerings but should be enough for lightweight gardening.
5. Dura-Trel 11203M Greenfield Potting Bench, Mocha
The Dura-Trel is made from PVC. It has the advantage over wood because it won’t require any maintenance.
The manufacture evens gives it a twenty-year guarantee and says it won’t fade; the titanium dioxide coating enhances this. This should make it even more durable than a galvanized potting bench.
However, during testing, we had concerns over some parts warping under the heat. This may be accentuated if you have something heavy on the top tier, and it starts to sag.
Apart from that, the assembly was straightforward, but the parts do look all the same. We also found that it needed an extra person to help install the slats on the shelves.
Pros
- 20-year warranty
- Easy to assemble with pre-drilled holes
- Easy to clean and maintenance-free
- Feels strong and sturdy[/su_list]
Cons
- Parts can warp in hot weather
- May need 2 people to assemble fully
- Can sag on the top shelf from weight
- No storage built in
Technical Specifications
- Size: 49 x 19.5 x 48 inches
- Weight: 44 lbs.
- Material: PVC vinyl titanium dioxide-coated
The most significant advantage over wood is that it lasts for so long. If it is in heavy rain, then it won’t be affected, whereas wood will twist and warp.
With a guide price of a little over $180, it is expensive compared to others, but you do have a lifetime of maintenance-free gardening.
We also found it on the small side in the working area, and it was although good to use.
The manufactures say you can carry this around the garden, but with the weight, it may be a struggle with one person.
Potting Bench Buying Guide
Buying a potting bench will take some consideration. It needs to perform in the function you are asking from it.
If it doesn’t deliver, you can as quickly purchase any bench to use. To sum it up, you need a bench which does the job without taking up lots of space.
Here are some useful tips that will come in handy when looking to purchase a garden potters bench.
One thing not to forget is most benches are delivered in pieces, so they do need to be easy to assemble.
Design
If you are only performing basic gardening, then you don’t require an open shelf or a potting shelf or back support.
However, if you do have many things, and you are continually using your plant bench. You will need your garden workbench to carry tools, pots, and buckets.
A metal topping can be advised if you are likely to get it wet. This can protect a wooden potting bench from rot.
Features
If you are serious, you will need the extra features that come with an outdoor potting bench with storage.
A durable galvanized top, a potting table with sink, or even fold up benches for when you have finished.
A storage drawer in a wooden potting bench is the minimum you require. You can add hooks to the sides, but when you have a potting bench with storage, it makes things much easier.
Materials
There are three basic materials in the construction of potting benches. Wood, vinyl, and steel. Each of these will have a differing level of quality.
If you choose wood, you do need to make sure it is weatherproofed unless you are using it undercover.
Even then, it needs some waterproofing on top. This would be even more crucial if you have a potting bench with sink because water can ruin the wood over time.
Humid conditions can spoil a wood bench, and this shows first on a storage drawer when you can’t open it. Wood swells when damp.
Maintenance
No matter what design or material your potting bench is, it will require some form of maintenance.
A vinyl potting bench is easy to clean and only requires a wash down with a hose. However, if you have weight on your bench, they can warp or sag under harsh sunlight. Steel is the same, though care needs to be taken when drying it thoroughly.
Wood is harder because it may require repeated treatments of stain after a growing season, and before the winter hits.
Final Verdict
After hours of putting each outdoor potting bench through its paces, we came to one conclusion. While it is nice to have a table where you can work, you are still left with the need to walk backward and forward.
With this in mind, we found the TomCare Garden Kneeler Seat Garden Bench Garden Stools Foldable Stool with Tool Bag Pouch EVA Foam Pad Outdoor Portable Kneeler for Gardening; the ideal potting bench for a few reasons.
While not a full-blown bench, there is nothing better than working with your potted plants in location, and with this garden potting bench, you can do precisely that.
You can sit at raised beds, or kneel in flowerbeds, and in both instances, you can have your tools in the side pouch.
The frame is super strong, and the small bench is ideal for beginner vegetable gardening.
It is easy to fold up and store away, easy to clean, and the most adaptive in testing to different areas of the garden. It can quite easily be one of the best potting bench accessories you can choose.
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