The UK's bestHedgehog Houses2022 Review

Riverside Woodcraft’s Hedgehog House is a large hedgehog shelter that feels very durable. It’s much larger than others on the market and I’m hopeful it will tick the right boxes – let’s see what it’s got.

Design – 4.5/5

This hedgehog house has a traditional rectangular shape with a recycled composite roof. I could tell straight away (by trying to shift it from my doorstep!) that it’s a good quality piece. It’s very heavy!

The main body of this hedgehog house is an excellent size. There’s plenty of room in there to accommodate for a mum with a litter of fast-growing hoglets.

It has a long entry corridor, known as a ‘baffle entrance’ to deter predators and stop them from being able to get into the main room of the house. There’s also a hedgehog-size porch area with a separate plastic-covered roof to keep out rain.

The base has raised feet to keep it off the ground, and there’s a lock to keep the roof in place. I like this locking feature because more determined predators can try to turn over hedgehog houses. This lock kept the roof firmly on, even when I tipped it over. It‘ll also work to keep inquisitive kids out too.

In terms of aesthetics, the house is a lovely rich golden-brown colour that blends into the garden nicely. The makers say it is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial – there no way to test, but it certainly can’t hurt.

Overall, this hedgehog house has a great design – large, roomy and safe. If you’re using it as a feeding station rather than a nesting box, you’ll appreciate the room it provides for two bowls as well.

It loses just half a point for being heavy and therefore a little difficult to move.

Build Quality – 5/5

This has the best build quality of all the houses I tested.

It’s very well constructed and the parts are of excellent quality. I can tell this house is going to be rainproof and last a long time.

The only down side is that if you have a small garden this house will take up a chunk of space. It’s pretty big.

Hedgehog Safety – 5/5

I’ve already mentioned the fact that this hedgehog house is heavy and therefore difficult for predators to tip. Plus, I also touched on the lock that firmly keeps the lid on, so I won’t labour these points.

There are several other safety features built in to the design as well. The long baffle keeps predator’s paws away from the hedgehogs, and there are excellent ventilation points to keep air flowing through the space.

Additionally, it has great quality flooring and walls, and there are no sharp corners or hard-to-clean pockets that might trap bacteria.

Due to its sturdy construction, it’s also trimmer proof, which offers peace of mind if you were to come into contact with it accidentally. There’s plenty of protection for our spiky friends here.

Ease of Cleaning – 5/5

The lid is hinged and folds all the way back so cleaning is a simple affair.

As mentioned, there are no hard-to-reach areas that will harbour mould or bacteria, and it’s easy to access all parts of the house with a cloth or brush.

Seeing as it’s so straight forward, there isn’t really much else to add!

Overall – 4.9/5

This is a solid, well-made, traditional house, and it comes out as the best hedgehog house overall.

If you like quality wooden objects, you’ll appreciate the effort that’s gone into this build.

It’s well designed, easy to clean, and has plenty of features that have been well considered to keep little hedgies safe.

I think this hedgehog house will outlast all the others I tested, including the spiral-shaped Wildlife World Hogilow.

The only real downside, if I had to find one, would be its weight and size. It’s not the easiest to move around, and it may be just a bit too big for smaller gardens.

The Wildlife World Hogilow is a popular hedgehog house due to its unusual design, and its infamy was boosted by being featured on Autumn Watch too.

Let’s see if it lives up to the hype.

Design – 5/5

Straight from the box I could see that this bright-green hedgehog house offered something a little different. It looks good quality and it’s heavy enough to indicate that the materials are solid.

Rather than a traditional square house this has a spiral shape. The hedgehog enters via the doorway, then follows the corridor which gently curves round into a sectioned-off nesting area.

The house measures 50 x 39 x 23 cm, so it can quite easily slip under a bush and be left undisturbed. The lid slides off to one side when access is required and it’s firmly attached. I can see that it won’t flip or blow open in the wind.

The Hogilow is made from FSC certified timber and covered in recycled agricultural rubber. This use of responsibly resourced materials gains a big thumbs up from me; there’s no point trying to save one type of wildlife at the expense of another. I’m pleased to see its green credentials.

Speaking of green – one thing I’m not too keen on is the bright green shade. It stands out in the garden rather than blending in as traditional wooden houses do.

Build Quality – 4.5/5

The lid and sides are covered in recycled plastic which is firmly attached. The insides are made from plywood which isn’t particularly sturdy, but the internals don’t really need to be (as long as there are enough other strong features in place) so I won’t hold that against the build quality.

To prevent condensation, there are several vents to allow air in and hedgehog body heat out. This might seem daft, but hedgehog boxes with no ventilation build up condensation from and that can cause the bedding to rot.

The house is a good size for a hedgehog with a litter of babies and it has raised feet to stop the bottom from rotting.

Overall, I really like the build quality; the smooth wood, robust design, and recycled plastic sides result in a top-quality build.

Hedgehog Safety – 5/5

All hedgehog houses need a separate entryway and nesting area to keep them safe from predators.

These long entryways are called a ‘baffle’, and the baffle in this curved-design house is excellent. Thanks to the spiral shape t’s going to be very hard, if not impossible, for a dog, cat, fox, or badger to bend a paw around. The curved design will also help keep out drafts.

The box is heavy enough to stay in place but if  it were somehow knocked over the design is secure enough to keep any hedgehogs safely inside.

There are no corners for ticks, dust, or bacteria to get stuck in, and no sharp edges to cause any health risks.

Hedgehog safety has clearly been a top priority for the makers of this hedgehog house.

Ease of Cleaning – 4.5/5

The easy access roof is simple to open, and leaves enough space to get a hand in for cleaning.

You can’t turn it upside down and shake it as bedding gets trapped on the internals, but it’s simple enough to get your hand inside and pull out the old bedding.

Overall – 4.8/5

I’ve had a lot of hedgehog houses over the years, and this Wildlife World Hogilow tops most of them. I think it’s one of the best hedgehog houses available on the market.

It’s a well-made house, and the quirky, curved design is effective at keeping hedgehogs safe. Its shape is great for protecting hedgehogs from predators, and I see no reason why hedgehogs wouldn’t set up camp inside.

Whilst there aren’t a lot of downsides, I’m not too keen on the bright green shade and perhaps the plywood internal walls could be made of something stronger. But really there are a lot of benefits that outweigh these two small points.

The Hutch Company Hedgehog House is a small rectangular wooden hedgehog house with a built-in safety baffle. It looks well-made and would suit a small garden.

Design – 3/5

I will admit that I initially stared stupidly at this box for far too long, believing that it didn’t have an entrance. Turns out the door is actually on the longer side, as opposed to the shorter one which would be more conventional.

It’s made of C24 graded timber which is classically used for pet hutches.

It has a removable roof which is locked down with two twist clips and the corridor is sturdy and acts as a good ‘baffle’ against predators. It separates the entrance from the sleeping area.

On the downside, I think it’s a bit small. It measures 46 x 41 x 28 cm, but nearly half that width is taken up with the baffle partition and entranceway. For this reason I feel it would better suit a hibernating hedgehog than a female with a litter.

Despite the squeeze, the house looks smart and good quality. Its smaller size will definitely be beneficial in small outside spaces.

Build Quality – 4.5/5

Overall, the house is sturdy and, for the price, very well made. It’s worth mentioning that this is a cheaper option than the other wood houses featured here.

This hedgehog house looks and feels to be of very good quality. It has a pitched, felt-covered roof and there’s good ventilation in the sleeping area to stop condensation forming.

Two feet on the base keep it elevated off the ground, there’s even a small, porch area with a protruding roof to keep out the rain.

One small thing though: I would prefer to see the waterproof felt tucked over the roof edges. As it is, it seems like the rain could get in and rot the roof. Placing it somewhere dry and reasonably protected will likely help it last longer.

Hedgehog Safety – 5/5

The baffle is strong, I gave it few bashes and the internal wall didn’t look like it would be getting knocked down anytime soon. The lid is also lockable, so in the event of a predator flipping the house, they still won’t be able to access the inside. It weighs a hefty 4.5 kilograms so would be difficult to knock over and is the second-heaviest house I reviewed, second only to the large Riverside home.

Once a hedgehog is inside this house it will be well protected against predators and the elements.

Ease of Cleaning – 5/5

The lid comes completely off so it’s easy to clean the interior with a scrubbing brush or gentle pressure washer. No complaints here.

Emptying the bedding each year won’t be a chore.  You can just tip all of it out into a bin liner.

Overall – 4.4/5

This is one of the best hedgehog houses for small gardens due to its compact size. It’s sturdy, well made, and waterproof. On the downside, I think the ‘living room’ section could be a bit small, especially for a mum and a litter of hedgehogs, and is better suited to a single hibernating hedgehog.

The Clifford James Hedgehog House arrives flat packed which initially filled me with horror. It’s not significantly cheaper than other models, which you might expect for the extra work required, so let’s see how it performs overall.

Design – 3/5

This is a square, cedar-wood hedgehog house with a built-in predator baffle and a hedgehog-size entrance way.

The roof is pitched, so rain runs off the waterproof roofing felt, and it has been finished with a water-based varnish (hedgehog safe) to prevent rot – so far so good!

However, there are some negatives too.

Firstly, I think it could do with some felt over the edges of the roof to keep rain out completely.

Then comes the size: this is the smallest of the hedgehog homes that I tested and I’d say it’s a bit too small overall. At 40 x 40 x 19 cm, there’s could be enough space inside, but half it is taken up by the entrance way. As a result, there’s not a lot of space in the living area for a full-sized hedgehog plus a litter of babies.

It’s also a bit small for two food bowls, if you were planning to use it as a feeding box

There’s no ventilation, so the sleeping area is in danger of becoming slimy and wet which is no good for keeping hedgehogs healthy. If you buy this, I’d recommend drilling a few small holes to let some air in.

There’s a cute hedgehog cut-out on the front, which is a nice idea, but its white painted eye has somehow wound up totally mis-positioned in the middle of its body… I know it’s just a little detail, but it makes me think quality control could have been better.

Build Quality – 3/5

All the wooden pieces are thick and sturdy, and it has raised feet to keep the base out of mud and rain. It’s strong, and would easily withstand an accidental strike with a strimmer if it came to it.

I can’t fault the quality of wood and the screws are good too. Often, flat-pack screws are weedy little things, or they come with a useless allen key, so I was pleased that these were of a higher standard.

When it comes to assembly, the pieces are numbered and (despite my initial concern) the construction process is fairly simple. In fact, I asked my 10-year-old expert Lego builder to piece it together and he managed just fine.

One thing to note is that some of the screw guide holes were covered, so we had to scrape back the wood to find them. They were in the right places though at least; flat pack pre-drilled pieces can be all over the place.

Hedgehog Safety – 4/5

The entrance way has a baffle which separates it from the main sleeping area. As an important feature of safer hedgehog homes, it’s good to see one included. When you build the house, be sure to put the internal door at the far end.

There were a few sharp pieces of wood in a couple of places, but nothing that a quick bout of sandpapering couldn’t sort out.

Unfortunately, the lid is not hinged or clipped so it’s easily knocked off. It fits well, but there’s nothing to hold it in place if a predator flips the house. This is a potential problem and I’d recommend placing a brick on top to deter predators.

Ease of Cleaning – 5/5

The lid is removable and the insides are easy to clean out. A quick blast with a pressure washer and it’ll look good as new.

Overall – 3.8/5

I feel this hedgehog house is well meaning, but there are a few problems. First of all, it’s too small to be useful for anything other than a hibernation house for a single hedgehog. Secondly, it’s still relatively expensive considering you have to assemble it yourself, and thirdly I don’t like that the lid could come off so easily.

Nevertheless, it’s still one of the best hedgehog houses that comes flat packed. The assembly was easy, the wood is good quality, and the pre-drilled holes lined up well.

Also, from the five hedgehog houses that I left out on the patio overnight whilst testing them, this is the only one that my local hedgehogs investigated (and pooed in) – what could this mean?

This Igloo Hedgdehog House seems to be quite popular because it’s low cost. It’s promoted as a ‘Wildlife safety house’, but I’m not sure that it’s cut out to be permanent hedgehog housing… Let’s take a look and I’ll tell you why.

Design – 3/5

Design wise this is very simple. It has a round, painted-steel frame, covered in a plasticky material, with brushwood over the top. It has tiny pieces of fake moss and withy bands for decoration.

This igloo is lightweight, fairly sturdy and looks natural – it’ll easily tuck away in a small garden.

It has a porch area to deter predators, but there’s no flooring – this igloo is built to sit directly on the grass.

Because of the way it’s designed, I would say this is better as a feeding station than a hedgehog house. It certainly makes a great natural-looking cover for a bowl of meat-flavoured Go Cat.

The open base makes cleaning up spilt food and hog poo easy – you can just move the shelter around the garden to keep areas free from rot or messy build-up.

Build Quality – 3/5

This little igloo is well built. The steel frame is surprisingly strong – I sat on it and it stayed in place. Honestly, I expected it to be weaker than that from the photos!

The felt-type plastic feels thick and the brushwood covering is well attached.

I actually already have one of these that I use as a hedgehog feeding station. Mine is 6 years old. Compare the two in the photo below – the old one (on the right) has lasted well although the plastic has disintegrated and water falls through now.

Six years is not bad though, bearing in mind it’s been out in all weathers.

Hedgehog Safety – 2/5

It’s not the best hedgehog house in terms of safety. It’s too easy to tip over – a semi-determined badger could have this over in a minute or two and there’s no baffle to stop paws dragging out the residents.

The open floor means damp and cold will seep upwards and the steel framework will drip condensation down on the hedgehogs if they’re sleeping in there; their little fat bodies give out lots of heat.

That said – it is better than nothing. This igloo will protect hedgehogs from a strimmer, spade, or rake and it’ll stay drier than a compost heap or pile of hedgerow leaves.

Ease of Cleaning – 5/5

Very easy. Because it doesn’t have a base just lift it up to clean beneath.

I’d keep this on a dry bit of the garden to stop mud and damp filtering up. Maybe on the patio or some bark.

Overall- 3.3/5

A mixed bag with this one, and it has some strong positives as well as negatives. Firstly, if budget is an issue, this will certainly do just fine. Ideally, I think it’s best as a feeding station instead of a permanent residence, but it’s still better than nothing in our cold wet winters.