The time is here! Families and friends all across the UK are roaming sites like eBay and Amazon so they can buy the best pumpkin carving kits in time for Halloween. But before you buy your own, there are a few things that you should know, such as which sets are good for beginners and how to use an etching tool! If you'd like some pumpkin carving ideas or stencils, you're sure to love the products that we've selected for you.
We have found some affordable pumpkin carving kits, some with the basic tools and some with a wide range of tools to get the best design out of your pumpkins. Take a look through our buying guide to get the top tips and tricks to get the perfect pumpkin carving kit for you, and when you're ready, get your 'fangs' into our list of top ten best pumpkin carving kits available in the UK.
Quick List - Top Pumpkin Carving Kits
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Now, we can dive into the details to find out what elements make a good pumpkin carving kit. From tools to templates and even materials, we'll teach you everything you need to know.
Pumpkin carving can be a great activity for any autumnal occasion, whether it's a cosy date idea or a fun Halloween party for kids. Either way, it's important to make sure that you use the tools with care. Some of them are quite pointy and sharp so if your child is young, it's best to supervise them.
To save you the stress, most brands have put age recommendations on to let you know just how dangerous their tools could be if left with an unsupervised child. A lot of them start from ages 9 and up but if you have young children, they can still help out by using simple tools like the plastic scoop and the poke tool while you handle the tricky bits.
To help you get to grips with the type of tools you'll need, you can take a look at this next section so you can get to the carving table, etching tool in hand, looking like a pro.
We've all done it; accidentally poking out a pumpkin's eye or cutting through a tooth because we didn't properly prepare the pumpkin. To make sure that your design goes to plan, you can use a number of different tools such as the etching or poking tool, and the wheel.
The etching tool carves just the outer layer of the pumpkin, taking off the thick dark orange skin to reveal the lighter flesh on the inside so that you can create intricate designs with different layers.
The poking tool can work in two ways; poking little holes in your pumpkin to use as a guide when you carve, or to push and remove big shapes once you've cut them. If you like the idea of poking the holes to guide your path, try using a rugged wheel to run along the sides of your stencil.
The messy part. Before you carve your pumpkin, you've got to go around and scoop out the slimy, seedy insides, or the 'guts'! If you've done this before, you'll know just how stringy and gooey the inside of the pumpkin can be so having a tool that can scrape away at the flesh and scoop it up is a blessing.
Our best advice would be to look for a steel scoop with teeth so that it's strong enough to scrape up every bit of pumpkin gunk. However, if you have young children, a plastic scoop might be the only way they can join in with the messy bit as they're safer to use.
The saws are what bring the whole kit together, cutting out the eyes and carving a ghoulish smile. Usually, these saws can have ridged teeth and a blunt end to easily slice through the pumpkin, but also to protect whoever could be using it.
The wider apart the teeth are spread, the longer it'll take to cut through the outer layer. While this can take time, it also means that it's safer for the carving newbies and might even help you to be more precise.
You can also find curved saws which are useful with the more challenging areas like the smile or the curve of a witch's hat!
The detailing tools will essentially be smaller versions of the regular tools, often in different shapes and sizes. This is so that you can add the finishing touches and get closer up to the pumpkin for better accuracy.
In the products below you'll see detailing tools that can be used for etching, cutting, carving, even scooping and if you feel like getting creative, who knows where the possibilities will end! If you like to carve spooky scenes or famous characters onto your pumpkin as opposed to the classic face, you'll definitely love the effect of a detailing tool.
Generally, plastic is cheap to make and buy so it's commonly used for the handles of the carving tools. But they tend to become brittle as the years go by and if you tend to get vigouros with your carving, they might not last as long as you'd like. However, they're a good option for children and they're more affordable if you're buying for the whole family.
If you'd like something that's a little stronger than the average plastic, try wood, ABS plastic, or PP plastic. They're a lot more durable and they last much longer than normal plastic. If you can find a tool kit with rubber handles, that's even better as you can have a better grip of the tool so you don't slip!
Halloween comes every single year and yet we are still faced with the age-old question of "what should I carve on my pumpkin?!" This is where stencils come in useful.
You just need to press the stencil up against the pumpkin and either poke or draw your design with a marker. The products that we've chosen have a great range of faces, some cute, some spooky, and some are illustrations like ghosts or skeletons. This can be really helpful if you have young children or you're hosting a cosy pumpkin carving party.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Rorchio Pumpkin Carving Tools | ![]() | The Biggest Pumpkin Carving Kit You Can Get | |
2 | UBITREE Pumpkin Carving Kit | ![]() | A Basic but Durable Set for Families | |
3 | CarveKing Stencil & Carve Pumpkin Carving Kit | ![]() | A Convenient Classic That's Good for Young Teens | |
4 | Aneco Professional Halloween Pumpkin Carving Tool Kit | ![]() | The Most Robust Carving Set Around | |
5 | GoStock Pumpkin Carving Kit | ![]() | A Pumpkin Carving Kit for Professionals | |
6 | AMOS Halloween Pumpkin Carving Kit | ![]() | The Best Option for Young Children | |
7 | AmuseNd Pumpkin Carving Tools | ![]() | A Practical Kit in the Classic Pumpkin Orange | |
8 | Balacoo Pumpkin Carving Kit | ![]() | The Carving Kit That's Designed for Halloween Lovers | |
9 | THE TWIDDLERS Stainless Steel Pumpkin Carving Tool Kit | ![]() | A Practical Kit for Minimalists | |
10 | COM-FOUR Pumpkin Carving Set for The Family | ![]() | Super Affordable and Not Too Fancy |
This carving set has a variety of 17 tools to choose from. Ranging from scoops to saws, to the tiniest detailing tools around, this set gives you the freedom to choose how your design comes together.
Not only that, but you also get a smart case to keep the tools in so that they can stay safe all year round. Using the five stencils that come with the packet, you can swap and share these tools with the family at a big pumpkin carving party.
These tools are made from a strong PP plastic to ensure that they can hold the pressure of both adults and children. The etching tool in this kit has a long curved base which is good for carving out different depths of your pumpkin, not to mention that the long saw will be especially handy for spooky grins.
You get a whopping amount of 10 stencils with this kit, including a cheeky vampire, a face with a cute toothy grin, and the phrase "happy Halloween' for the really ambitious carvers!
This nostalgic set is probably the type that we're all most familiar with. A plastic scooper and a few sharp tools for the tricky bits. This kit, in particular, features a wheel and a poke tool that doubles as a saw which technically makes this a 5-piece set for under £5 - bargain!
The spooky stencils included are a lot more intricate than most of the simple face designs that are often sold with a kit. If your children are a little bit older, this would be a perfect way for them to challenge their artistic side.
Made from sturdy wooden handles, these high-quality tools come with a spooky protective case and 6 scary stencils. Suited for novices and beginners, this pumpkin kit is a family favourite that can last you for years to come.
The tools themselves are fairly sharp so supervision is recommended for children under 10 years old. However, they're strong and effective with rugged sides to help slice through all the gooey pumpkin mess.
This kit contains an impressive selection of tools with rubber handles along with a durable book-like case which is good for organised DIY-ers. To prove the durability of these products, the Amazon seller offers a lifetime warranty with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
One of the most unique features of this kit is the curved saw with a pointed tip. Ever seen a pumpkin with a perfectly carved smiley grin? That's what tool you'll need in order to do it yourself. The tools are definitely sharper than most on the list so if you're a carving pro, you can choose this product!
This pumpkin carving kit has two saws with blunt ends and a little plastic poke tool. The wheel is thin and spikey so you can run it across the surface to get your intricate design just right. This product really goes all out on the extras, with 16 spooky designs and a fire-free tealight to give your pumpkin an eerie glow.
This cute kit's main selling point is its child-friendliness so while the scoop isn't going to be as effective as the ridged ones, it's a great, safe way to get the kids more involved.
With a bundle of 7 pieces to choose from, you can experiment with all different types of designs with this set. You can see blunt pokers, spiky pokers, an arrow-angled carver and a scalpel for getting into the corners. The saws have both short ridges and wide ridges so you can swap between the two to make things easier.
In addition to the tools, you'll also get a matching orange case to help store them all in one place. There aren't any stencils, but we're sure that you can brainstorm some really spooky ideas anyway!
Made from a sturdy ABS plastic, these tools are made at a high-quality standard that you just can't get from regular plastic. You'll buy these once and you won't have to buy another set for years, especially if you keep them in the zip-close case.
The carving tools are sharp and the detailing tools are clearly for a higher level of intricacy than those used by children, so these are fit for someone with a fancy design in mind. There aren't any stencils available with this product so hopefully, you're already full of interesting ideas.
A kit like this one that has all of the carving essentials will be the hero to your frantic last-minute Halloween shopping. In this kit, you'll find a ridged stainless steel scoop, a long, wide-toothed saw, and a poke tool.
In comparison to the other kits on our list, this one doesn't bring as much to the table, but if you're just looking for the basics, then this could be exactly what you need. In addition, you can even pick from 12 creative stencil designs if you're low on ideas. A kit like this would be ideal for someone who wants to carve out a simple face and not waste money on a long list of additional bits and pieces.
This carving kit for a group of friends of a family of four is probably the most retro item on here. Similar to those sold at pound shops and supermarkets, this bright orange set contains 4 rounded scoops and 4 pointed saws.
It's a classic set that's loved by beginners and pros and even though it doesn't come with any detailing tools or stencils, you can get creative with your own designs. With a bulk set like this, you could even buy multiple packs to supply a Halloween-themed pumpkin carving party! But may not be enough for the more intricate designs.
Whether you're a Halloween pro or just out to have some ghoulish fun, there'll be something out there that tickles your tombstone. Take a look at our top picks for a devilishly fantastic Halloween!
Hopefully, you now have your eye on a new pumpkin carving kit you'd like to try out! Just remember, if you're carving pumpkins with your little monsters to always make sure they are being supervised. No one needs a re-enactment of a scene from Jason X! But have fun, get spooky and Happy Halloween~
Author: Annie Speight
No. 1: Rorchio|Pumpkin Carving Tools
No. 2: UBITREE|Pumpkin Carving Kit
No. 3: CarveKing|Stencil & Carve Pumpkin Carving Kit
No. 4: Aneco|Professional Halloween Pumpkin Carving Tool Kit
No. 5: GoStock|Pumpkin Carving Kit
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