What Is the Best Quality Artificial Grass? (From Someone Who Supplies and Installs It Every Day)

I’ve been in the artificial grass industry for years now, and one of the most common questions I get from customers is:

“What’s the best quality artificial grass?”

And honestly, I get why people ask. On the surface, a lot of turf looks the same—especially in photos. But once you’ve worked with it day in and day out,, you start to see very quickly what’s high quality and what’s not.

I’ve installed everything from budget rolls to premium landscaping turf, and I can tell you straight—not all artificial grass is built to last.

So here’s my honest take, based on real installs, real clients, and seeing how these products hold up over time.

Most people focus on price first.

I understand it—everyone has a budget. But the problem is, cheaper artificial grass can look great for the first few months… and then it starts to flatten, fade, or just look worn out.

I’ve had customers call me back a year later wanting it replaced, and it always ends up costing more in the long run. They bought cheap off ebay or amazon in Australia or overseas. Some customers report fading grass after 6 months, which is a symptom of no UV stability additives in the grass. Other grass has single backing and the blades fall out within a few weeks.

If you want something that still looks good in for 10 years plus, quality matters from the start. That means UV resistant grass, at least double backing and and quality blade material.

What To Look For in High-Quality Artificial Grass

When I’m selling turf to a client, there are a few non-negotiables I always check.

Polyethylene Fibres (This Is a Must)

If there’s one thing I don’t compromise on, it’s the material.

The best artificial grass uses polyethylene fibres. It’s softer, more durable, and looks the closest to real grass.

You can feel the difference straight away.

Cheaper products often use polypropylene, which is rougher and tends to wear out faster. I generally steer clients away from it unless it’s for a very low-traffic area or single use item. Such occasions would be a wedding or display in a shopping centre.

Pile Height Around 35–45mm

In my experience, this is the sweet spot.

• Too short → looks flat and fake
• Too long → can mat down and look messy

Most of the premium installs we do sit around 35–40mm, and that consistently gives the most natural finish.

High Density (This Is What Separates Cheap From Premium)

This is something most people don’t notice until I point it out.

Density is what makes the grass look full and lush instead of thin and patchy.

With high-density turf:

• You won’t see the backing
• It holds its shape better
• It feels more cushioned underfoot

Low-density grass might be cheaper, but it’s usually the first thing to show wear. Always ask for the stitch rate per 10cms. The lower the stitches, the lower the quality and the lower the price. For instance, our Castle35mm is over 19 stitches per 10cms. If you see a cheaper grass elsewhere it will most likely be the stitch rate. Less material equals cheaper price. always ask this question.

Natural Colour Blend

Real grass isn’t one shade of green, and the best artificial turf reflects that.

The products I recommend always include:

• Multiple green tones on top.
• A bit of brown thatch underneath

That small detail makes a huge difference once it’s laid. It’s what stops the lawn from looking too “perfect” and obviously fake.

Strong Backing and Good Drainage

This is something customers don’t always think about, but we see it during installation.

A quality backing:

• Holds the grass together long-term
• Drains properly (especially important here with heavy rain) Every 10cms in width and length of grass is ideal.
• Prevents lifting or movement over time

If the backing is weak, the whole lawn won’t last—simple as that. As explained before, the artificial grass blades will fall out as backing tears apart.

Where Cheap Turf Goes Wrong

I’ve replaced enough lawns to see the patterns.

Lower-quality grass usually:

• Fades faster in the sun
• Blades fall out after a short time
• Feels rough underfoot
• Low green and brown tones.

It might look fine when it’s first rolled out, but it doesn’t last long.

Is Premium Artificial Grass Worth It?

Short answer—absolutely.

Most of my clients who invest in higher-quality turf don’t have issues later on. It keeps its shape, keeps its colour, and still looks good years down the track.

The cheaper installs are the ones that tend to need fixing or replacing.

Final Thoughts From My Experience

If there’s one piece of advice I’d give, it’s this:

Don’t choose artificial grass based on how it looks in a photo or just the price per square metre.

Focus on:

• The material
• The density
• The pile height
• The realism of the colour

Get those right, and you’ll end up with a lawn that not only looks great on day one—but still looks great years later.

And from someone who installs it for a living, that’s what really defines “best quality”.