Have you ever watered the lawn and the flow has stubbornly stopped? Have you discovered that, over time, that the once-faithful gush has reduced to a pathetic dribble? Perhaps your hose kinks or more water leaks out of the faucet attachment than out of the spray nozzle?
It’s time to invest in a new hose. But before you rush out and buy the cheapest one available, take a moment. Not all garden hoses are created equal.
This unassuming piece of garden equipment is your key to a perfectly green lawn – surely we should give it some serious consideration!
Read on for our list of the best garden hoses on the market.
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Best Garden Hose Comparison Table
Use this table to quickly compare the best Garden Hoses. Keep scrolling down the page for more info on our review criteria and in-depth reviews on each hose.
Product Polywit Fairy Expandable Garden Hose Editors Choice RL Flo-Master 65HR8 retractable Hose Reel Shade&Beyond; Expandable Garden Hose Hospaip Expandable Water Hose Craftsman Premium Rubber Garden Hose Preview
Solid brass connectors with on/off switch
8 pattern spray rose
Comes with hose hanger 8 pattern spray rose
Carry handle
Retractable storage reel
Mounting hardware included Solid brass connectors with on/off switch
9 pattern spray rose
Easy to store Highly durable
8 pattern nozzle included
3/4 inch brass connectors Lifetime Warranty
5/8” diameter
Crush resistant coupler at each end Shop on Amazon Check Local Price Check Local Price Check Local Price Check Local Price Check Local Price Product Polywit Fairy Expandable Garden Hose Preview
Solid brass connectors with on/off switch
8 pattern spray rose
Comes with hose hanger Shop on Amazon Check Local Price Editors Choice Product RL Flo-Master 65HR8 retractable Hose Reel Preview
Carry handle
Retractable storage reel
Mounting hardware included Shop on Amazon Check Local Price Product Shade&Beyond; Expandable Garden Hose Preview
9 pattern spray rose
Easy to store Shop on Amazon Check Local Price Product Hospaip Expandable Water Hose Preview Length 17 - 50ft Made From Double layer latex inner tube with 3750D polyester fabric cover Max Pressure 174 PSI Other Features Highly durable
8 pattern nozzle included
3/4 inch brass connectors Shop on Amazon Check Local Price Product Craftsman Premium Rubber Garden Hose Preview
5/8” diameter
Crush resistant coupler at each end Shop on Amazon Check Local Price
Our Top Pick – The Best Garden Hose
For sheer convenience, the RL Flo-Master has to be our best Garden Hose according to this list. The other hoses are brilliant, but the Flo-Master offers the total package, with a spring-loaded reel that ensures that the pipe is protected when not in use.
The 8-pattern rose provides the protection you need for your delicate plants and the power you’ll require when carrying out other tasks, like washing the windows or the car. And at 65ft, you’re unlikely to ever need a longer pipe.
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- Slow, retractable spring-loaded hose with stopper; automatic guide prevents the hose from overlapping while retracting
- 8-pattern nozzle included
- Mounting brackets allows for 180 degree swivel; mounting hardware included
- Unit can be removed from bracket and includes a carrying handle
- 65' of reinforced 5/8" hose, with threaded brass end
Key Considerations When Choosing a Garden Hose
Materials Used
Hoses are made from either rubber, walled latex or vinyl.
Rubber hoses are more durable than vinyl but are usually more expensive. They can handle higher water pressure and are less likely to kink or tear.
Vinyl hoses are more likely to kink and leak but are generally cheaper. If you have a small garden that requires infrequent watering, then vinyl will be fine, as long as it’s stored carefully.
Hoses that are made from both vinyl and rubber are finding their way onto the market, so it’s worth looking out for that balance between price and durability.
A 6 ply garden hose example
Also look out for the “ply” of the hose, because it indicates how many layers of rubber or vinyl are used in the manufacture. 6 ply is the strongest. The higher the ply, the more expensive the hose is likely to be – but it’s also more likely to last longer.
Hose Fittings
The fittings of cheap hoses can be weak and easily broken, so it’s worth shopping around and spending a little more money to ensure that you get a quality item that’s likely to survive the likely stresses of use.
The best garden hoses have fittings that can be readily replaced.
Hose Length
Garden hoses are traditionally sold in increments of 25ft, which can be a little limiting. If your hose is too short, you’ll struggle to reach the end of the garden; but if it’s way too long, the water pressure at the rose end will suffer.
A good compromise if you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place is an extendable hose. They’re easy to store and surprisingly robust. Read on for more details.
An extendable (or expandable) hose is a good solution for big gardens. When not in use, it shrinks to its minimum length (like a telephone cable) but will extend easily when stretched, without causing any damage to its inner core.
Consider a Hose Reel
A hose should always be reeled up after use, this way it is protected from the sun and from damage by passing foot traffic. If you’re buying just the hose, it’s worth spending a little more on also purchasing a hanger, holder or reel.
This will protect it from damage when it’s out of use and ensure that you get more life out of your garden hose.
So What Is The Best Garden Hose?
So with all that in mind, let’s move onto the reviews of our what we consider to be the best garden hoses.
Polywit Fairy Expandable Garden Hose Review
Price: Check local price on Amazon
Perfect for: General gardening and cleaning jobs, such as windows, car etc.
Key Specifications
Length: 50ft (expandable)
Made from: 3 layer latex inner tube
Max working pressure: 170 PSI
The Polywit expandable garden hose has a three-layer latex inner tube that expands easily from its resting 17ft to an impressive 50ft at full stretch.
It can withhold a maximum pressure of 170 PSI – bearing in mind that the average water pressure of a home in the United States is between 150 and 200 PSI, this hose should handle all but the most powerful load. It’s recommended that if you have water pressure above 170 PSI, reducing the water-flow will protect the natural latex inner.
The spray rose has 8 distribution patterns that will protect your most delicate plants, whilst providing adequate coverage for your sturdier bushes. For jobs around the house that require more forceful pressure, such as window cleaning and car washing, the jet setting will provide maximum scrubbing power.
- Brass connectors
- 8-pattern spray nozzle
- Rust-free shut-off valve
- Hose hanger
- Storage sack
- Storage sack
- Rubber Washers
This lightweight hose is only 2.8 pounds. The hose hanger is durable and easily affixed, providing a handy way of keeping your hose safe from damage when it’s out of use.
The retractable pipe is surprisingly flexible and will never kink, twist or get tangled up, making this a sure contender for the best kink-free garden hose. The heavy duty brass fittings, with On/Off controls, are more likely to resist the leakage associated with plastic connectors that degrade over time.
The Polywit Fair Expandable Garden Hose is available from Amazon.
Shop for Polywit Garden Hose on Amazon
Shade&Beyond Expandable Garden Hose Review
Price: Check local price on Amazon
Perfect for: General gardening and cleaning jobs, such as windows, car etc.
Key Specifications
Length: 50ft (expandable)
Made from: Double layer latex inner tube and 48D high stretch yarn
Max working pressure: 174 PSI
The Shade&Beyond expandable garden hose has a double layer latex inner tube, with a high stretch yarn protecting the 17ft resting length, and its 50ft full extension. Guaranteed to never kink, twist, break or split, this hose is capable of delivering hot water (for the hot-tub) without any degradation of the latex inner.
The solid brass connectors, fitted to both ends of the pipe, are completely corrosion-proof, meaning that this hose should last for years to come.
- Expandable to 50ft
- Maximum 174 PSI
- High Strength Polyester sheath, protecting the latex pipe
- Double layer latex inner tube
- Corrosion-resistant brass connectors
The brass fittings are complemented with a rubber washer that creates a super-tight seal between connector and faucet, ensuring that pressure isn’t lost through leakage. The pipe auto-extends to its full 50ft if required, retracting back to 17ft automatically once the water pressure has reduced.
This flexible garden hose is recommended for general garden jobs, as well as car washing, cleaning sidewalks, driveways, and windows.
This product comes at an amazingly low price for such high-quality material build which is one of the main reasons we chose this a contender for the best garden hose. However, neither a spray rose or storage hanger are included.
The package does include a mini-storage bag.
The Shade&Beyond Expandable Garden Hose is available from Amazon.
Shop for the Shade&Beyond Garden Hose on Amazon
Hospaip Expandable Garden Hose, 50ft
Price: Check local price on Amazon
Perfect for: General gardening and cleaning jobs, such as windows, car etc.
Key Specifications
Length: 50ft (expandable)
Made from: Double layer latex inner tube with 3750D polyester fabric cover
Max working pressure: 174 PSI
The Hospaip expandable garden hose triples in length from the standard, resting 17ft to 50ft. Built from a robust, double layer latex inner tube, this will stretch to the end of your garden and retract for easy storage on the included hanger or in the included storage sack.
It comes with a spray rose that offers 9 separate watering patterns; including jet, soaker, angle, mist, center full, flat, shower and cone; so this really is one of the most versatile waterers and best non-kinking hoses featured in this article. Each spray-type is chosen by turning the spray nozzle, whilst the hand-trigger facilities perfectly controlled watering. For a continuous spray, there’s a lock that saves the effort of holding on to the spray-trigger, for garden-wide watering.
- Double layer latex inner tube
- Solid copper 3/4” fittings
- 8 pattern hose nozzle
- On/off water valve
- Replaceable fittings
The solid copper 3/4” fittings are paired with high-quality steel assembly clamps that help to ensure that you don’t lose water pressure from leakage at the tap. The connectors are designed to be fully compatible with any standard US garden faucet, so it’s a simple case of connect and spray.
Hospaip has really considered the longevity of this hose, making all of the connectors completely replaceable. If, in the unlikely event that the copper fittings fail, you won’t need to buy a whole new hose – you can just refit new connections.
As with all of the expandable hoses, this hose will never kink. Tangling with such a thick pipe is not possible as long as you store your pipe on the provided hanger or in the storage sack.
The pack also comes with 3 rubber washers that will help provide the perfect seal between hose connector and faucet, making this a real contender for the Best Garden Hose.
The Hospaip Expandable Garden Hose is available from Amazon.
Shop for the Hospaip Garden Hose on Amazon
Craftsman Premium Rubber Garden Hose, 50ft
Price: Check local price on Amazon
Perfect for: General gardening and cleaning jobs, such as windows, car etc
Key Specifications
Length: 50ft
Made from: Radial Rubber Matrix
Max working pressure: 500 PSI
This Craftsman premium rubber garden hose is durable enough for all gardening tasks, with a 5/8” diameter pipe. Made from a radial, rubber matrix, this hose will withstand high-level abrasion without damaging the shaft. Designed to cope with extremes of temperature (from -25ºF to 160ºF), this could be the perfect hose for filling the hot tub, or keeping outside in the depths of the bleakest mid-winter.
The nickel-plated coupler fittings are crush-proof and capable of providing service for many seasons to come, without eroding due to corrosion.
- Radial rubber matrix walls
- 5/8” diameter pipe
- Capable of withstanding high water pressure
- Nickel-plated connector fittings
- Copes with extremes of temperature without degrading the rubber
- Full lifetime warranty
This pipe doesn’t include a spray rose, a holder or a storage sack so, for its not inconsiderable price, you get an incomplete package.
However, rubber hoses are less likely to kink and split than vinyl hoses. To ensure longevity, it’s recommended to store this pipe on a hose reel or a hanger that you’ll need to buy separately. Look after this pipe and it should last a lifetime, backed up by Craftman’s lifetime warranty.
We always think that a lifetime warranty is a reassurance that the manufacturer believes in the quality of their product.
At 10 pounds in weight, the total pipe is quite a lot heavier than the latex, retractable pipes.
Craftsman also makes a 100ft version of this garden hose.
The Craftsman Premium Rubber Garden Hose is available from Amazon.
Shop for the Craftsman Garden Hose on Amazon
RL Flo-Master 65HR8 retractable Hose Reel
Price: Check local price on Amazon
Perfect for: General gardening and cleaning jobs, such as windows, car etc.
Key Specifications
Length: 55ft
Made from: Reinforced, braided vinyl
Max working pressure: 300 PSI
The RL Flo-Master vinyl hose comes ready coiled in a sturdy housing unit that will keep the pipe kink-free. The spring-loaded reel will ensure that the hose is protected from the elements in all weathers, without the twists and tangles commonly found with manual hose reels.
Packaged with mounting brackets, the reel attaches to the wall or a post with a hinge, providing 180º movement of the reel. This means that you’ll always pull the pipe directly from the mouth of the reel at a comfortable angle, whilst avoiding accidental snagging of the braided vinyl.
The RL Flo-Master 65HR8 retractable hose reel features include:
- 65ft braided vinyl pipe
- Spring-loaded, retractable reel, on 180º swivel when hung on a wall or post
- Brass tap connector
- 8 pattern spray rose
- Mounting bracket
This hose package comes with an instruction manual, an 8-pattern nozzle, a mounting bracket and all of the bolts that you’ll need to attach this to the wall.
The nozzle has 8 different spray patterns, including shower, center, flat, soaker, mist, jet, triangle and cone, making this a versatile piece of garden equipment that won’t damage your delicate plants.
To retract the hose, you give it a gentle tug, and the retracting mechanism will draw the pipe back into the reel with no further effort from you. An automatic threader guides the pipe back into the reel perfectly, avoiding the kinks and twists that often occur when winding a manual reel.
Once the mounting bracket has been attached to the wall, it’s still possible to take your hose inside for storage over the winter. You simple remove the attachment pin from the reel and carry it inside, leaving the mounting bracket in place for the next season.
RL Flo-Master 65HR8 retractable Hose Reel Amazon.
Shop for the RL Flo-Master Hose Reel on Amazon
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