Rank | Picture | Name | Rating | Shop |
#1 |  | BEST OVERALL - Liberty Garden Products 514 Two Wheel Hose Cart | ||
#2 |  | RUNNER-UP - Liberty Garden 703-1 Garden Wall/Floor Hose Reel | ||
#3 |  | BEST RETRACTABLE - GARDENA Retractable Hose Reel | ||
#4 |  | Giraffe Retractable Garden Hose Reel | ||
#5 |  | BEST WALL MOUNTED - AMES 2388340 ReelEasy Side Mount Reel |
If you regularly use a hose around the garden, you know how frustrating it can be to have to pull it around, especially if it’s long or your garden is huge.
It gets tangled around corners and flower beds, and it often feels like a workout at the gym to untangle it.
Leaving your garden hose strewn across the garden isn’t a good idea – the harsh UV rays can damage it, causing it to crack. That’s why investing in a garden rose heel is a must.
What is a garden hose reel?
As its name suggests, a garden hose reel helps to reel up your garden hose, keeping it neat and compact. Some garden hose reels can be mounted to the floor while others are wall-mounted, helping you to store your expensive garden hose much easier. With that in mind, let’s explore some of the best garden hose reels on the market! We’ve got five excellent choices for you to consider.
As we can see from the above table, there are some variations in the best garden hose reel products on the market, such as when it comes to the materials used in their construction, but they can all be mounted onto the wall.
This is beneficial because wall-mounted garden hose reels can save space in your shed or garage, while also being compact so you can store your reel out of the way even though it’s simultaneously always at hand whenever you need it.
But which one is the best one?
To find out, we need to take a closer look at all of the best garden hose reels, analysing their pros, features, drawbacks, and cost.
This will help you single out the best product for your gardening needs while staying within your budget.
Ready?
Read on to learn all about it and why it makes our number-one spot!
Table of Contents
Best Garden Hose Reel – Reviews & Buying Guide For 2021
Best Overall Winner: Liberty Garden Products 514 Two Wheel Hose Cart
Let’s start our list of the best garden hose reel reviews with this cart by Liberty Garden Products. Not only does its bronze appearance look good, but it’s also built to be durable.
Featured specs
- Strong plastic construction
- Leader hose included
- Foot supports
Benefits
- This hose cart can easily hold up to 225 feet of garden hose, so it’s definitely going to meet your needs.
- Although it’s bronze, it’s actually made of plastic – specifically, durable polyester resin plastic. This type of plastic is not only strong but also resistant to water.
- This garden hose reel has a grip handle that makes it really easy to use, especially if you’re winding a very long hose on it.
- It also comes with a drop-down handle that makes storing it a breeze.
- The box comes with an included black leader hose that’s six feet long.
Drawbacks
- One of the drawbacks associated with this garden hose reel is that it needs to be assembled.
- Some people have reported that the handle you use to wind up the hose doesn’t always rotate freely. This can result in hand friction when you have to wind up the hose, and can be problematic if you have to wind up a really long hose on a regular basis.
Extra Features
- This hose cart has foot supports that keep your cart stable when you need to wind up your garden hose, preventing it from falling over and causing you to sweat!
- All the hose connections are made out of metal, which makes the product even more durable.
- Some people who have purchased this garden hose reel have reported that it can actually hold even longer hoses than advertised!
Buying Advice
This garden hose reel cart costs around $120.
Although it might cost a little bit more than what you were hoping to pay for a new garden hose reel, its durable construction and convenience make it a purchase that’s value for money.
It gives you everything you need to store your garden hose easily and effectively.
Runner Up: Liberty Garden Multi-Purpose Steel Garden Wall Hose Reel
This is another hose reel from Liberty Garden, although it looks quite different! It’s much cheaper, for starters. Let’s take a look at its features!
Featured specs
- Industrial grade steel
- Weather-resistant
- Brass fixtures
Benefits
- This is a garden hose reel that will go the distance. It’s made from durable 13 gauge steel. It’s also got an industrial-strength powder-coated finish that’s resistant to a variety of weather conditions, thus making it perfect for lots of time outdoors or if you’re storing it outside.
- It can hold hoses of up to 200 feet in length.
- All of the fixtures are made of brass.
- It’s fully assembled when it arrives at your home.
Drawbacks
- The mounting hardware you need to use to assemble this product is not included in the pack, which is a disappointment.
- Some people who have purchased this product have reported an issue with rust. This is because there are small holes inside the large wheels that result in humidity entering them.
Extra Features
- This garden hose reel comes with five feet of leader hose.
- The brass connectors of this hose reel don’t corrode. They’re also strong and durable.
- People who’ve purchased this reel have commented that it rolls smoothly, thus being a breeze for anyone to use.
- You can mount this garden hose reel onto the wall, but you can also choose to mount it to the floor, with the use of its rubber feet that are included. This makes storing it versatile and highly convenient.
Buying Advice
This Liberty Garden hose reel costs around $110, so it’s a bit cheaper than the previous product. It also has some nice features that might appeal to you, especially if you use your garden hose regularly and need to increase its efficiency.
Now that we’ve looked at the top two best garden hose reels on the market, let’s analyze some alternative products to meet your needs, such as if you want a hose reel that’s retractable or one that’s the best quality for being mounted on the wall.
Best Retractable Garden Hose Reel: GARDENA Retractable Hose Reel
To make using a garden hose reel even more convenient, you can find ones such as this one by Gardena that are retractable. Here’s what to know about it.
Featured specs
- Comes with a “hose guide” feature
- Frost-resistant
- Ergonomically designed
Benefits
- Using this garden hose reel is super-easy: simply pull the hose and this will deactivate the reel’s lock, causing the hose to be pulled into it. You don’t have to put in any effort to wind up the hose after using it in the garden, and this is especially beneficial if you have health problems that make bending down a lot difficult.
- This reel has a steel spring to make retracting the hose easy and powerful.
- In addition to the above, it comes with a hose guide so that the hose won’t become tangled!
- One of the biggest reasons to purchase this Gardena retractable hose reel is that it comes with everything you need in the pack: you get screws, wall plugs, and a wall bracket included. That means you can get it set up and start using it right out of the box without having to take a trip to the hardware store for items you need.
- For easy and convenient storage when not in use, the reel comes with a hose guide bracket. This can be put on the wall so you can mount it in a flash.
- The handle of the reel box is ergonomically-shaped, therefore being easy and comfortable to move it around when needed.
Drawbacks
- Some people have reported that sometimes this garden hose reel doesn’t wind up a hose all the way because it gets jammed.
- Some people have said that the company’s customer service is poor, so dealing with them in the event of a problem with the product isn’t pleasant.
Extra Features
- This product is protected against frost, making it ideal for use in a variety of harsh conditions.
Buying Advice
This Gardena retractable hose reel costs $200. It’s quite expensive, but it’s made with quality and convenience in mind so it’s sure to last you a long time. It’s certainly a must if you’re looking for an easy-to-use garden hose reel that does all the work for you!
Best Retractable Runner Up: Giraffe Retractable Garden Hose Reel
This is a solid, durable garden hose reel that’s also retractable. But, it comes with some extra perks. Let’s jump right into its specs!
Featured specs
- Swivel bracket
- PVC hose that’s 60 feet long
- Nine sprayer nozzles included
Benefits
- Right off the bat, this garden hose reel is great because it comes with a 60-foot hose included. So it’s like you’re getting two products in one.
- This garden hose reel has an optional position lock. This means that you can lock it when the hose is at a length you want, making it quite versatile to use around the garden, such as if you require a shorter length.
- It has an automatic hose guide to make using the reel much smoother and easier.
- It comes with an 180-degree swivel bracket. This means that it’s flexible and will follow you when you pull the hose, instead of becoming stiff or not responding to your movements.
- The hose is made out of PVC.
- One of the perks of this garden hose reel is that it comes with nine sprayer nozzles that are adjustable, such as “vertical,” “mist,” “soaker,” and more.
Drawbacks
- Some people who have purchased the product have reported that it’s sometimes difficult to wind and unwind the hose because it gets jammed.
- The instructions that are included in the pack are disappointing and unclear. While this might not be an issue for you, if you’re using and/or mounting a garden hose reel for the first time, it could prove frustrating.
- If you need to replace the hose in future, it’s worth bearing in mind that it’s a thinner hose than a regular one so you might battle to find the perfect replacement.
Extra Features
- The brass fitting of the hose is lead-free while being resistant to rust, so it’s definitely going to last you a long time.
- The mounting bracket is separate from the reel box. This is another perk! It’s such a useful feature because it means that you can easily remove the garden hose reel from its bracket if this is required, such as if you want to store the reel indoors for the winter time. It also means that if the bracket gets damaged, it won’t be the case that the entire reel hose is damaged, therefore being easier to repair or replace.
Buying Advice
This retractable garden hose reel costs around $90 so it’s cheaper than the previous product we featured but it has some nice extra features, such as the nozzles that are included in the purchase.
Best Wall Mounted Garden Hose Reel: AMES ReelEasy Side Mount Reel
If you’re hoping to mount your garden hose on the wall, this reel by Ames is the best one. Although we’ve featured other products that can be mounted onto the wall, this one stands out. Here’s why.
Featured specs
- Can carry a hose of up to 100 feet
- Integrated hose guide
- Hose clip included
Benefits
- You don’t have to worry about assembling this reel because it comes fully assembled for easy mounting. Whether you’re experienced with using a garden hose reel or complete beginner, you won’t have a problem.
- You can hold up to 100 feet of hose with this reel. While that’s a bit less than some other products we’ve featured in these reviews of the best rated garden hose reel products, it’s probably more than sufficient.
- One of the best features about this garden hose reel is that it has an integrated hose guide that helps to keep the hose and reel aligned. This makes it easier to use and produces a smoother experience.
- It comes with a hose clip that makes it super-convenient to use.
- The hose reel has an easy-spin grip feature. This makes it comfortable and easy for anyone to wind and unwind a hose on it.
Drawbacks
- Some people who have purchased this garden hose reel have commented that it is quite heavy to move around. On Amazon its weight is listed as 1.2 pounds, which is incorrect. The reel’s actual weight is 6.16 pounds. That said, even though some people might say that it’s heavy to move around, it’s actually a lot lighter than the previous products we’ve featured in our reviews!
- Although this garden hose reel is made of metal, it does have some plastic parts. While that’s not necessarily a deal-breaker, it might be if you were hoping for a product that’s constructed out of metal or steel.
Extra Features
- The moving parts of the reel come well-greased, making it very easy to use right out of the box.
- Once you have mounted the garden hose reel onto the wall, you can wind the hose from either direction – top or bottom. This makes it convenient to use.
- One of the best extra features you get with this garden hose reel is a shelf on top of it that you can use to store other gardening items, such as hose nozzles or cleaning supplies.
Buying Advice
This Ames garden hose reel costs around $50, so it’s budget-friendly while being super-easy for anyone to use.
It comes with lots of benefits that you’ll really be able to enjoy when mounting it to the wall, such as the included tray/shelf that can be used for extra storage.
Garden Hose Reel FAQ
Now that we’ve taken a close look at five of the best garden hose reel products on the market, you might have a better idea of which one you should purchase.
But before you go ahead, you should read on to get answers to common questions you might have about garden hose reels so you can ensure you purchase the best one and use it correctly.
Imagine this scenario: you’ve purchased a new garden hose and are happy that it’s much longer than what you previously owned.
But then you use it around the garden and discover that the water pressure coming out of it isn’t as strong as you used to experience with your previous hose.
What’s up with that? Is the longer hose length to blame?
It could be. If the long hose has become twisted or tangled, this could cause it to bend in some places, thereby cutting off or reducing the flow of water.
Make sure you check your hose to be sure that it doesn’t have any kinks in it. This is especially important to do regularly to prevent those kinks from causing the hose to crack over time.
If your long garden hose doesn’t have any kinks in it but it’s still not giving you the water pressure you want, bear in mind that generally longer hoses will reduce the amount of water pressure they can deliver.
This is because when water moves over a longer distance, it’s only logical that the rate of water will decrease!
How much will the flow rate decrease?
Bear this calculation (via Swanhose) in mind: a 25-foot long hose could achieve a flow rate of 24 GPM (gallons per minute), but a 100-foot hose would result in that flow rate decreasing by 75 percent!
In addition to the above, it’s worth bearing in mind that hose diameter plays a big role in how much water pressure you can get from the hose.
Indeed, the diameter is not just important because it tells you how much water you can get per minute to where you need it but it also determines the strength of that stream of water.
It’s actually been said that hose diameter is the most important factor to consider when it comes to water pressure! If your hose doesn’t have the right diameter, this can reduce how well it performs.
Many garden hoses have a 5/8-inch diameter, but others are ½-inch hoses or ¾-inch hoses. Let’s explore how well they fare when it comes to water pressure.
Since the water pressure you’ll be working with will be an average of 40 pounds per square inch (PSI), a 5/8-inch hose (that’s 25 feet in length) will give you approximately 44 gallons of water per minute (GPM).
By comparison, as Garden Hose Info points out, a ½-inch hose that’s the same length will give you 24 gallons, and a ¾-inch hose will give you 73 gallons! That’s quite a difference!
If the amount of water pressure you’re achieving from your garden hose is unsatisfactory, you might wonder if it’s possible for you to increase it.
The good news is that there are several things you can try to boost your hose’s water pressure.
The first thing you should do is inspect your garden hose for any leaks. These might be tiny cracks that you can’t even see immediately, so take a closer look all along the hose.
Then, check your hose connections.
Is the nozzle leaking? Is the hose connected to the spigot correctly?
If not, such issues can cause your water pressure to decrease.
It’s a good idea to unscrew the hose from the spigot and nozzle, then reattach them.
This can help to remove any blockages that could have been present. Bear in mind that something as simple as the accumulation of dirt can reduce water pressure in your hose.
If you suspect that dirt could indeed be the culprit for why your garden hose lacks water pressure, then you need to clean it.
Here’s a quick and easy way to clean your hose:
-Fill a bucket with water. Put a ¼ cup of bleach in it.
-Put your hose into the solution, making sure that it’s completely covered. You should leave it in this solution for eight or so hours.
-Once that time is up, put the hose in a bucket that only contains water, and leave it there for an hour or two.
-Then, connect your hose and sprayer so that you can remove any leftover debris.
Once you’ve properly cleaned your hose, if you still have a problem you need to check your home’s water pressure.
The main water supply for your home, which is usually located in the basement of your home or on the exterior of the building, should be checked.
Turn off all your appliances in the home that make use of water as well as all your faucets. Then, put a pressure gauge onto the main water supply nozzle.
After turning this valve counter-clockwise, you’ll be able to read the measurement from the pressure gauge.
Pro tip: if your main water supply doesn’t have a nozzle, then you can attach the pressure gauge on the closest faucet to you.
What’s a normal water pressure reading? It should be between 40 and 60 PSI.
If your water pressure reading is less than that, then your home’s water supply could be the reason for why your garden hose is lacking water pressure.
To increase your home’s water pressure, you will need to change it. Close to your water meter you’ll find a pressure reducing valve.
With the use of a wrench, you should turn the valve’s bolt in a clockwise direction to increase the amount of water pressure.
You should do a quarter-turn before stopping and checking the water pressure before you continue so that you don’t make the pressure too high.
Now, you might have checked your water pressure and seen that it’s at an appropriate level.
What then?
You can try to increase your garden hose’s water pressure by investing in a high-powered nozzle. This could be all you need to solve your problem.
Finally, another idea is to connect your garden hose to a water pump. This can help you to increase the amount of water pressure you get in your hose.
A water pump is similar to a power washer, and to connect it to your hose you’ll just need to screw your garden hose into the pump.
Make sure your pump is connected to an outlet, and you’re done.
When purchasing a pump, bear in mind that paying a bit more money for it can give you more settings when it comes to the water pressure, such as different spraying styles.
When it comes to mounting your garden hose reel, there are two different issues you might encounter.
For starters, you might be wondering how to mount the garden hose reel on the wall. Then, you might be wondering how to mount the hose onto the reel!
We’ll look at how to do both, starting with mounting a garden hose reel onto the wall.
-First things first, a pro tip when you purchase a garden hose reel that you’ll mount onto a wall is to replace the screws that came with the reel. This is because the screws that are usually provided in the box won’t be as strong as what you can find at the hardware store.
-Once you have the right screws, you’ll need totake some measurements. First,measure how long the short hose that’s secured to the hose reel is. The hose reel needs to be mounted in a place that’s close enough to the faucet in order for the hose to not stretch to reach it. You should obviously also measure the distance from the faucet to where you want to mount your garden hose reel, and double-check it to be sure. Also measure how high up on the wall you want your garden hose reel to be placed, bearing in mind that it should be comfortable and convenient to use when in this spot.
-Get your drill and the right drill bit. You will have to drill your garden hose reel onto the wall. The drill bit that you choose is of the utmost importance here. Here are some tips to choose the right one for the job:
-The drill bit needs to have the same diameter as the shank of the screws you’re going to use, as SFGate reports.
-If your house contains wood, aluminum, or vinyl siding, you’ll need three-inch screws. Your drill bit should be safe for use in wood, and you should make use of a power drill.
-On the other hand, if your house is brick, you’ll need to have two-inch plastic anchors as well as the screws that came with them (they’re usually sold together). You’ll want to use a masonry drill bit as well as a drill that has a hammer action to drill the anchors.
-When you drill your pilot holes into the wall, make sure they’re around 2 and ¾ inches in the case of wood screws, and 2 inches in the case of masonry screws.
-Once you’ve made the holes, you should put some silicone in them. This will prevent moisture from accumulating around the screws.
-Now, replace the drill bit with a Phillips screwdriver bit.
-While holding the garden hose reel in place where you want it to be mounted, you should center the screw holes over the pilot holes or plastic anchors, as SFGate reports.
-Push the screws through the screw holes, then take the reel’s short hose and twist its connecter to the hose bib. Secure the garden hose’s end onto the threaded connector on the garden hose reel.
-Now you can turn the hose reel’s crank so that the garden hose can be rolled onto the reel.
If you’d like more in-depth instructions on how to put a garden hose onto a garden hose reel, here they are:
-Remove your current hose reel from the faucet spigot.
-Move the hose reel somewhere, like in the garden, where you can drain water from the hose without causing a problem.
-Then, extend the hose fully. You’ll see the water coupling that’s on the inner drum.
-Remove the hose from this coupling with adjustable pliers.
-Now, take your new hose and extend it on the ground so that it doesn’t have any kinks in it. If it feels too hard, you can leave it outside in the sun for a bit to soften it.
-Once that’s done, you should take the female end of your new hose and put the washer (which is made of rubber of vinyl) into the bottom of this hose coupling, as Hunker reports. In addition to that, if your new hose reel has a guide opening, you want to put the female end of the hose through it.
-Make sure you thread the hose’s female end onto the water coupling on the inside drum of the reel. It should be tight, but don’t over-tighten it as this could break the parts of the water coupling.
-Now you’re ready to wind the hose onto your new reel! You should take your time with this, ensuring that you wind the hose so that it’s even all across the drum.
One of the concerns you might have when purchasing a garden hose reel is if it will damage your hose.
The fact is that not having a garden hose reel will probably be more damaging to your hose!
This is because your hose might be left outside instead of stored away correctly, which can cause it to experience damage from harsh weather conditions, such as UV rays that can crack its material.
That said, if you don’t purchase a high-quality hose reel, this could result in your hose getting damaged.
For example, if the garden reel hose causes your hose not to run smoothly, and instead results in twists and kinks, these can damage the hose over time.
These kinks can cause cracks, and they can also result in the flow of water being restricted.
If your hose is old or you want to prevent it from being damaged more than it currently is, invest in a garden hose reel that will ensure smooth and easy use, such as by having a hose guide that prevents tangling.
You might wonder if you should purchase a garden hose reel that gets mounted to the wall or one that has a cart – the latter is basically a reel that conveniently has wheels attached to it.
Both wall-mounted and cart garden hose reel products have their advantages and drawbacks. Let’s check them out.
Benefits Of Wall-Mounted Garden Hose Reels
-By mounting it on the wall, you can easily store your garden hose reel somewhere safe, such as in the garage or shed, and unwind it when you need it.
-If you have a very long garden hose, you won’t ever have to worry about having to pull it around the garden or bending to pick it up at the end of your gardening session.
-Some wall-mounted garden hose reels come with extra storage space included, such as the garden hose reel by Ames that we featured in our earlier reviews. It has a shelf on top on which you can store your other gardening items.
Benefits Of Cart Garden Hose Reels
-One of the biggest benefits of cart reels is that they have wheels so that you can easily move them around to wherever you need them. This makes them especially beneficial if you have a large garden.
-Being able to move the cart around easily means that you can save time while doing your gardening tasks.
Drawbacks Of Wall-Mounted Hose Reels
-While it’s super-convenient to mount your garden hose reel on the wall, you need to ensure that you have enough space and the reel won’t get in the way.
-Some wall-mounted garden hose reels are heavy to move around, so once you mount them onto a specific spot on the wall you might have to ensure that you keep them there.
Drawbacks Of Cart Garden Hose Reels
-While using a cart for your garden hose can make it more convenient, its wheels can easily get stuck. To prevent this from happening, the best garden hose reel cart should be made of high-quality and durable materials.
-If your garden is uneven in places, you might battle to get the hose reel to go where you want it to go, which could prove frustrating to have to deal with.
Conclusion
A garden hose reel is an essential product to make watering your garden a much easier experience.
But it’s not always easy to know which one you should purchase, so we’ve done the hard work for you.
In this article, we’ve featured the best garden hose reel reviews, looking at their important features, benefits, drawbacks, weight, dimensions, and cost, so you can find the one that’s best for you!
