Best Garden Hose Reels That Every Gardener Should Have 2017 – 2018

The Best Garden Hose Reels That Every Gardener Should Have

Introduction

Watering the plants and watching them grow up are great fun of gardeners. However, rewinding water hoses and storing them in the right place could be a pain that seems to take forever. Walking around your garden and packing up the wet hose by hands is sometimes very dirty, messy and annoying.

Luckily, with the best garden hose reel, this nightmare is over. Not only does it reduce the risk of being tangled and injured, but it also helps to keep your hose last longer. Since there’re plenty of models on the market recently, we decide to put the best products in this post. Read it, and you will know which is the right product for your garden.

Photo credit: elfinco via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

There is a wide range of products available on the market today, and below I have reviewed 5 of the very best options.

**Below, you will find more detailed reviews, but you can also click the links above to see current prices and read customer reviews on Amazon.

Benefits of Using a Garden Hose Reel

There are two main reasons why gardeners like to use a garden hose reel. Here they are:

Safety

Many garden hoses are painted with colors that blend in with grass, such as green or blue. This sometimes makes us difficult to spot them. Besides, since hoses are made of rubber, they become very slippery as gotten wet. Leaving such hoses all across your garden and flagstone pathways might cause potential hazards leading to injuries when someone treads on them. A hose reel is created to hold everything in place to reduce these accidents.

Hose Protection

By storing your hose neatly and properly, you can increase its longevity. Many reels cover the hose inside a protective case, which offers a great way to protect the hose from UV rays and intense weather conditions during hot days of the summer or freezing days of the winter. This way, you’ll also prevent rats and rabbits from biting and damaging your hose.

Different Types of Hose Reels

There are many types of hose reels. Each one has different characteristics and uses to meet different gardening demands.

· Stationary Hose Reels: They are the simplest form of hose reels that is mounted on the wall and features a handle to rewind the hose onto the reel manually.

· Portable Hose Reels: They are a combination of stationary reels and hand trucks that feature casters or rubber wheels for easy transportation and a handle for manual hose wind-ups.

· Hose Reel Carts: They look like portable reels with rubber wheels to move around, but include one or several shelves for storage.

· Hideaway Hose Reels: They are freestanding models that are designed to look like a box which hides the hose inside. They can feature either a handle or a motor to rewind the hose.

· Water-Powered Hose Reels: They use water pressure from a faucet to rewind the hose automatically. This way will waste some gallons of water, but it’s effortless because by simply sliding a lever, the machine will do the rest for you.

· Motor-Powered Hose Reels: They’re the only type of reels that need a battery to operate. Simply active the motor via a foot pedal or a button, the machine will automatically rewind the hose.

Take a look at this video if you want to see how a motor-powered hose reel works:

What to Consider when Buying a Garden Hose Reel

Portable or Stationary

If you need to move your reel around your garden, then a portable model is necessary. Otherwise, a wall-mounted one will be a better choice since it’s always secure to a fixed point and you don’t have to worry about sliding it around as you’re winding the hose.

Material

For me, durability is the key. In general, hose reel’s frames are made of either plastic or metal. While plastic is rust-free, it cannot be as strong and sturdy as metal. However, metal is more expensive, and some, like steel or iron, will be rusted after a winter or a raining season. So, if you decide to go with metal, I strongly recommend you to pick up aluminum frame with brass fittings.

Hose Capacity

The length of hose mostly depends on the size of your garden. If it’s too short, you cannot water plants in remote areas, but if it’s too long, you waste your money. First, measure the length and width of your garden. Then, find out the distance from the water source to the furthest points of your garden. Most water taps are installed on the wall of the main house, but some are in the middle of the garden, so you don’t need to buy a long hose.

Wind-Up Mechanism

There are two common wind-up mechanisms. The first one is manual, which means you have to spin a handle with your hand to rewind the hose. The second one is automatic, which means as you slide a lever or step on a foot pedal, the machine will do the rest for you. Personally, I prefer the first choice because it’s usually less expensive, and rewinding a long hose just takes me a little bit time and effort.

1. Suncast CPLSSM200B Swivel Hose Hideaway

Suncast has produced many models of reliable hose reels, and this CPLSSM200B is one of the best that comes in a very affordable price. The frame is made of sturdy plastic. The storage space is ample, allowing you to hook up a 225-foot hose without any hassle.

The base is able to be swiveled up to 360 degrees, allowing you to go all the way around your garden without having to reset the reel’s position. Winding and rewinding the hose is very easy and quick thanks to the even distribution of the hose over the reel and a close-to-the-top handle.

There are two spikes to help you hold the base securely to the ground. If you mine it on grass, you don’t even need to stake. But if you use it on a concrete surface, you might be unable to stake it, which leads to the sliding around of the unit as you’re playing out the hose. Luckily, you can use masonry screws to attach the base as the manufacturer suggests.


Pros

  • Sturdy frame with high-quality plastic
  • Spacious storage room for hose
  • 360-degree swiveling
  • Long warranty up to 3 years

Cons

  • Four spikes at four corners of the base will provide firmer staking than only two.
  • Washer coming with leader hose is dripped despite being tightened very closely.
  • Hose connection point inside the unit is made of cheap plastic.

2. Liberty Garden Products 704 Wall Mount Garden Hose Reel

At first glance, this hose reel caught my eyes by its bronze color and antique design with spiraled flourishes. This makes it look like a décor item than a gardening tool, but in fact, its functionality is much more awesome than its appearance.

The unit is designed to work in any weather condition with a non-rush aluminum featured brass plumbing fixtures. To install it, you simply mount it on the wall. However, note that mounting hardware (bolts and screws) is not included as purchasing, so you have to buy it separately.

I love the winding mechanism of this hose reel. As you need to water your plants, simply pull out the hose with the maximal length of 125 feet. When you finished your work, quickly spin the ergonomic handle to rewind the hose without getting it tangled.


Pros

  • Comes with a 5-inch leader hose and a storage shelf
  • Spiraled design
  • Lightweight
  • Very durable powder coat finish with aluminum and brass

Cons

  • The swivel starts splitting water developed after about 8 months.
  • The aluminum frame is not treated before powder coating, leading to being corroded from the inside out.
  • Only one year of warranty

3. Suncast RSW125D Aquawinder Hose Reel

If you’re looking for one of the best garden hose reels that use water pressure from a faucet to rewind the hose automatically, you should take this one into account.

Simply keep the water source on, then flip a lever on the side of the reel, and it will pull the hose back into the box evenly. This way, you save a lot of effort and time. Just make sure the hose is not angled at any point so that the reel can work properly.

Not only does the reel prevents your garden from looking ugly, but it’s also a great décor item. The neat design with master black resin construction is absolutely gorgeous. There are no parts left on the ground or in the air, and the hose is totally hidden inside the box. Also, storing a 125-feet 5/8-inch hose doesn’t cause any knot.


Pros

  • Includes leader and discharge hoses
  • Very eye-catching design
  • Automatic rewind fast and effortlessly
  • 3-year limited warranty

Cons

  • Not suitable for thick or heavy hoses
  • Some plastic parts might need to be replaced every year
  • About 2-6 gallons of water will be displaced to rewind the hose

4. Suncast PW100 Powerwind Automatic Garden Hose Reel

Technically, this one is at the highest level compared to other hose reels in our list because it’s the only one that requires electric to operate. The motor is activated by a foot pedal, so your hands will be free. Besides, if the motor has any issue, such as failing to work, you can spin a handle to rewind the hose, just like the way you do with the Liberty Garden Products 704.

Both battery and charger unit are included as purchasing. They’re removable and replaceable for convenient use. The manufacturer says that the battery provides enough energy for 20 complete wind-ins, but only takes 12 hours to be fully recharged. Briefly, with half a day of recharging, you can make the unit work wells for an entire summer.

The reel comes with a leader hose setting up a direct connection between the faucet and reel. All the parts are included fully inside the box just like other hose reels.


Pros

  • Easy to be adjusted manually
  • Two wind-up mechanisms in one unit
  • Long-last replaceable battery
  • 3-year limited warranty

Cons

  • Only 100-foot hose capacity
  • Not suitable for thick or heavy hoses
  • Expensive

5. Rapid Reel 1041 Wall Mount Garden Hose Reel

Like the Liberty Garden Products 704, this one is another mounting-styled hose reel but comes with mounting hardware, including a set of screws and masonry anchors. The special thing here is that you can mount it on the wall either in a perpendicular or parallel installation.

The reel’s body is made of rust-free alloy aluminum which is very durable and last for years without being broken. The brass fittings are leak-proof, and together with the 10-year no-leakage guarantee, your worry about leakages after a long time of use like other hose reels is gone forever.

The handle is made of sturdy synthetic material with a thick aluminum bracket allowing easy wind-ups. Besides, there is a cam reel brake to avoid the hose from unwinding by itself. Last but not least, the maximum length of 150 feet for a 5/8-in hose and 100 feet for a 3/4-in one is enough for most gardens.


Pros

  • 10-year no-leakage guarantee
  • Very high-quality solid metal body
  • Includes mounting hardware
  • Features a manual reel brake

Cons

  • Lacks a hose guide
  • Expensive

Choosing the Best Garden Hose Reel for Your Yard and Garden

Think of your budget and demand before making any purchasing decision. If you need a hideaway hose reel that use electric to operate automatically, then the Suncast PW100 Powerwind is an excellent choice. It also comes with a handle for manual rewinding. The only barrier might be the expensive price.

If you need a wall-mounted hose reel that is durable in materials and affordable in price, then the Liberty Garden Products 704 is a great selection. Another prominent choice is the Rapid Reel 1041 which is more expensive, more sturdy and more versatile with two ways of installation.

Thank you for reading our best garden hose reel reviews and buying guides!

James G. Craig
 

James G. Craig is a gardening enthusiast who splits his spare time between growing vegetables, preening his flower gardens, and blogging about his experiences at the Gardener Corner.

Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 0 comments

Leave a Reply: