The best garden hoses for watering your lawn and garden, or for delivering water to another sort of job that needs done, often depends upon cost and personal taste. However, there are some characteristics of garden hoses that can make them a pleasure to use or a problem. The goal of this article is to look at some of the characteristics of garden hoses.

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.

Using and Selecting Garden Hoses

Uses for a Garden Hose

A garden hose has the primary purpose of moving water from an outside hydrant to a location where that water will be used. It relieves workers from having to carry the water from the source in containers. In fact, you might say that the history of plumbing has been about the need and the desire to move water from its source to the place where humans desire for it to be.

The garden hose is just one more example of this idea. It can be used to water the lawn, vegetable or flower beds – hence the name garden hose. It can also be used to feed water to a power washer, a cement mixer or to simply wash down a patio, a vehicle or the side of a house.

Considerations When Selecting a Garden Hose

The End Fittings

The end fittings are an important part of the hose. They usually consist of a metal collar and a male or female screw connection that allows one end of the hose to be attached to a faucet and the other end to a sprayer, another hose, an appliance or a sprinkler. If the end of the assembly is not well-made, it can leak. Leaks waste water and water pressure, decreasing the efficiency of the hose.

Durability

Durability counts, especially if you anticipate using the hose for more than one season. If the hose develops holes in the material between the end fittings, it will leak out water or even create a sprinkler effect in an unexpected location. Unless you are purchasing a sprinkler hose, holes in the hose material are undesirable.

Flexibility

Flexibility can increase the durability of your hose. One of the causes of holes in a hose is when the hose develops a kink in it, causing the hose material to pinch and eventually develop a hole. More flexible hoses are less likely to kinks, and are, therefore, less likely to develop a hole because of a pinched spot.

Size Matters

Unless you have a reason for wanting a long hose – such as to reach that back flower bed, longer is not necessarily better. It provides more opportunities for kinking, is heavier to carry around, and will usually cost more. Diameter will affect the amount of water that can be delivered at one time.

Drinking Water Safe

If you, your kids, or your pets will be drinking water from this hose, select a model that is “drinking water safe.” This might even be a good idea if you will be watering your vegetable patch with the hose, or filling swimming pools. Some hoses seem to come equipped with chemicals that can leach into the water that is running through them.

Exciting Developments in Modern Hoses

The Expanding Hose

One exciting development in modern garden hoses is the expanding hose. The expanding hose is less likely to kink and develop those hole-causing creases than ordinary hoses. They also are easier to store. One of the challenges of having a garden hose is that whole business of getting it out, and then draining it after use, so that you can coil it up to put it away. More than one tired gardener has regretted not taking that vital last step in hose-care – as they drive their lawn mower over their investment.

The Flat Hose

For the absent-minded gardener or for one who has a hose layout that is a real pain to set up and take down, the flat hose is the answer. It inflates and works like any ordinary hose, but it deflates and lies flat along the ground when not in use. It is also lighter than a standard hose and easier to move around.

Hose Accessories

For the anyone who uses a hose often, accessories can make all the difference. A favorite is the Y valve, a device that can be placed on a faucet or on a hose to divide the water stream. The best ones have a shut off lever on each branch of the Y, enabling starting and stopping the water flow to an area. Likewise, there is the ordinary shutoff valve, which is handy for either a dripping faucet or a join between hoses. Flat, rubber washers that can be slipped into a hose or faucet connection can make a real difference between having the water leak out at every join or having it go where you want it to go. Finally, there is the hose repair kit, which is most useful on standard hoses. However, if you have a favorite that has developed a leak, this could be the answer.

The garden hose is a handy tool. Here are five examples:

Product Reviews – The Best Garden Hose

Choosing the Best Garden Hose for Your Lawn and Garden

My pick out of this list is the 50 ft Expandable Garden, Car Wash, RV Pocket Shrinking Water Hose with the hanger, spray nozzle, splitter & storage bag. It seems to me to be a businesslike hose that isn’t flashing. And yes, I’ll admit to being partial to all the extra goodies that are included.

I would still be sure to pick up a hose repair kit – just in case, and a batch of those handy little rubber washers. Experience teaches that after a summer of hard use, almost any hose will develop a leak or two and you never know when someone will back over the end of the hose or run over it with the lawn mower.