When it comes to garden irrigation, there is no more popular option than the use of a hose. After all, it’s easy to use and assemble. However, not all garden hoses are built the same way.
With the advent of technology, various types of garden hoses have sprung up to cater to the watering preferences of homeowners. Here, we take a look at the best garden hose in the market.
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Best Garden Hose Ratings Chart
Product | Our Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
1. GrowGreen 50-Feet Expanding Garden Hose | 
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2. Flexzilla HFZG550YW Garden Hose | 
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3. Gilmour PRO Commercial Hose | 
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4. Hospaip 50-Feet Expanding Hose | 
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5. Apex 8695-25 Commercial All Rubber Water Hose | 
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When to Buy a Garden Hose
So, when should you acquire a new garden hose? After all, you shouldn’t just waste your money and replace your hose just for aesthetic purposes. On the other hand, a good reason to get a new garden hose is when your old one has been in use for about 10 years or so.
Replacement is even more necessary when you simply store the garden hose outside and fully exposed to the sun every day. As months and years pass, your garden hose will begin to underperform.
Likewise, problems such as leaks and corrosion could hamper your watering operations. Thus, you could be wasting time, money, and water with an old and damaged garden hose.
In addition, a garden hose that has succumbed to corrosion could harm not only your plants but also animals and kids who decide to drink water from it.
If that wasn’t bad enough, a hose that hasn’t been fully drained for a long time will become the haven of harmful bacteria. Once you get a new garden hose, you won’t have to worry about corrosive elements harming anything or anyone.
Furthermore, the cleanliness of the water would definitely be better for plants, animals, and even humans to absorb. When you do get your replacement hose, you must store it properly to keep it away from sunlight.
Also, you must use a nozzle to stop dirt and other debris to clog the hose. Lastly, you should completely drain the hose after using it.
If you want to fix a hole in your garden hose, you can check out this video:
Factors to Consider Before Buying a Garden Hose
Once you’ve decided to get a new garden hose, you shouldn’t go to the store and pick the most expensive variant.
When you buy a hose, you must look at many factors that will help you understand whether a particular model suits your garden or not.
1. Burst Pressure
Source: Amazon
The strength of a garden hose is determined through its burst pressure. This term basically refers to the amount of pressure when a garden hose will most likely burst open.
A garden hose with a burst pressure of at least 350 psi is reliable enough if you are going to use a nozzle or a sprinkler. On the other hand, you will probably need something stronger if you will conduct high-pressure washing.
2. Flexibility
Apart from strength, you are also better off having a flexible garden hose. Such a hose won’t have any problems with moving around corners and with storage in sheds.
However, it shouldn’t be too flexible to the point that it would immediately kink. When a hose kinks all the time, its parts could split and have its lifespan reduced.
There are garden hoses that are advertised as being kink-free, but even those models will still kink.
The difference, however, is that kink-free hoses are less likely to kink significantly. Before buying a garden hose, you should ask to have it bent first to form the letter U.
If you notice any kinking, you should not get it. Typically, hoses that have been reinforced or made of rubber are flexible enough without having to kink a lot.
3. Hose Length
It’s common to think that the longest garden hose is the best choice. However, too much length could actually be disadvantageous for some homeowners.
For one, the longest garden hoses will usually cost you more than the shorter one. Second, they will be much heavier than other hoses due to all of the material used.
Third, you should have a huge space for keeping the longest garden hoses. Fourth, it’s not going to be easy to completely drain such a long hose just before winter arrives.
Fifth, you might not get the strong water pressure you want from the hose. Consequently, the hoses range in length from 25 feet to 100 feet. One good tip is to get a garden hose that’s just a bit longer than the longest distance measured from your spigot.
This will ensure that you won’t have to pull the garden hose to water the farthest areas of your property. After all, constant tugging could lead to water leaks.
A 25-foot long garden hose is enough for small lawns. In general, most homeowners would be satisfied with a 50-feet garden hose. Even if you do need more hose length on occasion, you could just buy two 50-foot garden hoses instead of a 100-foot variant.
With this strategy, you wouldn’t have to carry a heavy, 100-foot garden hose every time.
4. Hose Material
The most common materials for garden hoses are rubber and vinyl. The latter is typically reinforced using a radial cord. In addition, a vinyl hose is lighter and more affordable than a rubber garden hose. The downside, however, is that it doesn’t quite compare with rubber variants in terms of durability.
It’s more likely to experience splitting, kinking, and bursting than a rubber hose. In addition, it won’t sustain its performance once it is exposed to too much sunlight. Still, a vinyl hose is a good choice if you will only conduct light water irrigation tasks in your yard.
In contrast, a rubber garden hose is the sturdiest type you will likely find. The rubber material helps the hose to carry hot water, which you can use to kill pesky weeds.
Moreover, rubber hoses have great resistance to kinking, cracking, and damages caused by constant sun exposure. It will have a long lifespan, but it is also understandably more expensive and heavier than a basic vinyl garden hose.
Apart from rubber hoses and vinyl hoses, you could also get a hose made of both materials. These reinforced hoses are characterized by layers of vinyl and rubber.
Between these layers are mesh linings to help prevent kinks and splits from occurring. Likewise, a reinforced hose will have a higher burst pressure than a basic vinyl hose.
Still, its durability is more about the quality of the materials rather than the number of layers. Regardless whether you use rubber hoses or vinyl hoses, they could still leach harmful chemicals into the water.
Neither humans or animals should drink water from these hoses. If you do want a hose with water that you can safely drink, you should get one that is constructed out of polyurethane.
5. Hose Diameter
Apart from the hose length, you should also take the diameter into consideration. In particular, the internal diameter is what determines how much water the hose can have at a given time.
The general diameters for garden hoses are 0.75 inches, 0.625 inches, and 0.50 inches. For most homeowners, a hose with a 0.625-inch diameter would work the best.
This diameter isn’t too heavy but it can provide decent water pressure and flow.
If you feel that the 0.625-inch diameter hose is heavy, you should opt for the 0.50-inch garden hose. This will be much lighter in exchange for a reduced water flow.
Also, we recommend that the hose you choose with this diameter should only have a maximum length of 50 feet. It might not work with a sprinkler, but this hose is a practical choice for irrigating containers and other small areas.
6. Hose Couplings
If you want to extend your water coverage, you should find a hose with great hose couplings. These are the parts that you need to connect the hose to sprinklers, nozzles, and spigots.
Now, the couplings of a garden hose can vary in the materials used. The most affordable type is the plastic coupling. As you might expect, these couplings are the likeliest to have leaks, splits, and tightening issues.
Moreover, they won’t last long once they get too much exposure from the sun. The other option you have is to get a metal coupling. Some metal couplings utilize brass while others use chrome plating.
A cast brass coupling is quite thick and features an octagonal figure. This shape helps people with a weak grip to tighten it using a wrench.
This cast brass variant is the toughest kind of metal coupling, especially combined with its resistance to leaks. In comparison, a stamped coupling is hard to tighten.
Also, its relative thinness means that it could significantly bend if you merely stepped on it or had lawn mower go over it.
On a related note, the hose couplings should have leak-resistant rubber washers inserted into them. Some hoses will only have thin washers made of flimsy plastic.
Consequently, a good garden hose should have a collar made up of high-quality plastic or rubber. This part is at least four inches in length, and it lessens the chances of kinking or splitting at the spigot area.
Product | Our Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
1. GrowGreen 50-Feet Expanding Garden Hose |
| | |
2. Flexzilla HFZG550YW Garden Hose |
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3. Gilmour PRO Commercial Hose |
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4. Hospaip 50-Feet Expanding Hose |
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5. Apex 8695-25 Commercial All Rubber Water Hose |
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Best Garden Hose Reviews for 2023
1. GrowGreen 50-Feet Expanding Garden Hose
via Amazon
The first hose we have comes from GrowGreen. At 50 feet in length, this should be a good choice for most homeowners. It isn’t too long and heavy to result in cumbersome carrying all the time.
Likewise, it isn’t too short for irrigating regular-sized lawns. For watering large lawns, you could just get a pair of these hoses and attach them together.
One huge benefit from the GrowGreen 50-feet expanding garden hose is that it is easy to store.
While it does reach 50 feet during use, it will go back to a measly length of 17 feet after the water has been completely drained out. Second, this is designed to prevent twisting, tangling, and kinking while still having enough flexibility to go around corners with ease.
Moreover, this GrowGreen garden hose includes a spray nozzle. These nozzles have connectors made out of brass, which gives them great durability and resistance to corrosion.
You can also pick from eight nozzle patterns: angle, center, cone, flat, full, mist, shower, and soaker. While the hose is made of sturdy latex, it is not made for high-pressure washing.
For the regular homeowner, however, the pressure resistance of the GrowGreen 50-feet expanding garden hose is more than enough. The normal pressure ranges from 43.5 psi to 87 psi while the maximum pressure is at 145 psi.
Finally, this garden hose comes with a rust-resistant shutoff valve and a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Pros
- Compact and lightweight design for easy storage
- Eight convenient nozzle patterns to choose from
- High resistance to kinking and tangling
- Shutoff valve helps you quickly stop the water spray
- Great for regular watering operations
Cons
- Not ideal for high-pressure watering
- Coupling of the nozzle could have been more durable
2. Flexzilla HFZG550YW Garden Hose
via Amazon
Up next, we have the Flexzilla HFZG550YW, which is designed to survive extreme weather. In particular, it will still work regardless if the temperature is negative 40 degrees Fahrenheit or 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
Still, this garden hose should not be used at a high pressure during these conditions. Consequently, the outer section of this garden hose is resistant to abrasion. It could go around hard corners without getting ugly scratches.
It even has fittings made out of anodized aircraft aluminum. Thus, you shouldn’t worry about breaking it if you step on it or let a lawn mower go over it.
To stop the Flexzilla HFZG550YW Garden Hose from constantly kinking, it utilizes a smart inner core design and hybrid polymer coils.
It even has an O-ring to prevent leaks near the spigot. Thanks to its lead-free construction, the water coming out of it is likely safe for drinking.
The Flexzilla has a hose diameter of 0.625 inches. This might be too wide for some homeowners, but this is great for heavy-duty use.
You could get a decent water flow and pressure with this diameter. The maximum water pressure this could handle at a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit before bursting open is 150 psi.
Pros
- Easy to unkink due to the hybrid polymer coils and smart design
- Maintains an optimal performance even with constant exposure to the sun
- Abrasion-resistant and lead-free construction
- Decent burst pressure of 150 psi
Cons
- Gets entangled at times
- Nozzle needs a high-quality washer due to occasional leaks
3. Gilmour PRO Commercial Hose
via Amazon
As the name implies, this hose is intended for commercial purposes. It features a double-reinforced construction using both rubber and vinyl materials.
Thus, it is highly durable, resistant to abrasion, and it could be used for high-pressure washing. In fact, it could withstand a burst pressure of 400 psi, which is more than twice the amount that the first garden hoses could tolerate.
Still, the Gilmour PRO Commercial Hose is just 50 feet in length instead of 75 or even 100 feet. This is actually a good idea since you can just attach one hose to another if you do need more length.
If you do want a commercial grade-hose with a shorter length, you could opt to have this variant modified. On the other hand, the diameter is at an impressive 0.75 inches.
This commercial-purpose hose is definitely capable of massive water flows and pressure for the efficient irrigation of sizable properties.
A metallic spring cover is included to stop kinking while the brass connections are tough. To prevent leaks and to ensure tight connections, the sturdy metal coupling includes an O-ring.
As expected of a commercial-grade hose, this variant offers a lifetime warranty.
Pros
- Double-reinforced construction makes it extremely durable
- Does not burst open even under a pressure of around 400 psi
- Great water flow and pressure due to the 0.75-inch inner hose diameter
- Lifetime warranty included
Cons
- Color of the hose does not aesthetically fit well with a garden
- Gets too stiff to be conveniently unrolled in cold weather
4. Hospaip 50-Feet Expanding Hose
via Amazon
This expanding garden hose is quite similar to the GrowGreen 50-Feet Expanding Garden Hose. For one, both of them have an initial length of 17 feet before growing to 50 feet with water.
After using it, the Hospaip 50-Feet Expanding hose reverts back to 17 feet for convenient storing. This hose even comes with a storage bag to keep it away from direct sun exposure even if you lack storage space in your shed.
Likewise, the included nozzle offers eight different patterns: center, cone, flat, jet, mist, rinse, shower, and soaker. All you have to do is to rotate the bezel to choose the pattern.
You could use one pattern for lightly spraying newly planted seedlings and another pattern for removing mud and dirt off of your established plants.
The nozzle is constructed out of zinc alloy for sturdiness. To make it resistant to slipping, the nozzle has a rubberized outer coating.
You can also use the Hospaip 50-Feet Expanding Hose even when the temperature reaches as high as 113 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want to increase or decrease the pressure, you only have to turn the knob.
As for the brass connectors, they are 0.75 inches thick. There’s a rubber washer to prevent leaks while the shutoff valve allows you to stop the watering operation without having to walk back far.
The 3750D polyester fabric cover keeps the Hospaip 50-feet expanding hose flexible without kinking too much.
Pros
- Expansion from 17 feet to 50 feet is relatively quick
- Latch helps to conveniently keep the spray handle in position
- Includes a free storage to prevent sun exposure when not in use
- Rubber washers for leak prevention
Cons
- Pressure feels inconsistent and weaker than expected at times
- Initial leaks from the nozzle
5. Apex 8695-25 Commercial All Rubber Water Hose
via Amazon
Finally, we have a commercial-grade hose made of rubber. This rubber construction allows the Apex 8695-25 to carry both cold water and hot water of up to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
You could use hot water at a low pressure to effectively remove mud and dirt in your patio. Then again, the same rubber material means that you cannot drink water from this hose.
Made in the United States, this red-colored water hose has a total length of 100 feet and a diameter of 0.625 inches. This is certainly heavy and it could get tiring to handle for long.
Similar to the commercial-grade Gilmour PRO hose, the industrial-grade Apex 8695-25 hose has a lifetime guarantee. Both the nozzle and the brass connectors are well-made, and the commercial-grade rubber hose can withstand exposure to the sun.
A durable sleep stops kinking while the SealFast brass couplings are designed to prevent leaks.
When it does kink, you only have to turn the hose a bit. Splitting is unlikely to occur, and a shut-off valve enables hassle-free deactivation. However, the Apex 8695-25 does get entangled on occasion.
Pros
- Handles hot water of up to 180 degrees Fahrenheit
- Lifetime guarantee included
- Shut-off valve to quickly stop the release of water
- Durable nozzle and brass connectors
Cons
- Sometimes gets entangled
- Too heavy and thick for some people
Conclusion
Overall, our favorite garden hose is the GrowGreen 50-Feet Expanding Garden Hose. It has a decent length to irrigate small and medium-sized properties, and it can be quickly stored once it reverts back to 17 feet in length.
This hose is highly resistant to kinking and tangling. In addition, there are eight nozzle spray patterns, a shut-off valve, and several corrosion-resistant brass connectors. It might not be the strongest, but it performs regular irrigation tasks well.
If you want a lightweight garden hose, we recommend the Flexzilla HFZG550YW. This hose has an exceptional design that ensures quality performance. For one, it features abrasion-resistant and lead-free construction. It can look as good as new even if it encounters obstacles.
Furthermore, you can use this in extremely cold or hot weather as long as the water pressure isn’t high. Lastly, we recommend the Apex 8695-25 Commercial All Rubber Water Hose if you prefer one that is made of rubber.
You don’t have to worry about damaging this hose even when you use hot water for cleaning your property. It is quite heavy, but its durability cannot be questioned.
It’s a powerful 100-feet hose with a diameter of 0.625 inches. Of course, the lifetime guarantee is a welcome bonus.
We hope that our guide helped you pick the right garden hose for your property. After all, it’s not always about having the largest and most expensive garden hose.
