Depending on which area you live in and its year-round climate, the number of months you will need to use a garden hose to water your plants and lawn may differ.
However, a garden hose can be used for more than just gardening with other tasks like washing pathways and car cleaning just a couple of their many other uses.
If you are looking for a new garden hose, then it can be tricky trying to differentiate between the many that are available, so we are going to help you.
We will review 5 of the best garden hoses currently available plus we have a buyer’s guide and some FAQs which we hope will answer some of the questions you may have.
Best Garden Hose Reviews
Comparison Chart
Hospaip 50ft Garden Hose – ALL NEW Expandable Water Hose with Double Latex Core, 3/4 Solid Brass Fittings, Extra Strength Fabric – Flexible Expanding Hose with Metal 8 Function Spray Nozzle
Water Right 400 Series Polyurethane Slim & Light Drinking Water Safe Garden Hose, 100-Foot x 7/16-Inch, Brass Fittings, Olive Green, USA Made
Hospaip 50 ft Expandable Garden Hose With Spray Nozzle
Our first review takes a look at a flexible garden hose from the very aptly named Hospaip. It has attracted high ratings from those who have already used it and, in particular, the fact that it is lightweight and easy to use are comments that several purchasers have made.
Product Highlights
The first thing to note about this Hospaip garden hose is that it is expandable up to 50 feet in length which makes it double the length of some of the other hoses we will be reviewing. This will appeal to those who have larger gardens and reduces the need to use a second hose to extend it.
The inner hose is made from double-layered latex which provides an excellent combination of flexibility and durability. The outer layer is high-density knitted polyester which, combined with the latex inner layers, allows the hose to withstand high-pressure water flow and ensures that it is durable.
This combination of materials for the main construction of the hose also makes it lightweight so that it can be used, moved and coiled easily by anyone who uses it.
Another great feature is that the hose comes with all the fittings that you are likely to need, and these are extremely hardwearing due to the fact they are made from brass. This also eliminates the risk of any corrosion. The fittings supplied include four brass gaskets with one of them having an on/off valve to control the flow of water.
Another excellent accessory is the spray nozzle which all gardeners and those who plan to use the hose for washing their car, for example, will love. It has a trigger to operate the water spray and it can be set to 8 different settings depending on what the hose is being used for.
To keep your hose stored safely when not in use, or for carrying it, Hospaip also supplies you will a carry bag which can hold the hose and all the accessories.
What’s to like about the Hospaip 50 ft Expandable Garden Hose
Often you will buy a product and then realize to actually use it you need to spend even more money for the other accessories you need. With this garden hose from Hospaip that is certainly not the case with the brass gaskets and 8-function spray gun included, it means you can use this hose straight away.
What’s not to like about the Hospaip 50 ft Expandable Garden Hose
Although it is capable of withstanding high-pressure water flow, the pressure of water that it comes out of it is somewhat disappointing at times. In other words, itis inconsistent with the flow being very strong, but then weakening for no apparent reason.
PROS
- Expandable to 50 feet
- Durable latex inner hose
- Flexible knitted polyester cover
- 8 function spray nozzle included
- 4 brass gaskets included
CONS
- Heavier than expected
Craftsman 25 ft Premium Rubber Garden Hose
If you have ever looked for tools or equipment for home, garden and garage then Craftsman is a brand you will surely have come across.
They have an excellent reputation for manufacturing top quality tools and equipment, and while a garden hose might not be Craftsman’s most technically challenging product to make, we are going to see if it lives up to their high ratings.
Product Highlights
From the outset, we’ll tell you that is a very basic garden hose with no extras or accessories included, and while that might disappoint some, we must remember it is the performance and durability of the hose that are two of its most crucial features.
With respect to this hose, it is made from premium rubber which provides many benefits. The first is its ability to withstand extremes of both high and low temperature.
It can still be used even when the thermometer reaches 160° Fahrenheit, and while you are never likely to experience temperatures that high, it means that no matter how hot the sun is beating down on your garden the hose will be able to withstand it.
At the other end of the scale, we have freezing temperatures which many of us are likely see and the problem there is that many hoses simply go rigid and worse, they can crack if you try to unravel them. With the rubber used by Craftsman for this hose, it should remain flexible, and resist cracking, even if it is being used when the temperature dips to minus 25° Fahrenheit.
Another benefit of the rubber used for this hose is the fact that it will avoid kinking which, if you have ever used an inferior hose which kinked, you know can be such a time saver. The outer surface material of the hose is manufactured in such a way that it will resist abrasions and thus look as new for longer.
The hose comes with a standard hose bib fitting at each end and these are made from nickel-plated brass which ensures that they can neither be damaged from someone standing on them, for example, nor will they corrode.
What’s to like about the Craftsman 25 ft Premium Rubber Garden Hose
One issue that many people raise with regards to hoses is how they mark easily or get damaged from abrasions. These are common, especially with hoses that get dragged around gardens and yards. With this Craftsman hose, the outer material is tough enough to resist those abrasions.
What’s not to like about the Craftsman 25 ft Premium Rubber Garden Hose
While you can always expect rubber hoses to weigh more than plastic ones, this hose certainly takes it to a new level. Even though it is only 25 feet in length it feels heavier than some hoses that are twice its length.
PROS
- Made from high-quality rubber
- Withstands extreme temperatures
- Does not kink
- Tough exterior resists abrasion
- Rust-resistant fitting
CONS
- Very heavy to lift
Water Right 400 Series 100 ft Polyurethane Garden Hose
For those of you who prefer to ‘Buy American’ our next garden hose gives you the opportunity to do so. It comes from Water Right which is a small company created with the objective of producing high-quality gardening products in the USA and by reviewing their 400 series garden hose we are about to find out if they achieved that objective.
Product Highlights
The first thing that struck us when we first looked at Water Right’s 400 Series garden hose wasn’t any of its features but the number of options you have when buying it.
You also have a choice of colors, which is somewhat different from the norm, and those colors are olive green, espresso, eggplant, and cranberry. These mean that not only can you water the colorful array of plants and flowers in your garden, but you will also be doing so with a hose that adds a degree of color to your garden too.
The final option you have is with respect to the fittings on either end of the hose. The one we are reviewing comes with brass chrome-plated fittings which will not tarnish and are extremely durable. Your other option is stainless steel fittings which, being an industrial-grade. will provide equivalent levels of durability and rust resistance.
Now we have covered your options we can now focus on the hose itself and what it offers. This option is 50 feet long and for most gardens, this should suffice, although bear in mind you have 2 longer lengths available if needed.
The hose material is certified as being lead-free, BPA-free, and toxic chemical-free thus if you had any concerns with regards to the environment and the safe use of the hose, they should be allayed. The material is polyurethane resin which is certified by the FDA and NSF as being safe enough to use for drinking water, which is not the case with vinyl or PVC hoses.
All of this adds up to a garden hose which is lightweight, flexible, durable and safe to use in all weather conditions, with the added benefit of being kink-free and resistant to cracking and leaks.
What’s to like about the Water Right 400 Series 100 ft Polyurethane Garden Hose
We all love having choices, and this is why we are particularly impressed by Water Right giving those buying their hose, many choices with regards to the lengths, the color and even the material the fittings are made from.
What’s not to like about the Water Right 400 Series 100 ft Polyurethane Garden Hose
While the hose does not kink, it does have an annoying habit of trying to loop the opposite way to the one you are trying to go with when finished using it and wanting to store it away. It does get less of a problem the more you use it but be prepared for some frustration in the beginning when looping it.
PROS
- Lots of choices
- Made with BPA free material
- Kink and leak-resistant
- Durable fittings
- Flexible in all temperatures
CONS
- Twice the price of other hoses
Orbit 27389 Coil Garden Hose
Our next garden hose is a very distinctive one given its coiled construction and green color. It comes from Orbit who product a huge range of landscape irrigation and garden watering and sprinkler products, so we are keen to see if the quality of this garden hose matches their reputation.
Product Highlights
Although this garden hose is designated as 50 feet, when you first see it you are likely to think that is somewhat exaggerated. This is due to the fact that, in its uncoiled state, it is hard to imagine it could ever reach 50 feet. However, as you start to uncoil it you will soon see that it does indeed reach that length.
The other huge benefit of this coiled construction is that once you have finished using the hose you do not have the hassle of trying to loop the hose around your arm as you would with other types. Instead, this simply recoils back to its normal size, in much the same way a spring does.
The material used for the main body of the hose is polyurethane which means it should not deteriorate due to extremes of weather, and it will be relatively easy to clean should the need arise.
To make spraying and watering your garden easier, the hose comes with a trigger nozzle which has 8 different options. These include full flow, a jet spray, a fine mist, a shower option, flat spray, angled spray. center only and a cone pattern. Those 8 options should cover most of the possible uses you might have for the hose in your garden, yard or garage.
One point to note is that this hose is designed for use with cold water only so you should never use it with warm or hot water for washing your car, for example.
What’s to like about the Orbit 27389 Coil Garden Hose
One of our biggest bugbear is the hassle of looping a hose once we have finished using it, with this usually starting a battle between how the hose wants to loop and how we want it to. This hose literally recoils back to its original size almost immediately with no hassle whatsoever.
What’s not to like about the Orbit 27389 Coil Garden Hose
Being only suitable for use with cold water places a limit on the number of uses for this hose, and basically eliminates some of the common ones, with the most obvious being unable to wash the car with warm water.
PROS
- Recoils back to shape immediately
- Made with durable material
- 50 feet length
- Comes with 8 option spray gun
- Very lightweight
CONS
- Plastic fittings prone to damage
Beaulife 50 ft Stainless Steel Garden Hose
Our final hose takes us to the only metal hose which is the Beaulife hose, and as such we want to make sure that, although this should prove to be more durable than some materials, it also needs to resist corrosion.
Product Highlights
We’ll start with the point we made in the intro with regards to the main hose being metal. Thankfully, it is made from stainless steel so that should ensure that the issue of rusting or corrosion should not arise. More so, when the grade of stainless steel used is 304, and thus heavy duty, so it should also prove to be durable too.
That heavy-duty stainless steel should also reassure us that even under heavy pressure there should be no issues with regards to leaks or breaks in the hose. Even though it is 50 feet long, the hose being made from stainless steel should also reduce the instances of kinking.
Keeping with the durability theme it will also not fall victim to your dog chewing it, not will the weather cause any issues either, with it being resistant to extremes of both cold and heat.
With the hose having a diameter that is compatible with 3/4 inch fittings it means the water flow it is capable of producing is greater than many other hoses.
To complete the package, the hose comes with a high specification spray gun. This is an enhanced gun given that it made with metal with a rubber coating, thus making it extremely durable and less prone to damage.
There are 8 spray options that easily are controlled by your thumb, therefore you do not have to strain your hand, as you often would with a trigger-type spray gun.
What’s to like about the Beaulife 50 ft Stainless Steel Garden Hose
While strictly speaking we are reviewing the hose the fact that it comes with a very robust and easy-to-use spray gun has to be highlighted and is certainly a strong selling point for this product.
What’s not to like about the Beaulife 50 ft Stainless Steel Garden Hose
While this will only be an issue for some, the fact that the metal surface of the hose is not smooth, as it would be with hose made from other materials it can begin to irritate a bit if you are using the hose for long periods. As it rubs against the palm of your hand, not only can it be annoying, it can cause redness in the skin due to the friction.
PROS
- Strong, durable stainless steel
- Resists rust and corrosion
- Kink resistant
- Rubber coated metal spray
- Spray gun is easy to control
CONS
- Coiling can be tricky
BUYER’S GUIDE
As you may have realized, although hoses are relatively simple products, they come with a variety of variations and thus it can be tricky knowing which ones to focus on and differentiate. To help with this, our buyer’s guide will highlight five of the most important features and what some of the differences are.
Types
With garden hoses, given that they’re ones most domestic users will use, ‘Types’ relates to the main features which are used to describe and differentiate them. Some of the common descriptive words include:
- ‘Coil,’ which relates to its ability to coil back to its original size
- ‘Expandable,’ which means it can stretch from its original length to an even longer one
- ‘Kink-free,’ which means the material should not kink when in use
- ‘Lightweight,’ which refers to it being easy to carry versus a hose which weighs a lot
- ‘Hot water use,’ which means it is safe to use with hot water versus those which are for cold water use only
Materials
The material a hose is made from can influence many aspects of its use including its durability, its flexibility and the range of temperatures it can be used in, especially with respect to hot and cold water.
Most modern-day garden hoses tend to be made from man-made materials with polyurethane being one. Some of them are made from materials that have been certified as BPA and toxic-free and thus regarded as very safe for the environment.
As for natural materials, the most common is rubber, which is long lasting, but it is also a lot heavier and rubber hoses tend to cost more than those made from other materials.
Finally, we have steel hoses which are extremely durable and the fact that it is stainless-steel which is normally used, it means they are also resistant to rust.
Couplings
Given the vast array of uses for hoses, the couplings made for them come in all shapes and sizes. However, for garden hoses it is a lot simpler with the main difference tending to be the material they are made from rather than what they are used for.
Those uses tend to be to connect an additional hose to extend the length or to connect the hose either to the source of water or to an accessory, such as a spray gun.
As for materials, these can include metals such as stainless steel or brass which are both extremely strong and hard-wearing. Cheaper options include nylon and other plastics which are durable although maybe not quite as strong as the metal ones.
Diameter
In the US, the standard diameter for a garden hose is 5/8 inch although you will find many which are wider at 3/4 inch. The difference in respect to the different widths includes the volume of water that is used over a certain period of time, and thus it can mean the job of watering a fixed area takes less time with a 3/4 inch hose then the 5/8 one.
However, this can also mean you are using more water than you really need to so a balance may need to be found between the two.
Length
You will find that hoses tend to be sold in lengths that go up in 25 feet increments with 25 feet being the basic size, and 50 feet being the next. These two are the most common although you can buy garden hoses which are 75 feet and 100 feet long.
These are less common because it is possible to extend the two smaller sizes buy connecting another hose of the same length.
It hopefully goes without saying that the length of hose you need should relate to the size of the garden you will be using it in, so if it is small 25 feet and medium to large, 50 feet and longer. This will also be governed by how near the water source is with respect to where you will be using the hose.
F.A.Q.
Why Should I Consider Materials When Buying a Hose?
The material will dictate many aspects of the hose’s use and its longevity. Some materials are suitable for hot and cold water usage, whereas others are only suitable for cold water. The durability of the material will obviously determine how long it should last for.
Why Should I Consider Diameter When Buying a Hose?
The diameter of the hose is important as the larger the diameter the more water that can flow over a set period of time. This not only influences how much time it takes to water a specific area, but also the amount of water that is used which can be important depending on which plant type what is being watered.
Why Should I Consider Length When Buying a Hose?
You should decide upon the length of hose mainly with regard to how far the furthest point is from the water source you need to it to reach. In other words, with a small garden, a 25-foot hose might suffice, but with a very large garden, you may wish to consider a 100-foot hose.
If your hose is too short you will need to couple it with another hose which can prove to be more effort, and possibly cost more than if you’d bought the longer hose in the first place.
Why Should I Consider the Coupling When Buying a Hose?
The main considerations with regards to couplings for garden hoses are the size and the material they are made from. With regards to the size, you need to ensure that it is compatible with the diameter of the hose for obvious reasons otherwise it is not going to fit.
The material are not necessarily dependent on the hose, but it will make a difference to their durability and how well they can resist corrosion such as rust.
How Environment-Friendly are Different Hoses?
This is a good question as there are studies that show some hose materials contain chemicals that can be released into the water which flows through them. This doesn’t mean it will happen with every hose, but it potentially can. For that reason, and if you want to be sure that you are not harming the environment, look for those which are made from FDA or NSF approved materials.
FINAL VERDICT
We hope you found our reviews of the top garden hoses enlightening and you now feel more able to make an informed choice. For us, and having considered them all, our top choice is the Water Right 400 Series 50 ft Polyurethane Garden Hose.
Although it may come with a premium price, in return you have a hose that is environmentally friendly, is extremely durable, is very lightweight, plus you also have lots of options to choose from in terms of length, color and fittings.