With so many options to choose from and little visible difference between garden hoses, it’s tempting to simply choose the cheapest one. But small differences can have a big impact on how long the hose lasts and how easy it is to use.
A good garden hose should last 5 to 10 years. But many homeowners who buy lower quality hoses end up replacing theirs each year due to leaks, cracks or rot. Although some problems can be repaired, it’s generally more cost-effective to buy a good quality hose to begin with.
In this article, we review the features to consider when buying a new garden hose so that you’ll know what to look for in choosing a quality product.
1. Craftsman Premium Rubber Garden Hose
The Craftsman Premium Rubber Hose is our garden-hose pick not only for its price but also for its durability, build quality, and warranty.
The sturdy Craftsman Premium Rubber Hose is built with heavy rubber construction and connectors of nickel-plated brass, which stops any lead in the brass from seeping into the water. The rubber construction also minimizes contamination from plasticizing agents, and the thick material contributes to this hose’s kink resistance.
These two components, more than anything, helped this Craftsman hose achieve its low toxicity rating from HealthyStuff.org. While it isn’t totally kink-proof, in our tests the Craftsman kinked far less than the equivalent hybrid rubber/PVC hose from Gilmour.
You can this Product from HERE.
2. Water Right - Polyurethane Drinking Water Safe Garden Hose
Water Right’s polyurethane meets FDA standards for drinking water and contains no lead, phthalates, or BPA, and Water Right uses a lead-free brass alloy in its fittings.
If you have some extra cash, our absolute favorite model is the Water Right 50 Ft 600 Series 5/8″ Polyurethane Garden Hose. It pulls straight with no kinks and has enough volume to give your spray power. This Water Right hose uses food-grade polyurethane and contains no lead, phthalates, or BPA. Its fittings are also made of a lead-free brass alloy.
You can this Product from HERE.
3. Water Right - Polyurethane Slim & Light Drinking Water Safe Garden Hose
This is a super light and well-constructed hose. Definitely worth spending extra for if weight is important to you. But do note that the thinner diameter can lead to pressure issues when used with sprinklers and nozzles.
For an extra lightweight alternative, we also liked the $55 Water Right Slim and Light hose, also made of polyurethane. The 50 ft model weighs only 3 pounds, a quarter of the weight of a heavy rubber hose. At 7/16” in diameter, though, its water pressure can be a bit wimpy.
For our original guide to hoses, we spent 20 hours researching and testing six top-rated hoses. To respond to readers’ concerns about lead, phthalates, and BPA, we tested six additional hoses not made of PVC for this update. After an additional 17 hours of research into the topic of contaminants in hose water, along with testing, we’ve come to the conclusion that the Craftsman Premium Rubber Hose is still the best value with a low risk of water contamination.
You can this Product from HERE.
4. LawnPRO 50' Expanding Garden Hose. Kink-Free
Non-seamed woven denier is one of the strongest fabrics on the market, and this expandable hose is one of the toughest you can buy due to this fact. The great thing about an expandable, or collapsible hose, is that they shrink to approximately a third of their expanded length when emptied of water.
Because this hose ‘deflates’ when emptied of water, and can essentially fold back upon itself, kinks can arise in this state. However when filled, it becomes kink free as it unfolds and stretches out with the water pressure. It is also considered very difficult to twist or rekink in this state since the pressure keeps the hose length fairly consistent during use.
Downfalls of most expandable hoses surround the fact that they should not be used in freezing conditions, nor should they be stored in direct sunlight due to how UV rays can break down the fibers of the materials used over time.
You can this Product from HERE.
5. Flexzilla Garden Hose, Heavy Duty, Lightweight, Drinking Water Safe
Whenever I write a review for hose types, this hose keeps popping up over and over, regardless of whether I am researching for durability, lightweight, drinking water safe, or in this case: kink-free-ish. So by this point I think it’s safe to say it’s one of the better hoses for your buy on the market for a variety of reasons.
Made from a premium polymer hybrid, this is a hose that stay flexible and generally true to shape in both extreme hot and cold weather, meaning it’s good to go in below freezing temperatures. Extremely durable for a variety of heavy duty jobs around your yard, this is a hose you’ll probably have around for quite some time.
The biggest complaint by far is that it seems to have a severe case of memory, so it is probably best stored rolled on a hose reel in order to keep it’s shape consistent from one use to the next. Improperly stored hoses, or those just left coiled on the ground seem to be the most complained about concerning random kinks with both water running and not running. The conclusion? Take care of your hoses to make them last longer and stay as kink free as possible.
You can this Product from HERE.