Choosing the proper garden hose can sometimes feel like a roll of the dice. Everything at your local garden center is professionally coiled and tightly packaged, and they all seem to promise kink-free performance. But until you’ve got it home and hooked up to a spigot, it can be difficult to judge how well a hose will work for you. We’ll take out some of the guesswork by running down our favorite choices here.
Shop this article: Tuff-Guard Perfect Garden Hose, Flexzilla Garden Hose and TBI Pro Expandable Garden Hose
Some hoses are expandable, getting longer when water is flowing through them. Others remain a fixed length whether the water is on or off. Either way, there’s no need for a hose that’s longer than your available space. Many hoses are available in various lengths, so measure the distance from your spigot to the farthest area that your hose will need to reach. Shorter hoses weigh less, are easier to work with and take up less room when not in use.
Hoses can be made from any of several different materials with different performance qualities:
If you plan to use the hose for drinking water for children or animals, look for one approved by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) to avoid lead, phthalates or BPA.
When selecting a hose, also think about how you’ll want to store it when not in use. A hose reel is a tidy accessory for many hoses. You may want to coil the hose into a large bucket, hang it from a hook or simply leave it on the ground. Do whatever works best for you, but keep in mind how your hose choice might affect your preferred storage method.
Tuff-Guard Perfect Garden Hose
A unique helix wrap around this polypropylene hose helps it resist crushes, kinks and abrasion. The hose is lighter weight than traditional hoses and comes in several color and length options. The Tuff-Guard Perfect Garden Hose is highly flexible but is not rated for drinking water.
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This polymer hose works well under a wide range of weather conditions, resisting kinks, laying flat and remaining easy to coil for storage. It comes in a uniquely recognizable shade of green and a wide selection of lengths. The hose is drinking water safe.
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The Zero-G features a kink-resistant inner core and a high-density outer jacket for commercial-grade durability. Crush-proof couplings allow for a leak-free attachment, and the hose is easy to stow on a hose reel. Note that although it has a fabric-style jacket, this is not an expandable hose. It is safe for drinking water.
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Teknor Apex NeverKink Garden Hose
From the first US manufacturer to offer a kink-free hose, the NeverKink is a lightweight and durable hose popular among gardeners. Mesh reinforcement resists kinking while rigid sleeves at the ends prevent folding near spigot connections.
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The professional-quality Fatmax hose from Stanley has a higher flow rate than typical garden hoses, so if you’re looking to push a lot of water into your yard, this will help. The soft, flexible hose has a nice feel for easy coiling and uncoiling.
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A coiled hose is suitable for small spaces such as patios for watering containers and small gardens. When you’re finished with the hose, it will pull back into its coiled form for easy storage. Water Right hoses are lightweight, available in multiple lengths and colors and are drinking water safe.
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Michael Ray is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers.
