Choosing the Right Garden Hose - What to Know Before You Buy!
From watering to weeding, your garden chores seem endless - but having the right garden hose can help you cut down on the amount of time it takes to get those chores done. Oh, and to grow a beautiful garden, of course!
Without a quality garden hose on hand, you're going to find yourself wasting valuable time hand-watering all of your plants with a watering can.
Investing in a quality house is a great idea. Not only can this kind of product make your gardening chores much easier, but it can last for up to a decade when properly stored (sometimes even longer!) and organized.
Avoid potential problems, leaks (and of course, time-sucking chores) by investing in a quality garden hose.
Here's what to look for - and some tips to help you find the best product around.
**J&R Pierce Family Farm is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to allow sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. I often link to Amazon when recommending certain products, and if you choose to purchase, I may earn a small percentage of the sale. It costs you nothing extra, and all recommended products are ones that I personally vouch for. **
What is the Best Garden Hose on the Market?
Some of the best garden hoses on the market are:
Flexzilla Garden Hose
Gilmour Hose Flat Soaker Hose
Bionic Steel 100 Foot Garden Hose
TheFitLife Flexible and Expandable Garden Hose
Here is a video with more information on how to choose the right garden hose:
How to Choose the Best Garden Hose
While it might sound like shopping for a garden hose is a mundane, no-brainer task, the reality is that there's actually a lot of thought that goes into buying such a piece of equipment.
Here are a few things to look for.
Material
Hoses can be made out of several types of materials, including rubber, vinyl, composites, and even metal.
Vinyl is the most basic, lightweight, and least expensive option. It is also the least durable, as it is more likely to suffer from splitting, kinking, and cracking, especially if you leave your hose outside exposed to harsh weather.
Rubber is much stronger and will last you quite a bit longer, but it's going to be heavier and cost quite a bit more.
Composites contain a blend of the two materials and are often reinforced with mesh lining between the layers of rubber and vinyl. These can handle high water pressure levels yet are still relatively resistant to splitting.
Metal hoses aren't quite as common as the options listed above but offer unparalleled durability (though they are, obviously, much heavier).
Length
When it comes to the ideal garden hose length, bigger is not always better.
It can be tempting to spring for the longest hose possible, thinking that you'll never have issues with a too-long hose but could always benefit from a bit of extra length.
That's not the case. Longer hoses not only cost more, but they're heavier and more cumbersome to move, require more storage space, and can be tough to drain. The added length can also mean less water pressure coming out the other end, especially if you have issues with water pressure to begin with.
Measure the distance at the farthest point from your spigot to where the hose could ever possibly need to go. Buy a hose that extends slightly beyond that by a few feet to make sure you don't have to stretch it (as this can cause leaks and snags).
Hoses are usually found in 25-, 50-, 75-, and 100-foot lengths, though you may occasionally find some that measure a bit less or more than that.
If you're only going to be watering plants on a balcony or deck, a shorter hose will suffice, while people with larger gardens will need much more length.
Strength and Flexibility
When you're shopping for a garden hose, you'll find that many list strength measurements in terms like "burst pressure." This is the water pressure at which a hose is likely to rupture. Look for one with a burst pressure that is at least 350 psi to be on the safe side.
Flexibility is another key consideration - you want a hose that is as flexible as possible so that it does not kink easily. A hose that kinks all the time is more likely to break and split.
Couplings
Look for cast brass couplings on your hose. These are the end pieces that connect to nozzles, sprinklers, and spigots.
While you can also find hoses with plastic couplings (and these tend to be less expensive), they're also more likely to crack, leak, and break, since they can't be tightened as easily.
Diameter
Hose diameter is another important factor to address in your search. Most houses are sold in diameters of 3/4", 5/8", and 1/2". This is based on the inside, not the outside, diameter of the hose.
The bigger the diameter, the more water the hose is going to carry.
In general, a 5/8" diameter hose is perfect. This will offer the ideal combination of good water pressure and flow without it being too heavy.
If your mobility is limited or you otherwise struggle with hoses that are too heavy, you may want to spring for a 1/2" hose to cut down on some weight.
Type
There are countless types of garden hoses, including lightweight or light duty hoses, regular and heavy-duty hoses, expandable hoses, soaker hoses, coiled hoses, flat hoses, and more.
We've included a few different types of hoses in the list below to give you a good idea of what sorts of products are out there. Consider how you will be using your hose and purchase one that best meets your individual needs.
Drinking-Water Safe?
If you plan on drinking the water that comes out of your hose, you may want to spring for a hose that is listed as drinking water safe. These are typically made out of materials like polyurethane and are designed specifically not to leach harmful chemicals into your water supply.
Top Garden Hoses To Keep Your Garden Lush and Green
After reading the tips above on how to search and shop for the best garden hose, you might still be a bit lost as to which products will be best for you. Here are some of our top picks to give you a place to start.
1. Flexzilla Garden Hose
If you're looking for a flexible, durable garden hose that won't break the bank, the name to know is Flexzilla.
This garden hose is one of the most popular items you can buy online, made out of a flexible hybrid polymer that makes it durable in most weather conditions (including extreme heat and cold).
It's lightweight at just eight pounds and is a bright green color - it's easy to spot when you're working outdoors so that you don't trip over it (or worse, hit it with the lawnmower).
2. Gilmour Hose Flat Soaker Hose
This flat soaker hose from Gilmour has teeny-tiny pores all over it, allowing it to slowly release water to your plants.
If you're looking for a more automated approach to watering the garden, this house is the way to go. Simply lay it out among your plants, turn it on, and leave it. It will deliver moisture right to the roots of your plants, helping to prevent a variety of fungal and bacterial problems that can be caused by overhead watering.
Made out of 100% recycled vinyl, this house is lightweight and flexible, with lengths ranging from 25 to 75 feet.
3. Bionic Steel 100 Foot Garden Hose
No list of the best garden hoses would be complete without mentioning a steel hose.
This stainless steel garden hose not only looks sleek and stylish - but it is incredibly practical, too. It is durable, with built-in rust resistance and protection against leaks and punctures.
If you have trouble getting your hoses to last more than a season because of the harsh rays of the sun, this is the way to go. It's also way more lightweight than you might expect, tipping the scales at just under seven pounds!
4. TheFitLife Flexible and Expandable Garden Hose
If expansion is what's on your mind, go with this flexible, expandable garden hose from TheFitLife. It is lightweight and can expand to up to 50 feet (yet stores at just 17 feet long).
It has a durable latex core inside along with a polyester outer fabric, along with solid brass fittings and a built-in shutoff valve so you can easily control the flow of water.
Maintaining Your Garden Hose
Although hoses are unlike other types of garden tools in that they don't need to be sharpened, lubricated, or otherwise maintained at the end of this season, one thing does remain the same - you need to make sure you store your garden hose properly to make sure it lasts you for years to come.
Don't leave your garden hose in a balled-up mess on the patio or lawn all winter long. Not only does this pose a tripping hazard (and is unsightly, to boot!) but it also will dramatically reduce the longevity of your hose.
Instead, store it out of the weather, ideally indoors in a garden shed or even better, a hose reel. This can also make it easier to untwist your hose and make it lay flat when you're ready to use it.
Whether you decide to shop online for home delivery of the right garden hose or choose to pick up one at your local garden supply store, these top garden hoses will help you tackle your chores with ease. And be sure to download this garden planning chart to make your chores ten times easier!
Shop today to keep your plants well-watered and growing great!
What kinds of hoses would you recommend?
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