best hose reels

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When you are looking for the best hose reels, the choices are endless. There are so many different designs, and types of garden hose reels that it becomes hard to choose the right one.

We found the Tacklife Retractable hose reel to be the best hose reel for any gardening needs. In this post, we are going to find out some of the factors you should consider when picking the right garden hose reels.

Plus, we’ll also recommend a few garden hose reels which you can buy for any gardening needs. 

Quick Picks

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Premium

Suncast Hose Reel

Suncast Hose Reel
Stylish textured box design with minimal assembly required. It’s ready to use whenever you are.

Best Overall

Tacklife Retractable Hose Reel

Tacklife Retractable Hose Reel
The attractive self-rewinding hose reel comes with a high-quality hose and 8 functions spray gun.

Best Value

Suncast Hosemobile Hose Reel Cart

Suncast Hosemobile Hose Reel Cart
Heavy-duty portable garden hose reel with smooth manual retraction.

Top Performing Hose Reels in Market

Our Top Pick

This wall-mounted hose reel can be unmounted and moved around when required. The well-designed self-retractable hose makes it easy to use without much effort.

You can quickly choose the desired length of the hose while leaving excess inside the closed casing. This increases the lifespan of the hose as it prevents the kinking and tangling of the hose.

Why Do You Need A Hose Reel?

If you are asking this question, then let’s look at the following factors.

Better Organization

The hose reel allows you to roll your hose neatly in a single place. Wrapping or storing a hose can be an arduous task, especially if you are using a watering hose.

The hose gets heavy when filled with water. It makes it harder to move it around and wrap it in a single place. A hose reel makes it convenient to roll up and organize the hose with much ease. 

Safety

An unattended garden hose poses a tripping hazard. Depending on the size of the grass in the garden or the location of the hose, it may not be visible. This can cause people or animals to trip over and get hurt.

Multi-Purpose Use

You can use a hose reel to store water or air compressor hose. This saves time and makes it easy to store it properly.

Increases Hose Life

Garden hose is very frequently used during the summer and spring seasons. You may also use it to pressure wash your patio, car, or even wheelbarrow.

It means you have to move it around continually, which increases the chance of it getting entangled, kinked, or cracked. Plus, a hose left on the ground deteriorates much faster than a hose hung on the wall.

Hose reel enables you to keep it safely organized. It reduces the chance of entanglement or getting kinked, and when not in use, you can store it in a safe place. This minimizes the hose exposure to outside weather conditions and increases the life of the hose.

Garden Protection

Have you seen anyone’s garden where the hose seems to be not moved for a long time?

Hose leftover on the grass for a long duration may damage the sod or plants underneath it. With a hose reel, you will know to roll it back when not in use. 

Saves Money

The use of the hose reel saves money as the hose left outside makes it exposed to harsh weather and sunlight. It may also possibly be run over by vehicles.

The hose reels prevent the hose from getting damaged, which means you don’t have to replace your hose often and save money in the longer term. 

What to consider when buying Hose Reel

Flexibility

Hose reels quickly become cumbersome and difficult to move it around. Ability to detach it and move it closer to the water source makes job easier.

Covered or Open

Choose covered reel that protects it from harsh elements. It helps improve the life of hose but usually it comes at bit extra cost.

Quality

The quality depends on the design and material type used in the hose reel. A hose reel made with a combination of hard plastic and metal last long.

Have a question about buying a hose reel? Contact us

Best Hose Reel – Review

The following eight hose reels are some of the best hose reels available. Pick the one which best suits your need.

1. Goodyear Retractable Air/Water Hose Reel

Goodyear Retractable Air/Water Hose Reel

The Goodyear Air/Water hose reel is a heavy-duty impact-resistant enclosed retractable hose reel. This unit has a hose included with it. So, you don’t need to buy a separate hose. It has a compact and easy-to-use design.

The outer cover is made with weather-resistant, lightweight polypropylene. It retracts by a spring attached to the hose reel inside. This is a useful function as you can operate the hose reel without the need for any external power source.

The swivel hose inlet connection seals the water from leaking. The hose is made of Flex polymer, which is a blend of Rubber and PVC. This means the hose is smooth and flexible and doesn’t get stiff after extended use in the summer.

The hose is rated to withstand up to 300 PSI/ 20 BAR pressure. The dual-use design makes it ideal to use with air or water.

The hose inside is 50 feet in length, which is enough for an average-size home. The spring works very smoothly in retracting the hose without getting any kinks.

One feature which we like was the ability to lock the hose at any desired length. This is essential if you don’t need a full-length tube. You can pull out the desired length and lock it, so it does not keep pulling the hose back.

For greater flexibility, you can allow it to remain unlocked. This is a subtle but beneficial design choice and becomes useful in specific scenarios. This also increases the life of the hose as it reduces the unnecessary abrasion and wear on the hose.

You can easily mount the hose reel with its well-designed swivel bracket. You can install it on the wall, ceilings, or floor. The 180-degree rotation makes it easy to change direction. You can change the end connector to add more hose to it. You will need a male/female adapter to do that.

Overall, this is an excellent build-quality hose reel that does not leak. We find the spring to be robust in pulling back the hose so be careful when retracting the hose.

See More information on Goodyear Enclosed Air/Water Hose Reel

Pros

  • Self-retracting hose reel
  • Enclosed case
  • Good quality hose included
  • 300 PSI can be used for air and water usage

Cons

  • No spray nozzle included
  • Not easy to mount it on the wall

2. Suncast Powerwind 12 Volt Automatic Hose Reel

Suncast Powerwind 12 Volt Automatic Hose Reel

The Suncast Powerwind is an automatic retracting hose reel system. It allows you to store your garden hose in a stylish box conveniently.

The use of a high-quality rust-free durable design allows you to store the hose safely inside the box. It prevents the hose from getting exposed to outside weather conditions.

The operation is effortless. When you are ready to retract the hose, just push the pedal, and it will start the winding.

This simple operational design will be particularly useful for people who have a problem with bending or difficulty using a hand to crank the wheel. The “Smart Track” hose guide moves the hose around when winding up to create a uniform spread of the hose on the reel.

It is operated by a 12-volt rechargeable battery. There is an optional manual crank for battery backup. A complete charged battery lasts up to 20 uses.

Suncast Powerwind can hold up to 100 feet of hose length. There is no hose included in the hose reel, so you have to provide your own hose.

This may not be an issue if you already have a hose or want to use some other hose. You will not be limited to the type of hose you can use.

To make the hose reel stable and not move around when in use, it comes with an anchor spike. When winding up the hose for storage, drain the water and remove the accessories such as the sprinkler, and reel it back.

Bringing the hose closer to the box before reeling it back reduces the drag on the reel and prolongs the life of the unit.

Suncast Powerwind doesn’t require you to take out the batteries when not using it for a season. But we recommend that you take the batteries out when not in use for safe storage and to increase the battery life.

We find the tilt-out storage bin design to be a nice feature as you can conveniently store your garden supplies. The 10-year limited warranty on the hose reel is enough to give you peace of mind when buying this unit.

See More information on Suncast Powerwind 12 Volt Automatic Hose Reel

Pros

  • High-quality rust-free material and stylish design
  • Smart Track tangle-free design
  • Battery-powered winding with a backup option 
  • Stakes to secure the unit

Cons

  • Have to be placed on a flat surface
  • Sometimes hose is difficult to remove from the box

3. Tacklife Retractable Hose Reel

Tacklife Retractable Hose Reel

The Tacklife retractable hose reel is an automatic retracting hose reel which makes watering the garden less a chore. This is a wall-mounted hose reel that has a closed hose reel design and uses a high-quality spring to roll back the hose.

When using the unit, you can choose the desired hose length and lock it there. This stops you from taking out the excess hose, which prevents the kinks and tangles. If you need more hose, you simply pull the extra hose out and stop wherever you want.

To rewind the hose, you lightly tug the hose to activate the automatic rewind system. The uniquely designed self-layering hose mechanism neatly coils the hose inside it as you walk backward. This is the right hands-free approach to managing your garden hose.

When you buy the unit, it comes pre-packaged with a spray gun, 82 feet hose, 8 feet leader hose, and wall-mounting assembly unit. Installation is quite easy as you need to make a hole in the wall and screw the mounting bracket to it.

You can swivel the hose 180 degrees in the desired direction. This improves flexibility as you don’t have to pull it in the wrong direction. The hose automatically aligns in the direction you are moving the hose.

For greater flexibility, you can easily remove the hose reel from its mounting bracket. The integrated carry handle makes it easy to lift and move it around wherever you need it.

There is no need for a separate power source. So, you don’t have to worry about charging batteries or attaching them to any power outlet.

See More information on Tacklife Automatic Retractable Garden Hose Reel

Pros

  • Attractive self-rewinding hose reel
  • “Stop-Anywhere” locking mechanism
  • High-quality hose included 
  • 7 function spray gun included
  • 180-degree swivel wall bracket

Cons

  • Bit bulky
  • No replacement hose if broken

4. Liberty Multi-Purpose Garden Hose Reel

Liberty Multi-Purpose Garden Hose Reel

Liberty Multi-Purpose is a freestanding garden hose reel. This is a no-fuss and simple-to-operate hose reel made with diecast aluminum and gooseneck swivel. It makes it easy to wrap the hose around the hose reel.

The unit includes the leak-proof 5 feet long inlet hose housed on a non-tip base with anti-slip rubber feet. You can store up to 200 feet long hose with a 5/8-inch diameter hose.

The rustproof design allows you to use the hose reel in any weather condition. It does not come with a hose, so you are free to choose your own hose.

It’s not very lightweight as it weighs over 20 pounds without a hose, but it should not be a significant issue since you can unreel the hose before moving it.

Liberty Garden Hose Reel is made with a tough 13 gauge steel with industrial strength powder coating finish which prevents it from rusting.

See More information on Liberty Multi-Purpose Garden Hose Reel

Pros

  • Rustproof stylish design
  • Compact design
  • Comes with brass fitting
  • Durable and sturdy with a 10-year warranty 

Cons

  • Hose and nozzle not included
  • Some assembly required

5. Liberty Garden Decorative Hose Reel

Liberty Garden Decorative Hose Reel

The Liberty Garden wall-mounted hose reel can hold up to 125 feet, 5/8-inch size garden hose. It’s made with rustproof cast aluminum with a weather-resistant durable powder coat finish.

The antique decorative design gives the hose reel a unique classic look. It’s straightforward to use and mount on the wall. The unit comes pre-assembled, so you just need first to mount it and then attach your hose.

The top-self storage design allows you to place other garden tools or hose attachments conveniently. In this way, when you’re ready to use, you don’t have to hunt parts. It’s a manual rewind hose, and the sturdy and smooth designed handle allows you to rewind the hose without much fuss.

The Liberty Garden hose reel comes with a one-year warranty on leaking. After the warranty, if the unit leaks, you can change the internal O-rings which prevents leaking. You can either use either an aftermarket O-ring or buy it from the manufacturer.

See More information on Liberty Garden 704 Garden Hose Reel

Pros

  • Good quality material and classic floral design
  • Rust Proof and weatherproof powder coating
  • Non-slip wrapping handle 
  • Additional storage option

Cons

  • Mounting hardware not included

6. Suncast Hosemobile Garden Hose Reel Cart

Suncast Hosemobile Garden Hose Reel Cart

Suncast Hosemobile unit is a garden hose reel for those who want to use a more extended hose size with some mobility. You can load up to 175 feet hose which is doable but will make it bulky and difficult to reel. We find it ideal to be used with 100 to 150 feet hose reel for quick operations.

The cartwheel design allows you to move the hose reel on the back two wheels. There are no wheels at the front, which provides extra stability when using it.

The use of good-quality molded plastic casing makes it lightweight and compact. The plastic doesn’t corrode or rust, which is a common issue with other metal-based garden hose reel carts.

The full 6-inch wheel design allows it smoother to push it around in the pavements or on the grass. The non-slip stable design allows the hose reel cart to remain steady even when used on non-flat surfaces.

To prevent water leaks, the Suncast “Easylink System” makes a watertight connection between the hose reel and hose. The top handle makes it easy to tilt and move it around. We find it easier to pull than push when moving it around.

When you buy this unit, it comes fully assembled, and there are no tools required. It doesn’t come with a hose, so you have to use your own hose.

Suncast hose reel car comes with a three-year manufacturer warranty and is one of the best hose reels on wheels.

See More information on Suncast Hosemobile Garden Hose Reel Cart

Pros

  • Heavy-duty portable garden hose reel
  • Smooth manual retraction
  • No-slip handle for a tighter grip
  • Wide 6-inch wheel
  • Leakproof design

Cons

  • The large and bulky frame
  • Does not come with a hose

7. Liberty 4-Wheel Garden Hose Reel Cart

Liberty 4-Wheel Garden Hose Reel Cart

If you are looking for a commercial garden hose reel cart, then you will be interested in the Liberty Garden Industrial grade reel cart. It is perfect for landscapers or gardeners who have a long garden to care for.

You can attach a hose up to 300 feet, 5/8 inch in hose diameter. As you can imagine it is for heavy-duty long garden hose. Naturally, such a long hose length comes with an increased weight load.

To handle a massive weight the hose reel cart is made with 13-gauge steel. The durable powder coating provides excellent weather resistance so you can use it in any season.

The 90-degree brass swivel connector makes it easy to use with any standard or heavy-grade hose. It is leakproof which means saving water.

To improve the stability of this best hose reel cart, it has a low profile. It prevents tipping even when wrapped with a non-uniform hose.

For increased mobility with a heavy hose weight, the cart has four 10-inch pneumatic tires. It makes it easier to move it around the grass or unpaved areas in the garden.

The units come mostly pre-assembled, but you still have to attach your hose, and it requires some assembly.

Liberty provides a limited lifetime warranty on this garden hose reel cart.

See More information on Liberty 4-Wheel Garden Hose Reel Cart

Pros

  • Heavy-duty steel construction
  • Can use up to 300 feet long hose
  • Leak-proof design
  • Powdered coating to use in any season 

Cons

  • Occasional rusting reported
  • Hard to attach a hose

8. Suncast Aquawinder Wicker Garden Hose Reel

Suncast Aquawinder Wicker Garden Hose Reel

Suncast Aquawinder garden hose is a self-reeling hose reel that is easy to use and comes in a stylish design.

It uses water pressure to reel the hose automatically. This is a nice feature as there is no worry about breaking the spring or losing the spring firmness with time.

The smart track hose guide makes sure that you don’t get your hose tangled when rewinding. You can use up to 125 feet long, 5/8-inch diameter hose with this hose reel.

The hose reel is made of a sturdy and durable plastic casing with a wood-like texture to match your outside decoration. It has one of the best hose reel storage where you can store your hose when not needed.

When you leave it outside, it will be hard to tell if this is a hose reel storage or some fancy textured wooden box. The self-reeling mechanism saves your back from bending and rewinding the hose reel.

There are two short hoses attached to the hose reel. One of the short tubes drains the water as it rewinds. The hose reel comes pre-assembled, so you just need to connect your own hose. The hose reel does not come with a hose.

We recommend a hose reel that is smooth and does not get stiff when left outside. This will help it reel quickly, even if you have low water pressure. To install the hose, you will need a wrench and a screwdriver.

The garden hose reel comes with detailed instructions on installing, using and caring for this unit. We recommend that you use a lighter weight and fabric type hose for more natural and trouble-free use.

See More information on Suncast Aquawinder Wicker Garden Hose Reel

Pros

  • Stylish box textured design
  • Water pressure rewind
  • Covered hose design
  • Minimal assembly required 

Cons

  • No hose included
  • Bit expensive
freestand hose reel

Types of Hose Reel

There are two main types of hose reels available in the market, Wall-mounted hose reel and freestanding hose reel.

Freestanding Hose Reel

The freestanding hose reel is typically more portable than wall-mounted as it is not fixed to one location. Some common freestanding types of hose reels are:

Stationary Hose Reel

Stationary hose reels are the most basic type of hose reels. The hose reel is mounted on a stand with a handle. To use it you crank the handle to roll the hose up. The hose reel is either made of plastic or metal.

Portable Hose Reels and Carts

The portable hose reels are mounted on the stand with wheels. The wheel makes it easier to move the hose around. This is helpful if you have a long hose size which, when rolled, makes it heavy to move it around.

Wall-mounted hose reel

A wall-mounted hose reel is ideal for saving space as you can mount it on the wall or ceiling.

This prevents having clutter around your garden, but we find it limited in its use. It may be ideal to use if you don’t have a big yard or lawn area and where space may be an issue. 

Some wall-mounted allows you to pivot it up to 180 degrees to change the direction where you need to use the hose. 

Mounted Hose Reels

Mounted hose reels have a fundamental design, and this is just a hanger where you roll your hose and hang it on the wall. You may prefer to use it when using short length hose.

How To Find The Best Hose Reel For Your Home

To find the best hose reel for your home, consider the following features, and choose a hose reel that best fits your need.

Hose Length

You should pick the hose reel based on the hose length you plan to use it. If you don’t know the size of the hose length, then you may buy a hose reel that will not be big enough.

You also want to give yourself some extra space in the hose reel so it won’t be too hard to fit the hose inside.

Movable

Based on the use of your hose, whether it be a watering hose or air hose, you may want some flexibility to move your hose around.

This may be the case if you regularly use a tube to water a large garden area with a not-so-long hose. Or you may use a hose to wash your car or patio in that case you have to move it around.

The hose reel allows you increased flexibility as you can easily detach your hose and move it around and hook it to the closest water source. 

Self-Retractable Hose Reels

The self-retractable hose reels are the best hose reels as it automatically takes care of one big part of the job. Which is rolling the hose back into the hose reel. It is a big time saver and makes it very convenient to pack up when you finish using your hose.

These self-retractable hose reels use spring, motor, or water pressure to retract the hose. Although you may have to apply a little more force when pulling out the hose but it still takes less effort than trying to roll back the hose in. 

Covered or Open

The covered hose reel is more protective than the open hose reel. The closed hose reel prevents the hose from getting exposed to extreme sunlight or winter frost. This prevents the hose from getting cracked or worn out.

The covered hose reels are a bit more expensive than the open hose reel. It may be useful if you are leaving the hose reel to outside exposed areas.

But if you plan to store the hose inside the house when not in use then you may choose the open hose reel type. 

Attachments

You may want a versatile hose reel which makes it easier to use with any kind of hose. The hose reel attachment allows you to connect to various other devices such as sprinklers or nozzle sprays.

Choose the attachments which are durable and can last longer without getting cracked or leak. Look for accessories made of metal rather than plastic. It may be a bit expensive than vinyl but lasts longer. 

Tight Hose Coiling

Hose reel allows you to coil the hose around it. A well-designed coiling mechanism enables you to distribute coil around the whole hose reel length.

An uneven hose coiling will make the hose reel unstable and tip over. The uneven coil will make it challenging to coil hose entirely and you may have to uncoil and repeat the process several times to get it right.

The right and uniform hose coil will reduce the chance of hose getting kinked or loose.

Leak Proof

There are several moving parts in the hose reel. A good quality hose reel uses tight leakproof fitting and good quality washer, so water doesn’t leak at the coupling.

High-Quality Build

The well-designed and high-quality hose reel makes it easier to use while lasting longer. The quality depends on the design and material type.

The construction material, whether be plastic or metal, decides the durability of the hose reel. Pick a hose reel that is easy to use and has excellent build quality so it lasts longer.

Many hose reels are made from polypropylene plastic mixed with weather-resistant resins and metal pieces. This keeps the hose reel lightweight while improving durability. 

Design Choice

The design choice is purely for aesthetic purposes but who wants an ugly looking box in front of their house.

Fortunately, these days hose reel comes in various modern design colors. You can pick which you like best and looks good in your home.

garden hose

How To Care For Your Hose Reel

You should take care of gardening tools so it can last longer. Hose reel does not require any special attention but be gentle when using it and don’t jerk too hard when coiling or kick it around.

A most common failure for hose reel is water leak at the attachment. You can prevent the damage to the enclosure by being gentle to hose coiling and avoiding cross threading.

Mostly you can buy the spare parts but if you are using self-retreating or closed hose reel then maybe you have to replace the whole unit which gets expensive.

For smoother operation, you should oil or grease the roller wheel. This makes it easier to roll as it reduces friction and also improves the life of the device by reducing the wear.

To make hose move quickly and remain flexible, you can apply silicon grease. You should also avoid hose getting unnecessary exposed in the sunlight as ultraviolet lights damage the tube. This makes the hose brittle, stiff and painful to roll it around.

Also, don’t exceed the weight on the hose reel. Drain water from the hose before rolling it on the hose reel and storage. If you are using metallic hose reel, then you can put rust protecting coat on it to prevent corrosion. 

best garden hose reel

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