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.
If you’re just interested in the different types of hoses and our recommendations for the best garden hose, scroll down to Types of Hoses.
There isn’t just one kind of garden hose that’s perfect for everyone. What works best for you will depend on the size of the area in which you’ll be using it, what you’ll use the hose for and where you’ll store it, as well as your budget. But, in general, there are six things you should consider when choosing a garden hose.
A hose width of five-eighths inch is generally most useful. It’s a good combination of water flow and pressure without being too heavy.
A basic vinyl hose (usually reinforced with a radial cord) is the least expensive and most lightweight option but also the least sturdy. It’s more prone to kinking, splitting and cracking than other materials and can degrade quickly if left in the sun or exposed to harsh weather. But if budget is an issue and you’ll only be using the hose for light duty gardening tasks, then a vinyl garden hose can be a good option.
Rubber hoses are generally the strongest and most long-lasting, but also carry the highest price tag and can be heavy to haul around the garden. Rubber has the added benefits of being able to carry hot water, being less likely to kink, and resisting cracking and ozone deterioration (so they don’t fall apart if left in the sun). For heavy duty use and a hose that lasts through many seasons, rubber is the best choice.
A middle-of-the-road option is a composite rubber/vinyl garden hose.
Reinforced hoses (usually reinforced with a mesh lining between layers of vinyl and/or rubber) are more resistant to kinking and splitting, and can take higher water pressure levels.
Although additional layers (or “plies”) tend to suggest a stronger hose, don’t put too much stock in this figure—the number of layers doesn’t matter as much as what those layers are made from. A strengthening “mesh” layer is a good sign, other things being equal.
Be careful with both rubber and vinyl garden hoses as they leach chemicals into the water than make it unsafe to drink. If you or your pets will be drinking from the hose, invest in a “drinking water safe” hose. These are generally made from polyurethane and have been specially built so as not to leach harmful chemicals.
Garden hose strength can be measured in terms of “burst pressure” (the water pressure at which it is likely to rupture). If you’ll be using a hose nozzle or a sprinkler, look for a hose with a burst pressure above 350 psi. For pressure washer use, check your manual before buying a hose – you may need an even higher psi.
When shopping for a garden hose, bend it into a U. If it kinks, pick another.
GOOD HOSE CHARATERISTICS |
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BAD HOSE CHARACTERISTICS |
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1 |
Remains flexible & Soft in winters also and does not breaks. |
1 |
Becomes hard in winters and breaks into pieces. |
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2 |
Does not cracks in foggy and cold conditions |
2 |
Develops cracks in foggy and cold conditions |
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3 |
No oiliness in summers. |
3 |
Becomes oily in summers and is unsuitable to work with. |
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4 |
High wall thickness and kink resistant at all the times. |
4 |
These have thinner walls and very less weight. These tend to kink very easily. |
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5 |
Does not bends easily and straightens also easily. |
5 |
These bend and curl very often and it gets too difficult to remove the curls. |
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6 |
Bears pressures and allows you to work freely |
6 |
These pipes are not able to bear pressures and cannot be used with pumps etc |
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7 |
Compatible with all the attachments like sprinklers, showers etc |
7 |
Not compatible with all the attachments |
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8 |
Lasts long & gives full value to your money. |
8 |
Works for one or two years and does not give full value to money. |
Below are descriptions of the most common types of garden hoses, along with our recommendations. Hover over each product name or image for pricing details.
If you’re gardening on a budget, won’t be using it often, don’t need a long hose (over 50 feet), and have lower water pressure or don’t use a sprinkler or hose nozzle, then a lightweight hose will probably meet your needs.
While you can find light duty hoses online, your best bet is to visit your local home improvement store or garden center. You’ll find some of the heavier duty hoses there as well, but many of them are perfect for light duty use.
Garud Standard Garden HoseThis simple, tough, dependable hose is a good choice, but it’s heavier and harder to deal with than our pick, and it’s a bit of overkill for simply watering a lawn and garden. But Its The Largest Selling Garden Hose Online India. Buying Options/Best Selling On Amazon India Now at less price on garudpipes.inINR 1498.00 At Garudpipes.in
See Customer reviews on Amazon India.
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Garud Nylon Braided Garden HosesThis tough, Nylon Braided flexible hose was the most kink-resistant hose we tested, and its lightweight material will coil up, lie flat, and twist and turn easily. It’s durable, but it can show dirt if you don’t store it well. Buying Options/Best Selling On Amazon India Now at less price on garudpipes.inINR 1698.00 At Garudpipes.in
See Customer reviews on Amazon India. |
HOW WE PICKED
Hoses are pretty simple products, and there aren’t that many objective markers for what exactly qualifies as an “excellent” hose. Most of the information you find online will be either marketing speak or strictly anecdotal—which, while sometimes helpful as guideposts, don’t always offer the most reliable or useful information to the average homeowner.
To find hoses worth testing, we culled the top-rated options on Amazon, read through hundreds of reviews, checked their accuracy on Fakespot, and eliminated any models with a tendency for disappointment. We also scoured popular models from stores such as Home Depot, Lowes, and Sears, and consulted with experts at the local home gardening centre. And, of course, we asked our neighbours, friends, and family what they were looking for in a garden hose as well.
The general consensus was that a good hose should deliver water with relative ease. Most people just want something that’s flexible, durable, and relatively lightweight, and that will fit their home spigot or Nozzle Kinking—that is, pinching up or bending in such a way that impedes the water flow—was easily the biggest complaint we came across. In a previous version of this guide, we spoke with Somil Thakur, a garden writer and owner of a landscaping company in Northern India, who told us, “Every hose brand will kink, but some brands are better than others.” If you see a newer hose brand marketed as kink-free or kink-proof, you should take it with a grain of salt—as we found in our tests, every hose will kink eventually. Sturdy but flexible materials and proper storage (see care & Maintenance below) are the best ways to minimize this frustration.
We specifically searched for hoses made from high-quality materials that were also less likely to contaminate the water. Most garden hoses are made from one of three materials: rubber, polyurethane, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Of those, PVC is the most likely (if at all) to contain lead, plasticizers, and other unsafe materials, so we tried to focus our search on rubber and polyurethane. Some hose manufacturers have begun to experiment with other proprietary nontoxic materials, so we considered those as well. We also looked for hoses with fittings made from nickel, aluminium, or chrome-plated brass to reduce the chance of stripped threads—a major cause of leaks—or destruction beneath the wheels of a car. If a fitting material was durable and reliable, and wouldn’t risk contaminating water with lead or corrosion or copper oxidation, then we considered it.