Best garden hose: 7 buys to water or clean your outdoors with ease

The best garden hose will do wonders for your garden when it comes to watering the plants, cleaning the decking and even filling up the paddling pool. Any discerning gardener would say a hose pipe is key to a happy and healthy lawn – especially in the depths of heatwave or the dry summer months. 

But it’s not just gardens that benefit, because a best garden hose is also helpful for cleaning your car, hosing down the decking, or the dog, or even family members for a bit of fun. In short, it’s an essential for every homeowner. 

What’s often overlooked when it comes to buying a new garden hose are the varying options available. There are simple and durable rubber hoses, flexible ones that allow more movement and even expandable hoses for when you don’t have too much storage space. There are hoses that come on a reel too, for easy use and some that even have a handy cart to move around larger spaces. 

Hoses aren't always cheap, so it’s good to know what each hose can offer you and your home, before you buy. This selection of the best garden hoses are the top picks for every budget and all garden sizes, so you can find the most suitable for you. 

For ease of use, a garden hose can either be attached to one of the best garden sprinklers, best watering system or even the best pressure washer, depending on what you are watering of course. If you’re planning on tackling any of these outdoor jobs then see our buying guides for the perfect pairing. 

The best garden hose

Hozelock is the king of garden watering and it doesn't stop at sprinklers. This assembled hose cart fitted with a 20m hose is a great companion to carry around your garden. In a portable design that’s easy to use, it will get all of your gardening watering done in one go. Carry it around, water each area and wind back up when you’re done. This cart won’t hold you back. 

Reviews are promising, but we can talk from first-hand experience. Having used this Hozelock hose for many years, it’s lasted. Which is down to its durable quality and wrap around design that avoids any kinking or tangled pipes. 

Louise Oliphant

'With a sizable garden and front driveway where cars are washed quite frequently, this cute caddy design has been favourable for carrying to and from the front to the back of the house. We have the attachment with the spray gun that’s great for hosing down the dog after a muddy walk too.' 

A runner-up to the trusty Hozelock is Gardena’s classic wall-fixed hose reel. It was a close call, mind. And if you’ve been browsing for the best hose with a reel, you’ve probably already come across this Gardena model. It’s a popular choice and an Amazon best-seller. 

Why? This hose reel fitted with a 20 metre hose is ideal for small- to mid-sized gardens since the free-running crank handle makes it easy to unwind, and wind back up again. It does come with a wall-mount, if you choose, and the corresponding brackets and screws required. The only thing setting this one apart? It’s not as easy to transport from one garden job to the next. 

Compact enough to stash in a bucket or small corner of your shed, this best expandable hose extends automatically when in use and contracts when you've finished. In fact, it expands up to 3 times its length (3 metres), with the pressure of a standard outdoor tap. Though the hose may not be able to hack high pressure water systems. 

Still, the lightweight nature of this hose makes it great for manoeuvres, helping to keep all areas of your garden hydrated and happy. It doesn't come with a caddy or reel like others, though it doesn't need one, simply click it onto your tap connection and use the seven function spray gun for all your outdoor needs. 

If you have the budget to spend on a hose, this Gardena Wall Mounted Hose Box is well worth the money. Those who have made the investment are sure to agree. Just read the reviews. 

Never waste time winding and unwinding with the easy-to-use auto-reel function. It has a locking mechanism to stop at various increments, then retracts after use. This also means it is anti-kink and won't get tangled which can damage hoses and make them generally annoying. 

As well as the auto-reel function, this hose features a handy wall-mounted box. It can be swivelled 180 degrees for maximum movement and the box is strong, yet compact. If 30 metres isn't enough (or is too much), then there are other size options too. 

Made to be durable, this best garden hose will keep your garden green, plus wash your car and keep the dog, or anything else you wish to hose down, clean. Designed for versatility and frequent use, this hose is thick in material, meaning it won’t kink. It’s also not too long once fully expanded, which could be a downside if you have a larger garden, but it also won’t have you tied up in knots.

After use it will shrink back to an even shorter length. So while there is no caddy or easy-to-use reel, it will fold away compactly for easy storage. If you’re looking for a simple, yet effective garden hose, that won’t cost too much, then this practical product will do the job just fine

A great-value buy, this Flexi Hose design is our pick when it comes to flexible hoses – well there’s no surprise there. Made from latex it’s super lightweight and stretchy, unlike rubber hoses that are often prone to kinking and knotting. This means it's also unlikely to break, since punctures in rubber are a lot more likely to happen. 

Its best-selling factor however is how lightweight and easy to carry the hose is. In fact, reviewers are showering the product in compliments about how light it is, even with water flowing through. 

For this reason, it might be a good opportunity to get your kids involved with caring for what they are growing in the garden. With a power spray hose too, there’s no excuse for them to not help you out with garden duties!  

You can keep your hose where it’s needed without tripping over it, with this best wall-mounted option. If you have a small garden or less than roomy storage space, this Amazon own brand hose won't get in the way. Even if your small garden space is a difficult shape, it pivots by 180˚ to fit any wall. Handy, right? 

Once fitted to the wall, simply roll out your hose and wind back in with the auto-wind handle when you've finished watering your plants on the patio or lawn. It takes only eight to 12 seconds! Sounds all good and well. 

It's only the heaviness of the hose itself that pushes this hose towards the end of the list. If you’ve got a big jet wash job on your hand, it may cause a bit of discomfort. 

How to buy the best garden hose

Length: Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to choosing the best hose. Of course if you have a big garden you want to be able to reach lawn, beds and shrubs that are at the greatest distance from the tap and for this you’ll need a longer hose. However, if your garden’s compact a long hose pipe can be awkward to use and demand the storage space you don’t have, so size to your needs when you’re buying.

Type: A standard hose can be a value buy ,but if it’s not on a reel, you’ll need to spend time winding it when you’ve used it, and it can be bulky to store. We’d advise you to opt for a design on a reel that will keep the hose tidy when you’re not using it. Think about whether you’d prefer a handle to wind the hose in, or an auto reel model. 

If you have a particularly larger garden or find yourself having to stretch a hose from one side of the house to the other, one with a caddy may be useful. They also often come with adjustable height handles. They can be wheeled around the garden with you, making ticking off the garden chores list much easier, and quicker. 

Expandable hoses become full length under the pressure of the water, then return to their smaller size once the tap is turned off. They’re compact to store and light to water with, but you will need to put a design like this inside something else to avoid it hanging about on the shed floor.

What does it include? Your hose may attach directly to your tap, but you might require an adaptor to do so, and if this doesn’t come with your hose, you’ll need to budget for it.

Take a look too, at whether you get a spray gun along with the hose, as these aren’t necessarily included. An option of one with different spray patterns even better, and will contribute to a product being an overall best value for money buy.

How we chose the best garden hose

Only one of these best garden hoses have been used first hand by our team. This is our best rated since it has lasted the longest, according to our calculations and others’ reviews. The brand is also reliable and with the best garden hose, durability and value for money is the ultimate deciding factor.

We have compared the other garden hoses against this one by this metric. Whilst also considering other features such as how they store, and whether they come with additional parts. To keep things consistent, we’ve evaluated hoses with similar lengths where possible, to see how price plays out. With rising water bills and usage becoming a cause for concern, we’ve also made sure to think about whether the hose outweighs the cost too. 

How long should a garden hose last?

Typically, the best hose should easily last five to 10 years, but you need to do your part to make sure it does. 

How to use a garden hose so it lasts 

1. Firstly, don't be tempted to buy a longer hose than you actually need. The longer it is, the harder it is to store and every twist, turn and kink is a potential weak spot prone to breakage.

2. When you use your hose unravel it fully and carry it looped over your arm to avoid dragging it on gravel or hard landscaping which is sure to cause damage. Avoid over-stretching it too and be sure to remove kinks or twists before turning the tap on to prevent pressure build up. If you need to turn it off for a longer than a minute or two, switch off at the tap rather than just shutting off the spout.

3. Empty it of water after use. Open the spout, switch off and disconnect from the tap and let it drain from both ends. Leaving it extended and elevating one end will help. Only put it away once drained. Yes, when you reel it water will come out but you run the risk of standing water near the tap end so unless you use it every day, make sure to empty it before putting away.

4. And finally don't leave it out. Sunlight can break down certain materials with rubber and plastic being particularly vulnerable. Again, if you get the smallest size you need, putting it away will be easier. Choose an option that retracts or can be wound onto a reel to keep it tidy.