For an outdoor enthusiast, there's no tool more essential than a proper gardening hose. Whether you need to drench some poor petunuias that are getting beat up by direct sunlight or fill up a kiddie pool on a scorching hot day, a hose will make the job ten times easier. And while your choice of one may not seem like a big deal, not having to wrestle with a heavy, rubber tube can actually make all the difference between a day of fun and a day of complete and utter frustration. You're liable to find that using a lightweight hose that easily expands and coils makes tending to your plants a sought-out activity instead of a chore—which is exactly why we took it into consideration when selecting the best ones on the market.
12 of the Best Garden Hoses for Refreshing Your Thirsty Hydrangeas (and Other Plants, Too)
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Published May 28, 2022
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What Is The Best Garden Hose On The Market?
The best gardening hose for you will depend on your watering needs. You'll want to seek out one that's large enough for your watering area and has a good flow (a hose with a larger diameter will carry more water). An expandable option, like the Flexi Hose, will be easy to drag across your yard to provide ample water to your herbs, veggies and flowers. For those who aren't traveling too far, however, a rubber hose will get the job done just fine.
As far as material goes, you can choose between vinyl, which is cheap and less durable, but lighter, rubber, which is tough-but-heavy or get the best of both worlds with a composite rubber/vinyl garden hose. If you're looking to drink from your hose, a drinking-safe polyurethane option will be your best bet, since vinyl and rubber can carry chemicals.
Details, like the burst pressure and couplings, can also be important. Experts recommend selecting a hose with a burst pressure of 350 psi or more and avoiding plastic couplings in favor of metal ones, as they tend to leak and crack less, elongating the life of your hose.
Where To Buy Garden Hoses
Naturally, you can find garden hoses at most gardening stores, including Lowe’s and Home Depot. But you can also find them at retailers like Amazon, where you can take advantage of fast Prime shipping, so you can get your green thumb on ASAP.
The Best Garden Hoses At A Glance:
- Best Expandable Garden Hose: Flexi Hose
- Most Flexible Garden Hose: Vezane Garden Hose
- Best Coil Garden Hose: HoseCoil Garden Hose
- Best Standard Garden Hose: Continental Commercial Hose
- Most Durable Garden Hose: GrowGreen Expandable Garden Hose
- Best Rubber Garden Hose: Dramm ColorStorm Garden Hose
- Best Short Garden Hose: Flexzilla Garden Hose
- Best Cheap Garden Hose: Expert Gardener Garden Hose
- Best Soaker Garden Hose: Rocky Mountain Goods Soaker Garden Hose
- Best Steel Garden Hose: Bionic Steel Garden Hose
- Best Lightweight Garden Hose: Pottery Barn Garden Hose
- Best Garden Hose Reel: Suncast Hose Reel
1. Flexi Hose
Most Flexible Garden Hose
- Why We Love It: Eight water patterns, stretches by three times its length
When you need to cover a lot of ground, the Flexi Hose will be your perfect match. It’s available in 25 to 150-foot options, but the true magic comes from its fabric, which can reportedly stretch up to three times its normal length. At 2.5 pounds, it’s also super lightweight, making it easy to drag around from plot to plot. It can withstand water pressures from 3 to 12 bars and temperatures between 41 and 113 degrees Fahrenheit (this thing is far from fragile), plus, there’s an included ergonomic spray nozzle that has eight different water patterns.
Best Flexible Garden Hose
- Why We Love It: Resists kinks, includes spray nozzle with 10 different patterns
If your backyard layout isn’t too flexible, you’ll be happy to learn that this hose is. With 50-and 100-foot options, it’s made of a thick-yet-bendable polyester and latex material that the company claims will prevent the dreaded kinks and won’t tear, even when being dragged along on the gravel when you're washing your car in the drive. Better yet, it comes with a nozzle featuring 10 different spray patterns, so you can water and power wash to your heart’s content. There's even a storage bag for when you're done.
3.Hosecoil Garden Hose
Best Coil Garden Hose
- Why We Love It: Self-coiling, doesn't kink
A tangled garden hose is an invitation to frustration. Luckily, you don’t have to worry about having to wrap the HoseCoil up, since it recoils on its own. It loses an approximate 5 feet when it contracts, making it great for a boat or small patio, but the rubber material is easy to stretch out. There's also an optional shower nozzle to gently water your tulips, and according to the company, it will never kink, either.
The Home Depot
4. Continental Commercial Hose
Best Standard Garden Hose
- Why We Love It: Durable, good pressure
If you're in need of a simple rubber hose, this will be your best bet. Made of thick rubber, it’s quite durable for all the wear and tear it will get with frequent yard work, since it's reinforced for its high burst pressure and features all-weather construction. And while it doesn’t have too many frills, it’s quite affordable for what you get. All in all, it’s a solid, reliable pick that’s not too fussy, making it ideal for landscaping, maintenance and construction work.
5. Growgreen Expandable Garden Hose
Most Durable Garden Hose
- Why We Love It: Super strong, expandable
A leaking hose is not only a waste of water, it's a waste of your time. This expandable option is made of a puncture-resistant latex that's made to keep the inevitable from happening. Better yet, the brass connectors are said to ensure a tight fit. Available in 25-foot to 100-foot options, it expands by up to three times its size, and when your plants are nice and refreshed, you can stash it away in the included storage sack. Easy peasy.
6. Dramm Colorstorm Hose
Best Rubber Garden Hose
- Why We Love It: Solid Construction, crush-proof couplings
With a thick, rubber construction, this hose can reportedly withstand everything from being run over by a SUV to sprinkler duty—even its couplings are "crush-proof." (No wonder it comes with a lifetime guarantee.) You won't have to deal with any annoying kinks, either, according to the company. It’s a bit heavier than some expandable models on the list, so you’ll have to give it a good tug when moving it across your yard, but if you're looking for a model made of tough rubber, this is a good choice.
7. Flexzilla Garden Hose
Best Short Garden Hose
- Why We Love It: Good for balconies, flexible
With lengths as short as 3 feet, the Flexzilla is perfect for those with small spaces, since you won't have to deal with excess tubing when all you plan on watering are the herbs on your balcony. (You also won't have as much hose to drain before storing it). With an abrasion-resistant cover, the Flexzilla is, also, well, flexible and drinking water-safe, too, in case Fido happens to get a little parched. Its double O-ring, meanwhile, prevents excess leakage.
Walmart
8. Expert Gardener Garden Hose
Best Cheap Garden Hose
- Why We Love It: Good value, grip connector
This garden hose, which boasts a four-layer construction, may not be the most kink-resistant on the list or have as many bells and whistles as the others, but for the price, it will get the job done. Buyers especially like the grip connector, which serves to protect the coupling and helps you to unscrew it when needed.
Best Soaker Gardening Hose
- Why We Love It: Less work, conserves water
The soaker design of this one makes it especially easy to water your garden in a more eco-friendly manner. Here’s how it works: Strategically place the hose around your plants, turn on the spigot and watch as water dribbles directly to the roots for less evaporation waste—and work—on your end. Choose from three different size options to best suit your garden.
Home Depot
10. Bionic Steel Garden Hose
Best Steel Garden Hose
- Why We Love It: Super durable, rust proof
Don't let its stainless-steel exterior fool you: This is surprisingly light—we're talking less than 2 pounds light. It's also rust-proof and meant to withstand extreme conditions, including ice, fire, and accidental car backups. Better yet, it has a powerful stream that makes it ideal for power washing or hardcore gardening.
Pottery Barn
11. Pottery Barn Garden Hose
Best Lightweight Garden Hose
- Why We Love It: Stylish, lightweight, safe to drink from
Who said gardening can't be glamorous? These slim hoses come in stunning shades of sage, eggplant and olive, plus black. And weighing less than 2 pounds in the 25-inch design, it won't require much muscle to pull it through your garden (you're welcome, arms). The hose itself is made of FDA-grade polyurethane, too, making it safe to drink from.
Home Depot
12. Suncast Hose Reel
Best Garden Hose Reel
- Why We Love It: Rolls, holds up to 175-foot hose
Nobody wants a garden hose lying around in a clunky pile on the patio, and a garden hose reel keeps everything neat and tidy. This one, in particular, makes watering easier too, since the wheels let you move it around your lawn. It will also protect your hose's couplings, since it won’t be scraping the ground. It holds hoses up to 175 feet, but it’s recommended to use a ⅝ standard vinyl hose with it for best results.
