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We also liked the rubber grips on the handle, which made it comfortable and easy to steer.
The Spruce
Connecting and threading the hose into the reel was almost effortless.
These alignment guides almost felt unnecessary since there was already a spigot on the reel.
However, we found that it made reeling and unreeling more stable and seamless.
PHOTO: The Spruce / Rachel Marek
We found it a little tougher to loop a fabric hose than a rubber hose.
Unlike a true hose reel, you gotta loop and hang the hose yourself.
But it’s not intended to transport your hoseit is simply a place tostore it outdoors.
The Gorilla Aluminum Hose Reel was easy to wheel on grass and other surfaces while testing.PHOTO: The Spruce
The handle is padded and comfortable to grip, which is great.
We used a 50-foot hose, but it holds up to a 150-foot option.
Our hose never got tangled or stuck, and wound perfectly on the reel.
), and we think it’s perfect for small tools or a potted plant.
This hose reel doesn’t include detailed instructions, tools, or hardware for installation.
But it did include useful tips on what hardware was needed.
The hose also leaked if not tightly attached to the spigot.
However, after we installed the reel and hose and double-checked the connections, we had no further issues.
This is easily managed by holding onto the hose while it’s reeling back in.
Plus, it has a handy basket to hold a few smallgardening toolsor an extra hose nozzle.
We had no issues threading our hose and noticed no leaks once we threaded it tightly.
Reeling and unreeling the hose was a pretty simple process.
PHOTO: The Spruce / Dera Burreson
It has a handle but you could also pull the hose.
Our only complaint is that it doesn’t have a brake or legs like our best overall.
Aside from the included 70-foot hose, it includes a 10-foot leader hose that connects easily to your spigot.
The Artigarden Freestanding Garden Hose Holder Hanger easily fits a hose up to 150 feet long.PHOTO: The Spruce
It also keeps the hose from being wound up inside accidentally.
However, if you choose to mount it instead, hardware is included as well as several placement options.
We could even use the handle with one hand.
But we found it simple enough to use without this feature.
Once set up, we found it very easy to wind and unwind the hose.
Considering that some hoses are harder to coil than others, we were especially fond of this feature.
It also comes with a 5-foot leader hose to attach to your spigot.
We also found it simple to put the product together and reel and unreel our hose.
But we think this would be a good option for a smaller hose.
Setup: We assembled each hose reel according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
We also noted what tools or hardware were required, which was mostly applicable to wall-mounted options.
In many cases, we repeated this process with two different hoses of varying lengths and styles.
PHOTO: The Spruce
For retractable hoses, we noted if the hose was easy to lock into place and release.
We also noted whether the pots or hangers could be knocked over easily or were sturdy when installed.
For wall-mounted options, we noted whether they moved at all during use once secured.
. The Liberty Garden Decorative Wall Mount Garden Hose Reel was easy to install on our siding.PHOTO: The Spruce
We also noted whether the reels held up during different weather conditions.
Most models can hold standard-width hoses (.63 inches in diameter) up to 100 feet long.
Wind-Up Method
Another distinction among hose reels is the wind-up method.
These are space-saving solutions but are not meant to be portable.
However, they are not meant to be moved around with the hose attached.
Why Trust The Spruce?
Jenica Currieis a senior editor for The Spruce who has been with the team since 2020.
It only took a few steps to mount the reel to the side of our house.PHOTO: The Spruce / Meredith Luksetich
The Giraffe Tools Retractable Garden Hose Reel gives you a great hose, nozzle, and storage.PHOTO: The Spruce
PHOTO: Lowe’s
The “no flat” wheels on the Style Selections Steel Reel make it easy to roll over different terrain.PHOTO: The Spruce
PHOTO: The Spruce
The reel comes with a 10 foot leader hose so it doesn’t have to be right next to the spigot.PHOTO: The Spruce
PHOTO: The Spruce / Cathy Fallone
We we easily installed the Eley Wall-Mount Garden Hose Reel on our brick wall (hardware included).PHOTO: The Spruce
PHOTO: The Spruce / Dera Burreson
We liked the durability and design of the Giraffe Metal Hose Reel Box, which kept our hose contained.PHOTO: The Spruce
The Suncast Hideaway Garden Hose Reel is a great solution for hiding a shorter hose in a small space.The Spruce
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We tested both manual wind up options (seen here) and retractable hoses.The Spruce
We tested options with storage baskets and different reeling mechanisms.The Spruce
