About three years ago I was at a garage sale and found this awesome big hose reel. I think I got it for $10 complete with all the hoses. Kramer was SO IMPRESSED with my find.
At the time we had been doing a big debate…How do we store our hoses? We had planted new trees here at the house and watering them was a chore with dealing with the hoses. Kramer loved the reel and it solved the problem…but it hurt my shoulder to reel the hose. We ended up making a deal that he would roll up the hose.
Fast forward to this spring. UGH. The place on the reel where the water connects broke. We didn’t need that much hose anymore…did we want another reel? Did we want to try something different out? Was a 25 foot hose enough?
We looked online at different options. We thought about buying a 25 foot hose with a decorative stand and then keeping an extra hose in the garage if needed.
This was something we left undecided…so now the decision was mine alone. I ended up seeing these flexible hoses.
The concept sounded awesome to me. So, I bought one.
I needed something that wasn’t heavy…something that won’t bother my shoulder at clean up time. Ah…this just might be the thing.
So I brought it home and tried it….the verdict?????I LOVE IT. I’m getting another for sure. I actually think I am getting two more. One short one for the back of the house and one long one to be in the garage when I need at extension for either the front or the back.
The hoses don’t tangle or kink. It’s super light weight. If you have someone in your life that loves gardening and needs hoses to water. This is the perfect present.
Here’s how I’m using it. See my outdoor faucet and buckets?
Under the watering can is the hose all in the pail.
I turn the water on…the hose fills. I water my plants.
I’m done watering…I turn off the hose.
I open the end nozzle to release the remaining water from the hose.
The hose shrinks back to small…with one hand I can throw it in the bucket. I put the watering can on top and I’m done!!
Oh my word!! How easy!! This completely changes the gardening game!!
We have these hoses…discovered them about two years ago. Aren’t they awesome. They work to pull around, they don’t kink and we store them in attractive pots we had in the garage. We have given them as gifts. They are as light as fairy dust and they are strong.
I know, right? How did we ever get along without these? We had one for the house to water plants and I was able to water all the way around the house. The grands just loved it when it shrunk back to its “normal” size.
I love them too!!! Best invention ever!!! I too was constantly struggling with hoses that kinked even if they were advertised as non kink….yeah right!! And storing them. I found these hoses 5 years ago and that’s all I use now. Sometimes it’s the simple little things that make us happy
I do hope they’ve improved. I bought one and it didn’t last the whole season. I would hold off buying more until you know it’s not going to spring leaks and waste your money.
The expandable hoses are the only ones that I use for watering and for my pressure washer. The only thing that i will say is that sometimes they ‘dry rot’ from constant direct exposure to the sun. I solved that problem by storing the hoses in a bucket, similar to your picture in the post.
I have seen those hoses and wondered if they worked like they said, thanks for the review. Now I need to get one for my watering chores.
Yours looks different than the ones I’ve seen in the drug store! A lot sturdier. I dont go to the garden store too often but I’ll definitely make a trip. My husband is the gardener and waters but he hates rolling up the hose so he doesn’t in the back yard!! Looks terrible and is a tripping hazard neither of us need. I do fill the outdoor cat water dishes daily. Can I get water out without waiting for the whole thing to expand? Right by the facet?
Deborah-Yes you can get water out of the hose without waiting for it to fill.
Beware that snakes might like that as a place to curl up.
I hope these have improved a lot. I had 2 in one summer; both blew up. AND it scared the dickens out of me because I had my back to it! The inside is a rubbery heavy balloon type material and, when the outside split, the inside made a large rubber balloon through the hole. I love the idea but when two break in one summer, it’s pretty costly. I stored mine in the garage so the sun couldn’t have rotted them. I bought a metal one that is still going strong (2 years old). It too is light and doesn’t kink. However it doesn’t shrink up like the fabric one you have.
Does anyone know if they work well for car washing?
I have used these since they came out and I love them. I have had to replace one from dry rot also but it’s worth it to not have a heavy hose to drag around. Sure makes watering my gardens not such a chore.
Well now I have my own hose dilemma. After reading the comments, do I try one or not? Would it be good for my elderly parents? It seems good in theory. Keep us updated lol
Oh Wow! Thanks for this blog post….I am ordering a couple for my folks today!
Great review and comments from readers! Nice idea to store it in the bucket under your watering can.
I bought two of these hoses several years back. I gave them to my elderly parents. They were great for watering the hanging plants on the front and back decks. They’re stored at the edge of the deck in a pile and exposed to the Evening Sun. One lasted for several years. The other one didn’t last one season. The inside as has been mentioned is like a heavy balloon type rubbery product. In my area you can buy these really inexpensive and I feel like even if I have to replace them every season that the hassle or rather non hassle of using is well worth it. Yes, it works great for washing a car, watering plants, attaching to a sprinkler system for a child to play in or a lawn to be watered. They work just like a regular hose, only their lighter weight, more easy to use and move.
Good to know they work. I’ve had my eye on them for a while. Thanks for the review.
Love, hugs and prayers coming your way.
That is awesome to know. I really don’t like storing those other hoses and using them either. They are so heavy and acquired to use. I’m glad to know they work so good. When I saw them the first time in the store, I thought it was to good to be true. Now I know they are a good hose. Thanks Jo
good to know they work so good. Thanks
Thanks for the review. I’d rather know how a product is from someone that I know. Thanks for sharing.
Now that you’ve reviewed this solves my problem! I need 1 or 2 now! Thx! Hugs & prayers to you & your family!
We are on our second one for everything close to the house that needs watering. Exposure to the sun is really hard on them. We keep our in a little bin so it doesn’t lay out in the sun. I always used to struggle with the hose, now it is almost effortless.
Thank you for the information! I’m about to have some fun. Bad shoulder has held me back for years.
I started using these hoses for the same reason. I have not had a problem with them being defective, but I do turn the water off at the faucet after using. I have used them with a Windex attachment to wash my windows.
This post is quite timely! I wore myself out lugging 2 2gal watering cans repeatedly around the far side and back of the house. In a piqued moment, I decided I was either done with gardening or I was going to take matters into my hands and not waiting for the promised piped water to each of my veggie raised beds to appear. I decided I was going to go get myself another 2 or 3 collapsing hoses!
A couple of years ago, I started out with the As Seen on TV brand of expanding hose from the chain drugstore. They each last about a month, and I took the blown out hose back each time, for a free replacement, four months running. The following year I bought a heavier duty brand from a garden center and haven’t had a problem till it till it accidentally got left outside during winter and light exposure killed it.
I am off tomorrow to buy myself some hoses!
You cannot leave them out, exposed to sunlight. Ours did not last a whole summer, as the sunlight degrades the material and they simple burst open.
My hubby bought one of these too. They told us you just have to make sure you empty them after you turn off the water (like you showed) and they’ll last without leaking. My sore collarbone loves it!