A Crash Course in Finding the Best Garden Hose

If you’ve ever had to fight a garden hose that insists on tangling, kinking and catching on the edge of patio furniture, you understand the importance of buying the best garden hose for your needs. The right materials, length, diameter and special features can make your garden hose an ally in your gardening chores. But how do you choose the right garden hose when there are so many choices and options available? Here’s a crash course in choosing the right garden hose.

Options to Choose From

Garden hoses come in many different sizes. The most common are 25, 50, 75 and 100-foot lengths in a variety of diameters. A low-cost 1/2 inch garden hose will deliver about 9 gallons of water per minute. A 3/4 inch garden hose will deliver up to 23 gallons per minute if you have good water pressure. Keep in mind that your garden hose will lose water pressure over distance, but wider diameters will lose less water pressure. If you need a long garden hose, have low water pressure or if your garden hose will be running uphill, get a larger diameter hose to compensate for the lower water pressure.

A quality garden hose will be made of rubber, vinyl or a combination of rubber or vinyl. The best garden hose options are reinforced, which lets them bend without kinking and provides more strength and durability and a longer lifespan. You’ll also want a garden hose with solid brass garden hose fittings and couplings.

Expect to pay for quality – a decent quality 50-foot garden hose will cost you about $30. Specialty garden hoses, like a coil garden hose or a drinking safe garden hose, will cost more, but they’ll last you for years.

Specialty Garden Hoses

Safety is a major concern and garden hoses are no different. Be aware that many garden hoses aren’t suitable if the water that goes through it will be used for drinking or human contact. A lot of the hoses on the market are made with recycled materials that contain known carcinogens, and many promote the growth of bacteria and mold that can be picked up by the water passing through them. If you’re going to use your garden hose to fill a swimming pool for your little ones or if your kids will be running through the filter, consider investing in a drinking safe garden hose.

Finally, if you’re going to invest in buying the best garden hose, don’t leave it unprotected. Pick up a good garden hose reel or other storage solution that will help prolong its life and keep it clean and kink-free.