What Features Are Important to You in a Garden Hose?

When you’re shopping for a new garden hose, what features do you look for? While many people may think that a garden hose is just a garden hose, gardeners understand the finer points. In addition to the standard 1/2 inch garden hose and 3/4 inch garden hose and one inch water hose, there is a wide range of garden hose options available. They come in standard and custom lengths and diameters, differing levels of quality and have many features that are each designed to suit them for a particular purpose. These are some of the most popular garden hose features you may find when you go looking to replace your worn-out water hose or garden hose.

Drinking Safe Garden Hose

Many older garden hoses – and a healthy percentage of new ones – are made of materials that leach toxic chemicals into any water left standing in them. A drinking safe garden hose must use no lead in the garden hose fittings or to treat the interior of the garden hose. Some states, such as California, require that garden hoses carry labels that identify any unsafe chemicals they contain. In many other states, garden hose manufacturers label drinking safe garden hoses because they’ve learned that consumers prefer them.

Coil Garden Hose

If you hate coiling up your garden hose or reeling it in, a coil garden hose may be exactly what you want. Rather than unrolling to lay flat on the ground like a standard garden hose, a coil garden hose is shaped like a large spring. You can stretch it to three or more times its length, and when you release the hose, it springs back to its original shape. Coiled garden hoses eliminate most kinking problems and are much easier to store than standard hoses, which usually require garden hose reels to keep hoses coiled neatly off the ground and out of the way.

Heated Water Hose

Anyone who has to do watering chores outdoors in sub-freezing temperatures understands the importance of a heated garden hose. These always have a heater at the end of the hose that attaches to the spigot, and some have heating wires running along the entire length of the hose. The intent is to keep water from freezing in the garden hose, increasing the risk of damaging or cracking the vinyl or rubber. You must have a GCFI electrical outlet installed where you can plug the heated hose into a power source safely.

These are just a few of the many garden hose features you’ll find when you’re looking for a replacement for your old, trusty watering tool. Before you shop, think carefully about the features you’d like to have in your water hose, and choose one that will meet all your needs.