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.

Neat Tricks with New Garden Hoses

Worn out garden hoses and cheap garden hoses are the sources of more problems than most people realize. These are just a few of the issues you can resolve when you replace your old, worn-out garden hose with a new one that meets your needs.

Leaks at the Faucet

The biggest cause of water spraying and dribbling at the faucet connection is a poorly fitting garden hose fitting. The best garden hoses are made with solid brass garden hose fittings that won’t warp or bend when you accidentally step on them (of course, if you’re constantly stepping on your garden hose, you might look at the selection of garden hose reels available at a good garden supply site online). Garden hose fittings made with cheap metal alloys may not hold the thread pattern or may wear over time, so that your garden hose doesn’t connect right to the faucet. The end result is a lot of wasted water and a fair amount of frustration.

Kinky Hose

There are times when a little kinky might be good – but not when it the kink is in your garden hose while you’re trying to water the lawn. Cheap plastic and vinyl garden hoses are much more likely to fold, bend and kink when you’re trying to pull them straighter. Even worse, those kinks are far more likely to become permanent. If you’re trying to do your gardening and household tasks with a kinky garden hose, trade it in and invest in a new hose. The selection of garden hoses available these days includes coil garden hoses that store in very little space – and never kink – and reinforced garden hoses that resist kinks.

Split Hoses

Once a garden hose has kinked, it’s much more likely to spring a leak or worse, to just completely split. While you can repair it with duct tape – over and over again – it makes far more sense to replace it with one of the new top quality 1/2 inch garden hoses or 3/4 inch garden hoses that will withstand rough handling without splitting on you when you need them most.

Low Water Pressure

While garden hoses can’t solve all of your low water pressure problems, the diameter and length of your hose have a direct effect on the power of the water coming out of the business end of your nozzle. Every extra foot that water has to travel to get there reduces the amount of water pressure. If you’re using a hose that’s longer than you need to reach where you need to put the water, consider buying a shorter garden hose. Experts will tell you that if you sometimes need a longer hose, it’s better to buy two shorter garden hoses – one to use most of the time and a second one to extend its reach when you need it.

Garden hoses may not be on the top of your list of fun gardening accessories, but the right garden hose can make your gardening a lot more fun to do.

What to Do with Your Old Garden Hose

As you're planning for spring, did you get a new garden hose? If you’ve invested in a high quality new garden hose – maybe even a fancy coil garden hose or a heated garden hose for outdoor use in cold weather – you may be wondering what to do with your old, worn hose. Here are a number of things you can do with your old garden hose instead of throwing it away.

Protect Little Fingers

Little fingers have a bad habit of getting caught and pinched in the chains on swing sets. Protect those fingers from chain pinches by cutting a length of garden hose for each chain. Remove the chains from the hooks that suspend the swing seat and slip the section of hose over the chain. Hang the swings again and let your little ones enjoy their swinging without the danger of getting fingers caught and pinched by the chains.

Protect Big Fingers

Does the handle of your water bucket dig into your fingers when you carry it from the faucet to the car for washing? Make it easier on your hands by sliding a section of garden hose over the wire handle to serve as a cushion. You’ll get a better grip on the bucket and ease the pain in your fingers.

Save the Parts

Before you get rid of your old hose, remove the garden hose fittings and put them away. They may come in handy in the future when you need to make a quick repair. Likewise, save undamaged lengths of garden hose for future projects or repairs.

Wheelbarrow Bumper Guard

Does the end of your wheelbarrow cause scratches and dings when it bumps into the walls or worse, your car? One of the lovely things about a garden hose is that it’s flexible enough to fit around things. Measure the rim of your wheelbarrow and cut a length of garden hose to fit. Using a box cutter or razor knife, slit the hose open on one side. Push the garden hose over the rim of the wheelbarrow to cushion it and serve as a bumper guard.

Don’t just toss out your old garden hose when you get a replacement for it. There are many ways to reuse your old hose and extend its useful life. While you’re at it, take the time to treat your new garden hose with care. Store it on a garden hose reel or in a garden hose jar to protect it from damage, and bring it indoors when it won’t be in use for some time. Take care of your new garden hose and you’ll get years of use out of it.

Tips to Get the Most from Your Garden Hose

Your garden hose may be the most overworked and underappreciated piece of gardening equipment that you own. Many gardeners buy the least expensive garden hose they can find and put it through all sorts of abuse – pulling on it, twisting it, kinking it, running over it with the car or the lawnmower – and then when it springs a leak or fails to perform up to the expected standards, they toss it in a corner or in the trash, then they go out and buy the cheapest garden hose they can find. Really, can you imagine treating anything but your garden hose that way?

If you’re thinking there must be a better way, you’re right. The right garden hose can make all of your outdoor tasks easier. The wrong one can make them more difficult. These tips can help you get the most benefit and advantage out of the garden hose you choose.

Start with a High Quality Garden Hose

If you’ve never used a really good garden hose, you won’t believe the difference it makes in your gardening and outdoor maintenance tasks. Do you fight to get your hose attached to the faucet because the threads won’t line up right? Real brass garden hose fittings don’t bend out of shape, making it easier to attach and detach the garden hose from the faucet. In addition, the better garden hoses have hexagonal or octagonal garden hose fittings, making them easier to grip and tighten when you screw them onto the faucet. That cuts down on leaks at the faucet and allows you to make a good connection without stripping the threads.

In addition, choosing a garden hose made of high quality materials gives you more wear from your hose. A cheap vinyl hose will kink, bend and eventually break. A well-made reinforced rubber hose will be far less likely to kink and knot, allowing you to continue your watering without having to stop and untangle your hose repeatedly.

Choose the Right Garden Hose for Your Needs

There are a number of specialty garden hoses available on the market that can make your life even easier. You can buy a drinking safe garden hose, for example, if you’re concerned about lead or BPA in your drinking water or in the water you use to water your vegetables. A coil garden hose is the ideal choice if you do your gardening chores in tight quarters, such as on a patio or in a greenhouse.

Accessories

Don’t forget to store your garden hose properly when it’s not in use. The best way to do that is to invest in a good garden hose reel. It will keep you hose out of contact with the ground and help drain it every time you put it away, reducing wear and tear on your garden hose.

Why throw away your money on a cheap garden hose when you can buy a good quality 1/2 inch garden hose or one inch water hose, treat it properly and get good service from it for years to come.

Steps to Choosing the Right Garden Hose

Whether you have a baronial estate or a small patio garden, your garden hose is an essential piece of outdoor equipment. In fact, even if you don’t have a garden or lawn, you’ll still want a garden hose for washing your car, hosing down your house or washing down backyard toys and equipment. Choosing the right garden hose for your needs can make your gardening and outdoor tasks easier and more efficient. Decide what you’ll use your hose for, then purchase the garden hose that best fits your needs. These tips can help you make the best choice for your watering and outdoor maintenance needs.

Decide how long you want your hose to be. You can purchase garden hoses in a wide variety of standard lengths, from 10 feet to more than 100 feet. Unless you have to routinely reach areas of your property that are more than 50 feet from the outdoor spigot, you’ll probably find that a 50-foot garden hose more than meets your needs. If your garden is right by the faucet, a 25-foot length will be more than sufficient. If you’re gardening in a small space, such as on your patio, consider a coil garden hose, which is designed to give you the length your need without taking up a lot of precious room.

Choose the right hose diameter. Just as there are standard lengths for garden hoses, there are also standard garden hose diameters. The two most commonly bought sizes are 1/2 inch garden hose, which will deliver about 9 gallons of water per minute, and 3/4 inch garden hose, which will deliver twice that amount of water. If your water pressure is low, consider choosing a higher diameter garden hose which will lose less water pressure over distance than smaller diameter hoses.

Keep in mind that water pressure will also be affected by the length of the hose you choose. The further the water has to travel between the spigot and the business end of your garden hose the lower the water pressure will be. Choose the shortest length of hose that will suit your needs to maintain the highest water pressure possible.

Pick a garden hose with the best material for your climate. Most garden hoses are made of vinyl or rubber, generally reinforced with nylon, cloth or other materials. Rubber hoses are more durable, weight more than vinyl garden hoses and are generally more expensive than vinyl hoses. Choose garden hose made of rubber if you live in an extreme climate and will be using the hose in very cold or very hot weather.

If you live in a mild climate and will not be using your garden hose for more than light watering duties, a vinyl garden hose may be sufficient for your needs. Be aware that many garden hoses are treated with chemicals or have phthalates or BPA in the vinyl with which they are made. If you will be watering edible plants, drinking water from the garden hose or using the garden hose to water livestock or other animals, choose a drinking safe garden hose to be on the safe side.

Invest in a garden hose reel to protect your hose from damage when it’s not in use.

Choosing the right garden hose can greatly increase its life and make your gardening and household maintenance chores much easier. If you’re still not sure which hose is the best one for your use, talk to the manager at your garden supply store for more advice.

How Does a Heated Garden Hose Work?

If you have regular need for a garden hose outdoors in below-freezing temperatures, you may be doing a lot more work than you have to do. Letting water freeze inside your garden hose can weaken and crack the materials, and make it impossible to use. Unless you have a heated garden hose, you have to remove the hose from the spigot, drain it completely and bring it inside to keep it warm every single time you use it. Whether you use a garden hose for getting water to animals during the winter, grooming a backyard ice rink or providing water for your hot tub, greenhouse or Jacuzzi, a heated garden hose can make your winter life much easier.

What Is a Heated Garden Hose?

A heated hose is a garden hose fitted with an electric heater to keep it warm when the temperature drops below freezing. Typically, the hose’s female connector end is fitted with an insulated cuff that plugs into a GCFI-protected outdoor extension cord. The highest-quality heated garden hoses are thermostatically controlled – that is, the heater turns on when the temperature drops below a certain temperature and turns off when the ambient air warms above that temperature.

How a Heated Garden Hose Works

The better garden hoses are heated along their full length by electrical wires that are molded into the PVC vinyl of which the hose is made. When the power is on, electrical power runs through the wires and heats the hose, keeping the water flowing inside it from freezing.

Isn’t That Dangerous?

Heated garden hoses are specially constructed to prevent the water from coming into contact with the electricity. Look for heated hoses that meet NSF-61 safety standards for electrical devices to make sure that your garden hose is as safe as possible.

How Much Power Does a Heated Garden Hose Use?

While the precise measurement varies from one manufacturer to the next, a 25-foot 1/2 inch garden hose will draw about 200 watts of power. A 50-foot hose will draw about 400 watts of power. For comparison purposes, your refrigerator draws about 1,000 watts.

Not all heated garden hoses are created equal. If you need to deliver water outdoors in freezing temperatures, shop around for a high-quality heated garden hose to handle your needs. The very best brands are manufactured in the United States and are 100 percent drinking water safe garden hoses that can be used for anything from providing water for livestock to providing water for your RV during the winter. Don’t put up with frozen hoses all winter long. Get a garden hose that keeps your water flowing when all heck has frozen over.

Garden Hose Trivia Quiz

When you work for a company that sells garden hose, you learn a lot of interesting little tidbits about garden hose history, construction, materials and other garden hose trivia. You may think you know your garden hoses, but how well will you do in this little garden hose trivia quiz?

What Color Is the Most Common Garden Hose Color?

Most garden hoses are either green or black, but they may come in just about any color. One exception is a drinking safe garden hose typically used to fill the potable water tank in RVs or boats. They’re generally white. One of the newest types of garden hose, the coil garden hose, comes in a number of different colors, including blue, red and green.

What Is the Most Common Diameter for Garden Hoses?

You can get a garden hose in diameters ranging from 1/2 inch garden hose to 1 inch water hose, but the most common diameter for household use is a 5/8 inch garden hose.

What Size Garden Hose Delivers Twice as Much Water as a 1/2 Inch Garden Hose?

If you guessed that a 1 inch water hose delivers twice the volume of water as a 1/2 inch garden hose, you’d be wrong. In fact, a 3/4 inch garden hose delivers twice the volume of water as a 1/2 inch hose.

Which Is Better – a 100-foot Garden Hose or Two 50-Foot Garden Hoses?

It depends. If you have to reach a garden between 50 and 100 feet away from your house, the 100-foot garden hose makes sense. If you typically only need a 50-foot hose but occasionally need one that’s longer, you’re actually better off getting a second hose and connecting the two. Here’s why. Water loses pressure as it goes through a hose or pipe. The further the water has to travel, the more pressure it loses. It’s impractical to use a 100-foot garden hose to water garden that’s less than 50 feet from the spigot – and you’ll end up with a tangled, kinked hose more often than not.

What’s the Thread Gauge Garden Hose Fittings?

The standard for US garden hoses is known as Garden Hose Thread, or GHT. It has an outer diameter of 1 1/16 inches, 1.0625 inches (27.0 mm) and a pitch of 11.5 TPI. US garden hose standards are not compatible with the standard used in most of the rest of the world, BSP.

Then again, if you ask for a garden hose in the UK, the shopkeep probably won’t know what you’re looking for. One last bit of garden hose trivia: in the UK, the common garden hose goes by the name hosepipe.