10 Best Retractable Hoses 2024 in the US

If you have a large yard or garden, you’ll want to make sure that you’re able to water every spot easily. This is especially important during the summer months if you live in a dry area that doesn’t get adequate rainfall. You can cut a garden hose to just the length that you need. To maintain the hose properly, you have to avoid unnecessary exposure to intense sun. It’s best to get a hose reel, to pack away the hose in a neat manner. But a retractable hose that rolls up after use automatically is even better!

A retractable hose either uses a spring or battery-operated mechanism that helps you roll up the hose after use. That way, the hose won’t twist or kink in ways that can puncture it. It’ll stay sheltered from the burning sun in the summer. And, during the winter months, when you won’t be needing the garden hose, it’ll be stored away from the freezing cold that can also damage it.

We’ll go through the MSN list of the best retractable hoses, looking at the various specifications and features. Hopefully, we’ll be able to match you up with exactly the retractable hose that you need!

What Types of Retractable Garden Hoses Are There?

As we mentioned in the introduction, there are two main mechanisms of retractable garden hoses:

• Spring-based retractable hoses: These have a steel spring that locks when you pull out the hose to the desired length. When you’re finished watering your lawn, filling up your pool, or giving your dog a bath, you give a tug to advance the hose some more. The spring will then rewind the hose back into the reel. (Other spring-based retractable hoses will roll themselves back up if you just leave them on the ground.) An example is the Giraffe Garden Water Hose Reel. It rewinds slowly, to let you make sure that the hose won’t get tangled.

Giraffe Garden Water Hose Reel

• Battery-operated retractable hoses: These use a rechargeable Li-ion battery to power the motor that rewinds the hose. An example is the Gardena Retractable Battery-Operated Hose Reel. It comes with a 115-foot hose and has LEDs on the control unit to tell you if the battery needs to be recharged, or if the hose is blocked.

Gardena Retractable Battery-Operated Hose Reel

(You can also find other great lawn care products among the MSN buying guides.)

What Are Some Features of the Best Retractable Garden Hoses?

• Materials: The material of the hose should be resistant to extreme cold and heat. For example, the PinWheel Retractable Garden Hose Reel includes a PVC hose that can withstand temperatures ranging from 32 ℉ to 122 ℉. Also, it’s recommended that you buy a hose that uses fittings that will not corrode or rust (brass is preferred over iron).

PinWheel Retractable Garden Hose Reel

• Food-grade material: If there is a chance that you or your pet will be drinking the water from the hose, make sure that the hose is made of food-grade material. Otherwise, harmful chemicals may leach into the water.

• Length of the hose: You’ll generally see that retractable garden hoses will come in two main lengths: 65 feet, and 100 feet. You should first estimate the length you need depending on the size of your yard. If the hose is too short, there are attachments that allow you to extend the length. But, if the hose is longer than you need, you might find it a bit unwieldy, even with a retractable reel.

• Diameter of the hose: The diameter of the hose will influence the rate of water flow, as well as the water pressure. There are three main diameters of garden hoses: ½”, ⅝”, and ¾”. Most of the hoses in the MSN list of the best retractable hoses are the smallest diameter, at ½”. A thinner hose will shoot out water at a higher pressure, while a wider hose will give a more copious flow of water, although at a lower pressure.

• 180-degree swivel: If the particular brand of retractable hose includes a mounting bracket, make sure that it’s able to swivel in different directions. Most allow swiveling the hose through 180 degrees. This will give you more flexibility when watering your lawn, or washing your car.

• Detachable: Since we mentioned the mounting bracket, we should also mention that you should be able to detach the hose reel from the mounting bracket for the autumn and winter when you won’t be using the hose. This will protect the hose from extreme cold, which can cause the hose material to become brittle over time.

• Nozzle functions: If you use your hose to water delicate flowers, you’ll want to use a gentle mist. If you’re interested in washing your car, you’ll prefer a wide spray. There are nozzles that are capable of providing several types of streams of water. The GIAS Retractable Garden Hose Reel can perform up to 9 functions: shower, rinse, center, flat, mist, soaker, jet, angle, and cone.

• Expandable retractable hoses: There are also expandable hoses that come loaded on a retractable reel. The Linquo Expandable Retractable Hose can expand to three times its length–from 66.7 feet up to 200 feet!--when you start to fill it with water.

Linquo Expandable Retractable Hose

What Are Some Tips In Using a Retractable Garden Hose?

• Repairing your hose: If your hose gets damaged at any point, there are retractable hose repair kits to help you work around the damage. You cut out the damaged piece of the hose and connect the two ends by means of clamps and heat-sensitive shrink wrap.

• Emptying your hose: It’s advisable to make sure that the hose is empty before retracting it. If there is any water remaining in the hose, and the temperature goes below freezing, the residual water will freeze and expand. That can cause serious damage to your hose! So, when you retract the hose, make sure that the nozzle is open, to let the water drain out.

Wrap Up

We looked at some of the offerings in the MSN list of the best retractable hoses. You should be able to judge what diameter hose you need, what length, and which material is best for your needs. Whether you need a hose for your garden or yard, or just as a convenient way to wash your car, you should be equipped with enough information to make a wise decision!