Whether you're watering your lawn, washing your car, bathing your pet, or taking care of general outdoor cleaning chores, a good garden hose is essential.
Best overall
Gardguard Expandable Garden Hose
Staff Favorite
This heavy-duty expandable hose has a service life of over 1500 uses. The hose can withstand water pressure from three to 12 Bar and temperatures ranging from 41 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit. The trigger-style comfort-grip nozzle shoots nine different spray patterns. Choose from a 50-foot or 100-foot model; both coil to a third their size for storage.
Basic bargain
Flexilla Garden Lead-in Hose
This is your standard, lightweight, heavy-duty hose that comes in seven lengths from three to 100 feet. It won't kink, and it has zero memory, which means your sprinkler will lay flat. You can drink from it safely since it's lead-free (assuming anyone from the artisanal water generation can be convinced to drink from a hose.)
Flexible
Aterod Expandable Garden Hose
This tightly coiled hose magically expands from 17 to 50 feet when the water is on full blast and returns to its coiled shape when the water is off. The included trigger-style comfort-grip nozzle boasts nine different spray patterns: full, flat, shower, cone, jet, soaker, angle, mist, and center.
Pocket-sized
TheFitLife Flexible and Expandable Garden Hose
The smallest (25-foot) version of this hose weighs in at just 1.8 pounds. It's small but mighty, having been endurance tested up to 1800 uses. The spray nozzle provides eight different spray patterns. Choose from four sizes up to 100 feet, plus it's connectable so you can double up to get even more extended sizes.
Deluxe model
TBI Pro Garden Hose Expandable 50ft
This durable four-layer latex hose expands from 17 to 50 feet in length when in use. Connection protectors help prevent leaks. The nine-way trigger-style zinc alloy nozzle can be locked in the "on" position to avoid hand fatigue. A two-way splitter, hanger, and storage bag are included with purchase.
Stainless steel
Bionic Steel PRO Garden Hose
When a rubber garden hose just won't do, this commercial-grade 304 stainless steel hose might be what you're looking for. The durable metal hose won't rust, and it resists leaks and punctures even when you drag it over rough surfaces. Choose a 50-foot or 100-foot model.
Great value
Nifty Grower 100ft Garden Hose
Pick up a long 100-foot expandable hose for a low price. The durable, lightweight hose expands from 34 to 100 feet when it's on, and shrinks automatically when the water is turned off. A storage bag is included with your purchase.
Which one should you choose?
Which hose is best for you depends on what features you need. If you need a specific kind of spray, you'll want to pick a hose with an adjustable nozzle; whereas if you want to move water, then there's no point in paying for a fancy nozzle. Of course, you'll also want to take length into account. How far from your home's water connection do you need the hose to stretch? Also, think about how you'll want to store your hose; you might prefer the type that coils automatically, or you'd rather arrange it yourself. For most people, the Gardguard Expandable Garden Hose is a great pick. It comes in two different sizes, 50-foot and 100-foot. It shrinks to a third of its size and coils automatically when not in use. The ergonomic handle has a nine-way nozzle for just about any type of spray you'd need. It comes with a clamp and a storage bag for convenient storage.
If you don't need all of the bells and whistles, but just a simple old-fashioned garden hose, the Flexilla Garden Lead-in Hose is for you. There is no fancy nozzle, no auto-coiling, no growing, or shrinking. It's just a hose, and it's available in many sizes. You can choose a three, five, 10, 25, 50, 75, or 100-foot long hose. You can even select your diameter (5/8-inch or 1/2-inch) for the more extended sizes. The hybrid polymer material resists kinking and abrasions. Since the Flexilla Garden Lead-in Hose has no memory, no matter how you store it, the hose will lie flat when in use.