The best garden hose for small yards
Choosing the proper garden hose can sometimes feel like a roll of the dice. Everything at your local garden center is professionally coiled and tightly packaged, and they all seem to promise kink-free performance. But until you’ve got it home and hooked up to a spigot, it can be difficult to judge how well a hose will work for you. We’ll take out some of the guesswork by running down our favorite choices here.
What to consider about a garden hose
Length of the hose
Some hoses are expandable, getting longer when water is flowing through them. Others remain a fixed-length whether the water is on or off. Either way, there’s no need for a hose that’s longer than your available space. Many hoses are available in various lengths, so measure the distance from your spigot to the farthest area that your hose will need to reach. Shorter hoses weigh less, are easier to work with and take up less room when not in use.
Material of the hose
Hoses can be made from any of several different materials with different performance qualities:
- Rubber is more flexible but heavier.
- Polyurethane is lighter in weight and resists kinks.
- Vinyl is heavy, kinks more easily and can have a strong coil memory, possibly making storage more challenging.
- Some hoses have a flexible lining inside a woven jacket. These hoses resist kinks, expand and lengthen when in use, and store easily.
Will anyone drink from this hose?
If you plan to use the hose for drinking water for children or animals, look for one approved by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) to avoid lead, phthalates or BPA.
Storage method
When selecting a hose, also think about how you’ll want to store it when not in use. A hose reel is a tidy accessory for many hoses. You may want to coil the hose into a large bucket, hang it from a hook or simply leave it on the ground. Do whatever works best for you, but keep in mind how your hose choice might affect your preferred storage method.
Best garden hoses for small yards
Tuff-Guard Perfect Garden Hose
A unique helix wrap around this polypropylene hose helps it resist crushes, kinks and abrasion. The hose is lighter weight than traditional hoses and comes in several color and length options. The Tuff-Guard Perfect Garden Hose is highly flexible but is not rated for drinking water.
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Flexzilla Garden Hose
This polymer hose works well under a wide range of weather conditions, resisting kinks, laying flat and remaining easy to coil for storage. It comes in a uniquely recognizable shade of green and a wide selection of lengths. The hose is drinking water safe.
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TBI Pro Expandable Garden Hose
An outer fabric layer and four-layer latex construction let the TBI Pro expand from 17 feet to 50 feet in length while remaining highly flexible and free of kinks. Expandable hoses are not typically as durable as traditional hoses, so a more careful storage plan is advised.
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Zero-G Garden Hose
The Zero-G features a kink-resistant inner core and a high-density outer jacket for commercial-grade durability. Crush-proof couplings allow for a leak-free attachment, and the hose is easy to stow on a hose reel. Note that although it has a fabric-style jacket, this is not an expandable hose. It is safe for drinking water.
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Teknor Apex NeverKink Garden Hose
From the first US manufacturer to offer a kink-free hose, the NeverKink is a lightweight and durable hose popular among gardeners. Mesh reinforcement resists kinking while rigid sleeves at the ends prevent folding near spigot connections.
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Stanley Fatmax Water Hose
The professional-quality Fatmax hose from Stanley has a higher flow rate than typical garden hoses, so if you’re looking to push a lot of water into your yard, this will help. The soft, flexible hose has a nice feel for easy coiling and uncoiling.
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GrowGreen Expandable Garden Hose
Another well-regarded flexible garden hose, the GrowGreen’s latex core and woven outer layer allow it to expand to three times its length when in use. It comes with an eight-pattern spray nozzle and solid brass connectors.
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Water Right Coil Hose
A coiled hose is suitable for small spaces such as patios for watering containers and small gardens. When you’re finished with the hose, it will pull back into its coiled form for easy storage. Water Right hoses are lightweight, available in multiple lengths and colors and are drinking water safe.
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Michael Ray is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
