Updated: 27/12/2020

What Is The Best Garden Hose On The Market

For most home gardeners in the UK, buying a garden hose might feel like a straightforward task. However, it is anything but. Purchasing the correct garden hose requires some careful planning and research. There are many garden hoses available in the market, and while many of them are from good brands, several aren’t that great. While investing, always buy the best expandable garden hoses so that you are comfortable with any length or adjustments you may need to make in the long term. 

Any experienced home gardener can tell you the importance of having the best garden hoses at your disposal. While most people start investing in high-quality tools for their yards, flowering beds, and plants and trees, they forget the importance of essential gardening tools like having the best shed locks and garden hoses. 

Let us look at what is the best garden hose on the market for you.

What are the Different Types of Hoses?

As with all gardening products, garden hoses also come in a variety of different types based on usage. These types are sprinkler, soaker, heavy-duty, light, medium, and commercial. Purchasing the correct type of hose is crucial for proper application. 

Some hoses also come with an extra layer of protection for use on artificial grass. While purchasing the hose, always check the durability and strength for different types of grasses, and while purchasing, always buy the best artificial grass and garden hose for added elegance and comfort.

• Light/ Medium Hoses: These are usually lightweight and are made from reinforced or low-quality vinyl. The diameters are smaller than other, and the pipes have an incredible kink. The drawback of these hoses is that they harden and break apart over time. Light/ medium hoses are inexpensive and ideal for occasional gardening. 
• Heavy-Duty Hoses: These usually come with metal couplings, and are made from high-quality material. They are mostly anti-kink, and many come with several years of manufacturer’s warranty. Homeowners who tend to their gardens daily should invest in these hoses.
• Sprinkler and Soaker Hoses: These hoses are meant for ease of use while watering flower beds, vegetable patches, gardens, and lawns. Since these hoses are generally placed directly on the grass, they come with UV protection and anti-crack coating. Those that are meant to be placed beneath the ground have lesser UV protection than the earlier variant.

While using sprinkler hoses, you should always control the speed and trajectory of the water to avoid any natural habitats in the garden. Most gardeners in the UK place bug hotels, bird feeders, beehives, and other small shelters to support the environment and aid in pollination. While purchasing any of these habitats, always make sure you buy the best bug hotel to make the area conducive to helpful insects.

• Commercial Hoses: These hoses are meant for extremely harsh use by contractors, landscapers, and are mostly used in rugged terrains. These are more expensive than the rest and have crush resistance, durable metallic couplings, extended manufacturer’s warranty, and higher PSI ratings.

What Diameter of the Hose is Best?

The diameter of the garden hose depends wholly on the amount of water required. People living in arid areas require extra hydration for their gardens and need a large diameter. Whereas, those that live in humid conditions with a substantial groundwater supply need hoses of a lesser diameter. Water volume and hydration levels should be controlled with the help of the hose diameter. 

Commercial and industrial gardens need hoses with large diameters to cover larger areas and ensure that the whole land gets hydrated quickly. Small and medium-sized gardens do not need hoses with huge diameters, where the ground needs gradual watering. Ideally, garden hoses are of diameters ranging between 3/8” to 1”, and home gardens require the 5/8” ones.

What is the Best Length for the Garden Hose?

For home gardens, measure the distance farthest away from the water connection, and purchase at least 15 feet of additional length. The extra hose doesn’t usually go to waste since it aids in reaching all corners and edges of the garden. Additional length helps when the hose needs to wind around gardening tools like lawnmowers, organic bins, and power equipment. Long garden hoses are also easily manoeuvred around lawn furniture, rock pools, sensory play areas, rabbit warrens, animal pens, and dog kennels. 

While purchasing a long garden hose, always be wary of the water, since pressure drops as the length is more than average. Take into consideration the water pressure, size, and terrain of the garden before buying a garden hose.