Reviews You Can Rely On

The 6 Best Garden Hoses of 2025

We put 12 garden hoses to the test from brands like Flexzilla, Eley, Dramm, and more to figure out the best for your home watering needs
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Best Garden Hose Review
Credit: Hale Milano
Hale Milano
By Hale Milano ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Updated May 9, 2025

If you're looking for the right tools to keep your lawn and garden hydrated, I took a deep dive into the world of garden hoses to find the ones that make chores a breeze (and avoid the ones that create a twisted mess). I started by narrowing down the selection to 12 of the most promising options available today. I used each one in my own backyard and then passed them on to other home and garden experts to get a well-rounded perspective from the GearLab team. After a full summer of hands-on testing and years of past experience, we offer our findings to help guide you toward the right garden hose for your home use.

The best overall garden hose is the Eley Polyurethane. It has an incredibly kink-resistant construction and is offered in a wide range of sizes. The Expert Gardener Light Duty is my favorite option for tighter budgets. It handles simple tasks well, doesn't leak, and, best of all, is a great bargain.

While garden hoses may be the most traditional style of hoses, we also conducted reviews of top expandable hoses as well as retractable and winding hose reels. For other outdoor maintenance, we've also tested some of the market's best lawn mowers and top string trimmers.

Editor's Note: We updated our garden hose review on May 9, 2025, to include more of our personal experience with each hose and offer recommendations for which hoses may be useful for specific uses.

Related: Best Hose Nozzles
Related: Best Expandable Hose
Related: Best Hose Reel

Top 12 Garden Hoses

Displaying 1 - 12 (scroll right)
 
Awards Editors' Choice Award
Best Premium Garden Hose
Top Pick Award
An Excellent Premium Garden Hose with Super Long Options
Editors' Choice Award
Best Garden Hose for Most People
        Best Buy Award
Best Garden Hose on a Tight Budget
Price $220 List$199 List
$198.99 at Amazon
$68 List
$55.99 at Amazon
$100 List
$80.99 at Amazon
$60 List
$52.18 at Amazon
$70 List
$54.00 at Amazon
$70 List$105 List
$104.95 at Amazon
Check Price at Amazon$98 List
$58.95 at Amazon
$85 List
$46.69 at Amazon
$11.00 List
Overall Score Sort Icon
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Pros Excellent construction quality, plenty of length options, top notch performance and handlingVariety of length and diameter options, easy to handle and maneuver, resists kinkingEase to use and handle, top-notch performance, lightweight, inexpensiveVariety of hose lengths under 25 feet, great handling and convenienceAlmost impossible to kink, lightweight and flexibleResists kinking, includes a nozzle, no coil memoryCollapses flat when not in use, very light weight, resists kinkingLightweight, resists kinking, flexible in useGreat spray performance, easy to screw on to spigot, heavy dutyHeavy Duty, rolls out of kinks easilyVery light, ergonomic coupling designInexpensive, gets the job done
Cons Expensive, heavyExpensive, heavyLacks a variety of length optionsLighter spray volume, tends to not lay completely flat in useTedious to coil, slipping or tripping hazardTends to twist and loop up when dragging around the yard, slow leaks if not screwed on carefullyTwists and cinches on itself easily, low spray volumeTwists and loops easily, difficult to coil, low spray volumeKinked easily, heavyTwists and loops easily, heavyKinks very easily, flat spots stay indented in the hoseKinks easily, shows signs of wear, plastic couplings
Bottom Line This premium hose will leave you impressed and less stressed, whether you're hauling it across the yard, spraying jets of water, or coiling it for storageThis well-made hose is a beast for yardwork; it resists kinking no matter the task and is available in custom size options to meet your exact needsA top-notch hose that utilizes lightweight materials and a woven sheath to provide impressive convenience and performanceAn above-average hose that comes in a variety of shorter length options and is convenient for small yards and spacesAn all-metal hose that is guaranteed to not kink and slides around the toughest obstacles, but is a burden to coil and storeA well rounded hose that is lightweight and comes with a handle, and is also available in a variety of length optionsAn all around good hose that resists kinking and is easy to use, but also doesn't stand out from the packA narrower hose option that is springy and easy to use thanks to its light weight, but frustrating to coil and store neatlyA heavy duty hose that has great spray performance, and though it kinks easily the kinks are easy to flip outThis heavy duty option, well suited for prolonged exposure or uses that don't require it to be moved around your yard frequently given its heavy weightThis hose is easy to screw on and use, but kinks when dragging around your yardA budget hose that doesn't leak and still moves water from spigot to nozzle
Rating Categories Eley Polyurethane Dramm ColorStorm Pr... Teknor Apex Zero-G Giraffe Tools Hybrid Bionic Steel Flexzilla 5/8-Inch Gorilla Extremelite... Water Right 400 Ser... Continental ContiTe... Briggs and Stratton... Swan MaxLite Premiu... Expert Gardener Lig...
Convenience (35%)
8.5
9.0
9.0
9.0
9.0
7.0
7.0
7.5
6.0
7.5
7.5
4.0
Performance (35%)
9.0
8.0
9.0
6.5
7.0
7.0
8.0
7.0
7.5
5.5
5.0
3.5
Construction Quality (20%)
9.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
5.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
8.0
6.0
5.5
5.5
Variety of Options (10%)
9.5
10.0
6.0
8.0
6.0
8.5
5.0
6.0
3.0
6.0
6.0
5.0
Specifications Eley Polyurethane Dramm ColorStorm Pr... Teknor Apex Zero-G Giraffe Tools Hybrid Bionic Steel Flexzilla 5/8-Inch Gorilla Extremelite... Water Right 400 Ser... Continental ContiTe... Briggs and Stratton... Swan MaxLite Premiu... Expert Gardener Lig...
Available Lengths 6.5, 12, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200 ft 50, 75, 100 ft, and custom lengths up to 330 ft 25, 50, 100 ft 3, 5, 10, 15, 25, 50, 75, 100 ft 25, 50, 75, 100 ft 3, 5, 10, 25, 50, 75, 100 ft 50, 100 ft 25, 50, 75, 100 ft 50 ft 25, 50, 75, 100 ft 25, 50, 75, 100 ft 25, 50 ft
Nozzle Included No No No No Yes Yes No No No No No No
Coupling Shape Hex Hex Round Round Round Hex Round Hex and round Hex Hex Hex and round Round
Hose Material Polyeurathane EPDM rubber Tru-Flex polymer & woven fiber sheath Rubber polymer hybrid 304 stainless steel Flexible hybrid polymer Sanoprene Polyurethane EPDM synthetic rubber 100% rubber Rubber polymer hybrid Vinyl
Measured Weight Per Foot 0.15 lb/ft 0.20 lb/ft 0.08 lb/ft 0.13 lb/ft 0.10 lb/ft 0.13 lb/ft 0.06 lb/ft 0.06 lb/ft 0.24 lb/ft 0.19 lb/ft 0.11 lb/ft 0.12 lb/ft
Coupling Material Brass Nickel plated brass Brass and steel Brass Steel and plastic Annodized aluminum Annodized aluminum Steel Brass Nickel plated brass Aluminum Plastic
Valve Included No No No No No No No No No No No No
PSI Limit 150 PSI 130 PSI 600 PSI 150 PSI 500 PSI 150 PSI 450 PSI Not specified 130 PSI Not specified 400 PSI 200 PSI
Measured Length Tested 100.50 ft 50.67 ft 99.17 ft 100.42 ft 99.33 ft 101.08 ft 100.50 ft 103.00 ft 49.67 ft 102.42 ft 100.17 ft 25.17 ft
Measured Weight 14.8 lb 10.3 lb 8.4 lb 13.3 lb 10.1 lb 13.4 lb 5.8 lb 6.3 lb 11.8 lb 19.1 lb 11.3 lb 2.9 lb
Available Diameters 5/8 in 5/8 in, 3/4 in 5/8 in 5/8 in 5/8 in 5/8 in, 3/4 in 5/8 in 7/16 in 5/8 in 5/8 in 5/8 in, 3/4 in 5/8 in
Diameter Tested 5/8 in 5/8 in 5/8 in 5/8 in 5/8 in 5/8 in 5/8 in 7/16 in 5/8 in 5/8 in 5/8 in 5/8 in

The Best Garden Hose


Best Garden Hose for Most People


Teknor Apex Zero-G


83
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Convenience 9.0
  • Performance 9.0
  • Construction Quality 7.0
  • Variety of Options 6.0
Available Lengths: 25, 50, 100 ft | Available Diameters: 5/8 in
PROS
Ease of use and handling
Maneuverable and lightweight
Excellent spray performance
Inexpensive
CONS
Limited length options

While the Teknor Apex Zero-G wasn't the most elite hose I've used, it delivered convenience and performance that I found to be well worth the excellent price point. The Eley Polyurethane and Dramm ColorStorm Premium give a better variety of available lengths, but the Teknor is .12 pounds per foot lighter and easier to connect than the ColorStorm, and it offers a much more palatable price point than the Eley. The pressurized design of the Teknor is slightly different from more traditional rubber hoses, and one of my fellow testers pointed out that the sheathed body is “lightweight and easy to drag around the yard compared to other hoses.” The design features and construction make the hose pleasant to use, whether watering a garden, a large yard, or just washing your car.

One of the downsides to the Teknor is that it's only available in 3 length options. While you're likely to find a length that meets your needs, you may end up paying for and trying to coil and store more hose than you need. Additionally, given the pressurized nature of this hose, you need a nozzle; otherwise, the water pressure is unusable. If a hose that expands when pressurized sounds appealing to you, the Gorilla Extremelite Heavy Duty is lighter by .02 pounds per foot. It also lies flat when empty, making coiling and storage easy, though it doesn't match the quality and spray performance of the Teknor. If you need more options in hose length, the Flexzilla 5/8-inch has seven different length options ranging from 3 feet all the way up to 100 feet, though we found it does tend to get twisted up easier when in use. But after considering these details, I would still buy the Apex Zero-G for myself and recommend it to most homeowners.

Read more: Teknor Zero-G review

We love the Teknor for its exceptional performance, flexibility and kink resistance, though it does tend to twist up a bit in use.
Credit: Hale Milano

Best Premium Garden Hose


Eley Polyurethane


89
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Convenience 8.5
  • Performance 9.0
  • Construction Quality 9.0
  • Variety of Options 9.5
Available Lengths: 6.5, 12, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200 ft | Available Diameters: 5/8 in
PROS
Incredible construction quality
Top-notch performance and handling
Plenty of length options
CONS
Heavy weight per foot of hose
Expensive

The Eley Polyurethane is a high-end hose. Its performance was unmatched in my testing, though its price tag might be higher than most people want to pay for a hose. The quality of construction was evident even when I unboxed this garden hose, and both its performance and ease of use leave little to be desired. I used this hose straight out of the box, where it had been coiled tightly for days during shipping, and still I had no trouble laying it flat or pulling it across the yard. Eley also makes a garden hose nozzle, which is a premium and well-featured option. It's engineered with heavy brass fittings, multiple spray tip attachments, an ergonomic rubber handle, and a lever-like flow control valve. From heavy-duty brass fittings to a kink and twist-resistant body, it is hard to find flaws with the Eley.

It comes as no surprise that the Eley also commands a premium price point given the quality of materials and construction. It's also one of the heavier hoses in our lineup, weighing .15 pounds per foot, though after using the hose, another reviewer noted “the weight isn't very noticeable in hand.” The nozzle is also incredibly heavy, but so ergonomic that neither of us had a problem with the weight during testing. The heavy-duty materials that contribute to the weight also give me confidence in the durability of this hose.

Several other hoses in our lineup, like the Briggs and Stratton 8BS50, are very heavy-duty and could be good alternatives to consider. I personally like the Briggs and Stratton for when I'm planning to use the hose as more of a permanent fixture that doesn't demand as much flexibility or maneuverability. If you'd prefer a lighter-weight option, the Teknor Apex Zero-G weighs about .7 pounds less per foot than the Eley, and it works almost as well. The materials are of a bit lower quality, but they are also lighter on the bank account. Still, if you're looking for a high-quality hose that you can use, abuse, and leave outside in the elements and are willing to pay the price, I highly recommend the Eley.

Read more: Eley Polyurethane review

The Eley actively resisted kinking, laid flat nicely, and was really flexible and easy to use.
Credit: Hale Milano

Best Garden Hose on a Tight Budget


Expert Gardener Light Duty


42
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Convenience 4.0
  • Performance 3.5
  • Construction Quality 5.5
  • Variety of Options 5.0
Available Lengths: 25, 50 ft | Available Diameters: 5/8 in
PROS
Budget-friendly
Doesn't leak
CONS
Kinks easily
Shows wear and tear quickly

The Expert Gardener Light Duty hose is a bargain buy, and I found it well-suited to the simplest watering tasks, but sometimes that was all I needed. This plain hose does the basics: It moves water from one point to another and doesn't leak. The connectors are relatively easy to use, and as long as you don't need an extra-long reach or aren't concerned about top-notch handling and durability for all-day usage, the Expert Gardner is a perfectly adequate pick.

The downside to a budget hose option is that the durability and performance won't match up against more expensive options. When using the Expert Gardener, I frequently ran into severe kinking, which caused a complete stoppage of water flow. I also found that the folds tend to linger in the hose hours after I straightened things out. I could still see the lasting damage from repeated wear on that spot. Not many hoses can compete with the Expert Gardener on price, but for a step up in performance, the Giraffe Tools Hybrid is available in a wide range of lengths (starting at three feet), so you can pay just for the amount of hose you know you need. The Teknor Apex is also very lightweight and didn't cause as many kinking issues in our testing. It has a higher price tag than the Expert Gardener, but it is also of much better quality and will give you the most bang for your buck. However, unless you're comparing them side by side like I did, the difference in quality will be less pronounced, and the Expert Gardener will cover your bases for light watering jobs.

Read more: Expert Gardener Light Duty

Watering some plants on your back deck is a perfect example where a budget-friendly hose is all you need.
Credit: Hale Milano

An Excellent Premium Garden Hose with Super Long Options


Dramm ColorStorm Premium


86
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Convenience 9.0
  • Performance 8.0
  • Construction Quality 8.0
  • Variety of Options 10.0
Available Lengths: 50, 75, 100 ft, and custom lengths up to 330 ft | Available Diameters: 5/8 in, 3/4 in
PROS
Extra long and custom length options
Available in two diameters
Easy to handle and maneuver
Resists kinking and catching on obstructions
CONS
Expensive
Heavy

The Dramm ColorStorm Premium is another excellent hose. I like the Dramm for its variety of length and diameter options; I was able to customize the hose to my specific needs, whether that be watering the flower baskets on the back porch or reaching the farthest corners of my back lawn. With custom lengths up to 330 feet and two different diameters, I was able to pay for exactly the amount of hose I needed without having to overshoot the length and end up with a higher price and dealing with more hose than I would like. The Dramm has a unique hexagonal shape that differs from traditional round hose bodies, which contributes to its anti-kink design. All of our testers performed a manual kink test, and we all agreed this hose has a desire to lie flat no matter how much we pulled and twisted it. The hex connectors on both ends of the hose spin freely and screw on easily. They can also be tightened or loosened with a wrench.

Despite the bulk, one tester said, “This hose is surprisingly flexible and I didn't have any problems maneuvering it.” However, the size and weight of the Dramm may be a deterrent for some. Additionally, although the hex connectors were easy to screw on, we found that a half twist with a wrench was needed to really snug up the connections and prevent leaks, especially if you plan to leave the spigot on and control water flow with a valve or nozzle. The Dramm doesn't come with a nozzle — most of the garden hoses we tested don't — but we tested all our hoses with a popular Dramm nozzle found online. Overall, I'm neutral on the Dramm nozzle but very impressed with this durable and quality hose. If you're looking for something a little further down the price scale, the Flexzilla 5/8-Inch is another hose with various length options that does come with a nozzle, but most people will be happy to buy an aftermarket nozzle to get the best performance. If you're looking for a high-quality long hose, the Eley is the other model we tested that is available over 100 feet. Its options stop at 200 feet, so if you're looking for extra long hose lengths, consider the Dramm.

Read more: Dramm ColorStorm review

The Dramm and Dramm nozzle are a great combination of durability, flexibility, and ease of use.
Credit: Hale Milano

Garden Hose with Convenient Small Space Lengths


Giraffe Tools Hybrid


76
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Convenience 9.0
  • Performance 6.5
  • Construction Quality 7.0
  • Variety of Options 8.0
Available Lengths: 3, 5, 10, 15, 25, 50, 75, 100 ft | Available Diameters: 5/8 in
PROS
Multiple hose length options under 15 feet
Convenient to use
Easy maneuvering and handling
CONS
Lighter spray volume
Doesn't lay completely flat; stays in loops and twists

The Giraffe Tools Hybrid is a convenient-to-use garden hose that shines in areas where other hoses lack, namely shorter hose lengths. While larger yards may demand 100-foot hose lengths, the opposite is true for smaller yards or niche hose needs. Having just the right amount of hose can save space, reduce twists, kinks, and tangles, and make storing and maneuvering the hose much easier. The Giraffe comes in several length options, four of which are under 15 feet, and I greatly prefer this length for compact areas or gardens. It is relatively easy to use, and I found it to be just as easy to screw on as other top hoses in this lineup thanks to a large rotating rubber handle that slides over a hex brass connector. Myself and other testers all agreed that this design gives you the best of both worlds; a connector that's easy to screw on by hand but can be tightened or loosened with a wrench if needed.

Unsurprisingly for a tool as basic as a hose, not much else makes the Giraffe stand out, good or bad. Its spray is a little on the lighter side for a 5/8 inch diameter hose, and although it didn't kink frequently during testing, it does tend to fall into large loops and twists while I was dragging it around the yard or pulling it out of storage. The Flexzilla and Eley Polyurethane are two other options that are available in shorter lengths. The Flexzilla's shortest length is 3 feet, and the Eley comes as short as 6.5 feet. Overall, if you're looking for an above-average hose with shorter-length options for a small garden or a hose to permanently connect a spigot to a hose reel several feet away, I recommend considering the Giraffe.

garden hose - the giraffe hose is one of the most flexible and bendable hoses that...
The Giraffe hose is one of the most flexible and bendable hoses that we tested.
Credit: Hale Milano

Impressively Kink-Free Garden Hose


Bionic Steel


72
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Convenience 9.0
  • Performance 7.0
  • Construction Quality 5.0
  • Variety of Options 6.0
Available Lengths: 25, 50, 75, 100 ft | Available Diameters: 5/8 in
PROS
Impossible to kink
Lightweight and flexible
CONS
Tedious to coil and store
Slipping or tripping hazard
Can dent in some scenarios

The Bionic Steel is vastly different from any other hose I have used, and unique among the hoses the team tested for this review. These differences make it exceptional at resisting kinks and catching during use, which I appreciated. This steel-bodied hose slipped lithely around tires, trees, rocks, and more as I pulled it through the yard. It is also virtually impossible to kink. Lastly, despite being made from metal, I found it surprisingly lightweight and easy to carry and maneuver.

The Bionic Steel has an incredible propensity to lie flat, but the frustrating part is that it can be equally challenging to coil back up. The slippery steel slides all around, and I pinched my skin a few times when coiling it around my shoulders. It also slips out of the coils easily when storing it on a hook. All of this is less than ideal for storing in a compact garage where it might be bumped easily. If you leave it lying out in the driveway, the steel hose can create a bit of a slipping hazard; I accidentally stepped on it during testing and almost fell to the ground as it rolled out from under me. Several of the more traditional hoses our team has tested also resisted kinking, but unlike those many of those other models, we were able to drive over the Bionic without causing a major dent; just one small spot where a pebble was beneath the hose. The Eley and Dramm both actively resisted and rolled out of kinks, and the WaterRight was so snappy that it practically bounced out of kinks during testing. Still, if you're fed up with kinking, the Bionic Steel is a great hose that will slide around obstacles and leave those days of frustration and blocked water behind you.

garden hose - the bionic steel lives up to its name, and is virtually impossible...
The Bionic Steel lives up to its name, and is virtually impossible to kink.
Credit: Hale Milano

Compare Products

select up to 5 products to compare
Score Product Price
89
Eley Polyurethane
Best Premium Garden Hose
$220
Editors' Choice Award
86
Dramm ColorStorm Premium
An Excellent Premium Garden Hose with Super Long Options
$199
Top Pick Award
83
Teknor Apex Zero-G
Best Garden Hose for Most People
$68
Editors' Choice Award
76
Giraffe Tools Hybrid
$100
72
Bionic Steel
$60
70
Flexzilla 5/8-Inch
$70
70
Gorilla Extremelite Heavy Duty
$70
69
Water Right 400 Series Slim and Light
$105
66
Continental ContiTech Premium
$85
64
Briggs and Stratton 8BS50
$98
61
Swan MaxLite Premium Rubber+
$85
42
Expert Gardener Light Duty
Best Garden Hose on a Tight Budget
$11
Best Buy Award

garden hose - side by side we tested over 1,000 feet of hoses through countless...
Side by side we tested over 1,000 feet of hoses through countless hours of watering, gardening, and car washing tests.
Credit: Hale Milano

How We Tested


Here at GearLab, we are no strangers to uncovering the nuanced and often overlooked details that make products stand out. At first glance, a hose might seem like a straightforward product — how much really separates a great hose from an average hose from an underperforming option? As it turns out, not much, but some minor details greatly impact ease of use and performance. I tested these hoses throughout an entire summer, using them to water plants and bushes during dry spells, wash dirty cars, and cool ourselves off during a heat wave. I compared how easy they were to use, how convenient it was to coil and uncoil, to screw on and unscrew each. I monitored the performance of each and whether design features or construction impeded or supported a hose's ability to seamlessly deliver water from our spigot to our nozzle. I evaluated each hose model and the manufacturers to determine how many different options are offered with each hose; after all, some people might want a 25-foot option, while others need over 100 feet of reach. Lastly, I passed the hoses on to fellow testers who all took careful note of the construction quality throughout testing, noting any defects or faults.

We test for four key metrics:
  • Convenience (35% of overall score weighting)
  • Performance (35% weighting)
  • Construction Quality (20% weighting)
  • Variety of Options (10% weighting)

Hoses that kink or twist easily can make yard work even more tedious.
Hoses that kink or twist easily can make yard work even more tedious.
Every component of each hose was examined for its ease of use and performance across 15 unique tests.

Why Trust GearLab


If you're looking for unbiased reviews backed by research, data, and real-world testing, you've come to the right place. GearLab buys all the products we test at retail value, so there are no financial incentives to favor any brands or options. Our lead hose tester is a veteran at GearLab who has put many different yard tools and equipment to the test. Equipment collector and avid home project DIYer Hale Milano knows a thing or two about how the right tools can make or break a job. For anyone who's gotten soaked from a leaky hose or fought a tangle of twisted rubber, you know the right hose can make watering much easier. Hale has years of experience pulling heavy hoses through his front and back yards to water plants, fill the pond, and wash the car, and he was up for the challenge of testing our garden hose lineup.

Other Key Outdoor GearLab Reviews
We love gardening projects, and our homemakers have tested the best products to help you make the most of your home & garden. Whether you want to grow fresh herbs indoors or compost your kitchen scraps to give your garden beds a nutrient boost, our in-depth reviews offer expert recommendations for the best products for your next DIY project. If you need some help forecasting the weather for your outdoor garden, we've also rounded up the best weather radios, top weather stations, and rain gauges to keep you in the know on the conditions of your garden.

Analysis and Test Results


There are countless hose options on the market, and to the untrained eye, many are very similar in construction and design. We started our testing process by thoroughly researching top-rated styles, options, and models online. Once we had a feel for the industry's leading options, we selected the top 12 most promising garden hoses to compare side by side. We put each through a battery of tests designed to evaluate each hose's strengths and weaknesses objectively. We coiled, uncoiled, connected, sprayed, and drained each hose over several weeks in the summer heat. After objective tests and measurements, we rated each in their real-world performance as we used them to water plants, wash cars, and even cool off like kids in the summer. By the end, we had a feel for which hoses would leave you and your plants happy and which would not.

Worse Value
Better Value

What's the Best Value?


Even though hoses are relatively simple pieces of equipment, you can choose to spend on a vast range of price options. We selected our lineup to consist of the best hoses on the market, regardless of their cost. But when recommending hoses, we factor in price for our results and like to provide options for all budgets. A hose's overall value for what you get is an important part of the buying process. Generally speaking, the heavy-duty hoses tended to cost more than lighter-weight counterparts, and in most cases, it was clear that you get what you pay for. But, all the hoses in our lineup accomplished what a hose is supposed to do — move water from one location to another without leaks. With that in mind, any of the garden hoses in our lineup can accomplish that task, and you should feel empowered to choose the one that aligns with your unique buying position.

garden hose - hoses come in all different lengths, diameters, and some come with...
Hoses come in all different lengths, diameters, and some come with nozzles and valves; each of these can impact the performance and value you get for your money.
Credit: Hale Milano

The Teknor Apex Zero-G stands out as one hose that delivers on performance for a budget price. At well under half the cost of other top-scoring hoses in our lineup, it is only a few points behind the leaders in overall score. We felt the tradeoff was well worth it in savings, earning this hose its place as our most recommended option in our lineup.

garden hose - the teknor blends performance, convenience, and durability in a...
The Teknor blends performance, convenience, and durability in a budget-friendly design.
Credit: Hale Milano

While the Expert Gardener Light Duty was the lowest scoring hose in our lineup, the price of this hose was unmatched. For a tight budget, the Expert Gardener is enough to get the job done, albeit with a few compromises. The hose does tend to kink in use and those kinks do tend to leave a noticeable depression in the hose for a while after, but if a great price is what you seek, this hose meets the criteria.

Convenience


Our first priority was to evaluate how convenient each garden hose was to use across common hose tasks. We coiled and stored each hose numerous times to see if it wound up and hung nicely or twisted and fought the process. Then, we uncoiled and stretched out each hose to its maximum length, checking for twists, kinks, and tangles.

garden hose - when pressurized with water the teknor becomes somewhat stiff...
When pressurized with water the Teknor becomes somewhat stiff. Though that was surprising at first, it helped prevent kinking and made it easy for the hose to slide around obstacles.
Credit: Hale Milano

There were a number of hoses that scored equally well in our convenience test. We found that a few standard features helped hoses stand out here. Our top performers in the convenience metric were the Dramm Colorstorm Premium, Teknor Zero-G, Giraffe Hybrid, and Bionic Steel. All of these hoses were exceptionally easy to screw onto a spigot. They also lay flat when stretched out, making it easy to maneuver around your yard and obstacles.

The Eley hose is a close runner-up to these other top models. It is most impressive in its uncoiling and flexibility. It pulled straight out of any coil or storage pile and laid flat. It is also one of the most flexible and maneuverable hoses we used, despite its heavier weight.

garden hose - despite its size, the eley remains quite maneuverable.
Despite its size, the Eley remains quite maneuverable.
Credit: Hale Milano

A heavy hose may not be the most convenient to haul across your yard, though sometimes other perks outweigh this factor. To get a good baseline, we calculated the weight per foot of each hose.


Weight isn't everything, and though the Water Right 400 Series Slim and Light, Gorilla Extremelite, and Swan MaxLite Premium Rubber+ were among the lightest hoses in our lineup, our testers found they tended to twist during use, and the Swan MaxLite kinked up constantly. What really helped these hoses cinch the top score in convenience is how easy they are to screw onto a spigot. Screwing on a hose to a hard-to-reach spigot is a pain point for many hose users, especially those with limited dexterity in their hands. A user-friendly connector can make a world of difference in attaching a hose to a spigot without any leaks or stripped threads. Both the Giraffe and Teknor have oversized rubber or plastic attachments to the connector that spin freely around the rest of the hose, letting you firmly hand-tighten with ease. The Bionic Steel also has a large grip for this purpose. The Dramm is easy to screw on but only has a metal hex connector; if hand tightening results in any leaks, a small wrench could finish the job with a half twist. With the exception of the Bionic Steel, all of these models are quite easy to coil and store. The Bionic is almost too flexible and slips right out of coils when storing or wrapping it up.

garden hose - this slippery hose is challenging to keep tidy when not in use.
This slippery hose is challenging to keep tidy when not in use.
Credit: Hale Milano

Convenience is definitely a key factor in selecting a garden hose. How well it connects to a spigot, other hoses, and nozzles can change the user experience for better or worse. If you're dragging a hose through a maze of trees, shrubs, light posts, and car tires, you'll want an option that doesn't make the job more difficult.


Performance


While we tested the convenience of each hose to use across a variety of tasks, we simultaneously evaluated how well it accomplished each of them. This metric involved evaluating the hose's coil memory and whether it developed permanent kinks or flat spots from being repeatedly kinked or run over by a car. We scored hoses on whether the connectors and valves leaked or the design supported a snug fit. Lastly, although most hoses didn't come with a nozzle, we evaluated many models that did come with one. For the others, we used a standard nozzle. During use, we compared the spray performance across volume, pressure, and distance, noting how the length or diameter of the hose impacted this.

The Teknor Zero-G was once again one of the highest-performing models in our lineup. Thanks to the ergonomic connectors, there are no leaks when screwing on this model. Its fabric sheath prevents any sort of coil memory and helps it resist kinking and flat spots. It doesn't lie completely flat, but we didn't find this to be a negative; rather, it helped prevent kinks. Even when standing on this hose, water continued to flow. The Teknor had some of the best spray pressure and distance of any we tested.

garden hose - we noticed even when standing on the teknor water continued to flow...
We noticed even when standing on the Teknor water continued to flow, though pressure does diminish over time.
Credit: Hale Milano

Another excellent score in our performance metric was earned by the Eley. The large hex connector is easy to screw on and when only finger-tight, yields no leaks. Uncoiling the hose, it lies completely flat immediately, and is one of the most kink-resistant rubber hoses we tested. Even when trying to kink the hose intentionally, it tends to bend in a large loop versus falling into twists and kinks. The Eley also has great water flow and spray performance.

garden hose - we had no complaints about the flow rate and pressure of the eley...
We had no complaints about the flow rate and pressure of the Eley hose, despite its smaller 5/8" diameter.
Credit: Hale Milano

The Dramm also earned high marks for its performance. This model, possibly because of its hexagonal shape, has no coil memory and snaps out of kinks on its own. We also tested the Dramm with a nozzle by the same manufacturer and found that it has great spray performance. There was a slight leak from the female end of the hose when we first connected it, but a quarter twist with a wrench cinched the connector up to the spigot and stopped the leak.

The Dramm, and Dramm nozzle, make a great combination for everything from washing cars to filling water bowls.
Credit: Hale Milano

The Gorilla Extremelite Heavy Duty is yet another high-performing hose option. This hose also has no coil memory and lays flat wherever we pull it. Its design is different from most hoses; whereas others have a rigid structure, the Gorilla will flatten out when empty. It is almost impossible to completely stop the flow of water, even with a kink in it, but it does have a tendency to twist up on itself when empty.

The Gorilla collapses completely flat when empty, making it incredibly easy to coil.

We noted that especially the Eley Polyurethane, Dramm Colorstorm Premium, Teknor Zero-G, Giraffe Hybrid, and Bionic Steel actively resist kinking. We found that even forcing a kink in these hoses can be challenging, adding to their acceptable performance ratings. The Giraffe, in particular, only didn't score as highly as the others because of its much lighter spray for its size.

Even during our manual kink test the Dramm preferred to loop versus...
Even during our manual kink test the Dramm preferred to loop versus kink, a great feature that kept the water flowing easily.
We tried hard to foil the Bionic Steel, but its metal design...
We tried hard to foil the Bionic Steel, but its metal design rendered it virtually kink-proof.
The ability of hoses to resist kinks is critical for a pleasant experience.

When considering a garden hose, performance is certainly a key factor in deciding which to purchase. A hose that kinks constantly or has poor spray performance may not be the best tool for the job.


Construction Quality


It is immediately clear that the Eley has some of the highest construction quality and material standards of any hose we tested. Though we didn't factor it into our score, even the packaging and instructions for this hose were high quality. The hose is also made from thick materials, including solid brass fittings, which are much more likely to last than thin-coated fittings found on other models. The nozzle has separate screen attachments and spray tips for changing the water, as well as solid brass fittings and construction. If you need a hose nozzle that might survive the apocalypse — this is probably it.

garden hose - solid brass fittings are just one aspect that reflects the high...
Solid brass fittings are just one aspect that reflects the high quality of materials used in the Eley garden hose.
Credit: Hale Milano


The Dramm again found its way to the leader pack, thanks to a thick and durable construction. We are confident you could leave this hose outside year-round - provided it is drained appropriately - and it would keep functioning.

garden hose - even in long grass, the bright dramm hose stands out.
Even in long grass, the bright Dramm hose stands out.
Credit: Hale Milano


Lastly, the Continental ContiTech Premium is a very heavy-duty hose and another that we'd feel confident leaving outside around the clock. The durable brass fittings lend credibility to its construction quality, along with the fact that nothing we threw at it had any impact on its visual appearance or performance.

garden hose - the continental is another high performer, but very heavy for light...
The Continental is another high performer, but very heavy for light yard work.
Credit: Hale Milano

Because construction quality can be hard to evaluate over a short period of time, we judged each hose on its perceived construction quality. We noted whether there were any signs of wear and tear from our testing and day-to-day usage. We also left the hoses exposed to the elements. We tested hoses throughout the East Coast summer, exposing them to heat, humidity, rain, and direct sunlight. We recorded any impacts to the material from this exposure. Lastly, we factored in any noteworthy user reviews online that had similar findings for a hose rather than fluke occurrences.


Variety of Options


Hoses are available in a variety of options, and this is good as not everyone needs the same size hose. We studied manufacturer websites and recorded the different lengths and diameters of each available model. We also noted whether or not the hose came with a nozzle or whether one is available by the same manufacturer. Though we evaluated valves as a component of our testing, none of the hoses included an integrated valve. It's worth noting that regardless of the hose diameter — the measurement of the inner hose tube — all of the connectors utilize the standard garden hose connector threads.

Available Hose Lengths
 Smallest Available Hose LengthLongest Available Hose Length
Eley Polyurethane6.5 ft200 ft
Dramm ColorStorm Premium50 ft330 ft
Teknor Apex Zero-G25 ft100 ft
Giraffe Tools Hybrid3 ft100 ft
Bionic Steel25 ft100 ft
Flexzilla 5/8-Inch3 ft100 ft
Gorilla Extemelite Heavy Duty50 ft100 ft
Water Right 400 Series Slim and Light25 ft100 ft
Continental ContiTech Premium50 ft50 ft
Briggs and Stratton 8BS5025 ft100 ft
Swan MaxLite Premium Rubber+25 ft100 ft
Expert Gardener Light Duty25 ft50 ft

The clear leader in our lineup of garden hoses for its variety of options is the Dramm ColorStorm. It is available in four standard length options and custom lengths up to 330 feet. It also comes in two diameter options, ⅝ inch and ¾ inch, letting you tailor the hose you buy to your needs. Though the Dramm doesn't include a nozzle, the manufacturer makes a popular and inexpensive nozzle that is readily available.

The Dramm Hose and Dramm Nozzle combo are great; the nozzle includes 9 settings and an auto catch to lock it on.
Credit: Hale Milano

Standing out for the number of standard options, the Eley can be purchased in one of 10 different length options, from a compact 6.5-foot option to a whopping 200-foot model. It is only available in the ⅝ inch diameter size. The nozzle, though not included with the hose, also has plenty of options. A built-in ball valve controls the water flow. The cone nozzle has four different mesh inserts that let you change the water pressure, and a separate spray attachment varies the stream from a wide angle to a narrow jet.

Swapping spray styles on the Eley nozzle requires a bit more work...
Swapping spray styles on the Eley nozzle requires a bit more work than just twisting a dial like some models.
Different attachments for the Eley nozzle are great but slightly more complicated than twist-style nozzles


Both the Giraffe and Flexzilla 5/8-Inch hoses are available in a variety of sizes as well. The Giraffe is one of our favorites thanks to its plethora of shorter-length options. It comes in three, five, 10, and 15-foot segments and the standard longer length options. The Flexzilla also comes in three, five, and 10-foot options before jumping up to standard length options ranging from 25 to 100 feet. The Flexzilla is available in either a ⅝ inch or ¾ inch diameter, and it comes with a nozzle included. The nozzle is all plastic but includes a push button valve and six stream types.

garden hose - the included nozzle is a nice touch, but the push button tends to...
The included nozzle is a nice touch, but the push button tends to switch positions when accidentally bumped a little too easily.
Credit: Hale Milano


Most hose options range from 25-100ft. Anything less or more than that is worthy of note and can be very useful for the right job. Having multiple diameters can also be a perk, though most hoses we tested just come in a 5/8 inch option.


How to Choose a Garden Hose


What length of hose do you need?


Garden hoses come in a variety of lengths. If you are simply watering a few potted plants on your deck, a shorter hose may be sufficient. However, if you're trying to wash your car or water a larger garden or yard, a longer hose is the obvious choice for the job. Many hoses come in 25, 50, and 100-foot lengths, but certain options include longer and shorter varieties. Getting a good idea of how much hose you need will help you begin narrowing down your search.

Kink Resistance


To determine how important it is that your hose never kinks, think about how you will be using it. Will you be dragging it across a yard or simply moving back and forth along a flower bed near the spigot? In many cases, dealing with kinks and twists in your hose will be more of a hassle if you have to drag it through the grass or around car tires. If the space you are moving around in is much smaller, a kinked hose may be easier to deal with. Reaching over and fixing the blocked water flow may not be as much of a hassle. Ask yourself how important it is to you that you aren't having to fix an occasional kinked hose as you go about your work.

garden hose - an easily kinked garden hose can make for an irritating user...
An easily kinked garden hose can make for an irritating user experience.
Credit: Hale Milano

Durability


How often do you plan to use your hose? Will it be pulled over rocks and through shrubs? These are questions to ask when deciding how sturdy your hose needs to be. If you plan to use it occasionally along your porch or flower bed, finding a sturdy option may not be important to you. However, if this is a tool you'll need nearly every day, or you plan to pull it along over tree roots and rock or over driveways, solid construction may be on the top of your requirement list.

Other Considerations


Some hoses come with extra features, like an included nozzle or a shut-off, to allow you to switch nozzles. Some connectors are free-spinning, so you can connect your hose without it twisting up on you. The size and shape of the connectors will vary.

garden hose - included nozzles can simplify things, but you can always choose a...
Included nozzles can simplify things, but you can always choose a nozzle that suits your needs.
Credit: Hale Milano

Conclusion


At the end of the day, most people need a hose for washing the car and watering their garden or yard. For those purposes, almost any of the garden hoses in our lineup will get the job done. Still, if you want to know that you're spending your hard-earned dollars wisely or have some demanding hose requirements and want the best on the market, we hope that our hose review provides you with all the information you need to make a well-informed decision.

garden hose - we sorted through the maze of hose options available on the market...
We sorted through the maze of hose options available on the market to help you make the most informed decisions.
Credit: Hale Milano

Hale Milano