8 Best Garden Hoses, According to Plant Experts - Foshan BoldNavigator Group Co.,Ltd

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By Ebony Roberts

A reliable garden hose is essential for anyone who wants to maintain a healthy and thriving garden. Whether you’re tending to a small flower garden or a large vegetable plot, you need a hose that suits the job and your physical abilities, says Timothy Hammond, aka Big City Gardener, a Houston-based urban gardener and host of the "Just Grow It" podcast.

We spoke with Hammond and three other gardening experts to find the best hoses for different situations. From lightweight and easy-to-maneuver options to heavy-duty, high-flow picks and even a stylish, wall-mountable upgrade, these are the eight they recommend and use in their own backyards.

One thing all the pros emphasized: Store your new hose so it lasts longer. "Drain the water out of your hose when you’re finished using it," says Hammond, "And don't leave your hose kinked [because it] weakens the rubber over time." Instead, he recommends rolling it back up and storing it on a hose stand or in a weatherproof box, like this Rubbermaid one that Hammond likes. Plus, "Keep it out of direct sunlight, out of the elements and covered, and you’ll extend the life of your hose." Now onto the top picks.

$70 at The Home Depot

$82 at Walmart

The 75-foot Teknor Apex is your best bet if you need high water flow because of its 3/4-inch diameter, says Melinda Myers, a Milwaukee, Wisc.-based gardening expert, author and host of the Great Courses’ "How to Grow Anything" video series from. This hose is "heavy but durable, doesn't kink and really pushes water through even when moving it uphill," she says of the 16.3-pound hose. Made with commercial-grade crush-resistant couplings (the connectors on the end of a hose) with brass threads to prevent corrosion, it's a particularly sturdy choice. And since it comes in a high-visibility orange hue, the hose is easy to spot, preventing trips or a run-in with the lawn mower.

$103 at Amazon

The Dramm ColorStorm Garden Hose is "an outstanding choice," says Joe Lamp’l, aka Joe Gardener, a podcast host, author of "The Vegetable Gardening Book" and host of the PBS show "Growing a Greener World" based north of Atlanta, Ga. Lamp’l notes the hoses are "extremely durable, flexible and visible—mine have been serving my landscape and garden for over 15 years and [are] still as good as new." The hose is made from heavy-duty rubber with crush-proof, nickel-plated couplings that allow it to withstand frequent use in a variety of outdoor environments. It comes in several attractive colors (like red and a bright purple called "Berry") beyond the usual green or black options that can be hard to spot among tall grasses. It's hot water-resistant up to 160 degrees Fahrenheit and is designed to coil easily, even in temperatures as cold as minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit. The ColorStorm comes with a lifetime guarantee, and according to Hammond, it "lasts forever." It's available in 25- and 50-foot lengths, and in ⅝-inch and ½-inch diameters (the ⅝-inch 50-foot version weights 4.81 pounds).

$160 at Amazon

$210 Save $50

Water Right's kink-free, food-grade polyurethane hose is a favorite among professional gardeners like Myers and Lamp’l because it's designed to last and is a pleasure to use. "If art, function and quality became one in the garden, it would materialize as a Water Right hose," says Lamp’l. "The attractive earthy colors, the high-quality commercial-grade hose fittings and the durability put these hoses in a class all their own," he adds of the hose that he assures is "well worth the investment." The 600 Series hose is 100% BPA- and lead-free, which makes it drinking water-safe, according to the brand. The 5/8 inch diameter hose comes in 50, 75, and 100-foot lengths. Note that at 13 pounds for the 100-foot version, it's a particularly heavy option (though not the heaviest on this list).

$60 at Garrett Wade

This flexible stainless steel hose from Garrett Wade is a more maneuverable and easy-to-use option than the traditional, often cumbersome rubber hoses, especially if your water source is far from the garden. "I try to minimize my water use, but recent hot, dry summers have required me to water some of the beds that are pretty far from the house," says Myers. For this purpose, the Garret Wade hose "works great because it's lightweight and doesn't kink." The stainless steel glides smoothly across lawns and is also resistant to rust, corrosion and punctures, making it a good choice for areas with sharp objects like rocks or thorns. It's available in 75- and 100-foot lengths.

$56 at Amazon

$61 Save $5

$65 at Walmart

Indianapolis, Ind.-based author and host of The Gardenangelists podcast Carol Michel is a fan of the 5.6-pound flexH2O Lightweight Performance Hose; in fact, it's the only one she uses. "It's light enough for me to easily carry around with one hand and is flexible enough to hang without twisting," she says of the 75-foot hose that's made with a durable woven outer coating. "I can drag it all around to water and don't feel exhausted afterward because it is so lightweight." Pro tip: To keep it from kinking, she adds a Dramm Brass garden hose swivel to the nozzle end. "It's still not 100% kink-free, but when the hose does kink, it's easy to straighten."

$235 at Hoselink

Hoselink's wall-mounted retractable hose reel is a premium choice for gardeners who want a watering system that's easy to use and even easier to put away, says Hammond, who uses the 82-foot model in his garden. The hose itself is made of PVC with solid brass hose threads, while automatic rewind system allows you to reel the hose in with a light tug, eliminating the need to wind it up manually. The no-fuss reel features a unique fitting system that ensures a watertight connection between the hose and spigot to deliver a constant flow. Plus the reel sits on a 180-degree swivel, making it easy to point and drag the hose in the direction you need to water. The entire system weighs 30 pounds and has everything you need to water your plants, including an eight-pattern spray nozzle and hardware to mount the protective case to your wall. Another plus: it comes in both chic beige and charcoal hues, so it’ll blend in with many home exteriors.

$80 at Gardeners

The retractable Gardener's Supply Company Featherweight Coil Hose is perfect for small spaces or gardeners who need something that's compact and easy to maneuver. "What I like about this hose is that it's extremely pliable, so it can [expand] to 75 feet, but when you store it, it doesn't have that big of a footprint," says Hammond. Much like a big slinky, the hose stretches to its full length (75 feet), but the memory coil springs back to its original shape after use, reducing the risk of tangles—and saving you the effort of winding up a dirty hose. Though light and compact (it weighs just 4.1 pounds), it's made of durable, UV-resistant polyurethane that's both tough and flexible. The hose is also BPA- and lead-free and is drinking water-safe, according to the brand.

$26 at Amazon

H20 Work's flat PVC soaker hose is a favorite among professional and amateur gardeners alike. This one features weeping pores that steadily dispense water to roots without damaging plants (the way some sprinklers can). Why choose this type of hose? "Soaker hoses are great for watering in-ground or raised beds when you need to deliver the water down the entire length of the hose," says Lamp’l. "They’re also great for establishing newly planted trees where you want to ‘soak’ the root zone with a slow, even seeping of water."

This flexible hose can be placed exactly where it needs to be, either above ground or just under the soil, with a built-in hole gasket that filters out dirt and debris. It's also lightweight (the 50-foot version weighs 3.92 pounds) and UV-resistant, so it can handle sitting in the hot sun all day without deteriorating. The 1/2-inch brass connectors are compatible with other hoses if you need to connect it for more length, and it comes in 25- and 50-foot lengths.