So, you want to buy the best garden hose? Good for you.
However, do you know what features you should look for while buying it? The odds are not going to be in your favor as you might end up getting the wrong hose.
To make sure that doesn’t happen at all, you might want to check the things you need to consider before buying a garden hose.
Table of Contents
Garden Hose Types
When everything has types and kinds, why will garden hoses fall behind?
There are different types of garden hoses available in the market. Each type has its own uniqueness and specialty. Decide first which type you want to go for.
Coiled Garden Hose
Coiled garden hoses basically have a coil-like structure. The best part about these hoses is that you can compress them very easily. These hoses are very compact in shape and can be stored in small spaces.
Expandable Hose
You can guess by the name; expandable hoses are best for those who want to expand their hoses up to an impressive length. Unlike the normal ones, expandable hoses can expand up to 3 times than its original length. They can be your best pick if you have a big garden or lawn and you want to water around each and every corner of your garden.
Lightweight Garden Hoses
Compared to others, lightweight garden hoses come at a cheaper price. Why do they stand out? Well, lightweight garden hoses are lighter in weight compared to others. The manufacturers use cheaper, lighter, yet strong materials to construct these hoses.
A lightweight garden hose is always easy to carry. But people buy them mostly because they offer you easy maneuverability.
Stainless-Steel Garden Hose
If durability is your key-concern, you should go for stainless-steel garden hoses. These hoses are made of solid stainless steel material, so you can say leaks and cracks goodbye. I mean, when is the last time you saw a solid stainless-steel hose has leaks?
Durability
Not just for garden hoses, you want longevity and durability for everything.
Well, the durability of your garden hose depends on a few things. I’ve discussed them in the sections below.
Brass Connectors
Brass connectors are one of those few things that determine the durability of your hose. Make sure the hose you’re buying has ¾-inches brass connectors. Go for the ones that are solidly built. If your hose has solid brass connectors, it will be safe from sudden pipe burst when there’s massive water pressure.
Burst Pressure
So, you know about the brass connectors. Now, there’s something else that you might want to check for escaping pipe burst. You can measure the strength of your hose in terms of burst-pressure or PSI rating.
The more the PSI rating, the more pressure your hose can withstand. Hoses with around 200 PSIs are the lower-quality ones. I would suggest you go for at least 350 or above.
Some hoses have 600 to 650 PSI ratings, and these are the bests. If you can buy a hose with 600 PSI, you’ll never experience pipe-burst again.
How Many Layers the Latex Pipe
The latex pipe of hoses has got layers on it. These layers protect the latex pipe from harms. Normally, typical garden hoses come with double layers. However, I won’t suggest you take those garden hoses.
Buy the hoses that have at least 3 layers on the latex pipe. You’ll also find hoses 4-layered ones which are the best.
Look for Anti-Rust and Anti-Corrosion Feature
Garden hoses tend to get rust and corrosion over the years. If you don’t want to see rust and corrosion ever again, make sure your hose has got anti-rust and anti-corrosion features. It will boost the durability of your hose.
UV-Resistant and All-Weather Feature
Of course, you’ll water your garden sometimes when there’s scorching sunlight. Don’t go for typical hoses that get tears, leaks, and cracks as the sunlight harm them. Get your hands on a hose that has got a UV-resistant feature.
Besides, a hose with all-weather features allows you to use it even under tough weather conditions.
Fabric
Hoses that have poor-quality outer-cover get leaks easily. That is why, when you’re buying a hose, you have to do your homework on the fabric quality.
The hoses that are made of 3750D or 5000D fabric are the most durable ones. These fabrics save your hose from all types of leaks and crack 24/7.
Length
Measure the length of your garden. If it’s big, you should get yourself a big hose. If it’s not, a small one will do the work.
Normally, you’ll find hoses that have the length between 25 ft to 100 ft long. Choose the hose that actually goes with the length of your garden.
Sometimes, people think that getting bigger is better. If you get a bigger hose while your garden is a small one, you have a chance of getting it wrapped and tangled all over your garden. So, choose wisely.
Diameter
Let’s talk about the inner diameter of your hose. Almost all garden hoses come with ¾-inch, five-eighths inch, and half diameters. Hoses that have a bigger diameter lets you have more water flow.
Nozzles
The nozzles are probably one of the most important things that come with garden hoses. The more the nozzles, the more the spraying patterns you’ll have.
I’ll recommend you go for the hoses that have at least 8-nozzle spraying patterns. However, the 10-nozzle spraying pattern hoses are the best ones.
You’ll get to choose your desired spraying style, and you can shower your pet, wash your car, clean your garage, and do a lot more things— other than just watering your garden.
Is it Drinking Water Safe?
Love to sip water from your hose? The typical ones produce water that comes with lead and germs. As a result, it’s not safe to drink them at all.
If you badly in need of a hose that allows you to drink water from it, make sure you get one that is drinking-water safe certified. These hoses offer you fresh and clean water with no existence of lead.
Wrapping Up!
Well, that was pretty much about the whole buying guide. I’ve covered all the most important points you need to know. I’m pretty sure if you’ve noted all these points and look for the features I talked about, you’ll find the best garden hose no matter what brand you choose.
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