The UK's bestExpandable Garden Hoses2022 Review

In the past, expandable garden hoses would have been the stuff of dreams. Imagine: owning a hose that reaches the end of the garden, but also tidies away neatly without leaving a coiled mess on the patio.

Luckily, times have moved on, and this Flexi Hose is capable of offering you just that. It arrives in a surprisingly small, compact box, but don’t worry – looks truly can be deceiving.

This garden hose packs down small, but can extend up to 30 m, firmly leaving the days of ‘not quite managing to reach the end border’ behind. Once you’ve finished using it, it will shrink down to 10 m, leaving nothing but an extremely manageable hosepipe to put away. All you need to do is shut off the faucet and spray out the remaining water.

Standard ¾” screw fittings come supplied, which are made of good quality brass, but you will need to buy a connector if you have an older ½” faucet.

The level of power provided by this hose is excellent, especially compared to other expandable models, and it comes with an 8-setting spray head – it’s just as useful for washing the car as it is for watering the plants.

Just two things to note: firstly, if you’re after a fine mister for your plants, you may want to consider purchasing a separate spray head – the mist setting can be a little powerful! Secondly, you do need to have at least 4 bars of water pressure available to get the most out of this hose.

The majority of hosepipes have a seam running down their centre, which can be a weak point liable to leaking; however, the LUFENG Expandable Garden Hose has been created seamlessly, eliminating this potential weakness.

The casing is made from 2200D polyester which is pretty heavyweight, protecting the hose from general wear and tear. This covering may catch and fray when pulled across rougher surfaces, so that is something to be aware of.

Whether you’re after a jet, cone, or shower, the 9-pattern spray head comes well equipped. You can easily move between pet cleaning, plant watering and car washing with a simple twist.

The hose head also gives the option to leave the spray on, which is an improvement on some other hose designs where you have to wear your hand out holding down the trigger.

Two connectors come included and the hose easily attaches to either a ¾” or ½” faucet.

It’s slightly longer than many expandable hoses, which often reach 30 m. This Lufeng hose expands all the way up to 45 m, and then shrinks down to 15 m when not in use.

Bear in mind, as is often the case with these hoses, that maximum extension will depend somewhat on your available water pressure. If you don’t have high water pressure, you may find that the hose retracts slightly when you hold the spray trigger.

One of the best things about expandable garden hoses is how much space they save in the garden. The Homeme Strong Expandable Garden Hose is no exception; it even comes with its own compact storage bag so it can be hung out the way.

When not in use, this Homeme hose measures only 10 m; even if you leave it out, it won’t get in the way. Once the tap is on, it extends to 3 times that length, giving you a reach of 30 m to play with – perfect whether you’re washing down patio furniture or watering the borders.

This hose also does a particularly good job of avoiding kinks and knots; trust me, you haven’t known pure happiness until you’ve managed to water your whole garden without running back to untangle the hose even once.

It’s light, weighing only 2.3 kg, and you don’t feel like you’re partaking in resistance-training as you move it around your garden. Even so, it’s still made of sturdy stuff.

It’s constructed from hard-wearing triple latex, has an elasticated outer coating, and features high-quality, sturdy brass fittings that are easy to connect.

If you have a hard-to-reach area in your garden and need further extension, you can even join two of these together or connect it to your existing hose.

A word of note: this may not be the right expandable hose if you are looking to connect it to your sprinkler. This Homeme model doesn’t feature an on/off valve meaning there’s no way to turn it off as you attach it to your sprinkler (and the tap needs to be on so that the hose stays extended!).

One recurring problem with expandable hoses is their lack of durability – they get put under a lot of strain, and some just can’t hack the pressure.

So, what’s the solution? Enter, TheFitLife Expandable Garden Hose.

This hose has been specifically designed for durability, with an upgraded core consisting of a whopping 13 layers of latex.

This hose extends up to 30 m, 3 times its original starting length. Yet it remains extremely lightweight, flexible and practical. It returns to its starting size in just a few seconds once the water has drained.

The elastic outer fabric is more durable than the casings generally found on expandable hoses; however, you do still need to take care dragging it across very rough terrain. That said, it will stand up well to regular usage, and can handle sharp corners too.

The brass connectors are of good quality, fitting well onto standard taps, and the 8-setting spray head includes a super-fine mist setting – perfect for delicate plants!

Bear in mind, there is a tactic for getting this hose to expand as much as possible: turn on the tap first, to allow the water to stretch the hose, before activating the spray head. Over time, this will encourage TheFitLife hose to extend further.

If you’re looking for a longer hose option, the HmiL-U Expandable Garden Hose should certainly be on your radar. It’s one of the best hoses for bigger gardens, making it easy to water the front garden too, measuring 45 m when extended.

There are shorter options available too, if you aren’t after quite so much reach.

Hmil-U have created a hose that is both durable, with sturdy brass fittings and a non-kink rubber interior, and flexible. It is still easy to navigate around the flowerbeds even with its reinforced design.

That said, some care needs to be taken around thorny plants and spikey gravel – despite its strong construction, it’s still not completely puncture proof!

The 9-pattern spray head offers a lot of power when needed, but is also capable of producing a light mist – perfect for delicate flowers and shrubs.

It’s worth pointing out that, due to its longer length, this may not be the best expandable hose for people who struggle with heavy lifting. Once filled, it’s one of the weightier options.

Finally, the connectors that come with this hose are screw fit. If you have ‘quick-release’ tap fittings, you may want to purchase an adapter to use with this hose.

The KETTOYA Expandable Garden Hose is less bulky than some other hoses, with a smooth outer casing that makes it extremely compact when not in use.

Like many other models, it’s capable of shrinking down to just 10 m. Yet, thanks to its streamlined casing, this hose packs away even smaller. It can be stored either in the supplied carry bag, or looped over the included wall hook.

A shut-off valve is fitted just under the spray head, which means the water can be turned off from the spray end. This useful feature means that the hose can stay expanded (which wouldn’t happen if you turned the water off at the source) whilst you connect other appliances (such as a sprinkler).

It is worth noting that an extra connector may needed to use this hose with a sprinkler; depending on your sprinkler, you might require a connector that changes the hose’s screw fitting to a ‘quick release’ one.

The spray head comes with 10 different spray settings – most models tend to come with around 8 – making this one of the top expandable hoses if you’re looking for range and versatility.

Another point in favour of this spray head is that it connects to the hose using brass fittings. Many expandable hoses connect to the spray head with a plastic fitting, which can prove to be a weak point over time.

If you’re hoping to use the included wall bracket, just be aware that you’ll need to provide your own mounting screws – but the likelihood is you’ve got a couple lying around anyway!

Owing to their construction, some expandable hoses wind up being pretty heavy. If you’re after something particularly lightweight, the HOSE-PRO Expandable Garden Hose has got your name on it.

It’s a durable and flexible hose pipe, manufactured using modern materials which lead to it weighing only 1.25 kg. Naturally, hoses get heavier when full of water, so starting with such a light base can be invaluable.

Like many other models, this lightweight garden hose has an expanded length of 30 m. It automatically returns to its original length when empty of water, making it simple and quick to stash away.

Whether you’re watering plants, cleaning the patio or hosing out the guttering, you’ll find a suitable setting with the HOSE-PRO’s 8-option spray head. It is also generally long enough to reach from the back garden to the driveway, perfect if you’re looking for something to make car cleaning easier.

One thing to bear in mind is that this hose’s casing is bulkier than some other options, meaning it takes up a touch more space. It has sometimes been known to fray as well, especially when used repeatedly over rough ground.