The UK's bestGarden Hose Reels2022 Review

Anything that helps a gardener save time is a valuable asset in the garden, and the Hozelock Auto Reel Hose certainly makes light work of what can otherwise be a frustrating and time-consuming task.

Automatically reeling in 20 m of hose, and winding it on to the wall unit without tangling or kinking, this popular auto-reel saves time and effort. The result: a neatly stored hose in minutes.

It also has a hose stopper that automatically locks as you pull the hose out, meaning you can extend as much or as little as required.

When positioned on the side of the house, the long Hozelock Ultramax hose is well equipped to reach both the back garden and front driveway. Perfectly suited to both watering plants and washing the car.

The quality hose pipe is a three-layer, anti-kink hose that comes with a spraying nozzle. It has a variety of adjustable spray settings, making it easy to change between jobs

It’s worth noting that this is a large hose reel that does take up quite a bit of space – certainly something to bear in mind when considering if it’s the right product for your garden. The reel casing measures 27 x 66 x 55.5 cm, which is bigger than some other models.

Installation can also be a bit of a challenge; at 16.4 kg it’s not the lightest of units and it needs to be fixed to a very hard wall to make sure it stays in securely.

Overall though, it’s one of the best garden hose reels on the market. The hose pipe and casing are robust and high quality, and the mechanism works as you would expect. It makes managing a 40 m hose as simple as possible and comes in at a reasonable price.

If you’re working with limited space, you might be wondering if there are more compact units available. The VonHaus Auto Rewind Wall-Mounted Hose Reel measures 41 x 40 x 20 cm which is significantly smaller than some other models.

It also doesn’t cost as much, possessing many of the same features as some of the best garden hose reels on this list, without the eyewatering price tag.

The hose is 20 m long, which accounts for the smaller unit, yet still offers sufficient reach for small gardens and medium spaces. Less force is required to pull out the hose than with longer models, and it extends smoothly. It retracts neatly into the drum after use, although you may need to coax the hose slightly as it begins to fill up the casing.

Turning off the water flow and emptying the hose fully helps encourage it back into the drum. The small unit size works wonders for being discreet in the garden, but can be a snug fit for the hose! That said, it’s more than capable of winding up neatly and fairly evenly with no twists or kinks.

Weighing 8.1 kg, installation is relatively straight forward; however, the included pieces of mounting hardware are only just up to the job. To avoid any future disasters, it might be an idea to use stronger bolts.

By way of conclusion, this is one of the best garden hose reels for smaller spaces. A longer hose pipe may be required for some jobs, but 20 m is still sufficient for a lot of gardens. The wall unit is a compact size and this is also one of the cheaper hoses featured here.

The Gardena Wall-Mounted Hose Reel is a lighter unit than some other models, making for slightly easier installation. It weighs just over 9 kg which, for reference, is significantly lighter than Hozelock’s 16 kg hose reel. It still measures roughly the same, at 55.9 x 68.6 x 27.9 cm, and contains a marginally shorter 35 m hose.

Seeing as these garden hoses should be stored away in winter to prevent damage from freezing, a lighter unit like this may appeal to some, making the notion of the bi-annual job a bit less daunting.

Where the Gardena hose reel really comes into its own is with its premium quality fixings. These hold the bracket on the wall safely and firmly, easily supporting the reel. This attention to detail perhaps explains why it’s one of the more expensive hoses on this list.

Like most auto-reel hoses, it swivels through 180° which helps prevent kinking and damage to the hose. It also means the unit can be folded back against the wall neatly to save space.

The included Gardena hose features a spray nozzle and an on/off valve. This makes it infinitely easier to connect the hose to a sprinkler system, as well as adjust the water pressure from the hose itself rather than just the garden tap.

A final thing to note: unlike some other garden hose reels, this Gardena model has pre-set intervals where the hose will lock. This means that as you are extending the hose, you need to pull it out to one of these intervals before it will lock in place. You may occasionally, therefore, have to pull out more than the desired length.

The Umi Auto Rewind Garden Hose Reel comes from a lesser known brand, yet it’s a reliable hose with a surprising number of attachments included for such a reasonably priced item.

It comes with both a spray nozzle and spray gun, leaving you with plenty of options. Whether you’re washing the car, watering the plants, or even cleaning your dog,  there’s a spray setting for the job. In fact, there are 9 to choose from, including flat, centre, cone, full, fog and jet.

When it comes to the hose itself, the manufacturing is of noticeably good quality; the 25 m hose pipe consists of 3 wear-resistant layers which help protect it from the elements and high water pressure.

The automatic rewind system works well, neatly storing the hose in black, understated casing. Occasionally, there may be some resistance when pulling the hose pipe out, but a little bit of coaxing easily does the trick.

Whereas many garden hoses have more durable metal fittings, the Umi has plastic connectors. The tap connector, and fittings for the hose, nozzle and spray gun are all plastic . However, overall, the price-to-quality ratio for this wall mounted reel seems well balanced.

Whilst some people love the bright colours of gardening equipment, there are others who cry out for something a little more understated. If you find yourself in the latter category, you’ll be pleased to know the TRESKO Auto Garden Hose Reel has got you covered.

It’s a 30 m black hose pipe that’s tastefully stored in modern, light grey casing. Whether you have light garden furniture, white-painted walls, or just a desire to keep things more contemporary, this hose reel has a refreshing design that will do the trick.

With a strong reel mechanism, the 30 m hose retracts easily and is quickly stored out of sight. The integrated hose guide helps keep things tidy as the hose rewinds and it’s best to keep hold of the hose to walk it in – the reel is powerful! There is some resistance when extending the hose, so the only thing is to make sure that you’re prepared for a bit of an upper-body workout.

Also handy for those who want something hassle-free to assemble, this is one of the best garden hose reels to get up and running in mere minutes. Although the instructions could be clearer, the process is straight forward. It comes with wall brackets and an adjustable spray nozzle included so you can get watering straight away.

With a 15 m and 30 m option, Alfresia’s Auto Hose Reel is a great option for smaller gardens.

The reel has a reliable, and fairly powerful, winding mechanism, making it well suited to use in small spaces and on terraces; it cleanly stores the garden hose away in a neat casing that measures approximately 55 cm in diameter.

Of course, non-drip connectors are a must-have when it comes to garden hoses – keeping water bills down and generally making watering jobs easier. The Alfresia hose reel and hose have all brass fitting; on the spray gun, hose end and tap connector. These are robust and durable, much like the spray gun itself which is also made from metal.

Storing the reel away over winter is as simple as lifting it from the wall bracket, and both size options are relatively light, with the 15 m design weighing around 7 kg.

This is one of the cheapest reels on the list, and as a result it may not be quite as smooth in operation as some of the more expensive models. The hose can sometimes require a bit of persuasion to unravel, and to avoid damaging the unit or surrounding objects the hose should be walked in as the reel winds when putting it away.

One further thing to note: the feeder hose provided, to connect the reel unit to the tap, is a little short – measuring only around 2 m instead of the advertised 3 m. Just something to bear in mind whilst considering where to place your garden reel.