10 Best Expandable Garden Hoses – [2020 Reviews & Ratings]

Having a garden also means having to store garden tools, like a hand rake, shovel, pruners, and garden hose (Source).

While traditional garden hoses might be difficult to store, the best expandable garden hoses allow you to have the length of a regular hose with the compactness of a smaller hose in storage.

An expandable garden hose, or expanding garden hose, functions much like a traditional hose. The difference is that it is able to extend up to three times its original size when in use. All you have to do is secure it to a normal faucet and turn it on.

Expandable garden hoses have an outer tube and inner tube. When water pressure barrels through the inner tube, it expands, extending the outer tube as well. When the water turns off, the expandable garden hose contracts to its original length (Source).

Expandable garden hoses come in either 25, 50 or 100-foot lengths, but can sometimes be longer. They’re perfect if you have limited storage but extensive gardening needs. Expandable garden hoses also don’t tangle as much and are often more durable. If you’re a gardener or just someone with a yard, an expandable garden hose could be right for you.

Prior to purchasing an expandable garden hose, you’ll want to consider what length you need. You’ll also want to consider its weight, portability, and if it comes with attachments like a spray nozzle. 

Next time you water your plants, do it with one of these top-rated expandable water hoses.  

What Is The Best Expandable Garden Hose?

Based on our research, the TBI Pro is the best water hose for gardening since it is made of highly durable fabric, has an anti-leak system and rust-free connectors.

What Is An Expandable Garden Hose?

Expandable garden hoses are similar to standard garden hoses but are designed to expand up to 3 times their original length when water pressure is turned on and to shrink back to their original length when the pressure is off.

The flexibility of expandable garden hoses allows them to be self-draining, and they are less likely to kink or twist than traditional hoses.

Expandable hoses are available in lengths ranging from 10 to 200 feet. Even longer lengths of expandable hose are typically lighter than traditional hoses which are usually available in 25, 50, or 100-foot lengths but are heavier.

How Much Does an Expandable Garden Hose Cost?

The price of an expandable garden hose can range from less than $10 up to $150. The difference in price is determined by a few factors, including the length of the hose, the materials used, and the quality of construction of the hose.

There are a variety of expandable hoses made for different purposes, from personal home use to industrial applications. Many of these applications are unnecessary for a common garden hose.

A typically expandable hose would be constructed of layers of latex with a nylon shell to handle heavy water pressure, provide sun and weather protection, as well as a balance between puncture resistance and flexibility.

Check Out The 10 Best-Selling Expandable Garden Hoses

Reviewing Our Top Picks

1. TBI Pro Garden Hose Expandable and Flexible – Best Overall

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The TBI Pro Garden Hose Expandable, from its outer material to its inner aspect, is the best expandable garden hose for a myriad of home activities.

Outside, it is made of 5,000 deniers of the woven casing, which protects the inner tubing from punctures and sun damage. Meanwhile, its inner triple latex layer prevents easy bursts and leakage from the hose.

Additionally, it comes with solid brass fittings that are ¾ inches and fits nearly all the standard faucets. It also has a shut-off feature that controls water flow and an 8-pattern sprayer, a hose hanger, and extra washers.

2. Titan Expandable Garden Hose – The Best Flexible Garden Hose

The Titan expandable garden hose is a highly versatile tool to give you complete control over watering operations. This excellent watering hose comprises of brass connectors with polyester webbing that keeps it extremely sturdy.

Not to mention, the expandable feature that lets you change its size up to three times its size. Such features make it suitable for various types of water pressure levels without ruining the product.

Despite the intricate fittings, the Titan expandable garden hose is quite lightweight and flexible. The manufacturer even claims that it will not tangle, twist, or kink at all. For high-end precision, the brass fittings work miraculously to spray water right at the targeted area.

3. Grow Green Heavy Duty Garden Hose – Best Heavy Duty Expandable Hose

The Grow Green Heavy Duty Garden Hose is a good tool that eases your gardening and lawn watering needs. It is a 50-foot capacity hose with no doubts of kinks, twists, and tangles. Additionally, it is super flexible and easy to store.

Moreover, it measures 17 feet initially and contracts to its original size as soon as the water is turned off. The construction of this expandable garden hose involves a resistant latex interior for ascertained durability, too.

Lastly, it features a heavy-duty spray nozzle with eight adjustable watering patterns, a shut-off valve, storage sack, and a reel hanger.

4. Pocket Hose Ultra Expandable Hose – Best Residential and Commercial Garden Hose

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With a maximum length of 75 feet, the Pocket Hose Ultra Expandable Hose is the best expandable garden hose for both commercial and residential uses. It is also three times stronger compared to other garden hoses of the same caliber.

Additionally, it comes with an accordion design, built with a revolutionary dura-rib inner tube and an outer pocket-hose dura-rib hose for ascertained strength. Moreover, it features an amber tip seal with tightly sealed connectors that adds on its strength and durability.

Lastly, it is lightweight, easily fits small spaces, and kink and tangle-resistant.

5. Joeys Garden Expandable Garden Hose – Best Multipurpose Garden Hose

The Joeys Garden Expandable Garden Hose is a heavy-duty garden hose best for multipurpose uses. It features brass connectors, a nozzle, a spray, and valves made of premium materials and fabrics.

Hence, the hose will not easily leak, rust, or crack, providing a longer-lasting experience. It is also easy to use. By turning on the faucet, the hose expands up to 50 feet but shrinks down once turned off.

This hose is perfect for watering lawns, washing pets, and cleaning your cars. It is built to work with minimum water pressure of four bars and maximum of eight bars.

6. Ohuhu Expandable Garden Hose – Best Conventional Garden Hose

The Ohuhu Expandable Garden Hose is the perfect choice if you are looking to get some respite from constant winding and unwinding of your garden hose or are tired of lugging long hoses.

It is made of a durable double latex interior that ensures the garden hose expands to its maximum length from 17 feet underwater pressure. It also doesn’t get tangled, twisted, or kinked when in use.

Additionally, it is easy to carry around, use, and store as it requires minimal space. Moreover, it comes with a high quality spray nozzle with eight adjustable patterns among other bundled accessories.

7. Get Hosed Expandable Garden Hose – Best Strong Expandable Hose

If you are looking for a flexible yet strong hose as standard garden hoses, the Get Hosed Expandable Garden Hose is a great choice. Supporting its strength is its indestructible dual latex inner layer that prevents easy breaks, kinks, or links.

This model is a fifth of the weight of a standard hose. It is also overly compact and easy to store or travel with. Hence, it is a great tool for use with a boat or RV.

Concerning the hose fittings, it features the best indestructible brass fittings that prevent leaks from connections. It also has a shut-off valve that easily controls water flow, an 8-way sprayer, and two-way Y splitter.

8. 1byone Flat Garden Hose – Best Functional Garden Hose

If you are purely focused on functionality, the 1byone Flat Garden Hose would be the best expandable garden hose to consider. It is super durable, owing to the high-quality polyester exterior make that resists wear and tear.

Additionally, its solid brass 0.5-inch brass connectors, with inner rubber washers, guarantee ultimate water leakage protection and long-term durability. It is also long enough to facilitate all the garden and lawn activities such as watering plants, washing driveways and cars, and cleaning exterior windows.

It comes with a 7-function spray nozzle that is easy to select and a one-year warranty paired with a 30-day money back guarantee.

9. Titan Expanding Garden Hose – Best High Performing Garden Hose

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The Titan Expanding Garden Hose is better described as the snake version of a high-performance expandable garden hose with great durability and working strength. Its fully functional design makes it perfect for everyday use.

Moreover, it is amazingly lightweight, considering its 150 feet length. It is also overly flexible, crush-proof, and leak-resistant. Likewise, its hose features durable construction and efficient design for heavy usage.

Furthermore, it features extra solid and heavy-duty brass fittings that are easy to attach and detach. Apart from the 30-day money back guarantee, manufacturers provide a one-year special warranty, too.

10. Golden Spearhead Expandable Garden Hose – Best Hose for Pressure Washers

Pressure washers are known to deliver exemplary pressures. They are capable of bursting water pipes or garden hoses. The Golden Spearhead Expandable Garden Hose is a good garden hose of choice to use in such cases.

It is lightweight and extra flexible, which makes it easy to attain optimal control, comfort, and much durability. It also expands up to 50 feet with normal water pressure.

Meanwhile, its super strong brass connectors are heat and rust resistant. This minimizes leaks and other resultant problems. Lastly, its ¾-inch shut-off valve makes it easy to control water flow and minimize wastage.

How Does an Expandable Garden Hose Work?

Expandable garden hoses are constructed in two layers. The inner layer is typically made of an elastic material such as latex. The outer layer is commonly made from a protective fabric such as nylon.

One end of the hose is equipped with a shutoff valve, while the other end is connected to a common garden faucet or spigot. With the valve closed, as water flows through the hose, it expands up to 3 times its original length as the pressure builds inside.

Once the collapsible hose has expanded to its full length, the shutoff valve can be opened, and the hose will function like a typical garden hose. When the water pressure is turned off, the hose will drain and shrink back to its original size.

Most Common Issues People Have with Traditional Garden Hoses

• They are heavy: The weight of a garden hose won’t be a concern for people who spend enough time working out at the gym. For the rest of us, watering our garden shouldn’t be a strenuous workout. Many traditional garden hoses are simply too heavy.
• Wrapping them up: Unless you intend to leave a tangled hose mess sitting around your yard on a permanent basis, you need to wrap up your hose. For long and heavy garden hoses, this can prove to a big chore. If you don’t have your strong neighbor ready to help you wrap up your hose, you should consider getting a hose which is easier to wrap up.
• Water Flow Blockage: Unraveling your hose only to see that water is flowing through is a very common problem. When the hose bends at a certain point, it can take away the entire flow of water. It is common for water flow blockage to occur several times over the course of a typical 15-minute running time.

What is an Extendable Garden Hose?

Extendable garden hoses are just like a traditional garden hose, except they are lighter, easier to wrap up, and don’t have problems with tangles and bends in the hose.

The idea for an extendable garden hose resulted from the issues we described above. Hose owners began complaining, and manufacturers started listening. Today, extendable garden hoses are affordable enough for any budget range.

Features of the Best Extendable Garden Hose

You should never purchase something without being aware of what features to look for. The more research you do, the more likely you will be happy with the product you receive.

Keeping the above ideas in mind, let’s go ahead and break down the features of a high-quality extendable garden hose. Here are the top factors to keep in mind if you want to find the best extendable garden hose possible.

Weighs Much Less than a Traditional Garden Hose

When you purchase an extendable garden hose, make sure that the weight of the entire hose is light enough for you to easily handle. In any case, it should be 4 to 6 times less than the weight of that traditional garden hose you have sitting around.

Expands When Water Turns On, Contracts When Turned Off

This is a feature that you can expect from any extendable garden hose, but make sure that that the hose will extend at least 3 times its original size when the water turns on. When the water goes off, the hose should automatically revert back to its original length.

No More Water Flow Blockage

When you get an extendable garden hose, it’s also time to say goodbye to the tangles and bends which block the water flow. This is usually accomplished by including flexible material inside the hose, making it so the hose naturally fights tangles and bends.

High-Quality & Strong Connectors

If you purchase an extendable garden hose that connects to your water with a plastic connector, you will only be increasing the risk of developing a leaking problem.

Plastic parts simply should not be used at the connector. When shopping for an extendable garden hose, make sure the connector is made with strong materials like brass, stainless steel, aluminum, and so on.

Quality of Tube Material

Not all extendable garden hoses are made with the same materials. A high-quality extendable garden hose will be made with latex or TPC.

If you notice that your top option doesn’t contain one of these materials, do a little more research. It is also possible to find a specially-designed hose with a unique type of material.

Things to Consider Before Buying an Expandable Hose

There are endless models of expandable garden hoses. Having decided that you will buy an expandable hose over standard hoses, finding the right model requires that you put into consideration some factors.

Outlined below are some of the things to look for as you narrow down to find the best hose for your use.

Type of Hose Materials

Compared to standard hoses, expandable hoses are often blamed for their lack of durability. This issue was true with initial models.

However, with current advancements, there are sturdier materials and more efficient construction techniques that improve the hose’s durability as well as prevent leakage. Some of the common hose materials include:

Latex core

Latex is a common natural rubber material commonly used in making gloves and other protectants. The stretchy nature of latex makes it a good material for expandable hoses, too.

Some expandable hoses have two to three layers of latex in their interior aspect, which allows them to easily expand and contract without leaks. However, note that with the increasing number of layers come inflexibility.

If the outer material is made of heavy and sturdy material, a double-layered latex garden hose can be perfect. Triple-layered core hoses can handle heavy water pressure, but they’re less flexible.

TPC core

Lengthily known as thermoplastic copolyester, TPC is a common material used for expandable garden hoses. They are extremely heat-resistant and often used in making industrial tubing. They are also quite durable, even when used as a single layer material.

Compared to latex, TPC is less common as they tend to be pricey. They are also comparably less durable than latex.

Nylon shell

This is the industry standard for an expandable hose’s outer shell fabric. This prevents puncture or sun damage risks to the inner shell. Nylon shell easily contracts and easily sheds water; thus, it is good against mildew and mold issues when stored.

Garden Hose Fittings

Expandable garden hoses offer a myriad of options when it comes to hose fittings. These could be aluminum, brass, or plastic fittings.

Overall, brass is the most commonly used hose fitting material. This is perhaps attributed to brass being overly durable even with constant water exposure. Additionally, brass doesn’t easily rust and the oxide layer that develops over time isn’t harmful to the metal.

Meanwhile, mid-range expandable garden hoses have aluminum fittings that significantly reduces the weight of the hose. Good aluminum hoses ensure that the fitting doesn’t easily bend or dent when connected to the faucet.

On the other hand, plastic hose fittings are slowly being phased out. Their only advantage is being affordable but may require frequent replacement.

Usage

Garden hoses can be used for various tasks. If you are looking for something to occasionally wash your car with, consider a short garden hose that will be adequate. Similarly, if you are in need of an expandable hose for gardening or lawn activities, find something longer that holds up more stress and more water.

Note that as the length of the retractable garden hose increase, the risks of puncturing also increases. This explains the reason why most models have triple layers for long hoses with nylon shells.

Sprinkler

If you intend to use it with a sprinkler, consider expandable hoses with a shut-off valve. This will make it easy to operate.

In case, if you need sprinklers that get turned on automatically when nearby motion is detected, consider buying the best motion activated sprinklers. This is what makes a great extra layer of security for your home.

Storage

Traditionally, hoses are left lying on the lawn or backyard. However, expandable hoses require storage locations due to its nylon cloth exterior. The storage area should have sufficient airflow to enable the hose to dry fully. It should also be covered to prevent sun damage.

Water Pressure

Expandable hoses perform well with standard home water pressures. However, if your water pressure is generally low, your hose may not be that effective. Likewise, extremely high water pressures call for high-water pressure rated hoses to prevent bursts.

Warranty

Manufacturers often provide a warranty as a sign of confidence in the quality of their product. Always go for a product that comes with a long warranty in case of defects.

FAQ’s About Expandable Garden Hoses

Q: What Size of a Garden Hose Should One Buy?

Traditional hoses were available as 25 feet, 50 feet, and 100 feet. However, depending on the size of their yards, most people prefer 25 to 50-foot long hoses. This is because longer hoses were heavy and annoying to be lugged around.

Those with large yards required more than one hose joined together with a coupler to reach great distances from the spigot. Expandable hoses, on the other hand, eliminated the need for having short hoses for ease of use.

Expandable hoses length range from 10 to 200 feet. While most people may not require extra-long pieces, choosing longer lengths of hoses isn’t limited by the weight factor. Even with additional length, expandable hoses are not as difficult or heavy to move as their bulky counterparts are.

Q: How Long Do Garden Hoses Last?

A good hose should last five to 10 years. Unfortunately, due to maintenance issues, many people have to replace their hoses every year. This is both expensive and annoying. To help ensure you avoid rot, cracks, and leaks and prolong the life of your garden hose, here are a few maintenance pointers.

Avoid extra-long hoses: Although an extra-long hose might seem advantageous at first because it can reach all the places you intend, the downside is that it is harder to move around and store. Also, the longer the hose, the easier it is to yank, twist and snag it.

Avoid Using the Spray Nozzle to Drag the Hose: Whenever you drag the hose by the spray nozzle, you weaken the coupling where the hose and the nozzle connect. This contributes heavily to leaks. It is always advisable to pull the hose itself instead of the nozzle.

Ensure You Drain the Hose After Use: To drain the hose, turn off the water at the spigot. Then, turn on the spray nozzle until you have expelled all the water.

In Between Uses, Always Try to Roll Up the Hose: Often, people leave the hose in a pile after use. This creates kinks and is the starting point of cracks and tears. It is advisable always to use a hose reel. If you do not have a hose reel, then you can continuously loop the hose around an empty trash can.

Q: Can You Connect Two Garden Hoses Together?

Yes, you can connect two garden hoses as long as they already have standard fittings. All you have to do is screw the male connector of one hose to the female connector of the other hose. Alternatively, you can purchase the required screw-on connectors.

Q: How Do You Repair Hose Leaks?

Often, a hose will throw a leak just as you are about to use it. Here are the three common types of hose leaks and how to repair them.

Pinhole Leaks: First, ensure the area is dry. Then, apply a thin layer of either rubber cement or the kind of glue used in the repair of bicycle inner tubes. Wait until the glue or rubber cement is dry. After that, use a self-fusing silicone rubber tape to wrap the area tightly.

Large and Recurring Leaks: For such leaks, you must purchase a splice repair kit that goes for less than $15. Usually, the kit contains two slip-on clamps and a brass connector. Cut the hose’s damaged section and soak each of the cut ends in hot and soapy water. Slip a clamp on one of the cut ends, insert one end of the brass connector, and tighten the clamp. Repeat the process for the other side.

Leaks at The Point Where the Hose Attaches to The Spigot: With this leak, you must first check the coupler. If the rubber washer is missing or damaged, replace it. However, if it is the coupler itself that is damaged, replace that one.

Ready to Buy The Right Expandable Garden Hose?

Expandable garden hoses are ideal gardening tools if you engage in a lot of lawn or garden watering. A retractable garden hose is also good for washing homes, vehicles, and other hose activities. For the best expandable hose to be effective, consider an expandable hose that is sturdy, lightweight, has proper fittings, and budget-friendly.

Our expandable garden hose review will help you find the right collapsible hose. Expandable garden hoses help plants get the water they need. Also, check out our guide of motion activated sprinklers. If you need to untangle a knotty hose with ease, consider having an automatic garden hose reels.