Where to Buy a New Garden Hose

So after a summer of wrestling with your old garden hose you’ve finally decided to bite the bullet and invest in a new one. You’re tired of patching the leaks with duct tape. The bucket under the faucet that used to catch the constant dribble leaking from the loose garden hose fittings doesn’t help much now that the leak has turned into a spray, and you’re barely getting a dribble of water from the business end. Where do you go to buy a new garden hose that suits your needs? There are a number of options.

Hardware Store

Most hardware stores stock a few garden hoses in their gardening or yard department. Your selection will be fairly limited, though. They’ll probably stock the most popular sizes of cheap garden hoses, so if you’ll be happy with a 25 or 50-foot ½ inch garden hose, you may find what you’re looking for. If you want the extra watering capacity of a ¾ inch garden hose – which delivers twice the water per minute as a ½ inch garden hose – you may want to look elsewhere.

Big Box Home Store

The local big box home store will carry a larger selection in the garden hose department, but you’ll still be limited – and you’ll pay for the privilege of shopping with the big boys. Chances are that you’ll find other hose diameters, such as 5/8 inch garden hose and even 1 inch water hose, but the home and garden stores tend to offer lots of cheap garden hose products that will crack easily. If you do go the big box route, be sure you read the materials tag to find out what the garden hose is made of, and check to be sure that the garden hose fittings are made of heavy duty brass that won’t warp and bend.

Online Superstore

You’ll find a large garden hose selection at online superstores, but there’s no guarantee of quality. Many of the hoses available at these sites are imported from overseas and made with cheap materials and low standards. You may also find lots of novelty garden hose products, such as soaker hoses and coil garden hose, but you’ll often be buying cheap knock-offs or paying far more than you need to pay.

Online Specialty Garden Hose Supplier

Your best option for finding the right garden hose online is a company that specializes in selling garden hose products. Because their business is selling hoses, you’ll find a full selection of sizes, styles and types of garden hose so you’re sure to find exactly the one you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a drinking-safe garden hose, a heated garden hose, a coil garden hose or 1 inch water hose, this is the place to look. You’ll also find garden hose fittings, garden hose reels and other accessories and supplies to make your gardening life easier.

Is It Time to Replace Your Garden Hose?

The garden hose is a trusty tool and companion to any gardener or homeowner. Imagine your life without your trusty garden hose Without a good garden hose gardeners would have to haul water by the bucket and pour it out over each plant. Homeowners would have to find other ways to wash down their patios and walkways and rinse their automobiles. Cheap garden hoses from the home improvement store may get you through a season or two of watering and home maintenance tasks, but even the best garden hose gets tired eventually. When should you consider buying a new hose for your garden? These warning signs and suggestions can help you decide if you should replace your old garden hose with a new one even if it’s not leaking or obviously damaged.

The Garden Hose Fittings Are Worn or Bent

The best garden hose fittings are made of heavy duty brass that keeps its shape and doesn’t bend and warp easily under pressure. Cheaper garden hoses don’t have those features. The screw connector may warp out of shape, making it difficult to attach to the faucet. The poor connection to the faucet can cause leaks and reduce water pressure. If the fittings and connectors on your garden hose are bent and worn out, it may be time to replace the hose.

The Hose Is Worn at the Fitting

In addition, the fittings and connectors on better garden hoses are often attached with a collar that allows the connector to rotate easily when you’re attaching it to the faucet or to a sprinkler. Cheaper hoses don’t generally have that feature, and the hose can wear and break at the place where the plastic or vinyl attaches to the metal collar. While you can replace the collar and garden hose fittings, if the body of the hose is made of cheap vinyl, it makes more sense to replace your hose with a better quality ½ inch garden hose or ¾ inch garden hose and reap the benefits for years.

There Are Kinks in the Hose that Won’t Straighten

One of the biggest problems with cheap vinyl garden hoses is that kinks often set in permanently, especially if the hose remains bent in the hot sun or for more than a few hours. You can avoid stubborn bends and garden hose kinks that won’t straighten out by always storing your hose on a garden hose reel when it’s not in use. If your hose is already damaged, however, it’s  time to replace it with a higher quality, more forgiving garden hose