Last Updated on December 20, 2023
What is the best garden hose storage?
The short answer: it depends on your needs.
After reading this article you’ll discover the best garden hose storage option for you.
*This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any of the products I have recommended, I may receive a commission at no cost to you.
Why do you need a hose storage solution?
If you are a gardener or home owner, and bought a garden hose to water your garden and maintain your property, sooner or later a hose storage problem inevitably arises.
What to do with the hose after you use it?
If you just leave your hose laying on the ground, it will get ruined rather quickly from the harsh weather conditions, grass under the hose will turn yellow, and a hose will pose a tripping hazard. Additionally, you’ll still need to move it somewhere before mowing grass.
And let’s agree – it’s just unpleasant when the hoses are laying around. The untidy look chases all harmony and zen from your yard and garden away. 🙂
So, how to keep a hose off the ground and nicely hidden away? What’s the solution?
On the surface it seems quite simple: all you need to do is to get a hose holder/hanger or a hose reel.
But with so many products on the market it’s hard to know which one to choose.
That is why, first of all you should
Discover Your Hose Storage Needs.
In order to decide which hose storage option is best for you, answer the next questions:
- What is the length of the hose you need to store?
- How strong are your hands?
- Do you need to use the same hose with two or more outdoor water faucets?
- Is it important for you to use your own hose? (for example you want to use a true non-toxic hose, but automatic hose reels come with their own hoses for retraction to work).
- What’s more important to you: aesthetic or function?
- Do you value your time?
- What’s your budget?
Answered? Great!
You are about ready to pick the best hose storage solution according to your needs.
Hose Storage Options
There are different kinds of hose hangers and hose reels, and the best one for you will depend on your individual preferences (which you figured out by answering the questions above).
Hose holders, hangers, stands, and pots
There are plenty of garden hose holders and hose hangers to choose from to fit your budget and décor requirements. They can be made of plastic or metal and look plain or quite decorative. You can easily pick the one that fits your house color and style.
What unites them is that you wrap your hose on a hanger or place your hose in the holder manually, carefully winding or looping it for a neat look.
Here are some examples:
1. Wall mounted hose hanger
This type of hose hanger is often called a hose hangout, and you can get them for $5 in Home Depot or order an expensive one to decorate your house wall.
Sungmor heavy duty water hose holder/hanger
2. Metal stand hose holder with prongs
You just stick it in the ground by stepping down on the prongs. The advantage of this garden hose holder is the ease of installation and painless relocation when needed.
TomCare Garden Hose Stand/Holder
3. Copper hose pot
A stylish metal hose pot will blend nicely with your patio container garden and will keep your water hose neatly hidden after you finish watering your plants and flowers.
4. Hideaway garden hose container with a lid
Don’t like the idea of frogs and snakes crawling into your hose storage container? Then choose a hose pot with a lid!
Key West Hose Pot with Lid in blue verde.
Hose hangers and pots can be a great solution for storing a water hose (up to 75 feet) to irrigate your potager (kitchen garden) or your patio/deck container garden.
For hoses longer than 75 feet, I would recommend getting a hose reel, because winding your hose on the holder, or trying to fit it into the pot manually each day in summer after watering your garden gets old pretty fast.
Hose Reels
Hose reels can be
- Manual, where you crank your hose on a cylindrical spindle, or
- Retractable (automatic), where spring, battery, or motor is doing a hose winding for you.
Read related: Best retractable hose reels.
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Manual hose reels
Manual hose reels have a crank handle that assist you in winding your hose neatly on the spindle.
They will work well with longer hoses. And as long as you have a strong back and strong hands, they can be a good solution for your hose storage needs.
There are 3 kinds of manual hose reels.
1. Wall mounted manual garden hose reel
A wall mount hose reel with a crank featured below can hold up to 125 feet of water hose and allow you to pull your hose out easily for use. It looks quite ornate too!
Liberty Garden Wall Mount Hose Reel with Crank
2. Hose reel hidden in a stationary hideaway hose cabinet/box
This kind of hose reels often look outside like a sealed box with the crank handle on the side. Some of these reels in the box might have a crank that can be removed after use to keep your patio or deck design unspoiled.😊
Giraffe Metal Garden Hose Reel with Crank
3. Hose Reel Cart
A hose reel cart can have 2 or 4 wheels.
A hose cart with wheels provides convenience and maneuverability. If you have a cart reel with wheels you can use it on the other side of the house easily without needing to buy more hoses, or at least you can angle your cart in the direction of your garden for trouble-free hose unwinding and winding. Also a hose cart can be wheeled effortlessly to the garage to protect your hose in a sheltered place during winter time or hurricane warning.
Want to know more about hose reel carts with wheels? Learn it here.
Garden hose reel cart with wheels
4. Retractable garden hose reels
A retractable garden hose reel is the most convenient solution for your hose storage. Spring driven and battery operated retractable hose reels always come with the hose included: hose length usually ranges more or less from 65 to 115 feet.
You pull the hose from the box attached to the wall, water your garden, give it a tug and the hose winds itself back to the box. Easy-peasy-clean and neat! If you have weak hands (or if you want to save your time and your back) definitely get this kind of hose.
Gardena retractable hose reel – a perfect choice for people with arthritis.
It easily detaches from the wall and can be carried to the other water spigot on the opposite side of your house – very convenient all the way around!
There are also hose reels driven by electric motors. They plug into an electric outlet. This kind of hose reel can hold up to 500 feet of hose and is more suited for a commercial operation.
Which one of the retractable hose reels is the best? I wrote a whole article about it. Check it out!
How do you store an expandable hose?
One of the options for storing an expandable hose during summer time on your patio will be an expandable hose storage pot like in the image below. You can hide up to 300 feet of hose in it. You can get just one pot at Walmart online or on Amazon.
Alternatively, you can use a garden hose bin with a snap lid to keep your expandable hose well hidden. The water hose bin pictured below freely accommodates 100 foot expandable hose. It’s made in the U.S. and promises a 15 year warranty.
Mayne Inc Fairfield garden hose bin
DIY hose storage project
If you are into DIY projects and would prefer to make a hose storage rack by yourself, this YouTube video made by Hallmark Channel will show you how to organize your hose using an old wheel rim.
Related reading:
Learn more about the best gardening tools and products
Final thoughts on hose storage solutions
Here you have – best garden hose storage options.
Let’s recap. For a shorter hose – use hose hangers and holders, for longer garden hoses (over 75 feet) consider a hose reel. If you value your time – go for a retractable hose reel, If you have arthritis or weak hands, get a battery operated auto hose reel, and if you have a large property and garden, then maybe a motorized hose reel is what you need.
You have read:
