Top 5 compared
The best hose reels
A hose left in a heap kinks, cracks in the sun and trips someone up; a reel keeps it tidy and ready.
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The top 5 at a glance
A hose reel stores a garden hose on a drum and pays it out again when it’s time to water. Wall-mounted reels hang by the outside tap; carts and trolleys wheel a long hose to the far end of a big garden; and small free-standing reels suit a patio, a balcony or a hose that only has to reach the front step.
Most come with the hose already on the drum and a nozzle or spray gun in the box, though a hose trolley can also be bought on its own for a hose already owned. Winding in is usually by hand; a self-rewinding wall box pulls the hose back after a short tug, slowed by a brake so it comes in steadily.
What matters
- A guide that lays the hose evenly across the drum.
- Room on the drum to add a longer hose later.
- Connectors that fit your outside tap, ideally in the box.
- Frost-proof, if it stays out all winter.
#1Hozelock Plus Open Cart with 50m Hose (2435)
£50–£75
Arrives assembled with 50m of 12.5mm hose already on the drum, plus connectors and a nozzle, on a wheeled frame with a towing handle and a place for accessories. The drum takes up to 60m, so there’s room to add a length later.
What owners say: Owners rate it as good value, with a hose long enough for gardens up to about 120ft; some find it flimsy or awkward to wind back, and a few report a connector breaking within a year.
A closer look: Wheel it to the far end of the garden and water back towards the tap, so the hose isn’t dragged across the beds. When winding in, guide the hose with one hand so it stacks evenly across the drum rather than piling up in the middle.
- Supplied assembled
- Towing handle and wheels
- Accessory storage
Best for: Long gardens, ready to go
- Type
- Hose cart
- Hose included
- 50m (12.5mm)
- Holds
- 60m
- Wall mounting
- No, free-standing
- Auto rewind
- No
- Fittings included
- Connector set, nozzle
#2Gardena RollUp XL Wall-Mounted Hose Box with 35m Hose (18630-20)
£150–£200
A wall box that winds 35m of 13mm hose back in by itself after a short tug, under a centrifugal brake so it comes in steadily, with a guide that lays it evenly on the drum. It pivots through more than 180° on its bracket and is frost-proof, so it can stay on the wall all year. It costs more than the Hozelock cart, which carries 50m of hose on wheels, so the cart leads; this one is for never winding a hose by hand again.
What owners say: Owners find it easy to fit and to use, say the hose comes back in without tangling or bunching, and expect it to last for years; a few think it a lot to pay.
A closer look: Fix it near the tap at a height where the hose runs out level; the short connector hose links box and tap. Pull out as much hose as the job needs, and a short tug sends it winding back in, slowed by the brake. Nozzles and a brush hang on the bracket, so they stay with the hose.
- Guide lays hose evenly
- Frost-proof, stays out all year
- Bracket holds nozzles and brushes
Best for: Hands-free rewinding
- Type
- Wall-mounted auto reel
- Hose included
- 35m, plus 1.5m connector
- Holds
- 35m, fitted
- Wall mounting
- Bracket included, pivots 180°+
- Auto rewind
- With brake
- Fittings included
- Connectors, nozzle, water stop
#3Hozelock Fast Reel Wall-Mounted with 40m Hose (2496)
£100–£150
A hard case on a wall mount that holds 40m of hose, with 2m more to reach the tap and a nozzle in the box. A big handle winds the hose in while a layering guide spreads it evenly across the drum, and the case lifts off the wall to carry round the garden.
What owners say: Owners find it easy to put on the wall and to wind in and out, and rate the hose; views on how long it lasts are split, and some find it takes a firm pull to draw the hose out.
A closer look: Hang it within reach of the tap for the 2m feeder hose, and wind at a steady pace so the guide can lay each turn neatly. Hozelock’s guarantee starts once the reel is registered on its website, so do that soon after buying.
- Layering guide winds evenly
- Enclosed case against weather
- Supplied assembled
Best for: Wall-hung storage you can carry
- Type
- Wall-mounted reel
- Hose included
- 40m (12.5mm), plus 2m feeder
- Holds
- 40m, fitted
- Wall mounting
- Wall mount, lifts off to carry
- Auto rewind
- No
- Fittings included
- Nozzle
#4Gardena CleverRoll M Hose Trolley (18511-20)
£50–£75
A sturdy hose trolley that takes up to 60m of 13mm hose, with a fold-out foot that keeps it upright when the hose is tugged and an angled connection so the hose doesn’t kink where it joins. Gardena began in Ulm in 1961, and its click-on hose connectors followed in 1968.
What owners say: Owners rate the build and the simple assembly, and the wide frame stays upright when the hose is pulled.
Heads up: It comes without hose or fittings, so add a hose and click-on connectors; 13mm (1/2in) hose gets the most onto the drum.
A closer look: The crank fits on whichever side suits, and a clip on the handle keeps the spray nozzle and connection hose to hand. The fold-out foot steadies the trolley while watering, and the anti-drip device stops water dribbling out when it’s wheeled back to the shed afterwards.
- Fold-out foot keeps it upright
- Angled connection stops kinks
- Stops drips when wheeled away
- Crank fits either side
- 5-year guarantee if registered
Best for: Hoses already in the shed
- Type
- Hose trolley
- Hose included
- None, trolley only
- Holds
- 60m of 13mm hose
- Wall mounting
- No, free-standing
- Auto rewind
- No
- Fittings included
- None
#5Greenera Compact Hose Reel with 14m Hose (HR14)
£20–£30
Small enough to tuck under a garden bench or fix to a fence, this green reel comes with 12m of hose, a 2m leader to the tap, a spray gun and connectors for 1/2in and 3/4in taps, ready to use on a patio or balcony.
What owners say: Owners like how little room it takes up and how light it is to carry round a patio or small garden; views on how well it lasts are split, with a few breaking within months.
A closer look: Run the water out of the hose before winding it back, then turn the handle slowly with the hose kept straight, as the maker advises, so it doesn’t jam inside the case. At 14m it reaches round a small garden or balcony, and it’s light enough to carry to a front-garden tap.
- Tucks under a garden bench
- Fits 1/2in and 3/4in taps
- Carry handle
Best for: Patios and balconies
- Type
- Compact portable reel
- Hose included
- 12m, plus 2m leader
- Holds
- 14m, fitted
- Wall mounting
- Can fix to wall or fence
- Auto rewind
- No
- Fittings included
- Two tap connectors, spray gun
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Hozelock Open Cart 50m | #2Gardena RollUp XL | #3Hozelock Fast Reel | #4Gardena CleverRoll M | #5Greenera 14m reel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best auto-rewind | Best for your own hose | Best compact | ||
| Picked Rating | 8.9 | 9.3 | 9.0 | 8.8 | 8.3 |
| Price | £50–£75 | £150–£200 | £100–£150 | £50–£75 | £20–£30 |
| Type | Hose cart | Wall-mounted auto reel | Wall-mounted reel | Hose trolley | Compact portable reel |
| Hose included | 50m (12.5mm) | 35m, plus 1.5m connector | 40m (12.5mm), plus 2m feeder | None, trolley only | 12m, plus 2m leader |
| Holds | 60m | 35m, fitted | 40m, fitted | 60m of 13mm hose | 14m, fitted |
| Wall mounting | No, free-standing | Bracket included, pivots 180°+ | Wall mount, lifts off to carry | No, free-standing | Can fix to wall or fence |
| Auto rewind | No | With brake | No | No | No |
| Fittings included | Connector set, nozzle | Connectors, nozzle, water stop | Nozzle | None | Two tap connectors, spray gun |
| Best for | Long gardens, ready to go | Hands-free rewinding | Wall-hung storage you can carry | Hoses already in the shed | Patios and balconies |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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