(A couple of wrenches are required for the lock-nuts on the handle.) It leaked around the inlet when we first assembled it, but after we tightened the fitting a bit more it never so much as dripped. This 703-1 reel is wide and sturdy and only minimal assembly was required. If you want metal construction and a level-winder guide like our top pick, Liberty sells one, model 707, but it’s wall-mount-only and a lot more expensive. Everything about this reel is a noticeable step down in look and feel from the Eley, but functionally it’s a better reel. The fittings all appear to be off-the-shelf plumbing parts, which means long-term maintenance should be simple. It’s also balanced lower to the ground, so it’s less likely to tip over if you yank hard on the hose. See Price at Ĭompared to the Eley (which will set you back $100 more) this isn’t as nice, but the parallel side flanges on this reel caused fewer problems when winding. Steel and brass construction puts plastic reels to shame, though it doesn't have the winding features or portability of our other picks. You could mount this on your wall, but if that’s your plan you should know that Liberty makes more decorative options that aren’t available in a freestanding style. It isn’t that attractive - the beige powder-coating is fine, but the mixed zinc-plated and cast-brass fittings on the side are kind of hideous. The 703-1 is an entry-level steel reel from Liberty and it represents a great value for someone who’s tired of plastic garden tools.Ĭompared to the plastic reels, this is a bit heavier and inspires a lot more confidence. Long-term durability concerns are our only real pause.You can usually find this for less than $70, so it’s a bargain for its size and features.The dolly handle and wheels make using and coiling a long hose that much easier.This model effectively turns a giant pile of hose into an innocuous piece of yard furniture.The Suncast – Hose Hideaway easily wraps even 200-foot-long hoses in a neat, even spool.
#SUNCASE HOSE REAL HOW TO#
The biggest beef we have with this design is that the inlet hose fitting doesn’t have a spinning coupler: attach the hose to the reel side before you attach to your supply, or you’ll find yourself trying to figure out how to spin the entire box around to get the hose screwed in. It’s the retaining clips that keep the inlet assembly together that give up first if you put a strain on the inlet hose, so we wish they would reinforce that part instead. Suncaster has a version of this reel with upgraded brass fittings that we considered, but on the whole, the parts upgraded (internal tubes and threads) don’t seem to be the first to wear out. It's the only reel we found for less than $100 with this feature, and the wheels make moving a long hose around much easier. This covered reel will neatly and evenly wrap your hose without the stop-and-rewrap games you usually have to play. If you don’t, this box is light enough to drag across the grass or concrete when you’re struggling with a long hose. We really do recommend staking down a reel with an extra-long hose. Note that no stakes came with ours, though the parts list says they should be included. The updated replacement features a set of wheels and a dolly-handle instead. When we originally tested, we found a Suncast model with a handy swiveling base - a great feature when you’ve got a super-long hose that you’re dragging all over the yard. We used two of the cheapest, stiffest 100-foot-long hoses we could find, and this reel wrapped up 240 feet without any need to rewrap or correct any overlaps on the spool that could cause binding. We picked this model because it has a built-in winding guide (called a “level-winder unit” in industrial spooling applications for rope or cable) that keeps the hose evenly distributed so it doesn’t bunch or overlap on the reel. Keeping that in mind, this is an amazing reel for long hoses. It’s not going to spontaneously fall apart but manage your expectations.
This model has a limited lifespan and reviews indicate the plastic hose fitting on the side won’t survive abuse.
The Suncast – Hose Hideway is, all things considered, just a plastic garden hose reel. For a more heavy-duty reel that will survive longer but doesn’t have as many features, the Liberty – 703-1 is hard to beat. This “hose hideaway” not only keeps your hose out of sight, it also makes coiling and using your hose much easier than any other affordable reel we could find. After six weeks of washing cars, watering plants, hosing off toys and performing other backyard chores with five contenders, we think the Suncast – Hose Hideaway is the best hose reel.
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