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Hose reels, compared

A hose reel is the difference between a hose that gets used and one that stays coiled behind the shed, and the shelf holds three different objects under one word. A trolley carries the drum on wheels and is pulled down the garden; a wall drum is fixed by the tap and the hose is walked out and cranked back; and an automatic box rewinds by spring, which is the version people buy twice because the first one was a crank. The hose length a reel takes is its headline figure — up to 50 or 60 m here — and it is quoted at a stated hose diameter, because a drum that holds 60 m of 13 mm hose holds far less of 19 mm. Reading the two together is the whole compatibility question, and the listings that give only the first are the ones that disappoint. Many of these are sold as sets, with hose, connectors and a nozzle included — convenient, and worth checking against the hose you already own, because a set hose is usually the maker’s own three-layer economy line. Two details decide whether a reel is pleasant. Whether the drum is fed by a short connection hose that swivels, and whether the frame is stable: a tall narrow trolley pulled over a lawn edge tips, and the listings that mention a wide base mean it. The wall bracket column matters for the fixed ones, because a full 50 m drum is heavy and the bracket is what holds it to a brick wall. We compare hose length, hose diameter, type, rewind, wall bracket and material.

Every part here, laid out figure by figure

  1. Aluminium garden hose stand with rubberised handle

    Cellfast Ergo stand

    The only listing here that states its capacity three times, once for each hose diameter — and the only one in aluminium.

    Hose length
    No hose supplied — capacity 45 m of 1/2", 30 m of 5/8" or 20 m of 3/4"
    Hose diameter
    1/2", 5/8" or 3/4" — the capacity is stated for each
    Type
    Free-standing aluminium hose stand
    Rewind
    The features describe manual winding; the title uses the word automatic
    Wall bracket
    None — free-standing stand, tool-free click assembly
    Material
    Aluminium, with a rubberised grip
    Amazon reference
    B01EXYAV48 (one reference across 6 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    5901828856860
    • The only capacity on this shelf stated per hose diameter, which is the only way the figure means anything
    • Aluminium, so it cannot rust — the one thing that kills a steel reel left outdoors
    • The title says automatic and the feature text says manual winding — the listing contradicts itself

    Best for: Keeping an existing hose off the ground and carrying it where it is needed

    Check price on Amazon
  2. Wall-mounted hose box with swivel bracket and spray nozzle

    Mixwise ZYW019-S20

    A wall box with a centrifugal brake and a stated burst pressure — 600 PSI, which is about 41 bar.

    Hose length
    20 m plus a 2 m feed hose, supplied
    Hose diameter
    Not published
    Type
    Wall-mounted box with automatic rewind
    Rewind
    Automatic, with a centrifugal brake and a hose guide; lockable at any length
    Wall bracket
    Yes — 180° swivel, with a quick-release for winter removal
    Material
    UV-resistant, frost-proof plastic housing; three-layer PVC hose stated to 600 PSI burst
    Amazon reference
    B0G8YRHF5T (one reference across 2 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    0671891622550
    • Names a centrifugal brake, which is the part that stops the hose snapping back
    • Publishes a burst pressure for its hose — 600 PSI, about 41 bar
    • The hose is fixed at 20 m and cannot be replaced with a longer one

    Best for: A small to medium garden with a wall by the tap, where nobody wants to wind a reel

    Check price on Amazon
  3. Gardena CleverRoll M Easy hose cart with metal frame and crank

    Gardena CleverRoll M Easy 18515-20

    A metal-framed cart with a drip stop and a fold-out foot, taking up to 60 m of hose — which is not included.

    Hose length
    No hose supplied — up to 60 m capacity, bore not stated
    Hose diameter
    Not published
    Type
    Wheeled cart with a hand crank and a metal frame
    Rewind
    Hand crank, with a fixed hose guide that lays the coils evenly
    Wall bracket
    None — wheeled cart with a fold-out stabilising foot
    Material
    Metal frame
    Amazon reference
    B076X38Q3X (one reference across 6 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    4078500032902
    • A fold-out foot that holds the cart still when the hose is pulled — the usual failure of a cart
    • A drip stop, so it does not empty itself across the garage floor
    • No hose included, which is easy to miss beside the four products here that do include one

    Best for: Somebody who already owns a long hose and wants it wound and wheeled properly

    Check price on Amazon
  4. Wall-mounted automatic hose box with 30 metre hose

    YESTAR 6667W30001

    A 30 metre wall box whose entire published description is one sentence about locking the hose at any length.

    Hose length
    30 m plus a 2 m feed hose, supplied
    Hose diameter
    Not published
    Type
    Wall-mounted box with automatic rewind
    Rewind
    Automatic; lockable at any length up to 30 m. No brake is mentioned.
    Wall bracket
    Yes — 180° swivel, with a fitting aid supplied
    Material
    Not published
    Amazon reference
    B0FPM33YXW (one reference across 5 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    0762032816409
    • The longest hose supplied in a wall box on this shelf, at 30 m plus feed
    • A fitting aid included, which is the part of wall mounting people get wrong
    • One published feature line, and it describes only the lock

    Best for: A garden that needs 30 metres from a wall-mounted box and nothing further specified

    Check price on Amazon
  5. Brown metal hose cart with four solid rubber wheels and crank

    Relaxdays 10026089

    The only cart here that publishes its dimensions and its wheels — 80 × 47 × 70 cm on 20 cm solid rubber.

    Hose length
    No hose supplied — up to 60 m capacity, bore not stated
    Hose diameter
    Not published
    Type
    Four-wheeled metal cart with a hand crank
    Rewind
    Hand crank; the hose unwinds at 90° to the direction of travel
    Wall bracket
    None — four-wheeled cart
    Material
    Metal, on four solid rubber wheels of about 20 cm
    Amazon reference
    B07RK29LQ7 (one reference across 6 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    4052025260897
    • The only product on this shelf to publish its overall dimensions
    • Four wheels rather than two, and solid rubber rather than plastic
    • No hose included

    Best for: Pushing a long hose around a large garden over rough ground

    Check price on Amazon
  6. Green and grey plastic hose cart supplied with a hose

    Amazon Basics JC761

    The only cart here that arrives with a hose — and the only listing whose five feature lines say nothing measurable.

    Hose length
    30 m supplied
    Hose diameter
    Not published
    Type
    Wheeled plastic cart
    Rewind
    Not published
    Wall bracket
    None — wheeled cart
    Material
    Plastic, described as high-quality
    Amazon reference
    B09V8KVL6B (one reference across 6 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    0840095886260
    • The only cart on this shelf that arrives with a hose
    • 30 m is a usable length for most gardens
    • Five feature lines, none of which contains a number except the hose length

    Best for: Somebody buying a first hose and a way to store it in one purchase

    Check price on Amazon
  7. Anthracite wall-mounted automatic hose box with spray gun

    KESSER Wall hose box, anthracite

    The most complete wall box here — 30 m, a centrifugal brake, a nine-mode gun and two extra fittings.

    Hose length
    30 m plus a 2 m feed hose, supplied
    Hose diameter
    Not published
    Type
    Wall-mounted box with automatic rewind
    Rewind
    Automatic, with a centrifugal brake
    Wall bracket
    Yes — removable, 180° swivel, folds flat to the wall
    Material
    Not published
    Amazon reference
    B0GSRCQVRK (one reference across 6 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    4255598363648
    • Names a centrifugal brake, on 30 metres — the most any wall box here supplies
    • The bracket is removable, so the box comes off for winter
    • The dearest product on this shelf

    Best for: A wall by the tap, a garden inside 30 metres of it, and no wish to ever wind a reel

    Check price on Amazon

This category at a glance

  • Highest Amazon reference in this category: Gardena 18515-80.000.00 (B076X38Q3X (one reference across 6 Amazon marketplaces)).
  • Highest Hose length in this category: Relaxdays 10026089 (No hose supplied — up to 60 m capacity, bore not stated).

Every model compared

Only the specifications at least four models out of five state. A column that is more empty than full compares nothing.

ModelPriceAmazon referenceHose diameterHose lengthMaterial

Sources and method

Specifications: manufacturer sheets and Amazon product pages. Prices and availability: Keepa. No product on this site has been physically tested.

Most recent revision in this category: September 26, 2026.

How we assess products