Another point in favour of this spray head is that it connects to the hose using brass fittings. Many expandable hoses connect to the spray head with a plastic fitting, which can prove to be a weak point over time. The Ansio expandable hose does feel heavier out of the box than some of its competitors (still much lighter than a standard rubber hose) but it also feels more robust than many of them which is something I found reassuring. Although I didn’t get to test it, the makers say that this model is compatible with a karcher pressure washer, something to keep in mind as to really get the best out of any expandable hose, you need to have good constant pressure. The elasticated fabric casing that surrounds the expandable hose is hardwearing; however, you do still need to take care dragging it across very rough terrain. That said, it will stand up well to regular usage, and can handle sharp corners too. For the first few uses, this hose may not extend to its full potential; it needs to stretch a little first. There is a tactic for getting it to expand as much as possible: turn on the tap, and allow the water to stretch the hose, before activating the spray head. Over time, this will encourage TheFitLife hose to extend further. Best expandable hose overall: Expandable Garden Hose, Upgraded 3-Layer Latex Hose Pipe– No kinks! [tested and proven personally]

They’ve developed a newer style of trigger too since I last tested and bought an expandable hose. Rather than a trigger they have a switch that varies the power of water pressure. You can easily water seedlings with this type of switch. I found it very handy: The newer style switch is very nice to use on expandable hose pipes Always read the instructions that come with your hose and follow them closely. Not doing so could shorten the working life of the product or impair its functions.
Pay close attention to where the hose is lying as some rough surfaces can cause damage to through excessive friction and the same is true for sharp corners and edges.
Many expandable hoses are not supposed to be used with hot water either as this too will damage them. Storing an expandable hose.
When storing an expandable hose for winter, much like a normal hose reel, it is important that you fully drain it of water as any left inside the hose can freeze and cause damage to the hose itself. Storing your hose in a carry bag that keeps it from being affected by the cold too much will ensure that you will have a fully functioning garden tool to work with next time the sun arrives. Expandable hose FAQOne thing to bear in mind is that this hose’s casing is bulkier than some other options, meaning it takes up a touch more space in storage. The casing has sometimes been known to fray as well, so needs to be used carefully over rough ground; it’s best used over lawns rather than gravel. Standard ¾” screw fittings come supplied, which are made of good quality brass, but you will need to buy a connector if you have an older ½” faucet. The next thing you’ll notice is the lovely brass connectors. Or at least I did when compared to the other fitments I have around the garden. This is a really nice piece of kit.

Whether you’re after a jet, cone, or shower, the 9-pattern spray head comes well equipped. You can easily move between pet cleaning, plant watering and car washing with a simple twist.The level of power provided by this hose is excellent, especially compared to other expandable models, and it comes with an 8-setting spray head – it’s just as useful for washing the car as it is for watering the plants. Expandable hoses are useful things to have lying around. Whether it is for cleaning mud of your kid’s bikes, washing down the garden path, or simply giving the lawn a good watering, these versatile garden tools can help get the job done. With the rising of automatic hose reels, coupled with these marvels, watering the garden is a doddle and has never been this organised or easy as well as hassle free, no more arduous recoiling yards of hose, to only go and do it all again the next day. I find the new expandable hose pipe I have been testing to be every bit as easy as the automatic watering systems I’ve been working on recently. Us testing our Expandable Garden Hose, Upgraded 3-Layer Latex Hose Pipe A good expandable hose can be a smart buy if you’re someone that gets frustrated with having to manhandle heavy rubber hoses, twisting out kinks and trying to find a good space to store them, but there are a few things to know before you make your purchasing decision. Similarly, look for a more durable hose if you will be pulling it across hard surfaces such as concrete, or using it frequently to clean your car, garden furniture or patio. A more durable design will cope better with the wear and tear inflicted by these hard surfaces. However, if you simply need to water a few flower beds or pots then a less durable option will be fine for your needs. The FitLife expandable hose is available in 4 sizes- 25m, 50m, 75m, and the largest is 100m. These lengths are the maximum the hose can be expanded too under high water pressure, but with average pressure you should expect less than that. Still, a 75m or 100m model should be long enough for most gardens regardless of pressure.
Like the ANSIO expandable hose, this model comes with high quality brass fittings and a spray gun. The spray gun has 8 different sprays to choose from and each work well with a good level of output pressure-wise.

Cheaper hoses tend to burst and split easier and you might find yourself shelling out for a replacement sooner than anticipated. The spray gun tends to be lower quality too. Go for a model with brass fittings. Best alternative: The FitLife Expandable Garden Hose Pipe or the ANSIO Garden Hose Pipe Expandable Water Hose These happen to have the best 100ft hoses in my opinion too. [tested and proven personally] This is as heavy duty and close to commercial quality as you’ll get here.

My Top Recommended Expandable Garden Hoses

Despite the extra weight, the high quality, brass tap connectors did a great job of keeping the hose connected to the water supply with no leakage, even from a kitchen sink tap. There is also a reducer included so even if you have smaller than standard taps, you shouldn’t have problems connecting this ANSIO hose.

EXCLUSIVE PATENTED METAL HOSE SPRAY GUN - This metal hose gun is exclusively designed, developed and produced by HmiL-U. Without authorization, others have no right to sell. Made from a zinc alloy body, superior to other's plastic hose guns, to prevent rust, corrosion, and wear.9 patterns nozzle sprayer, rotate 360 degree to select proper pattern. Supports lots of needs including gardening, watering, pet and car cleaning to you. The hose is 50ft in length and extremely lightweight and easy to adjust and move around the garden – pretty much inline with the ANSIO and the FIT in terms of ease of use and manoeuvrability when compared directly. From its contracted length of about 5.5 metres, it’ll expand to a staggering 16 metres. Once finished, it’ll simply retract again for easy storage. Layers of latex – the more layers of latex that a hose has, the more durable it is. Most expandable hoses have 2 – 3 layers of latex. That said, the Fitlife Garden Hose featured on the above list has 13.READ NEXT: The Best Automatic Retractable Garden Hose Reels What factors make an expandable hose more durable? In the past, expandable garden hoses would have been the stuff of dreams. Imagine: owning a hose that reaches the end of the garden, but also tidies away neatly without leaving a coiled mess on the patio. But getting to the crux of the test – the hose flexibility. I have to say when these first arrived in the UK they were pretty spindly. Since testing and R & D has happened they are now three layers of flexi PVC – this is a long way forward from where they were right at the beginning.