Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (2025)

Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (1)

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If you’ve ever wrestled with or tripped over a tangled garden hose, you might want to consider investing in a retractable hose reel. Designed for convenience and safety, they take the hassle out of outdoor watering, washing, and cleanup tasks.

Retractable garden hose reels offer automated or spring-loaded winding mechanisms—that means no more manual winding, no more kinks, and less wear and tear on your hose over time. Many reels even come with mounting options, swiveling brackets, and weather-resistant housings.

But with so many options out there for size, material, rewind mechanisms, and price, it can be tricky to know where to start. So we’ve researched a wide selection of retractable hose reels to help you find the best fit for your home and budget. Read our reviews below, along with the most important things to consider before making the investment.

The Best Retractable Hose Reels

    What to Consider

    Capacity

    Most of the retractable hose reels on the market include a hose with your purchase. A majority of garden hose reels accommodate standard garden hoses that are 100 feet or longer, and some of the bigger reels can store hoses up to 300 feet long.

    If you’re only watering smaller areas, a reel with 100-foot capacity will do just fine. If you’re maintaining a larger, manicured lawn, then look for retractable hose reels that can accommodate larger hose sizes.

    Manual Versus Automatic

    A manual retractable hose reel uses a hand-crank mechanism or a similar manual winding system. These require more effort than automatic hose reels, which easily retracts your hose at the push of a button. Manual retractable reels tend to be cheaper than automatic. They’re also easier to set up and give you more control over the retraction speed and tension.

    Durability

    Look for garden hose reels that made of durable and long-lasting materials like resin, polypropylene, and metal. They resist some damage from environmental factors, like UV rays and moisture. They also help ensure your hose stays firmly in place during summer storms or on particularly windy days.

    How We Selected

    We started by looking into choices from well-known, trustworthy garden brands like Giraffe Tools and Liberty Garden Products in order to identify the top contenders. We focused on criteria like durability, hose length, and swivel abilities, and we prioritized models constructed from sturdy materials like polypropylene and metal that can withstand harsh weather and continuous use.

    Capacity is another important factor because garden hose reels need to be compatible with common hose sizes, so we included hose reels that hold up to 130 feet. All of the models we looked at are wall-mountable and have multiple different spray modes, and we searched for models across different budgets.

    1

    Best Overall

    Giraffe Tools Retractable Garden Hose Reel

    Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (2)

    Pros

    • Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (3)Nine spray modes on the included hose
    • Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (4)Locks at any length

    Cons

    • Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (5)Larger than it may appear

    Last year, we reviewed all different kinds of hose reels, not just retractable ones, and this model from Giraffe Tools was chosen as the best overall. It’s taking the top spot once again with its 130-foot hybrid hose that is designed to resist abrasion and prevent leaks. It’s also equipped with a nozzle that has nine different spray patterns and 180-degree rotation.

    The flexible hose locks at any length and a slight tug on the hose causes the reel to automatically retract back into the base. Mounting only requires a couple of screws, and you can lift the entire reel out of the mount for storage in the offseason. Though this is a convenient option, it is on the big and bulky side, which may create challenges for more compact backyards.

    Dimensions22.8 x 10.2 x 17.6 in.
    MaterialPolypropylene
    Wind-up methodAutomatic retractable
    Weight28.4 lb
    Capacity130 ft

    2

    Best Budget

    Dnyker Retractable Garden Hose Reel

    Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (6)

    Pros

    • Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (7)Swivel bracket for improved mobility
    • Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (8)Ten different spray patterns

    Cons

    • Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (9)Smaller capacity than other options

    The Dnyker Retractable Garden Hose Reel offers convenience and durability for all of your basic watering needs and at a fraction of the cost of other retractable hose reels. At just 65 feet, its hose is shorter than most other options, but it does include an any-length lock system. The slow auto-rewind mechanism ensures safe and tangle-free retraction, while the 180-degree swivel bracket ensures full garden coverage.

    This reel also comes with a hose nozzle that sprays in ten patterns, from gentle misting to powerful jet spray. You can also mount the reel to your wall, and the hardware needed for mounting is included.

    Dimensions20 x 9.99 x 18 in.
    MaterialPolypropylene
    Wind-up methodAutomatic retractable
    Weight19 lb
    Capacity65 ft

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    3

    Best Design

    Hoselink Hi-Flow Automatic Retractable Garden Hose Reel

    Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (10)

    Pros

    • Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (11)Automatic locking mechanism
    • Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (12)Two different hose length options

    Cons

    • Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (13)Heavier than other automatic options

    If style is your priority, look no further than the Hoselink Classic Retractable Garden Hose Reel. It comes with a 50- or 82-f00t hose and an any-length locking mechanism, so with a simple tug, the spring-loaded system smoothly retracts the hose back into the casing.

    Most notably, its sleek, white casing is designed to blend with housing decor, rather than look like a bulky garden tool, so it won’t feel like such an eye sore when you’re admiring your outdoor space. While it’s on the heavier side at 30 pounds, it’s still wall-mountable, and it includes the necessary bracket and bolts for mounting.

    Dimensions24 x 10.6 x 19.3 in.
    MaterialPolypropylene
    Wind-up methodAutomatic retractable
    Weight30 lb
    Capacity82 ft

    4

    Best Swivel Feature

    Aquazilla Retractable Garden Hose Reel

    Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (14)

    Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (15)

    Pros

    • Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (16)Includes 180-degree swivel bracket
    • Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (17)Mounting materials included

    Cons

    • Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (18)Tough to install

    The Aquazilla Retractable Garden Hose Reel comes with an automatic rewind system and multiple hose size options—65, 100, and 120 feet. It’s wall-mountable, and while the hardware you need is included, some users say it’s a difficult reel to install.

    This reel’s most notable feature might be its 180-degree swivel bracket, which gives you the flexible reach you need to cover every inch of your garden or lawn—not to mention your driveway if you’re washing your car. It comes with a six-foot leader hose, which helps you extend your hose to faucets that may be hard to reach, and a nine-pattern sprayer for all different types of watering.

    Dimensions20 x 11 x 18 in.
    MaterialPolypropylene
    Wind-up methodAutomatic retractable
    Weight25.4 lb
    Capacity120 ft

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    5

    Best Manual Retractable

    Liberty Garden Multi-Directional Garden Hose Reel

    Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (19)

    Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (20)

    Pros

    • Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (21)Reel rotates 360 degrees
    • Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (22)Wire basket for stowing small items

    Cons

    • Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (23)Mounting hardware not included

    This reel is made of sturdy and weather-resistant powder-coated steel for the ultimate durability. It does not have the same automatic features that you’ll find with many other premium reels, but its cushion-grip handle makes the process of reeling your hose back in place pretty frictionless.

    It also comes with a pull-up knob on the top that locks and unlocks the swivel mechanism, so you can rotate the reel to face wherever you’re dragging the hose. Additionally, there’s a small wire basket attached to the side for stowing extra nozzles or sprayers. The reel holds up to 125 feet of a standard, 5/8-inch hose, and it comes fully assembled, which saves you loads of time. That said, there is no mounting hardware included.

    Dimensions18.6 x 20.3 x 22 in.
    MaterialPowder-coated 18-gauge steel
    Wind-up methodManually retractable
    Weight15 lb
    Capacity125 ft

    Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (24)

    Sarah Connor

    Reviews Editor

    Sarah Connor is a Reviews Editor for Popular Mechanics. She also contributes to Runner’s World, Bicycling, Best Products, and Biography.com. Before joining the Hearst Magazines team, Sarah was a National Content Editor for Hearst Television. She holds a master's in Journalism from Syracuse University and a dual bachelor's in English and Communications from the University of Pittsburgh. When she isn’t writing up a review of the newest gadgets, you can find her heading to the nearest rink for a figure skating session or enjoying the outdoors with her beloved Australian Shepherd, Rosie.

    Tired of Hauling Your Garden Hose? Try One of These Fully Automatic Retractable Models Instead. (2025)
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