Improve Your Life With a Retractable Hosepipe

Anyone who has spent ten minutes untangling a garden hose knows that it somehow develops a life of its own. You put it away neatly, but the next time you need it, it has tied itself into several knots and trapped a plant pot along the way.

A retractable hosepipe is one of those simple garden products that can make life surprisingly easier. It stays neatly stored inside its wall-mounted case, pulls out when you need it and retracts again when you have finished watering. No wrestling, coiling or leaving a long, muddy hose across the patio.

Tangled Hosepipes are the Ultimate Frustration

Why We Like Retractable Hosepipes?

For us, the biggest advantage is convenience. When watering is quick and easy, you are much more likely to do it regularly—especially during warm weather when plants and lawns may need extra attention.

A retractable hosepipe also:

• Keeps the garden looking tidier

• Reduces tangles and kinks

• Takes up less storage space

• Helps protect the hose when it is not being used

• Makes it easier to reach different parts of the garden

Retractable garden hose wall mounted

What Should You Look For?

Before buying one, measure the distance from your outdoor tap to the furthest part of the garden. Choose a hose that is slightly longer than you think you need. A hose that stops one metre short of the final flower bed is particularly good at testing your patience.

It is also worth looking for a model with a rotating wall bracket, a reliable locking mechanism and an adjustable spray nozzle. Check that the wall where you intend to install it is strong enough, as the unit can be quite heavy.

Is It Worth It?

A retractable hosepipe costs more than a basic loose hose, but for many gardens, we think the convenience is worth it. It keeps everything organised and turns watering into a quick job rather than an unwanted workout.

You can see our recommended retractable hosepipe.

Just remember: it retracts the hose for you, but unfortunately, it still cannot water the plants by itself.

A Quick Note About the Hosepipe Ban

At the time of writing, a temporary Thames Water hosepipe ban is in place, so hosepipes generally cannot be used for watering gardens unless a specific exemption applies. Watering cans, buckets and collected rainwater can still be used.

The ban will eventually be lifted when water conditions improve—and when that day arrives, your neatly retracted hosepipe will be waiting patiently for its comeback.

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