Believe it or not, there are tons of different kinds of hose reels that you can buy. All hose reels are not created equal. Don’t just buy the first hose reel that you come across because you might be disappointed in what you got. Most hose reels are designed to fit certain needs and if you buy one without doing your research, you’ll probably waste your money. Don’t worry, this article will help you learn what to look for. Here are some important things to consider when shopping for a hose reel.
Important Things to Consider When Shopping for a Hose Reel
Type of Hose Reel
There are many different types of hose reels. Each type is made to fit a certain need.
Stationary Hose Reel
A stationary hose reel is just that; stationary. This hose reel is designed to stay in one spot with a crank to help you wind the hose back up. Most cranks are manual so you’ll have to wind the hose up yourself. Stationary hose reels are usually mounted to a wall. You’ll need to be sure that the hose you’re using can reach to where you want it because these hose reels are mounted. A stationary hose reel is not easily moved.
Portable Hose Reel
Portable hose reels resemble a dolly that you’d put boxes on when you move. They’re an upright cart that is easy to wheel around and move. Simply wheel the hose reel to wherever you need it to go. These hose reels are great because you don’t need to decide on one location. You’re able to move the hose reel to wherever you need it to be.
Hideaway Hose Reel
Hideaway hose reels are meant to be in disguise. They don’t look like they’re actually hose reels. Hideaway hose reels can be mounted or portable. These kinds of hose reels are good for people that are conscious about design and don’t want a hose reel to cramp their style. There are many different designs and looks of hideaway hose reels that you’ll be able to choose from.
Hose Reel Carts
Hose reel carts are portable and they’re on wheels as well. They resemble normal portable hose reels but they are a little different. Hose reel carts have a sort of tabletop and have multiple compartments or drawers that you can store things in. The hose is also more concealed than with an ordinary portable hose reel.
Spring Loaded Hose Reel
Spring-loaded hose reels are great because you don’t have to manually crank the hose back in. The spring-loaded action will let you push a button or pull a lever and the hose will retract back into the reel for you. This is a great choice for older people that might have trouble manually cranking the hose back in. It’s also a great choice for people that simply don’t want to manually crank the hose.
Air Hose Reel
Air hose reels are typically found in garages or other professional workplaces. They can be mounted or portable and are used to reel in air compressor hoses. This makes a great addition to a home garage to pressure up tires.
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Hose Included or Not
Make sure you know whether a hose is included with your hose reel or not. Some hose reels will already have a hose inside the box or packaging. This is good news for beginners because they’ll already have a hose that will work with that particular hose reel. If the hose reel doesn’t come with a hose, then you’ll need to find a hose that works with the hose reel that you’ve chosen. It will say on the box how long or short your hose will need to be. Standard hoses are typically the same width, but it can vary. Make sure that you know the hose situation when you are shopping for a hose reel.
Size of the Hose
Again, it is important to know the length and width of the hose you have or want to get. A hose that’s too long for the hose reel will not be able to wind up all the way. If the hose is too short, it won’t be able to reach where you want it to go. Make sure that you know the size of your hose. This way you’ll be able to water your lawn or garden efficiently with your hose and your hose reel.
Stationary or Portable
Take a look above at all the different types of hose reels that you’ll be able to choose from. Notice that some types are portable while others are stationary. It’s important to decide which kind of hose reel you’d like to have. Portable hose reels and hose wheel carts are always going to be able to be moved around. Stationary hose reels will always stay put. Hideaway hose reels, spring-loaded hose reels, and air hose reels will all differ and come in both portable and stationary options. Remember, once you mount a hose reel it’s really hard to get off. So if you aren’t sure about mounting then you’ll definitely want to go with a portable option.
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Spring-Loaded Option
Some hose reels come with the spring-loaded feature, as previously discussed. Decide if this feature is worth paying for. A lot of people think that this feature is worth the extra money that might accompany it. Some people dread the thought of having to wind their hose up by hand and don’t want to do it. Therefore, a spring-loaded hose reel is their first option. You don’t need a spring-loaded hose reel if manually winding up the hose reel would be alright with you.
Material of Hose Reel
Some materials are stronger than others. Stainless steel and aluminum are really strong and durable. However, these materials can also be prone to rust if they aren’t taken care of. Rust will damage your metal hose reel very quickly. Plastics are relatively strong and will last a long time. However, if they’re left out in the sun for long periods of time they tend to become brittle. For all the different materials that are used, they each have different looks as well. Metal hose reels will look a little fancier and more decorative than plastic. However, they will probably cost more. Plastic hose reels look great too, but will most likely cost less.
Summing Up
There are lots of things to consider when you’re shopping for a hose reel. Hopefully, this article helped you decide what’s important to you when you’re in the market for a good hose reel. Please take all of these factors into consideration before you go and buy one. You’ll be so glad you did when you have a beautiful new hose reel that is exactly what you were looking for. Otherwise, you will have a hose reel that you aren’t exactly fond of and just might be stuck with. Do some research and think about these things and you’ll be pleased for years to come.
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