What's the best garden hose & nozzle in the whole wide world?

[NiceGuyEddie]

:mad: :mad: :mad:

Getting tired of this. I keep buying what I THINK is a quality hose nozzle. Nothing lasts. I don't throw it on the cement, and it's not even used more than a few times a month. They last a year, maybe a year and a half. Something always either breaks or leaks.

For decades, I've relied on the medium-grade Sears hose that had a 10-year guarantee. Manufacture date was stamped on the brass hose end, so free exchanges were never a problem. They might have lasted 2-3 years. Lowes and Ace are selling Craftsman hoses now, but they aren't guaranteeing them the same way.

I used a brass repair end on my hose, and even THAT is leaking! Pinhole through the brass itself!!!

After use, my hose is always relieved of pressure and coiled up on a hanger. It's on a side of the house that never sees sun.

I live in California, so freeze protection is not a problem.

I need:


100' hose
nozzle that has at least both a shower-head spray and jet-stream


I'll pay 100 bucks for a 100' hose if you guys say it's likely to last.

[Derald Rice]

As far as the hose is concerned, do not buy anything that has any plastic content.

I have Gates rubber hoses, and I cannot remember how many years ago that it was when I bought them, probably well over 20-25 years.

They are still in great condition, even with colorado temperature changes. And they are hanging in the sun.

[Badfish]

Been eyeing this one on Amazon, $70. TBI Pro Garden Hose Expandable - Superior Strength 3750D / 4-Layers Latex/Extra-Strong Brass Connectors / 10-Way Durable Zinc Water Spray Nozzle, 2-Way Pocket Flexible Splitter (100 Feet)

[Papa]

I love the Flexzilla garden hoses. I also use Flexzilla air hoses and love them, too. I have yet to find a spray nozzle that is anything to rave about.

https://www.amazon.com/Flexzilla-Garden-Heavy-Lightweight-Drinking/dp/B0781Z3J6B/ref=sxin_3_ac_d_pm?ac_md=4-2-QWJvdmUgJDEwMA%3D%3D-ac_d_pm&crid=1S4LS2U6GT9TX&cv_ct_cx=flexzilla+garden+hose&keywords=flexzilla+garden+hose&pd_rd_i=B0781Z3J6B&pd_rd_r=2595e4b5-6dee-473b-9183-69b7fa0d4976&pd_rd_w=Ul3tm&pd_rd_wg=sP923&pf_rd_p=516e6e17-ed95-417b-b7a4-ad2c7b9cbae3&pf_rd_r=5WKNR7ARY4X74PRNEZKH&psc=1&qid=1585673792&sprefix=flexzilla%2Caps%2C183&sr=1-3-22d05c05-1231-4126-b7c4-3e7a9c0027d0

[EZ$]

Eddie, In my business we use hoses to wet out large, (100,000 s.f.), warehouses. More abuse on one job than most hoses will see in their life in a residential environment. Four or five hoses connected together at a time. Derald is right, no plastic content. They get brittle. Unless I've run over the fittings with my scrubber I've never had one leak. We do use a fitting on the end of the hose from Home Depot, that has a small lever shut off so that we can remove hoses without going back to the source to turn the water off. Get the brass colored ones, not the silver. As far as spray nozzles, at home I have one of the cheap silver pot metal guns that I've had since before we moved into this house which was 35 years ago, and it still works great. The newer guns, with the rotating head for different spray patterns just suck. On the jobs, we don't use a gun and just adjust the shut off to provide a spray pattern of sorts.

[mike223]

The best hose nozzle for my money is "old school brass adjustable", such as linked below.

Most of the "not cheap" "black rubber" garden hoses are about as good as it gets on that question.


https://www.amazon.com/Tulead-Length-Sprayer-Adjustable-Nozzles/dp/B07TXBP39C

[Old Timer]

I have 2 of the light gray hoses from Harbor Freight one 50' and one 100' that are 4 years old and still going great. They are the larger of the two sized and all rubber. We drag them all over the farm with the 4 wheeler, so not treated nice. The old twist on twist off nozzle works the longest. Although I have a 5" from HF that is smooth transition from hose to hole, and it has the best range/force.

If it is the same hose, it looks like the one HF has on sale now.

Otherwise, I picked up a hose like the fire department uses for wildland fire use, and it is 3-4 times the price, but is great.

[NiceGuyEddie]

I wonder if that TBI Pro Garden Hose Expandable hose will get schmootz and grass stuck in the rings as it's dragged around.

No idea Gates made garden hoses - same as the fan belt people?

I had this Fire Hose from Chemical Guys, but it froze up.

https://www.chemicalguys.com/jetstream-fire-hose-nozzle/ACC2011.html

[Papa]

One caution with the black rubber hoses (mine was from Sears) is that they leave black marks on anything they touch. Great hose functionally, but hated that it marked things up.

[Derald Rice]

No idea Gates made garden hoses - same as the fan belt people?


Yes. 5/8 and 3/4 but it is listed as a "HYBRID"hose, not sure what is hybrid about it, so do your homework.

3/4 : https://www.walmart.com/ip/GATES-27577-Hybrid-Water-Hose-3-4-x50-ft/902246372

5/8 : https://www.walmart.com/ip/GATES-27575-Hybrid-Water-Hose-5-8-x75-ft/625022839

[NiceGuyEddie]

Gates Hose = black w/ maroon stripe = my #4453

[TrevorP]

I love the Flexzilla garden hoses. I also use Flexzilla air hoses and love them, too. I have yet to find a spray nozzle that is anything to rave about.

https://www.amazon.com/Flexzilla-Garden-Heavy-Lightweight-Drinking/dp/B0781Z3J6B/ref=sxin_3_ac_d_pm?ac_md=4-2-QWJvdmUgJDEwMA%3D%3D-ac_d_pm&crid=1S4LS2U6GT9TX&cv_ct_cx=flexzilla+garden+hose&keywords=flexzilla+garden+hose&pd_rd_i=B0781Z3J6B&pd_rd_r=2595e4b5-6dee-473b-9183-69b7fa0d4976&pd_rd_w=Ul3tm&pd_rd_wg=sP923&pf_rd_p=516e6e17-ed95-417b-b7a4-ad2c7b9cbae3&pf_rd_r=5WKNR7ARY4X74PRNEZKH&psc=1&qid=1585673792&sprefix=flexzilla%2Caps%2C183&sr=1-3-22d05c05-1231-4126-b7c4-3e7a9c0027d0

I have this hose. I bought it about 7 years ago. It works really well and doesn't tangle easy. I think it is made of silicone.

The best sprayers are the standard cast aluminum. They seem to last fairly long and don't break. Also, have a decent spray volume.

[NiceGuyEddie]

OK I'm going to go with the Flexzilla. I still can't find a nozzle that even LOOKS like it will last more than 2 years. I guess I'll have to consider the nozzle dispensable.

[Bob-STL]

:mad: :mad: :mad:

Getting tired of this. I keep buying what I THINK is a quality hose nozzle. ..............

I live in California, so freeze protection is not a problem.



I though your weren't allowed to water your grass ???!!! ;)

[Just puttering]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B078WDNF9W/ref=dp_olp_new_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=new

You might look at this style hose - acctualy 1 inch id so will flow lots of water and double jacket like fire truck hydrant water hoses

[NiceGuyEddie]

I though your weren't allowed to water your grass ???!!! ;)

This was true 4 years ago in a few select areas. Three years ago the reservoirs became so full they had to be drained into the Pacific Ocean. Check back in another 25 years, as it's cyclical.

[NiceGuyEddie]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B078WDNF9W/ref=dp_olp_new_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=new

You might look at this style hose - acctualy 1 inch id so will flow lots of water and double jacket like fire truck hydrant water hoses

I haven't ordered yet so I might consider this one. My application is going down the side of the house (concrete) and into the driveway for car washing. This hose won't be used in the garden or even be laid across the grass. As far as dragging the hose on the cement, which do you think is better? Traditional rubber hose or polyester jacket like on this fire-hose style garden hose?

[Badfish]

I should have pulled the trigger, the TBI one I was eyeing is sold out on Amazon. Maybe flexihose now. Let us know what you decide.

[Derald Rice]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B078WDNF9W/ref=dp_olp_new_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=new

You might look at this style hose - acctualy 1 inch id so will flow lots of water and double jacket like fire truck hydrant water hoses

But the plumbing in your house is only 1/2 inch, so the extra diameter will not help unless you have a bazillion pounds of pressure.

You only get out of the hose what you put into the hose.

EDIT: Yes, I know that my house has 3/4 inch plumbing. Dont know why I said 1/2 inch

[ztoolman44]

https://www.northridgefire.com/flt130-flat-stream-nozzle.html#tabs2

Hands down the finest small nozzle you can buy. Used them for years on wildland fires. Outperformed nozzles that were quite literally 10X the price. Come in brass or aluminum. Even come with the adapter from 1"NPT to 3/4"GHT. Made by a company called POK but rebranded and resold numerous places. Don't even consider anything made of plastic, nozzle or hose.

Any quality rubber hose with brass ends should do the trick. Go to a hose supply house and they will make it any length you want and crimp on sturdy ends. Just remember that friction loss will affect the stream so use the shortest hose that will allow you to do the job. I keep my hoses to 25' lengths and add sections as needed so that I get the best flow possible.

Anyway, I probably put way too much thought into hoses and nozzles.

EDIT- I would stay away from the cotton jacket hoses. Only reason we use them in the fire service is due to the light weight and smaller packaging for storage. They are not very abrasion resistant, tend to kink, are not UV resistant. I can assure you that when our rubber hose will reach a fire, we leave the cotton stuff on the truck. Rubber hose you just wipe off and roll it up. Fabric hoses require maintenance or disposal after a good fire.

Matt

[NiceGuyEddie]

But the plumbing in your house is only 1/2 inch, so the extra diameter will not help unless you have a bazillion pounds of pressure.

You only get out of the hose what you put into the hose.

Not to hijack my own post: the pressure will be the same, but the flow will be different you use a hose larger than the house supply. Conversely, my pressure washer says not to use a 1/2" hose because the volume (flow) will not be enough.

[NiceGuyEddie]

https://www.northridgefire.com/flt130-flat-stream-nozzle.html#tabs2



I don't care if it's 60 bucks, I'm getting it!

[railing]

I have zero connection to this place, other than I buy stuff from them: www.obsessedgarage.com

He's for sure not the cheapest on price, but his YouTube channel (same name) reviews and he tests and uses each product he sells. I have a 50' hose of the blue Continental rubber hose that he sells and it's fantastic. I am going to buy 100' hose for wheeled hose reel on my next order.

I just received my Kranzel power washer setup from there, and will be installing it in the garage to dual use wash my vehicles, as well as around the house work. 100' hose on it and I can reach almost everything around my house.

Just another place to do some research.

[RBachman]

Snap-On has some very good nozzles. We have two that have been run over by cars, chewed on by dogs and still perform flawlessly. The spray pattern is adjustable and there's a lifetime warranty. You may have to order one from the Snap-On web site if you don't know a dealer. Also, they come with a lifetime warranty.

[NiceGuyEddie]

UPDATE:

Still have not made the purchase! :confused:

[SSNK4US]

I have something like the chemical guys nozzle or the one below that I bought at Costco like 20 years ago. Love it. No instant on and off but serious volume and pressure for cleaning our pool filters. You can throw it at the ground and not hurt it. The little brass ones like it are just a little too restrictive for my filters. I still haven’t found a decent hose yet. But I’ve never spent $$$ on one either lol

https://www.homedepot.com/p/XT-Fireman-s-Nozzle-XT509/310442768