The Best Garden Hose on the Market

This article is for people who don’t have specific needs or preferences in a garden hose and just want a quick, trustworthy answer to the following question: What is the single best garden hose on the market?

Are you looking for a standard, high quality, long lasting, not too expensive garden hose for typical household use?  I’m going to give you the answer right now, and you can read on if you want to learn more about why you should trust my answer.

The over-all single best garden hose on the market is from Flexzilla

The Good and the Bad of The Flexzilla Garden Hose

No we didn’t just search for garden hose in Amazon and pick the best-seller.  You could have done that yourself.    In this case,  there’s a reason why it’s a top seller.   I’ll explain why.

Why You Can Trust Our Recommendation

I’ve been researching garden hoses for months to help me write a number of articles that focus on garden hoses.  I wrote about how to store expandable garden hoses, how to shorten a garden hose,  about hoses that withstand constant pressure, and many more.   

I’ve read all the Top 10 Garden Hose reviews,  I’ve read dozens of Amazon user reviews for each top-rated hose.  I’ve thoroughly researched extreme weather garden hoses. I even do a daily search on Reddit for “Garden Hose” to see if I can learn of about garden hose problems people are having.   I know what you’re thinking, and yes, this is actually what I do with my day. 

I’ve read through dozens of forums mentioning garden hoses.  The Flexzilla hose is the one I’ve seen recommended most by actual gardeners & homeowners. 

A dubious honor perhaps, but I now know more about garden hoses than I ever thought I would.

Is the Flexzilla garden hose for you? 

This recommendation may not be for you.  You may be looking for the best expandable garden hose or the best light-weight hose.   Or maybe you’re just sick of kinks in your garden hose and want one that will ward off those pesky twists at all costs.

If you have specific needs, check out one of the many top review posts online from The Gardener’s Path or Popular Mechanics.   They’ll help you find one that’s best for you. 

Why I personally recommend the Flexzilla garden hose:

Disclosure #1: Yes I get a small commission if you buy a Flexzilla hose by clicking on the link below.   Note that Amazon pays that commission, not Flexzilla.   

Which means I have a full spectrum of hoses that I could recommend.  I could even send you away from Amazon to Eley, where you’d have a nice selection of heavy duty (and more expensive) garden hose reels.  

My experience with The Flexzilla garden hose

Disclosure #2: I don’t own a Flexzilla garden hose!   But that’s only because I have not needed a garden hose since I began researching them.  

I chose the Flexzilla because it really seems like the best hose on the market for everyday typical use.   The next one I buy will be the Flexzilla.  100%

Why Flexzilla is The Best:  The Pros

So why do I think Flexzilla makes the best garden hose on the market?   There are a several factors that led me to this conclusion.

1) It’s highly recommended

As I mentioned before, I see it recommended more in forums by actual gardeners than any other hose.  It also gets the most reviews on Amazon at 8,500, with an average of 4 & 1/2 stars and only 7% with one star (more on that later). 

Furthermore, the Flexzilla gets mentioned in vitrually all of the best garden hose blog posts on the internet.  I couldn’t find another garden hose with that kind of consistency. 

2) High Quality Components

It has all the components like octagon shaped fittings that you look for in a high quality hose.   I haven’t come across one review complaining about leaky, low quality fittings. 

3) It’s lightweight

 One of the reasons we like this more than some of the contractor or farm grade hoses.  Made from a unique hybrid polymer which is about 25% lighter than a standard rubber garden hose and 15% lighter than a vinyl hose. It’s light enough to be moved around the yard by anyone.

4) It’s drinking water safe 

 Well, let me re-phrase: It’s advertised as drinking water safe.  Still probably one thing less to worry about if you have children playing in the yard with the hose who sneak a drink out of the hose here and there.

5) It’s not too expensive

Another factor in my belief that this is a good over-all fit for everyone.  Could you get a slightly more durable hose for twice the price?  Perhaps, but I believe the Flexzilla is the best bang for the buck

6) It’s Kink Resistant

The whole kink resistant thing is one of those marketing tricks that it seems all rubber/vinyl hose manufacturers use.  The truth is that all polymer hoses kink if they aren’t used properly.  

However, I don’t see an alarming number of people complaining about it in reviews of the product.  It’s fair to say that the Flexzilla is just as, if not more kink resistant than any other rubber or vinyl garden hose on the market

7) The Temperature Rating

The Flexzilla’s polymer blend allows for all-weather flexibility.    The manufacturer specifications boast the ability to hold up to temperatures of -40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

We’d still recommend storing your hose indoors during extreme weather situations, simply to extend the life of the hose.  However, if you forget and leave your Fexzilla out one December night, you likely won’t wake up to find that it’s burst. 

For all the reasons above, we believe the Flexzilla garden hose is the best garden hose on the market

Problems with The Flexzilla Hose:

If you’ve read this far, it’s likely because you’re still not convinced.   Fair!  Here’s where I cover those negative reviews and why the Flexzilla may not be the best garden hose on the market for you.

1) Are You a Lime Green Type of Person?

If not, you may want to pass on the Flexzilla.  However, I have read in many reviews that the lime green color fades into a more neutral color fairly quickly.   

2. The Mold Problem

It seems that the biggest complaint of the Flexzilla is that it’s prone to collecting black mold if left out for an extended time.   It’s unclear why, but perhaps its due to the unique polymer that comprises it.  

You probably want to be sure you’re storing it on a hose reel of some kind.   You could also care for it with an anti-fungal spray if you notice mold developing.

Our #2 Pick

Maybe that lime green isn’t sitting well with you or you have some childhood trauma related to black mold.   Maybe you just have a gut feeling the Fexzilla isn’t right for you.

If that’s the case, I would look at the Dramm Colorstorm:

It’s a slightly more heavy duty hose than the Flexzilla.  Made from rubber with nickle plated, crush proof brass fittings, it might last a little longer than the Flexzilla.   But it’s about twice as expensive and it’s heavier.    If those drawbacks don’t bother you, the Dramm might be best for you. 

Any other thoughts on the best garden hose on the market?   Feel free to leave them in the comments below.