GARDENA (18630) Retractable Garden Hose Reel 115' x 1/2" Wall Mounted, Automatic Retraction & Length Lock for Easy Watering. Heavy Duty Swivel Bracket 180°, Includes Nozzle. Made in Europe

I originally bought one for my dad to use with his greenhouse because he was tripping over his rolled up hoses on the ground. While the instillation isn't difficult it is heavy and needs to mounted securely to a post in the ground, likely a 4x4 with a 2x6 mounted to it for best instillation and function (this is how we did it). This does take some work but was totally worth it when mounted. He loves this hose and reel and has raved about it every time he is out in the garden working. It has been two years now and it still reels back quickly and well without any issues. It is a much cleaner look and overall is much better than all the rolled up hoses. The hose seem durable and has thus far had no issues with cracks or leaks. Just makes sure in the fall if you live in a cold weather area you blow the water out of the hose and it seems to last just fine. As I said he has loved this so much I just bought a second for my own yard and thus far love it. I will likely be buying more in the future.

Recently had some professional landscaping done on my property, and needed a new watering hose system. My Dad had bought Gardena products back in the 1960's-70's and raved about the quality of the product, and when I saw that Gardena currently makes retractable reels, I knew that was going to be my choice. I made the correct decision. Quality of hardware is outstanding. The use of the reel is fantastic - easy to use and always retracts easily and perfectly every time. Wish the hose quality was more heavy duty - it does feel thin, but performs well. This one was the 100' model, attached to the house, but I have also purchased the 60' model, mounted in the ground. FYI: I had reservations about the ground mounted version, but they did a great job of designing the mounting system - once properly installed, you CANNOT pull it out of the ground, which was my great fear! When my landscaper used the reel system he was amazed at how well the system worked, and wanted to know more. Gardena makes some great products, quality is very good, I know you will enjoy using their products!!!

I have three other high quality hose reels on different sides of my house, but this one is the favorite by far. I'm glad I spent the extra dollars (German engineered Gardena products are not known for being inexpensive). This is a well designed, precision built automatic retracting hose reel. Be warned that this 115-ft long hose and reel is very heavy, but once it is securely attached to its wall mounted swivel base, it feels light and responsive to operate. As you extend the hose, the reel locks whenever you stop pulling. To retract, just give it a tug and it winds up perfectly, never any catches or tangles of the hose as the geared guide wraps the hose perfectly around the reel. I don’t want grass clippings and debris accumulating inside the reel, so I lightly wrap an old towel around the hose near the reel and let the towel clean the hose as it automatically retracts. Some people are not familiar with Gardena’s Power Grip connector. It slips over the hose and tightens down by hand. If it ever comes off, just slip it back on and tighten by hand. If you wish to shorten the lead-in hose, you can cut it shorter and replace the Power Grip connector easily.

Very good hose reel. Rewinds well. I’ve used for one year. I hope it lasts.

Installation was easy, the quick connections even though from plastic and seems cheap, holds well. Hose is a bit thin and small diameter yet works well. All in all a good product.

Love these hoses, have them installed in various places, have never failed except when I have abused them :-)

I purchased the 115’ model two years ago and I have been happy with my purchase - up until the recoil mechanism broke. Luckily I was within the 2-year warranty window, and within 5 minutes of calling Gardena support, they had ordered me a new replacement reel free of charge. Pros/Observations Solid build, not flimsy. The hose itself is a small diameter but seems durable and does not kink easily. Water pressure is great. The hose fittings use a screw clamping design that requires only hand tightening, no tools. The auto-retract feature is awesome - a quick pull on the hose, mic drop and walk away. Installation was tricky for me, primarily due to the construction of my home. I screwed a scrap Ipe board to my stucco skirt using 4 metal Fliptoggle anchors, and then screwed the base into the wood. As I would find out the hard way, the 2-year warranty and excellent customer support were a lifesaver. Cons Durability - Within a few months of use, the hose guide that tracks horizontally while spooling the hose to ensure that the hose lines up and doesn't overlap seemed to get out of adjustment. When spooling the hose, the hose would overlap and rub against the housing, causing it to stop short of fully spooling. At one point there was a loud grinding while unspooling the hose, and after that I could see something was broken… this was after ~18 months of gentle use. I am hoping that design/build improvements have been made.

Update: the hose reel now leaks from the casing. The hose still works, but water constantly drips even after purging the hose. Would not recommend. I'll start with why I deducted stars. First off, there was only one quick adapter in the box, instead of 3 as advertised. There's also no retaining pin for the swivel post. Not totally necessary, but should still be included. Lastly, while installation is easy, the instructions should be more informative by including a tools required section so customers don't have to figure it out on their own. If it helps anyone, mine required a 1/4" masonry bit to drill out the holes (anchors weren't necessary) and a 10mm socket to sink in the bolts. Because of this and my experience with other hose reels, I can't grade this anything above average. The hose itself seems like a good product. Quick attachments don't leak, great pressure even when fully coiled, and the included spray nozzle works perfectly fine so far. The reel swivels and retracts smoothly. I also appreciate the level-wind to prevent the hose from bunching up on one side of the reel. It will see a good amount of sunlight throughout a typical day in southern California, so I'm hoping the UV resistance holds up. I would gladly add a star for every 5 years I get out of it.