The Best Hoses to Quench Your Garden’s Thirst All Year Long

It’s flexible yet durable, kink resistant and virtually leak-proof—no wonder it has more than 4,000 five-star reviews. It even stays flexible in cold weather.

A persistent complaint among owners of expandable hoses is that they spring leaks too easily. The TBI Pro is flexible yet sturdy, so leaks aren’t a worry.

Of all the ways to dog-proof a garden, the hose can be the trickiest. Even the best doggos chew things they’re not supposed to from time to time! If your good boy keeps leaving chomp marks on your hose, switch to a steel number that won’t get holes.

Coil hoses can be kind of a crapshoot, quality-wise—they have a tendency to Slinky themselves into a tangle. But they’re so dang convenient when they work properly! This one coils itself up like a champ, doesn’t kink, and it’s sturdy and durable. Our favorite 5-star Amazon review puts it thusly: “I am happy to report approximately 100% of the water from the spigot passes through to the end of the hose.”

For people who like to drink from the garden hose (is there anything more refreshing?) or need to convey safe drinking water to an RV tank, the Camco hose is the best-rated out there. Being lead- and BPA-free means it’s probably the best bet for hooking up to the kids’ sprinkler, too.

While we love the feel of the traditional garden nozzle with a handle, we find they’re not the most durable when repeatedly dropped on the ground. The Bon-Aire costs a little more, but it’ll last forever (as long as you opt for the steel model, which is sturdier than the fiberglass/aluminum number). It’s also easier on arthritic hands than a squeeze-handle model.

Already have a yard bursting with a variety of plants, but feel like just turning on the sprinklers isn’t the best way to maintain it? We tested Rachio’s latest smart sprinkler controller, the Rachio 3, and our editor’s exact words were, “It changed my life.”

The Rachio 3 takes over your old sprinkler box, with very easy setup and connection to the different areas of your sprinkler system. Then, pair it with the app and your WiFi to start adding in the smarts. The Rachio allows you to set zones in your yard so you can manage the exact amount of watering those zones need, especially handy if you’re growing different things in different areas.

The biggest feature is that Rachio also tracks your local weather for rain, so it’ll skip watering when Mother Nature takes care of the job. That doesn’t just keep it from overwatering, but also helps lower water bills and water usage all around; this has added up to billions of gallons of water saved in the years that Rachio has been on the market. It’s a great fit for lowering your water bill, and getting better control over a diverse yard and its watering needs.

Make sure to protect your hands through any weather condition while hosing down your garden. There’s a right glove for every garden task and every gardener performing it—check out our favorites.