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In a nutshell

A BBC Gardener’s World Best Buy winner, this free-standing reel is light and easy to carry with a comfortable rolling handle. Designed with a low centre of gravity, it also remains stable in use. It comes with a five-year warranty.

What we tested

  • Preparation
    A star rating of 4.0 out of 5.
  • Handling
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Quality
    A star rating of 4.0 out of 5.
  • Value for money
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
Overall Rating
A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.

Pros

  • Lightweight yet very stable frame
  • Very comfortable to carry with rolling handle
  • Good twist-grip nozzle
  • Long warranty

Cons

  • Lowest capacity reel
  • Not ‘ready to use’ as described

What is the Gardena Hose Reel 30 suitable for?

This is a good, general-purpose hose reel for small to medium sized gardens. It comes with 15 metres of hose but you can add more and it has a total capacity of 30 metres. The same reel is also available to buy with more hose.


Does the Gardena Hose Reel 30 need much preparation or assembly?

Yes, despite the website description of ‘ready to use’. Like most of the larger reels, the hose needs to be completely unrolled as the reel end needs clipping to the interior. Thankfully this is easier to do than some of the others, as there’s plenty of space inside the reel and the angled interior connector makes it easy to clip the hose on. You also need to cut a short section of feeder hose to connect the reel to the tap.


What is the Gardena Hose Reel 30 like to use?

This hose reel is very smooth and easy to use. Designed with a low centre of gravity it stays stable whilst pulling out the whole length of the hose and it’s smooth to rewind too with a large plastic handle. The angled interior connector prevents the hose from kinking or pinching inside the reel and the chunky, twist-grip nozzle is comfortable and simple to use.


How easy is the Gardena Hose Reel 30 to store?

This has no special storage features you need to remember to drain the hose before putting it away to avoid drips. However, it’s very light so it’s easy to move around.


Is the Gardena Hose Reel 30 built to last?

The five-year warranty inspires confidence and both the reel and hose are good quality. There’s no problem with kinking or twisting of the hose either, which will help it to last longer.


Is the Gardena Hose Reel 30 good value for money?

This is a good, simple, easy-to-use product with a long warranty. We think it’s excellent value for money.


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For more tried and tested models, head to our round-up of the best hoses and best garden hose spray guns on test. If you're looking for something to help clean the patio, see our guide to choosing the best pressure washer.


Hoses - Buyer's Guide video

Product Specifications

Product
BrandGardena
NameGardena Hose Reel 30
ModelHose Reel 30
Price£34.99
Features
MaterialPlastic
Hose diameter13mm
Hose length15m
Spray gun included
Attachments included
Other kit components

Although the hose reel comes with a 15m hose it has capacity for 30m

Weight3.7kg
Warranty5YEAR
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