My ardent love for gardening has made me experiment with different watering equipment in the recent few years.
But I’ve always found soaker hoses to be more convenient and practical than any other option. After all, they allow water to reach the soil directly to provide adequate nourishment to the roots and also operate at a comparatively lower pressure.
That’s the reason why most passionate gardeners like me choose to go for soaker hoses, and I’d suggest that you follow suit. Trust me, you’ll get great results!
But I know that lots of options are available out there, which makes the task of choosing a suitable product quite confusing. So, I’ve decided to help you out with the knowledge I’ve gathered on soaker hoses till now.
Howdy! I’m Stacy Smith, and today I’ll be reviewing 5 soaker hoses on the market to help you pick the best soaker hose.
Without further ado, let’s get going.
5 Best Soaker Hoses
1. Rocky Mountain Goods Flat Soaker Hose
With this soaker hose from Rocky Mountain Goods at your disposal, keeping your garden in the right shape becomes effortless. In fact, I was so pleased with this one that I ordered another piece for watering the mini garden on my terrace!
Product Highlights
First and foremost, this gardening tool uses a high-quality perforated PVC liner which is further coated with an extra-strong fabric. This double-layered design provides the hose with the strength needed to bear high water pressure, which ultimately safeguards it against any crack or breakage.
Another reason why I really liked it was that it uses purely environment-friendly material. As such, it is completely safe for use in vegetable gardens.
And that’s not all; the brand offers a really effective lifetime warranty for the hose. So, any kind of issue that you face will be taken care of, and you would never have to invest separately for that. The customer support is also very prompt and helpful as all queries are addressed within a short span.
What's There To Like About It?
The most beneficial aspect of this hose is that it seeps water consistently through its entire length, thereby soaking the soil entirely wherever it moves through. This, in turn, helps to conserve up to 70% water since it reaches directly to the roots instead of being lost due to evaporation as with ordinary hoses.
I could also carry it all around the garden easily to place it at different positions, thanks to its lightweight design.
What's There Not To Like About It?
The material used for packaging the hose was somewhat insufficient, which made it more prone to damage during delivery. Owing to this, cracks might develop on the outlet or the control knob, so make sure you check the hose thoroughly when it arrives. However, I have no complaints regarding the efficiency of this unit.
Pros and Cons of Rocky Mountain Goods Flat Soaker Hose
Pros
Cons
- PLEASE READ: This is a soaker/weeper hose which means it will leak water along the entire length of the hose to water plants where it is put down. This is NOT a regular hose to use with sprinklers or to carry water.
- IMPORTANT: Made to be used at 25-30 PSI. If the hose is spraying turn the water down or use one of the three pressure reducer discs included with the hose. See images for more info.
- Heavy Duty Double Layer Design with PVC Liner Covered in Extra Strength Fabric
2. Gilmour 870751-1001
Another highly efficient hose you can opt for is this one from Gilmour, a very well-known brand in the world of lawn and garden tools. Enhanced with a slew of advanced features, it will ensure that your garden plants stay bright and beautiful throughout.
Product Highlights
Firstly, the Gilmour 870751-1001 provides greater flexibility to its users than most of its competitors, so you can carry it very conveniently throughout the garden. This makes watering rows of seedlings and mature plants equally easy and facilitates efficient water dispensation.
What’s more, it is made with a strong and durable perforated PVC liner and is further protected by a clog and UV-resistant fabric covering. Since I’ve used it for around two years in my garden, I can vouch for the fact that the material is stronger and more long-lasting than most conventional rubber soakers.
You will also like the 7-year limited guarantee on offer by the brand. It makes you eligible for a replacement of the same quality and value in case the hose fails to provide the desired performance.
What's There To Like About It?
It’s the highly effective working mechanism of this hose that sets it apart from others and provides excellent performance each time. The water is released through its tiny pores slowly and gently, thereby feeding the entire root zone and nourishing the plants thoroughly. This also helps to reduce water wastage and loss through evaporation.
Moreover, it can be used to create a DIY watering system by placing it under a thin mulch layer and hooking a timer onto it. This lets you keep all the plants vibrant and healthy without having to water them manually. I’ve tried this method and the results were nothing short of impressive.
What's There Not To Like About It?
Although I didn’t face any issues with the performance of this hose, I found it a bit difficult to roll up for storage as it took quite some time. In fact, I had my husband do it for me quite a few times since my hands became tired before reaching the halfway mark.
Pros and Cons of Gilmour 870751-1001
Pros
Cons
- Lightweight water hose is made of 100% recycled vinyl, clog resistant fabric cover for consistent soaking in the garden or around foundations
- Garden water hose can be installed above or below ground to efficiently deliver water directly to plant roots while saving 80% water
- 75 foot garden hose is heavy duty and made of durable materials for UV resistance and continuous use for many seasons
3. Swan Products GIDS-2496287
If you prefer a soaker hose with a sprinkler, look no further than this Swan Products hose. Your daily watering chores are sure to become much easier with this one at home.
Product Highlights
A significant advantage of this hose is that it measures 50-feet long, making it perfect for watering larger gardens or lawns quickly and effectively. Mine is medium-sized, so I could smoothly complete two rounds of watering within just half an hour.
Here, you should note that many other hoses on the market are much shorter in length and can make the process more time-consuming.
Additionally, this gardening tool uses reinforced and 65% recycled rubber, which makes it easy to roll out and ensures that it stays flat with minimal kinks or twists. This also facilitates easier and more convenient storage.
Besides, this material is stronger and offers greater durability than average rubber hoses. What further enhances its longevity is the pair of brass fittings equipped with plastic couplings.
What's There To Like About It?
Perhaps the most noteworthy feature of this hose is the presence of laser-cut holes, which provide more accurate and uniform coverage. I also didn’t find any problem in watering the hard-to-reach areas in the garden.
But the feature that made it more adaptable was the stripe up or down settings that let me use it as a sprinkler or a soaker according to my needs. Plus, its high UV resistance ensured that it remained in the right shape even after being used during the scorching summer days.
What's There Not To Like About It?
The warranty offered by the brand is not effective enough since it doesn’t cover every issue that you might face with the hose. Also, in case you’re not satisfied with the performance, there’s no provision for exchange or refund.
Since most customers regard an effective warranty or refund policy as a yardstick for the reliability of any product, this becomes a significant disadvantage.
Pros and Cons of Swan Products GIDS-2496287
Pros
Cons
- SPRINKLER + SOAKER: With 6 holes per foot, this garden hose is designed to function as either a sprinkler/wall of mist or a soaker hose.
- IDEAL FOR A WIDE RANGE OF JOBS: Versatile sprinkler and soaker hose for watering lawns, vegetable gardens, flowerbeds and narrow areas.
- DURABLE COUPLINGS: This water hose is constructed with long-lasting couplings featuring capped male ends for easy draining and storage.
4. One Stop Gardens FBA_97193
I was also impressed with this soaker hose from One Stop Gardens as it delivered a good performance and came at a budget-friendly price. To know more about its features, let’s move on to the next few sections.
Product Highlights
Firstly, this soaker hose works by letting water seep efficiently through the perforations on its surface, a mechanism similar to that of the Gilmour 870751-1001. This ensures that the water directly reaches the roots, thereby facilitating maximum irrigation.
In fact, I’ve felt the difference as my plants looked much healthier within just a couple of days of thorough watering.
Speaking of the length, it measures 50-feet long like our previous pick, which facilitates quick watering and makes it capable of being used for larger areas. Furthermore, the standard ¾-inch thread on this soaker hose lets you hook it to a majority of garden hose connections.
You can even use it along with miser discs to control the water flow up to 75%. As a result, it can be utilized for regulated irrigation wherever needed.
What's There To Like About It?
The combination of materials used in manufacturing lends great strength and durability to the hose. While its inner surface is made from a long-lasting synthetic fabric, a heavy-duty nylon sleeve is woven on top of it to make the outer coating. Hence, it becomes sturdy enough to deliver consistent performance for the years to come.
Not only that, but both these materials are also very lightweight, which facilitates ease of use and movement. So, bonus brownie points for that!
What's There Not To Like About It?
I encountered some problems in regulating the water pressure and volume using the gaskets provided along with this hose. Moreover, I felt the material used for these gaskets was not durable enough as it rusted within a year of use. Other than that, I was really satisfied with how it performed.
Pros and Cons of One Stop Gardens FBA_97193
Pros
Cons
- Lies flat on ground and "weeps" water for maximum irrigation.
- Soaks roots directly, won't damage plants.
- Use with or without miser discs to restrict water flow up to 75%.
5. Dramm 17020 ColorStorm Premium
Towards the end of my list, I’ve picked this hose from Dramm, which is also a very reliable choice when it comes to watering equipment. From my experience, I can assure you that it will offer a pretty good performance.
Product Highlights
If you prefer to go for a soaker hose that has a lower carbon footprint, this one is another great choice as it’s constructed from only recycled material. Additionally, its highly efficient design ensures that you can water an entire garden using 90% less water compared to conventional systems.
Beyond that, it promotes uniform watering all over the garden, thus preventing any wet soggy patches in between. As such, I could easily take a stroll around my garden just a while later post-watering.
Another aspect that impressed me was the high kink and abrasion resistance offered by this hose. Thus, it offers a pretty consistent performance and greater durability than most ordinary garden hoses available out there. Last but not least, the crush-proof nickel-plated fittings further enhance its longevity for uninterrupted use.
What's There To Like About It?
In my opinion, the greatest benefit of going for this hose is that it has a 50% thicker wall than other garden hoses. Naturally, this feature eliminates the commonly found “geyser effect” in ordinary hoses and thus reduces water wastage considerably.
Another advantage is the availability of 25-foot and 50-foot long variants, which lets you choose the appropriate model as per your watering needs. Beyond that, the made-in-USA tag is a bonus and makes it ideal for users who prefer to go for indigenously made products.
What's There Not To Like About It?
Although the brand offers a lifetime guarantee, it won’t always be effective since you only get a replacement or refund if there’s a major issue or a manufacturing defect. So, if you want to go for a unit that offers a truly beneficial lifetime warranty, the hose from Rocky Mountain Goods will be a better choice.
Pros and Cons of Dramm 17020 ColorStorm Premium
Pros
Cons
- Soaker hose
- Conveniently water gardens and beds
- Evenly waters from beginning to end
Buyers Guide
Now that you’ve looked at some of the best soaker hoses, the next step is to consider some vital factors which affect their performance. Making a choice by just looking at some good-quality options may well cause you to make a wrong decision.
On that note, I’ve listed the essential points that you need to keep in mind before choosing a suitable soaker hose.
1. Pressure Ratings
The pressure rating of a hose tells you the maximum pressure that it can tolerate before breaking. Hence, it’s very important to check this variable when you’re going through the details of a model. Note that soaker hoses generally come with a pressure rating of around 10 PSI.
Now, this rating also affects the style in which water is released from the hose. While water seeps out or leaks slowly from most hoses, others provide a little more strain that facilitates quicker water release.
Long story short, you must choose a hose that is the most suitable for effectively watering your plants. But in case you still have doubts regarding whether it will dispense water at the right pressure, you can use a pressure-regulating device with the hose. In this regard, you may also get a pair of good-quality gaskets.
2. Design
I consider the overall design of the soaker hose to be an essential factor. Flat hoses are predominantly used in households since they are convenient to store and also easy to conceal during use.
However, such hoses can work efficiently only if they don’t kink or twist during use. A good way to ascertain this would be to go through the customer reviews for the model you’re considering to check whether it delivers a kink and twist-free performance.
On the other hand, round soaker hoses are more suitable for heavy-duty purposes since they facilitate a highly powerful performance.
3. Material
A soaker hose made from a stronger material is naturally capable of delivering a more consistent performance and is also more durable. Recycled rubber is among the more commonly used materials, while others include polyurethane, vinyl, and synthetic fabric.
Generally, rubber and vinyl hoses are more weather-resistant and can work smoothly while being buried under mulch. But materials like vinyl and polyurethane are food-grade and UV-resistant, which is why they are relatively safer for use on vegetable plants.
4. Length
Considering the length of a soaker hose is a must as it determines the coverage in each watering session and the time taken to complete the job. Naturally, a longer hose will help you cover even larger gardens in one attempt and will also reduce the time taken.
If the hose that you’re considering is smaller in length and the coverage needed is more, you can purchase two or three units and connect them together for watering sessions. Notably, since hoses of the same brand can be attached to each other easily, connecting them would never be a problem.
5. Placement Of The Holes
Soaker hoses are designed in such a way that the small holes on them become larger as the water passes through. Ultimately, the water flowing through the holes must be enough to provide the required moisture to all the plants.
Most manufacturers vary the placement of the holes irrespective of the plant placement, which helps in efficient irrigation.
6. Flexibility
A soccer hose that is customizable as per your needs will be much easier to use and store. In comparison, stiffer hoses are more difficult to roll out and wind up. For those homeowners who have a greenhouse strewn with fewer plants, a more flexible hose will be a better option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Compression fittings are the best option when it comes to soaker hoses, but make sure you have the fittings of the same diameter as that of the hose you’ve chosen. For instance, if you choose to go with a ¾-inch hose, a ¾-inch diameter fitting will be the appropriate choice.
Notably, many models on the market come with their own fittings, so that’s a great advantage.
While pressure regulators reduce the operating force or pressure of water in the hose to alleviate chances of spraying, a flow disc reduces the volume of water flowing through it. Thus, the former is needed for preventing any malfunctioning of the hose, while the later facilitates a more uniform water distribution.
The process is quite simple, but you have to make sure that you expose the hose to sunlight for an hour after unwinding it so that it loosens. After this is done, remove the cap on one end and fix it onto the water source.
Run water through it for a few minutes and then replace the end cap. Follow this by stretching the soaker hose and engaging the water supply, but don’t adjust the pressure until you observe a slow drip. With this, the hose is all set for use in your kitchen garden.
For watering vegetables and flowers in a garden, the hose must be laid along the rows in which the plants are being grown. But if the plants are not placed in rows, the hose should be snaked around each plant to ensure effective watering.
A hose stops seeping when some of its tiny perforations get clogged. To resolve this issue, the best method is to slightly increase the water pressure so that the perforations flush open. Using filtered water in the soaker hose can reduce the chances of clogging.
My Final Recommendation
This has brought me to the end of my guide, and I hope choosing the best soaker hose would seem much simpler to you now. Remember to consider your needs and preferences before heading on to make an ideal choice.
But before I bring down the curtains, I would like to quickly take you through my personal favorites from the list. The Swan Products GIDS-2496287 soaker hose will be a great option if you’re looking for a long-lasting as well as high-performing hose. It is also available at a more budget-friendly price than some other soccer hoses.
On the other hand, the Rocky Mountain Goods Flat Soaker Hose is stronger and offers greater durability in the long run.
With that, I’ll take your leave for now. Till next time, take care!