Gardena Wall-Mounted Hose Box 35 roll-up automatic: Swivelling hose reel, 35-m Gardena high-quality hose, short locking stops, including wall bracket, system parts, and spray nozzle (8024-20)

Product Information

Many manual garden hoses are just left in a tangled heap near the outside water tap for their next use, exposed to the weather. If you do roll them up on the manual reel, you need to do it slowly and carefully and ensure that the hose doesn’t tangle. How easy is it to install an automatic hose reel, and what tools are required? So lesson learned. Next time pilot with a 3mm standard wood bit – you could use 4mm but I preferred a really tight fit. Now, something else I noticed was the instructions said to use an 8mm masonry drill, but you’ll need a 10mm one to fit the supplied rawlplugs, or at least we did. That being said, I had some spare bolts, so I just used these instead to ensure its fixing is solid, as these hose reels weigh so much more than standard ones. I would also maybe upgrade the screw fitting to something more substantial, a few quid from B&Q and worth doing. Ultimately, an automatic hose reel makes life a lot easier for anyone who uses a hose. It is additionally a practical way to store your hose neatly and away from the sun and frost. Once the reel is mounted onto the wall, it can pivot through a 180 degree arc. I found this particularly useful as my garden has a less than standard shape and I didn’t feel like I was stressing the hose into unnatural angles.

If you want a permanent fixture in your garden, a wall-mounted reel is the way to go. All you need to do is find a convenient spot and install the hose reel. The installation instructions are often included in the box and some include the tools you need to do the job. Some top hose reels are designed to pivot 180 degrees so that you can direct the hose where you need it. Having used many wall-mounted models like the ones in this review, we highly recommend using them because they are much easier to use and some are still just portable, the only real added work involved is fastening it to the wall which for most people who are just slightly DIY savvy will be able to do within a few minutes. Hose length This product comes with a 2 year manufacturer’s warranty, but from my initial impressions, it should last you longer than that without any major issues. Most of the problems you get with these types of products can be solved with a few fitting/connector change, so if you do have leaks, try replacing these first before considering replacing the whole product as it will undoubtedly save you time and hassle in the long run. With manual hose reels, once you stop pulling the hose stops moving. However you do need to hold the hose taut to get the best water pressure. Automatic brake The auto-reeling mechanism on the Gardena is by far the smoothest we tested, however you have to make sure you pull it slowly and it does take a little strength to do so at first. When the garden hose retracts, it actually has quite a bit of pull which speaks volumes about the quality of the spring, and it almost caught me off guard the first time. The sprayer that it comes with is pretty basic although well made. You simply twist the nozzle from totally off to mist, to shower all the way through to a high-pressure stream of water. I have shown some examples below to give you an idea of what the spray is like.Leaving the hose unwound all across your garden is not an option either. It can be dangerous because someone might trip over it. Furthermore, garden hoses are usually green, and so can be difficult to spot in dense grass. The rubber itself, when wet, is more likely to trip someone over if they step on it awkwardly. Generous 35m hose length, accompanied by a handy 2m connector hose. (Also available with 20m and 25m hose length) There is also an anti-drip device that you can insert when transporting the hose reel to stop it leaking and dripping. It’s only a small thing, but it is nice that Gardena thought about this annoying problem and offered up a solution.

All the models in this review have a mechanism that lets you swivel the hose 180? when you’re watering your garden. This avoids the hose kinking as you move it around. Auto reel box There is also an integrated hose guide, much like the Von Haus, that makes sure the hose reels in evenly and doesn’t get tangled. The five auto hose reels we have reviewed above are all worthy of the title ‘best auto rewind hose’ and we feel your choice will always come down to personal preference and perhaps your loyalty to brands. If you’re not extending from the tap then it comes with everything you need, the sprinkler and the connector – just plug it onto your garden tap:The models of automatic garden hose reels in this review take hoses in the range of 20m to 40m. This is generally the length of the hose available with these types of hose reels, although you may sometimes find a 10m hose auto reel. All of our hose reels have a robust design, to last the test of time. Many models feature a formed foot to give the hose trolley extra stability for use standing up. The reel box provides a safe and secure home for your garden hose. Many of the boxes give UV-protection as well as shelter to your hose from rain and wind. These weather elements can degrade your hose, causing splits and tears. Are there any additional features or accessories available with automatic hose reels, such as built-in timers or spray nozzles?

If registered online, your Auto Reel will benefit from a 5 year guarantee so it matches up to Gardena as they also include 5 years warranty, providing maximum assurance that your tool will be watering your garden for many years to come. And if you think it’s a bit expensive for you or maybe the hose is longer than you need, you can get smaller versions of the same from 10m to 20m and 30m Auto Reels. Pros Mounting is a doddle – just lift the unit into place and then place in the plastic bar as highlighted Most reel boxes with automatic reels have a 180? pivoting mechanism. This allows you to easily and smoothly move your hose through a semi-circle as you water. In contrast, with a manual hose you need to drag the entire length (and weight) of the hose to the next position or part of the garden that you need to water. Reel box The hose is stored inside a tough UV stabilised plastic case that ensures protection from the sun and therefore extends its longevity. What we really love about the case is that it can pivot 180 degrees on its base to allow for a wider reach in your garden, just like the Gardena model does.

Wall-Mounted Hose Box RollUp XL, 35m

Let’s talk about the plastic mount itself. I was a little concerned it felt flimsy – I was doing up the bolt with my impact driver and I was being careful not to go too hard and smash the plastic – I was completely wrong. The plastic mount could be pushed hard, I even dented the timber with the edge of the plastic mount frame so it’s very solid – this is probably the most important component when you compare these against other models – this is the easiest thing to fail, be it fall off the wall or break. I can tell you with 100% honesty from testing I am super happy with this unit: Now I made a blunder when installing into my shed. Because it’s wood I didn’t bother piloting (obviously I didn’t need the wall plugs either) but the result was I split my wood. Four word descriptions were in full flow: With a light pull at the end of the hose, the integrated steel spring is activated and rewinds the hose automatically and reliably Let’s talk about the bolts – you need a 10mm SDS bit if you’re going to install into a wall – remember the bit linked is for an SDS drill – you need a smooth shaft if you’re going to use a cordless drill. The screws are anchors with hexagonal heads – these are 13mm hexagonal bits which is vitally important to know! They are have a posi drive PZ1 screw option but these are far too large for that. No manual winding is required, the hose retracts automatically and reliably using a high-quality return spring