Garden supplies

Buying an expandable garden hose means saying goodbye to the heaviest garden tool you owned: Strex flexible hoses expand under water pressure to 15 or 30 metres, shrink back to a fraction of that size after use, and weigh a quarter of a classic rubber hose. Includes a multi-spray nozzle — from a soft mist for seedlings to a powerful jet for patio tiles.

15 or 30 metres: measure your route, not your garden

The classic miscalculation: measuring the garden instead of the path taken. Water runs from the tap — around the corner, along the patio, past the flowerbed. Therefore, measure the route the hose actually takes from the tap to the furthest plant, and add a few metres of slack for freedom of movement. If the result is around twelve metres, choose 15M; anything above that — or a tap located at the front of the house while the vegetable garden is at the back — is 30M territory. Being too long is hardly a disadvantage with this type of hose: after all, it shrinks back.

What to look for?

• ✔ Extended length — 15M or 30M under water pressure; without pressure, the hose is a fraction of that
• ✔ Weight — light enough to carry through the garden with one hand, even when filled
• ✔ Kink-free — the flexible material does not fold shut on the corner of the patio
• ✔ Multi-spray nozzle — mist for young plants, jet for pavements and the car
• ✔ Compact storage — once shrunk, the hose fits in a bucket or planter

How to keep a flexible hose going for years

The expandable hose has one enemy, and it is easy to avoid: pressure and frost combined with lack of use. The three habits that make the difference: let the hose drain and shrink without pressure after use (constant pressure ages the inner tube), keep it out of full summer sun if it will be unused for days, and bring it inside before the first frost — frozen residual water is the winter death of every hose, flexible or classic. Anyone who sticks to this only replaces the hose when the garden gets bigger. During the season, watering often goes hand in hand with the big outdoor clean-up: the steam cleaner handles patios and garden furniture chemical-free. You can find more for home and outdoors at home & kitchen.

Frequently asked questions

How does an expandable garden hose work?

The hose has an elastic inner tube with a sturdy outer shell: as soon as there is water pressure, it stretches to its full length, and after the pressure is released, it automatically shrinks back. This makes it light, kink-free, and easy to store compactly — solving the three classic hose annoyances at once.

Does the garden hose fit every tap?

Yes, via standard connectors that fit common outdoor taps and click couplings. Connecting works just like a classic hose: coupling on the tap, spray nozzle on the end, and the pressure does the rest.

Can the garden hose stay outside in winter?

No — bring it inside before the frost. Frozen residual water expands and damages the inner tube beyond repair. Let the hose drain, let it shrink, and store it in a frost-free place; in the spring, it will be as good as new.

Is the spray nozzle suitable for young plants?

Yes, the included spray nozzle has multiple settings: the soft mist and shower settings provide water without flattening seedlings and young plants, while the targeted jet is there for tiles, bins, and the car.

Take a look at the expandable garden hoses from Strex — 15 or 30 metres — and make watering a light task again.

Want to know more? Read our article "Expandable garden hose: does it work and which length?".