Search for the Perfect Hose

As you may have figured out by now, I’m cheap (or frugal, depending on how you describe it) and tend to opt for the less expensive item, or do without. This works out all right for the most part. Being the weekend warrior that I am, I don’t need the best of every tool, especially since many of them I use only sparingly. For the important stuff, like chainsaws and mowers, I went higher quality because not only are they used with greater frequency, but some of them scare me.

Either way, buying cheap also comes back to haunt me. Recently I decided to buy a good quality hose because the two I’ve purchased cheap are just pieces of junk. Sure, they work, but the kinks and knots drive me nuts. I finally decided to get a good hose. The question then became, what kind?

I don’t know much about buying hoses, but as many of you will know, I wasn’t going to make it easy. I saw some rubber hoses at Sears and thought that would be a good solution, but they were a bit pricey (more than the $9.99 I paid for ours). Then again, I was tired of wrestling with out piece of junk (though it is a Martha Stewart hose), and the time had come. So I bit the bullet and went to Home Depot, thinking it would be cheaper there. Surprisingly enough, they didn’t have what I really wanted (I hate when that happens), but they had alternatives.

I ended up getting a no-kink hose, which was vinyl, but reinforced to last. I really wanted the rubber, but thought this would do. It was about the same price. Even still, it was bugging me that I had compromised and got something good, but not exactly what I wanted, so went to Sears and got the rubber hose, as well. They were the same price.

Then the question became, which do I keep? As you well know, I wasn’t going to let this go without doing some exhaustive research, and I learned a few things. First off, the hose I got at HD was actually highly rated. It’s an Apex No-Kink hose, and the reviews were favorable, though some indicated that it still kinked despite the fact that it was guaranteed not to. The issue I have with the hose is that it is stiff and rigid due to the reinforcing, so it’s hard to wind up, especially on a hose caddy.

The rubber hose gave me pause because it does not indicate anywhere that it is no-kink. However, the reviews indicate that because it is rubber, the kinks are easily resolved, and are not permanent. With vinyl hoses, once you kink it, it’s kinked for life, which is a total pain. Something else you don’t give much though to in the modern era of high tech tools is the fact that Craftsman is a good brand, and Sears stands by their products and will readily replace any broken goods. You sure as heck won’t get that from HD.

So in the end, I’m going with the rubber hose. I’m done with vinyl. We’ll see how this goes. Until then, thanks for reading.