I have one. It's part of an outdoor sink setup I picked up at one of the big box home improvement stores. Works pretty well, you have to straighten out the hose before you start the reel, and sometimes help feed the hose so it distributes it across the wheel, but a lot easier than cranking. You have to have a discharge hose to release the water somewhere as it reels.

 

We've had one for 3-4 years now, bought it for the wife for Mother's Day - she loves it.

Works great, sounds like the same one the 72o has.

I hated when she left the hose out, pain in the ass when I need to mow the lawn.

 

That's what I was thinking too... mother's day... Its really a gift for me (so I don't have to deal with a hose left on the lawn), but I think she'll appreciate it too. If I get a side benefit out of it, is it so bad?

I saw that you had to stake it down... I wondered if that was an issue (i.e., does it have to be firmly staked, or just enough to keep the front down so it doesn't flip itself up). As for the runoff, it looks like there is a hose that can either be used to "wash" the hose as its reeled in, or can be set to run off to neighboring flowers.

Also, I have no idea what length hose I have... I intended to just buy the 100' model figuring it could handle "up to" 100', but the materials seem to indicate that a 75' hose won't work with a 100' reel... True? I can either ask/measure the current hose, or just get a new hose...

What models do you guys have? I was looking at the Columbus line...

http://www.amazon.com/Columbus-Powered-Retractable-Reel-RS10105/dp/B000PSW37K

 

Mine is this: http://www.amazon.com/SK241501-Outdoor-Station-Retractable-Reel/dp/B000FGDGIW

Mine isn't staked, because the sink itself and the weight of the hose is enough to hold it down. My parents have one similar to what you posted, and it isn't staked well, which is a total PITA. When you try to pull the hose off the reel, the entire reel flips over. If you get a smaller version stake it down good.

Yeah, the runoff could be used to wash the hose off, I honestly never thought of that, I have the discharge hose running off to a bed.

I have 150' of hose on mine. I don't see why you couldn't put 75' on a 100' reel.

 

"Isn't staked well" as in "they didn't do a good job," or "isn't staked well" as in "the stake provided is inadequate"? If the staking system is inadequate, it makes me wonder about the usefulness of this whole thing... Would you mind coming by the house and bringing your sink version and your parents non-sink version, so I could see them both work? kthxbai.

I don't think we'd have much use for the sink version... Knowing that, would you avoid the non-sink staked version?

As for the 75 v 100, I figured it might be marketing hype.

Thanks for the replies.

 

Isn't staked well because the stakes provided are thin steel rod stakes like you would use on a pup tent in light to no wind, not for holding down 50 pounds of hose. Also because they're trying to stake it into a raised flower bed, not the sturdiest of staking mediums. My parents aren't the smartest when it comes to this type of stuff. I think if you got some decent stakes and put them in solid ground you would have no issues.

 

Went over really well.. I was pretty impressed with the way it worked myself... "Crank" worked great and the guide did a great job or spacing out the hose evenly.

Wife: "You got this for me because you knew my back was bad."

Brain: "Hell no! I hate coming home from work and seeing the hose on the lawn."

[Filter over-ride]

Me: Yes.

[/filter]

Thanks for all the advice!

 

You got away with a crank reel as a MD present?
You da man.

 

My wife loves to garden... anything garden/flower related satisfies a present requirement in my house... I could've given her new shears and she'd be okay with it.

 

Lucky you.

 

which one did you end up buying?

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JDOM7U I got it on sale for $50, though.

There was a small leak when I connected the hose inside the unit... no big deal, because I'm replacing that hose. However, even without replacement, there are drain holes in the bottom.

The "reel in" worked well...quicker than I thought it would. It didn't kick out *that* much water... Enough the water the flowers nearby.

It has a guide on the front that walks up and down the front so the hose gets evenly distributed on the reel. Pretty slick invention.

Overall, I'm very satisfied with the product.

 

Today's sellout.woot:

http://sellout.woot.com/Default.aspx?WootSaleId=12783&ts=1268825697&sig=6d1a09b36a87ac43

 

Nope,

side note, does she use soaker hoses in the garden? If not, I recommend it. Conserves water, and does a much better watering of the plants.


http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...=Gifts&cName=Lawn&Garden=&sName=All&psid=FROOGLE01&sid=IAx20090815x000001&aff=Y

 

Endstory. I got one for the wife. She loves it. Works well. Hose is never left laying on the lawn anymore. Worth the price of admission for that alone.

So this soaker hose... You just wind it around the garden and turn the water on... and it seeps out?

If so, I might pick one of those up for the wife.

 

yep.........

Their black, spongy hose things that I spread around the garden every spring, let them sit there all summer, plug the hose, only slightly turn it on (quarter crank) for about 20-30 minutes. It does a real good job of watering the base of the plants. Your not losing water to evaporation, and the water isn't sitting on the leaves of the plants for extended periods of time which can burn them out, lead to diseases, ect....

I might have an extra 25-50 feet that I will let her "earn". Remind me later

 

wait..you all have wives th at actually do yard work?

 

Mine does more than yard work.........she builds shit............I will post some pics later, its crazy. Hell, she re did the bathroom upstairs while I was at work.....counter top, tile floor, everything............lol.........

oh, can't forget that she is easy on the eyes

 

For $10 at Sears, I'll just pick one up...but thanks.

 

What are friends for.............

I'm going running, I will check in the shed and see if I have any extra. If so, I will bring them on our next game.