- You are here:
- Home »
- Reviews
- » Best Soaker Hose: Reviews and Buying Guide
Best Soaker Hose: Reviews and Buying Guide
Introduction
Efficient watering is a prime consideration for any homeowner who likes to garden or wants to water the various places within the yard. Most gardeners find and like the convenience a garden soaker hose offers in their daily use. For starters, they will typically reduce water loss and save more time handling various gardening tasks.
The best soaker hose should provide a great and efficient deal for plant irrigation putting into considerations the water needs visa-vis wastage. It is through this that ardent gardeners have come to the light, realizing how soaker hoses are important in moving water to their gardens and other areas in their yards.
That said, there are multiple types and choices of the best soaker hose on the market. This makes it quite daunting when one is searching for the best product for his/her garden. Nevertheless, our review of the best soaker hose below will make it easy for gardeners to find the best product. it educates as well on the specific factors to put into consideration when searching for the ideal product.
Top Soaker Hoses available on the Market
| Product name | Material | Length – ft | Weight – lbs |
| Gilmour Soaker Hose | Recycled vinyl | 25, 50, 75 | 0.75 lb |
| Melnor Flat Soaker Garden Hose | vinyl | 25, 50, 75 | 2.73 lb |
| Swan Miracle Gro Soaker System | 65% recycled rubber | 25 | 1.23 lb |
| Miracle Gro Premium Soaker Hose | 65% recycled rubber | 50, 75, 100 | 6.7 lbs |
| Osmile Soaker Hose | 80% recycled materials | 100 | 25 lbs |
1. Gilmour Soaker Hose
Materials used in its manufacture is 100 percent recycled including the vinyl, which is environmentally friendly. This provides an assurance that the water from this hose is safe to be used by the plants and human consumption.
Most low-quality soaker hoses release a lot of water through evaporation. However, the Gilmour Soaker Hose doesn’t compromise on that. During irrigation, there is little water that is lost due, thanks to its quality make that features tiny holes that are only enough to release irrigation water. Water slowly oozes into the soil reducing environmental absorption through evaporation.
Most people practice snuggling to ensure continuous water supply to their plants. Her, the soaker hose is placed to fit a serpentine shape around plants. This is based on the school of thought that once soaker hose is full with water, you have the option of leaving it hidden so as to supply moisture slowly to the thirsty plants. For this reason, this hose features a fabric cover that clog-resistant. This ensures constant soaking alongside the toughness and durability.
There exist several ways to connect the soaker hose to the 1/2” poly tubing. If you’ll be using only one long line of soaker hose, use the 1/2” Barbed Coupler to transition between the poly tubing to the soaker hose. Alternatively, use the 1/2” Barbed Tee at the poly tubing to form a circle. When installing soaker hose fittings, use Metal Hose Clamps to secure the hoses and keep them from popping off when subjected to pressure.
If you will be laying your soaker hose in multiple straight or curved lines, such as in vegetable garden beds, extend your poly tubing along one full edge of the garden. At the spots where you want to branch off a soaker hose, cut the poly tubing and insert the soaker hose Barbed Tee so that the opposite ends reconnect to the cut poly tubing and the side end is facing in the direction of your soaker hose.
Pros
- Uses vinyl that is environmentally friendly
- Has A clog resistant fabric cover
- Quite affordable
- Lightweight
Cons
- Quite delicate
- Prone to ruptures
2. Melnor Flat Soaker Garden Hose
The size, weight and length of this soaker hose makes it convenient for most gardeners. Perhaps its important feature is the ability to fold, which makes it easy to carry and store.
Like other top-notch products on the market, this soaker hose delivers maximum efficiency when it comes to watering your garden.
This is mostly due to how the water from a soaker hose is distributed. Watering your lawn using a sprinkler or by hand will comparably use more water compared to a soaker hose. Besides, a significant amount of water applied by sprinklers may not reach the root system, but instead lands on the leaves of plants.
The threads of the Melnor Flat Soaker Garden Hose can be fitted to any standard garden hose. At the end of the cap, it has rust resistant fitting to reduce chances of rusting. You should also consider installing a soaker hose Barbed End Cap to reduces the chances of experiencing clogs. Soaker hoses are a great choice for meandering curves. However, if you have a sharp angled garden, consider using the 1/2” Elbow.
To use 1/4” soaker hose, follow the same principles as the 1/2” soaker hose. However, remember to use the 1/4” standard poly tubing fittings on the side of the 1/2” poly tubing. Such sizes of soaker hoses do not require clamps to hold it in place around the fittings.
Pros
- Has 2-pack that are of great value
- Easy storing due to flattening
- Great flexibility and versatility
- Easy to connected
- Fits standard hose thread
Cons
- Short warranty
3. Swan Miracle Gro 25′ Soaker System
Its lightweight nature provides the advantage of ease of handling to most gardeners. This hose can be customized by using the easily available 4-piece connectors.
Convenience is the other undoubted advantage of using soaker hoses. Despite your busy schedule, you can be sure that this soaker hose brings forth much convenience when watering your garden saving on a lot of time.
Once you have placed a soaker hose in your garden, you only need to turn it on for a specific period to deliver a calculated amount of water.
You wont have to stay and monitor how the water flows, and you don’t even have to move the hose, something common with water sprinklers. For most gardeners, a soaker hose can put the joy back into cultivating beautiful plants. You’ll spend more time enjoying your garden and less time fretting over watering when you use a soaker.
When it comes to controlling the flow of water, it is easy. This is possible, thanks to the Swan Miracle Gro 25′ Soaker System’s featured in-built flow plug. This makes the hose to get approximately 70 percent less water as compared to the common hoses. Besides, the 65 percent rubber composition in the hose makes it have a minimum environmental impact.
Since the soaker hose weeps out at 360 degrees around and at full length of the installation, you don’t need to worry about what’s side to put it down on, it doesn’t matter. The hose can be buried under the soil, compost or mulch for even better weed prevention and to deliver water directly to the roots.
However, before burying it check the fits and water pressure to make sure the soaker hose weeps or doesn’t spray. The Swan Miracle Gro 25′ Soaker System can withstand freezing temperatures, but you should consider emptying it out when winterizing your garden.
Soaker hoses are trusted in their reliability of delivering water at ground level, providing help to the foliage on plants thus keeps them dry as well as reduces fungal growth. Soaker hose installation is easy as it is involves simply hooking up to the faucet or barrel of rain and rotate it around the plants to be watered.
Regulators of Pressure are usually unnecessary with this type of hose. Adjusting the pressure of the water is done by either opening or closure of the flow. Soaker hoses experience a low investment of up-front for an average garden. Their work is done well on timers so as to have further conservation of water. Clogging is also something of the past with this type of hose.
Pros
- Can be customized to suit garden needs
- It has an in-built flow plug
- Light in weight
- Save up to 70 % water
Cons
- Not available in long versions
4. Miracle Gro Premium Soaker Hose
Perhaps the Miracle Gro Premium Soaker Hose’s outstanding feature is the extensive customizability that most gardeners anticipate. To meet your customizable garden needs, you should only cut the hose to lengths that suit your garden and join using them with the EZ connect fittings provided by the company.
Being made with 65 percent recycled rubber, you can be sure that this soaker hose will help you meet your green gardening goals. It also saves up to 70 percent of water and completely lead-free. Manufactures of this hose give a 7-year warranty period, providing an assurance of quality product.
Pros
- It can be customized
- 65 % recycled material
- It can be easily set up
- Efficient in its watering
Cons
- It has a few connections
5. Osmile Soaker Hose
Based on the weights, this soaker hose is probably the heaviest, thus requires more effort to handle. However, its extra weight can be related to the tough and thick materials used in its make.
This hose is made from 80 percent recycled materials making it among the few environmentally friendly soaker hoses for green gardeners.
Being among the top-rated soaker hoses, it features extra thick walls meant to provide slower soaking thus ascertaining efficient watering and reduced chances of breaking down.
Most gardeners worry that the length of a soaker hose may affect its functionality. Well, for some soaker hoses, this theory might be true. However, for the Osmile Soaker Hose it is a pure conspiracy. Despite its long nature, it guarantees an even flow throughout the entire length. Manufactures also give a lifetime guarantee from material defects, something that provides more confidence.
Pros
- Extra thick walls
- Lifetime guarantee
- Even water flow
- Environmental friendly
Cons
- Comparably heavy
- Only available in 100ft lengths
Best Soaker Hose Buying Guide
As mentioned before, there are endless soaker hose options to choose from on the market. This may make it quite daunting for both amateur and even experienced gardening enthusiasts to make a choice. Well, if you are in this fold, consider the following factors before settling on a soaker hose of your choice.
Hose Grades
Soaker hoses are categorized as either commercial or non-commercial grade. Commercial grade hoses use heavier materials enabling them to have the capability to withstand severe weather and rough landscapes. On the other side, non-commercial soaker hoses are considered appropriate for basic home gardeners or for use in the lawns.
Soaker Hose Material
Soaker hose material should be among the priority factors when searching for garden hoses, and soaker hoses shouldn’t be an exception. Hoses from various manufacturers differ in various aspects and make, with some being made from recycled tires. That said, soaker hoses made from recycled tires are considerably strong and last long. They also resist wear and tear from harsh elements such as mud, mulch and dirt.
Not all soaker hoses are made from recycled tires. Some brands make their hoses from other good materials such as polyurethane and vinyl. Polyurethane soaker hoses are safe for use even with drinking water and offer a natural resistance to ozone and UV exposure.
Soaker Hose Length
When purchasing a soaker hose, you should ensure that it is long enough to cover your garden satisfactorily. This directly implies that the size of your garden is what you should go by. As you may have noticed, soaker hoses are available in varying lengths. Most manufacturers prefer making their hoses in lengths of 25, 50, 75 and 100 ft.
If you want more length, you can combine two or more soaker hoses. However, it is prudent to keep your garden hose within 100 feet to maintain a good water pressure and even flow to your lawn.
Soaker Hose Pressure Rating
This is something that most amateur gardening enthusiasts ignore. When shopping for a soaker hose, check on its pressure rating. This refers to the amount of pressure rating the hose can withstand before bursting. For drip irrigation, the optimal pressure is approximately 10psi.
For watering needs, you definitely want water to seep out instead of sprinkling. The best soaker hose should handle more pressure than the recommended to avoid bursts that may flood your garden and end up damaging your plants. Most manufacturers indicate the pressure rating of the soaker hose on its packaging. Always ensure that you check it to ascertain that it matches to your home water pressure. Nonetheless, it is wise to install a pressure regulator.
Soaker Hose Overall Design
The overall design of your preferred soaker hose also matters a lot. As for this, you should choose between a flat or rounded soaker hose. Whereas both can provide effective watering, flat soaker hoses have an aesthetic appeal and directs water to a particular area precisely. This is because they have holes on one side only.
On the other hand, rounded soaker hoses are great if you are looking for a heavy-duty hose to install under soil or mulch.
Soaker Hose Warranty
Checking the warranty is of immense importance when purchasing any gardening tool. After checking at the various crucial factors, you should look into the warranty of the soaker hose. Most manufacturers provide a one-year warranty. Others give 30 or 60 days guarantee. Note that the length of time in a warranty equals to the confidence manufacturers have with their product.
Where to Place Your Soaker Hose
Most gardeners complain of inefficiency with their soaker hoses. However, for a significant number, the problem lies with them. One thing to note is that you shouldn’t place your soaker hose running in an uphill or downhill direction. This severely reduces the effectiveness of water delivery.
For sure, it is almost impossible for the soaker hose to deliver water effectively and uniformly if the water is running at a low flow rate. That said, it is most prudent to place your soaker hose on a level ground. If that isn’t possible with your garden, place it across a slope and try to level it as much as possible.
Also worth mentioning is the depth at which gardeners should bury their soaker hoses. Manufacturers recommend that you burry the hose beneath the surface at a depth not exceeding 6-inches deep. There are numerous reasons that support this. Firstly, the essence of using a soaker hose is to maximize root irrigation by getting water to the root system.
Slow water flow to the roots is probably the most efficient way of delivering water to your garden plants. Therefore, having the hose buried at such depth maximizes the chances of delivering water to the roots. Burying the hose also minimizes the chances of evaporation of irrigation water compared to when the soaker hose is left at the surface. This does not only save on water but also costs for those living in warm areas.
Upgrading Your Soaker Hose
Backflow preventer and pressure regulators are the recent innovations that help gardeners turn their irrigation into smart irrigation systems. For starters, the backflow preventer is installed between the water faucet and garden hose. As the name suggests, this device prevents water flowing from the faucet from reversing backwards and mixing with your drinking water.
Water in the soaker hose flows slowly and since it is buried underneath the surface, there are chances that the holes may be clogged. In such situations, a backflow preventer prevents water from reversing to the faucet. Well, if your hose gets clogged and you have a backflow preventer in place, one problem is solved. However, how do you get to clear the clogged holes?
This is where the pressure regulator comes in. The pressure regulator is activated when the water flow to the soaker hose stops. In case of blocks, water pressure is handled and regulated by the pressure regulator just like the source faucet would do. Most homeowner, however, like installing a timer on both devices to monitor the entire system.
If you are using the pressure regulator, ensure that you set the water flow to a maximum of one gallon of water per minute. This applies if you are using either the 5/8-inch or ½-inch diameter hose.
The other alternative to keep your garden adequately hydrated is by doing regular cleaning on your garden soaker hose. All you need for cleaning is a large tub, dishwashing liquid, hose valves, scrub brushes and end caps. You should consider cleaning your soaker hose after every growing season.
Conclusion
Regardless of whether you are starting as a new gardener of an expert looking to improve your garden watering techniques, soaker hoses come in exceptionally handy. They not only use a fraction of water that regular garden hoses could have used, but also are convenient as users won’t have to drag around with them when watering their gardens.
Buying a good soaker hose is a recipe to a happy garden and a good investment as well. With the above review, you can be certain of settling for the best product on the market. if you think we have left out a good product, share with us in the comments section below.
