Review: Giraffe Tools AW505/8 Retractable Garden Hose Reel 5/8" x 115 ft
As a lawn care enthusiast with a large 12,000 square foot lawn, I have been tired of dealing with typical manual hose reels for my 100 ft hose for years. It would get stuck, not unravel well, didn’t work well when trying to go at angles in my yard, and was a major hassle to manually turn the reel to collect the hose after each time I used it. I was looking for a better solution and came across the Giraffe Tools AW505/8 Retractable Garden Hose Reel. This product caught my eye because it was 115 ft long, so I could reach even farther than my 100 ft hose, and it was 5/8 inch in diameter, just like my current hose. I decided to give it a try and I’m glad I did. This is by far the best garden hose reel I have ever used.
The installation process was not as straightforward as I had hoped, but I managed to overcome some challenges with a bit of creativity. I didn’t want to drill into my home’s siding, so I opted to use a post instead. However, my biggest disappointment with this hose reel is the fact that the mount has screw holes that are 4.3 inches apart. This is a major frustration because it is too wide to fit on a standard 4x4 post. You could use a 4x6 or 6x6 post, but I wanted to use a Wood Post Spike instead of having to dig out the ground and mix cement, etc. And the local store only had Wood Post Spikes for 4x4 posts.
So I came up with this idea as a means of being able to connect the mount to the post. I bought a Severe Weather 3.5-in x 3.5-in x 4-ft Natural Pressure Treated Wood Pine Deck Post and spray-painted it white. Then I cut a piece of pressure treated 2x4 wood into two 6-inch pieces. I screwed the two pieces onto the post and then the mount on the pieces. Then I hammered the wood post spike into the ground with a sledgehammer and then put the post into it. Once the mount was done, it was easy to just attach the hose reel. It would have been much quicker if the mount would have been able to simply fit on a 4x4. Either way, the reel works excellently and allows me to water my plants and lawn much more easily and without any frustration or hassle.
The hose reel itself is very well designed and built. It can swivel 180 degrees, so I can reach all different areas easily. The hose is made of durable material and has no leaks or kinks. The retractable mechanism is smooth and reliable. It can be pulled out to whatever length you wish and then it holds the position. To retract it, just tug a bit and then the hose will be retracted back into the reel. You can even stop during the retraction and pull it back out and hold it at a position again. It retracts quickly and easily.
I love this product and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a hassle-free garden hose reel that can cover a large area with ease. It is definitely worth the investment and will save you time and energy in maintaining your lawn.
I have included some photos at the bottom of this review to show you how I installed it and how it looks in action. Let me know if you have any questions.
References:
Giraffe Hose Reel: Garden Retractable Hose Reel-5/8in-115ft
Wood Post Spike: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Simpson-Strong-Tie-4-in-x-4-in-Powder-Coated-Wood-to-Wood-Base/1002708416
Post: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Severe-Wea...ctual-3-5-in-x-3-5-in-x-4-ft-Natural-Pressure-Treated-Pine-Deck-Post/1000914556
Here is a link for 10% off Giraffe Tools: https://loox.io/z/P9W96xmVv?s=raf
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As a lawn care enthusiast with a large 12,000 square foot lawn, I have been tired of dealing with typical manual hose reels for my 100 ft hose for years. It would get stuck, not unravel well, didn’t work well when trying to go at angles in my yard, and was a major hassle to manually turn the reel to collect the hose after each time I used it. I was looking for a better solution and came across the Giraffe Tools AW505/8 Retractable Garden Hose Reel. This product caught my eye because it was 115 ft long, so I could reach even farther than my 100 ft hose, and it was 5/8 inch in diameter, just like my current hose. I decided to give it a try and I’m glad I did. This is by far the best garden hose reel I have ever used.
The installation process was not as straightforward as I had hoped, but I managed to overcome some challenges with a bit of creativity. I didn’t want to drill into my home’s siding, so I opted to use a post instead. However, my biggest disappointment with this hose reel is the fact that the mount has screw holes that are 4.3 inches apart. This is a major frustration because it is too wide to fit on a standard 4x4 post. You could use a 4x6 or 6x6 post, but I wanted to use a Wood Post Spike instead of having to dig out the ground and mix cement, etc. And the local store only had Wood Post Spikes for 4x4 posts.
So I came up with this idea as a means of being able to connect the mount to the post. I bought a Severe Weather 3.5-in x 3.5-in x 4-ft Natural Pressure Treated Wood Pine Deck Post and spray-painted it white. Then I cut a piece of pressure treated 2x4 wood into two 6-inch pieces. I screwed the two pieces onto the post and then the mount on the pieces. Then I hammered the wood post spike into the ground with a sledgehammer and then put the post into it. Once the mount was done, it was easy to just attach the hose reel. It would have been much quicker if the mount would have been able to simply fit on a 4x4. Either way, the reel works excellently and allows me to water my plants and lawn much more easily and without any frustration or hassle.
The hose reel itself is very well designed and built. It can swivel 180 degrees, so I can reach all different areas easily. The hose is made of durable material and has no leaks or kinks. The retractable mechanism is smooth and reliable. It can be pulled out to whatever length you wish and then it holds the position. To retract it, just tug a bit and then the hose will be retracted back into the reel. You can even stop during the retraction and pull it back out and hold it at a position again. It retracts quickly and easily.
I love this product and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a hassle-free garden hose reel that can cover a large area with ease. It is definitely worth the investment and will save you time and energy in maintaining your lawn.
I have included some photos at the bottom of this review to show you how I installed it and how it looks in action. Let me know if you have any questions.
References:
Giraffe Hose Reel: Garden Retractable Hose Reel-5/8in-115ft
Wood Post Spike: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Simpson-Strong-Tie-4-in-x-4-in-Powder-Coated-Wood-to-Wood-Base/1002708416
Post: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Severe-Wea...ctual-3-5-in-x-3-5-in-x-4-ft-Natural-Pressure-Treated-Pine-Deck-Post/1000914556
Here is a link for 10% off Giraffe Tools: https://loox.io/z/P9W96xmVv?s=raf
