julieyankfan...no kidding about that flat hose...I bought one late last summer. The original idea was on target. It was great, too, in the beginning. I didn't need that green plastic thing to rewind it, because I was watering too often and it was only 25'. So, this Spring, I get it out and start watering again. A couple weeks later, it starts to spray a thin spray from the cloth covering. I think, well, maybe it's cuz I didn't winter it over. I take it to the hardware store and the guy says, "gee, I never see these come back, unless the plastic rewinder gets broken. I feel guilty for taking it back, for the little hole, in the cloth. I pay $10 extra dollars and get a 50' one instead, cuz they're on sale. Go home, water one day. Water next day. Third day, I feel a fine mist on me. Hmmmmm, this time I'm suspicious, so I take it back, with no guilt. Different salesman, different response. He says, as he laughs, "These have been the most worthless hoses that the manufacturers put out...good concept, though". I exchanged it for a regular Ace Hardware generic 60' hose and got money back, in the process. So, I bought a big and beautiful full pink rose, named 'Simplicity' with the extra refund. I'll stay with the ol' 'tried and true' type of hose, for my money, thanks anyway. Becky .(*_*).

There ARE definitely a few things to think about when it comes to safety. However, if you think about it, most of it is just plain common sense and it is truly not that difficult at all! Unfortunately, though, some folks have not been thinking and have made some really stupid mistakes when they've attempted this and have now given the whole thing sort of a bad rap. Our family has done it many, many times and it is very, very easy and safe as long as you follow the directions on your fryer and you think a little bit about what you are doing! Here are a few tips: * Absolutely, positively, DO NOT fry a turkey inside or even close to your home - like on a deck/patio or in the garage. We always fry ours in the driveway. * Make sure the turkey is COMPLETELY thawed and patted dry before putting it into the fryer! This is the biggest mistake people make! Putting a partially frozen/wet turkey in oil that is 350 degrees can cause a fire or even an explosion. * Do not overfill the fryer. This can cause significant burns. * NEVER leave a frying turkey unattended. Even after you are finished frying, the oil remains hot a very long time. Be very careful with kids and pets around it. * EVERYONE should have an All-Purpose fire extinguisher for their kitchen! This will come in handy when you are frying a turkey. As most of you probably know, absolutely NEVER, EVER put water on a grease fire! It only causes the fire to spread faster. If the fire is manageable, you may try to use fire extinguisher. If not, call 911! * Make sure no one who will be at the dinner, and especially eating the turkey, is allergic to peanuts! Here is a link that might be useful: Safely Deep Frying A Turkey

I could. However, I live in a small town and the place I bought it is an hour away. I did call their customer service and they told me the only replacement they could give would be an exact match to what I have now. That doesn't do me any good 'cuz I don't want the timer and thermocouple and all that BS. I figure the cheapest and safest fix is go to a propane dealer and get the correct hose. If that doesn't work, I'll simply buy a new burner assembly for something like 25 bucks. But, if the hose is a safe fix then I'll go that route for probably around 10 bucks.

Thank you, everyone!! It does sound like there is no perfect hose for everyone. I have - at least for now - decided to prioritize non-toxicity over lightness and non-kinking, since I am dealing with a small space for this hose. However, that doesn't seem to make choosing a hose much easier. I tried to get someone on the phone at Lowes to just ask them which hose won't have dangerous chemicals in it - if any, bc maybe this is a non-real problem in the first place - but the phone just kept ringing and I guess they are overwhelmed. Maybe I'll try an email. Wirecutter doesn't really talk about the chemicals aspect. On the hose webpages, some say "lead free" and some don't, but a) I don't really know if the other ones really have lead, and b) there are other bad things besides lead. (And this is even just the ones made in the US - I don't look at the other kind. Unless someone in another country does invent a perfect hose, bc if that were to happen, I might at least look at it. However this does not seem imminent.) I will say, in my looking around, some people talk about stainless steel hoses they like a lot ... but I didn't have time to chase down that rabbit. And it sounds like, no one ever tries to fix a hose? It is interesting to me that, from the way people talk online, there is a right way and a wrong way to wind a hose. I always suspected as much, as I wrestled with them, but I just wasn't sure. The last time I bought a new one, which is this one that is basically busted now, I don't recall seeing any instructions. This kind of thing fascinates me. Oh, the other thing is, some people online say the Craftsman rubber hoses aren't the same as they used to be, either, so that is one more thing to be confused about. If I hear anything helpful, I'll post here again. Thanks again, folks!