Saw a coiled hose in Woollies an hour ago. About $24

I buy the light blue reinforced one from Bunnings. They last for ages even if left in the weather. I've had mine for 4 years and it's still as supple today as it was when I bought it. Hasn't kinked yet. It's marginally more expensive than those crappy green ones!

Thanks Raymondo. Must get one tomorrow or I will lose my mind.

I'd strongly recommend a hose reel to keep it on. It will increase the life of your hose dramatically if rolled neatly away when out of use. Buy one that is solid and sturdy. The Gardena brand is pretty good, though I'm sure their are better ones.

My pet hate is poorly made, low quality tools. Bear in mind though that high expense doesn't necessarily equal quality! Bunnings stocks a lot of inexpensive stuff that is good. It also stocks a lot that is just plain trash. Sorry, I tend to get carried away on this topic.

My kinky hose is actually an extension of a self-retracting hose I bought at the ABC Gardening Live show a couple of years ago. The retractable one is only long enough for half the garden. I must say, that retractable hose was worth every cent. I clip on that horrid kinking extension and it sets my teeth on edge. I agree, tools that are designed to do just one thing and CAN'T DO IT are the pits. Do you subscribe to the theory that storing a hose looped in a figure of 8 (rather than just wound around a central core/hose reel) stops kinking?

Never tried it, but I'd imagine that it would work just fine.

A Don Burke solution was to just lay the hose out alongside a garden bed and back again, if needed. Not a bad idea in these times of restrictions when you need to use it all the time to hand hose. I've got one of those black ones with the red stripe, fine in summer, a nightmare in winter as it goes all stiff.

Looks like I'm off to Bunnings for a new one. Or will this one go stiff in winter too, me not being in Qld??

GRRRRRRR. Went to Bunnings. Bought a bright blue hose advertised on its wrapping as "Non-kinking". Australian-made. Excellent. ARRRGGHHH! Wrong! It tangles, it's rigid and twisty, it won't loop up onto my storage bracket and it kinks in at least five places. Instead of pulling a supple length of hose around the garden, I'm stuck with a tangled clump that weighs a ton and catches on everything. How can people be allowed to say their product is non kink when it demonstrably isn't? A waste of time, money and energy. I have complained to Bunnings and written to the manufacturers in South Australia expressing my disgust. And I have ordered a hose extension from the people who make the retracting hose ... more expensive, but that is one good hose and the company is a pleasure to deal with.

Hi Little Digger,
I reckon if the label said that it won't kink and it did kink then you should demand your money back. State this as the prime reason for buying the hose. Just complaining is not enough. I know for a fact that many retailers won't offer you money back unless you actually ask for it (or demand it). It's worth a try!
Dee.

I have found before using a new hose lay it in the sun for a couple of hours till soft. This will get all the coils from being rolled tightly out.

Gee Little Digger, you must try to get a refund! Bunnings are usually happy to do this. The goods you purchased weren't fit for the purpose etc etc. I'm sure you'll have no problems!

While we were doing our extensions, I had 3 extra taps connected at different points round the garden. I now have 6 external taps. I could still do with 2 more (we are on an acre). If you can afford it, having the extra tap points will save you years and years of lugging.
A cheaper alternative, and one that doesn't require digging up your yard - my mother has a couple of hoses laid out along the garden edge, and fixed to the sleeper border. At the tap end, she plugs in the hose connected to the tap. At the other end she plugs in a normal hose. This allows her to easily reach areas distant from the tap.