707 Decorative Hose Reel

Love it. Wife loves it. We live in the UK where the threads are different so had to do some adapting. It was worth it. Ours is loaded to the max with hose and we use the full length all the time.

So, when I received it, I opened the box and grabbed it by the hose guide and got a handful of grease. I guess it is good that it is lubricated but something to keep in mind. Many reviews complain that it doesn't come with hardware. This should be obvious. Some people mount it to brick, some to wood, etc. And not everybody likes the same kind of hardware. I suppose that maybe they could be more explicit that mounting hardware isn't included. But it should be obvious. I mounted it using 3/8" by 2 1/4" Tapcon concrete screws. I should have used 5/16" because the 3/8" uses a 3/8" drill into the concrete but the threads are actually about 1/2" diameter and thus I actually had to drill out the holes in the hose reel slightly. But that wasn't a big deal and it is solidly mounted to my house. Even so, had I realized, I would have used 5/16" instead. See picture. One reviewer suggested only doing the top bolts, since your wall might not be perfectly flat and doing all four might twist it. Not a bad idea but my wall happened to be quite flat and I did all four. Or maybe you could put in all four but leave the bottom ones slightly loose. The screws it is assembled with are black painted. One reviewer suggested replacing them with stainless screws. Not a bad idea but I haven't yet. It is surprisingly light, but that is because it is aluminum. When I first picked it up, I thought it wasn't sturdy because it is so light. But that is just because of the aluminum. And so of course it won't rust. Before picking this one, I saw some other products here on Amazon, many in stainless steel. Some of them costing many times more than this. I saw one SS model here that was in the same price range, but its hose guide was plastic and got poor reviews, so I got this. Now, I've only used it a few times, so I can't say how long it will last, but it certainly seems sturdy. Yet many users report longevity issues. So, I have some concerns there. I guess time will tell. But at least for the moment, zero leaks, works perfect. Some people report that the rubber grip on the handle deteriorates. I'm considering making a nice wood one on a lathe. At any rate, there are lots of options if the rubber grip deteriorates. I bought it with the hose guide. That makes it a lot more expensive, and many people report the guide being problematic over time. I like it so much I bought a second unit for the back yard, but I got the second unit without the guide. It says it holds 125 feet of 5/8" hose. I'm not sure it will, but maybe. I'm using 75 feet of 3/4" hose, and it works well. I also replaced the short leader hose my own short 3/4" hose rather than use what it came with.

This is a solid hose reel, all metal, will look great and work great much longer than a cheesy plastic one. No leaks and hose reels in nice and even. Have two at current home, had one for years at the last place too, it was still looking great and working leak-free when I moved.

Rolling up is great and easy to install and all metal so very sturdy

UPDATE to the info below: I have had this item now for 3 years and the only thing I have had to do is WD40 DRYLUBE the chain and gear otherwise it will bind. BE SURE TO USE DRY LUBE. This item adds a nice look to where the hose is stored, and winds in and out incredibly well. I've only had it for about a month but the quality appears to be very good, and durable. I bought two, and the first one required me to fit a piece (the black ring you see in picture 2) that should have already been screwed in. Fortunately I was able to do it, but I am a bit disappointed with the QC. Still, it wasn't damaged, so all's good. The only other issue is the kinking of the main hose that is caused by the fact that the nozzle where the main hose connects to the hose reel is not angled down enough. Another 10 degrees downward would probably be perfect. You can see in the first picture above, that I have added a small extension piece that helps prevent kinking but it's still not 100%. I do like however, that it is not too high on the inside that is obstructs the winding. The handle is a nice feel but I suspect it will wear out quickly. I'm just hoping there are replacement options for these. Some things to keep in mind (Not that I have done these, but I noticed in other comments that these were issues): 1. don't wind the hose up if the water is on. The hose becomes too heavy and may pull on the geared hose guide causing it to skip. 2. don't try to wind it up with the hose fully extended and at an angle to the hose reel then expect it to wind easily. You may risk causing the hose guide to slip and because it is cast aluminum and not steel, it will wear more easily albeit, not rust. 3. drain and store disconnected for areas where winters are freezing. 4. there are no leaks. there is however, a need to replace hose rubber washers annually otherwise, there will be leaks. Overall, I am quite happy with this product and have recommended it to others, but it only got a '4' because of the bad angle on the connection.

The bar that slides the hose back and forth was the key feature for me. I'm glad to say it works exactly as it should; unrolling and cranking it back in are both smooth, easy, automatic, and even. Make sure you do put the Teflon tape on the threads before attaching the hose, and it's completely tight, not a drop comes out. Looks good too, so no complaints at all!