Garden hoses & reels · Buying guide

20m or 30m Hose Reel? Measure the Route Before You Buy

By James Thompson

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A hose reel needs to reach around your garden, not across a straight line on a plan. Start at the proposed reel position, follow the route you can actually pull the hose, then leave room to water comfortably. That measurement is more useful than a seller’s “medium” or “large garden” label.

Measure from the reel, then measure the tap connection separately

Lay a length of string or an existing hose from the intended wall position to the furthest point you need to water. Follow accessible paths around raised beds, steps and furniture. Do not run the measuring line through a bed you will avoid walking across, or through a gate that is normally shut.

Measure more than one destination. The far corner of the lawn may be closer by hose route than pots around the side of the house. Include the working movement needed at each destination; a hose stretched tight to a pot leaves little freedom to direct the nozzle without pulling against a corner.

The connection from the tap to the reel is a separate measurement. Both models compared here include a connection hose, but confirm its supplied length against your proposed installation. It feeds the reel; it does not add to the working hose’s reach from the wall bracket. Moving the reel nearer the middle of the area can sometimes solve a reach problem more effectively than buying a longer hose.

20m RollUp M vs 30m RollUp L: the useful differences

This comparison is for 18610-20 and 18625-20. GARDENA also sells other lengths, colours and generations under the RollUp name. Match the full article number rather than assuming every “M” or “L” listing has the same specification.

GARDENA lists spring-powered retraction and controlled rewind for the M model. Automatic storage can be valuable when rewinding a loose hose is the chore that makes you leave it across the path. It is still worth considering how the hose will travel back around obstacles; a retracting reel cannot make an obstructed route disappear.

Does a wider hose automatically deliver more water?

No useful buying decision comes from diameter alone. For circular bores, cross-sectional area scales with the square of diameter: a 13 mm bore has about 40% more area than an 11 mm bore. That does not mean 40% more flow at the nozzle. Supply pressure, hose length, fittings, restrictions and the nozzle setting also affect delivery.

The longer model has both a larger listed diameter and a longer water path, so those two catalogue numbers cannot establish the final flow difference in your garden. Avoid paying for a larger reel solely on an assumed percentage improvement. If you need to run a particular sprinkler, check its specified supply requirements and assess delivery through the intended hose arrangement.

Leaving part of the hose wound on the reel does not remove that section from the water path. Water still travels through the connected hose. Paying out only 10 metres of a 30-metre hose is therefore not equivalent to using a separate 10-metre hose.

For a long, thin strip of grass, our narrow-lawn sprinkler guide covers the separate question of matching the watering pattern to the space.

Choose the mounting position before the reel

A good location gives the box space to turn, a clean pull direction and access to the tap. Sketch the swing beside doors, drainpipes and corners. A bracket that can rotate widely is useful only if the surrounding wall and obstacles allow that movement.

Check the wall material and condition before assuming the supplied screws and plugs are appropriate. Sound masonry, hollow construction, cladding and insulation systems can require different fixing arrangements. Follow the exact mounting instructions, avoid concealed services and get suitable installation advice if the substrate is uncertain. Do not improvise a mounting on a weak fence panel simply because it places the reel nearer the lawn.

Also consider daily handling: can you reach the hose end, pull it in the usual direction and guide it back without crossing steps? If a permanent wall fixing is impractical, a portable reel or trolley may be a better category of product than either wall box. The trade-off is moving and storing it each time.

Three route examples that make the choice clearer

• 17 m measured route + 2 m working allowance = 19 m: the 20 m RollUp M fits this example, provided the route and mounting checks work.
• 23 m route + 2 m allowance = 25 m: the 30 m RollUp L leaves room that the 20 m version cannot provide.
• 29 m route + 2 m allowance = 31 m: neither model fits this plan comfortably. Reconsider the reel position or compare a longer model instead of relying on nozzle spray to cover the shortfall.

Use an allowance that matches the space and your movements. These examples deliberately make the assumption visible; a fixed extra length is not right for every garden.

Do not confuse a convenient hose with automatic irrigation

A retractable reel tidies the supply hose, but you still choose where the water goes and how long to apply it. For recurring watering of a row of containers, compare a planned drip system. For beds, our soaker hose versus drip guide explains the different delivery patterns.

If a reel will supply another irrigation device, check that device’s pressure, flow and connection requirements. A hose reel does not itself provide the filtration or pressure regulation some drip systems need; see our filter and regulator buying guide.

The final buying check

Shortlist the 20 m M model when it covers the measured route with useful slack. Step up to the 30 m L model for a demonstrable reach need, rather than the garden-size label alone. Before ordering, confirm the model code, connection-hose length, mounting instructions, seller’s included parts and current delivery terms.

GARDENA lists frost protection for both exact models. Read their storage instructions before winter: a product-level frost claim should not be treated as an instruction to leave every connected tap, fitting and accessory under pressure through freezing weather.

Primary specification sources

• GARDENA RollUp M 18610-20: UK specifications and features
• GARDENA RollUp L 18625-20: international specifications