Edit: Although this is an old topic it remains current so new readers to the topic would be well placed to scan from the beginning, or just jump to post 76 to join the discussion in March 2022 (click here to go to post 76).
I have a garden, and we are dependent on tank water. Saving water is a priority. Hose fittings are expensive, and tend to leak. A good test would be hose-end fittings and the qualities of good garden hoses and accessories.
Thinking this was such an obvious thing to test, I curtailed my forum activities, sallied forth, and infiltrated the search box of the main Choice site - only to find (like the Cheese in the Monty Python Cheese Shop sketch) there was no test to be found! There was a buying guide on retractable hose reels - which neglected to mention the most important thing about retractable hose reels - willing the lottery so you can afford one ā¦ I have a $4.95 plastic holder mounted on the wall that works fine thank-you ā¦ but I digress ā¦
Probably my last 8 or 10 trips to the hardware store have in part consisted of wandering aimlessly in the hose and hose fittings section being completely perplexed by a seemingly endless options available, so I enthusiastically support this request for a test ā¦ I might then even be able to make a decision. (this on the back of two āhose explosionsā which have made me cynical about the quality of hoses ā¦).
It depends on what you mean by hose fittings.
If you mean the mainly plastic snap fittings that go on 12mm or 19mm garden hose then compatibility would be a useful study. One reason for leaks is fittings that donāt mate with each other correctly. Another is failing O-rings.
If you mean polypipe that is a very different thing.
You have my vote.
Nothing worse that using a hand gun on the end of the hose to save water and have the fittings leak or let go.
I bought some fancy brass ones once only to learn they only work with other brass clip lock fittings for some reason. And the o-rings and sealing washers should have been good enough to last forever failed in a year or two. Worse than plastic fittings from Kmart.
What about that hose and fittings advertised on TV āHoselinkā. Maybe that might be a useful comparison to the other products out there. For a fittings tests I would like to point out that many plastic fittings become brittle, powdery/crazed, broken after some time in the sun and as a hose and fitting the ābeing in the sunā seems like it might happen on a regular basis (your circumstances may vary widely from this statement 
).
The appeal of the ancient brass threaded fittings was the simplicity and with a new washer occasionally no leaks.
Of course the achilles heal is the threaded collar to keep the hose captive.
And for some the inconvenience of having to use brute force to tighten the connections.
For the plastic click type fittings:
Is Choice able to conveniently perform an accelerated aging test on plastic fittings? Anecdotally the Pope orange and grey fittings donāt like the Qld sun. From experience the grey molded screw collars loose plasticity and break down from around 2 years. Most o-rings seem to last about the same, and then cost their weight in precious metal at the local garden shop or hardware store. Perhaps I could water at night?
I required some new garden hose recently after having some problems with exisiting hoses when I was pressure washing. As I looked for new hose in Bunnings I almost thought I was in a comedy sketch. There were hoses guaranteed for 5 years, 8 years, 10 years. Exactly the same ones that I was having difficulty with. I had not tagged my old hoses with date of purchase but I knew that the ones that were failing were often less than 3 years old.
It seems the newer houses were thinner in the walls, making reliable attachment of connectors a problem. We have fairly strong water pressure so connectors and hose reliability are critically important. The hose bursting off connectors can be problem but the one that really cheeses me off is splits in the hose. When I finish a job the taps are turned off and the hoses emptied but during a job I may leave the taps on while I take a break and then sometimes hear the sound of running water due to a connector disconnecting or a split in the hose.
To ensure I can track hoses that are failing their warranties in future the sales docket is scanned and labelled with the brand and model of hose. I wrap the end near the tap of the hose with different coloured plastic tape eg: red/yellow/black to identify each hose with something waterproof. This is photographed and connected to the other data which gives me the date of purchase and a scan of the warranty. Takes about 15 minutes but I think it will be worth it. Has anyone had similar problems with thinner hoses splitting and popping off the connectors?
I am absolutely certain companies rely on people losing receipts, and for that reason give outrageous warranties while making their product cheaper and nastier - - bit of a conspiracy theory I knowā¦
If I think I might need it again I scan my receipts with my smartphone using an app and it lets me then post the PDF or JPG straight to my Google drive.
We have found that hoses we have bought (cheapies to more known and more expensive brands) seem to perform similar when new, but the some tend to deteriorate more quickly if left exposed to the elements (maybe donāt have UV stabisiler or same plasticisers added).
Easily solution is to place the hose after use out of direct sunlight/so it isnāt exposed to the elements.
In the past, we had some issues with splitting of what were cheap hoses, but thankfully, since retiring them we havenāt had a similar issue for the past 10 years or so.
These days, the most annoying issue is with kinking. We use mostly tank water for our garden, and our pump does not have a pressure switch. We turn the pump on when we want to water, and turn it off when weāre done. Even though the hose we use was labelled kink-resistant, it kinks very easily, restricting the flow to almost nil, and threatening damage to our pump.
I have a kink-resistant hose that is all but impossible to kink. It is also near impossible to easily roll up to hang again because it will only roll in one direction. During use that one direction gets violated many times over so hanging it is almost as irritating as having kinks.
What advantage you get in the left hand is often taken from the right 
Kinking is certainly a problem with many hoses. I have compared the wall thickness with hoses I used to use with some of the newer hoses and the newer ones all seem much thinner which creates the problems of both kinking and splitting. (No problems with tank pressure but we seem to be at the top end of residential pressure in Coffs Harbour.)
Ah ! Thatās an important point that I should have mentioned. The hose is on a reel. As you have pointed out, a more kink-resistant hose might make rewinding a real chore.
Iām sick of finding hoses that are no good. Has anyone used the Hose Link range? They are expensive but if they are as good as they say they are made out to be might be worth it.
hey Jennika
Iāve been using hoselink now for over 1 year. 1 at the front 25m and 1 at the rear 15m
they were expensive but I think that they are excellent quality and I am very happy with them.
I would buy again when they eventually expire!
Had my two HoseLink over 3 years, and would also buy again. Wait for the specials, they have one on now.
These days you get what you pay for, well most of the time. I purchased a hose from HOSELINK about 6 years ago, which I still have and it is still in perfect nick even though its been in the sun most of itās life. And I only use their fittings which are simply the best. (No, I donāt work for hoselink) but their product is 1st class. They do cost a bit more but you DO get what you pay for.
Yes I use their product and have been for at least 6 years. Donāt bother going anywhere else. You wonāt be disapointed.
And if you have high pressure problems, get their fitting as well. Also the after sales service is excellent.
