Gardena (18515) CleverRoll (1/2" Medium) Frost-Proof Hose Cart, Includes 66' 1/2" Hose, for Convenient Hose Storage and Watering, Hose Included

We just purchased our fifth Gardena hose cart since 2013. The accompanying photo shows the latest model in front of first cart that we bought (which still functions and will be used elsewhere in the yard). Although the latest unit required assembly, it was very simple, requiring just a screwdriver. Gardena carts used to be premium priced, but this one was one half what we paid for the original; the benefit of self-assembly.As with all of our previous Gardena carts, this one is also made in Germany of quality plastics and rust-free aluminum, but the design has been improved for better stability and handling. This latest model features the welcome addition of a kickstand in front to keep it from falling forward, and an additional handle to which a useful hose guide is attached, making it easier to roll-up the hose.I noticed a surprising number of 1 star reviews that seems to have escaped Amazon's scrutiny as they appear written by a bot (run-on sentences) or in surprisingly poor English (by Gardena's foreign competitors?), and don't comport with my own experience with Gardena hose reels going back 11 years. Many of those negative comments recommend avoiding plastic in favor of metal, but I can tell you from personal experience that steel reels will rust and leak within the first year, so they're best avoided.We've found that these Gardena hose carts are best used with the Gardena brand 1/2" hose as they are durable (11 years of use and counting), light-weight (easier to roll-up), and their narrower diameter provides increased water pressure and less space on the reel (allowing for use of a longer length hose). Gardena's connector coupling designs offer another advantage as they can be re-adjusted and tightened over the hose even if they work loose over time.I'll provide a future update on this latest model, but so far I'm very impressed with the reduced pricing and the many improvements Gardena has incorporated without sacrificing the quality I've come to expect from them.

I bought this reel for my daughter’s new house. It is so flimsy, not sturdy at all. It almost takes two people to hold it down so you can try to put a hose on it. It doesn’t move around easily. It leaked the first two times of trying to use. I will be returning, I would give it zero stars if I could

The hose reels locally were so expensive. My beef with this one is it leaks a bit.

This hose cart has been performing well since we bought it last year. Assembly was easy with the manual that came with it. The cart rolls up the hose evenly and there has been no leak at the connectors. Stability, leaks and uneven rolling were disappointing issues we have had with a cheap plastic cart that feels like a piece of junk. It was easy to roll the Gardena cart to the basement for hibernation and the space saving design was a definite plus. The Gardena is more expensive than entry level plastic carts but it's a lot sturdier and well worth the price.

First off, this hose reel was not easy to assemble. Directions consisted of pictures in sequence. Some of the pictures were difficult to match to the actual pieces. It took me at least an hour to put together. The assembled product was not all that sturdy. Just an average, run of the mill hose reel that is not worth the $100 I paid for it. After I put in all the time and effort I decided to keep it rather than return.

You figure "Made in Germany" is a good product to buy ~ not in this case. Ordered the end of June, put it together and started using it in July and October 6th it's broken. The handle on this hose reel is plastic, not the best idea for winding a 75 foot long hose in my opinion but Made in Germany right, it must be quality and maybe I'm overthinking it. Turns out I was right in suspecting the handle to be the weak link of the hose reel. FYI ~ I didn't horse it, I'm not rough on the things I buy unless they are designed for that, like a hammer. Sorry but I don't recommend this item in its current configuration.

This great hose reel works so smoothly with minimal effort in winding the hose with the crank handle. The hose guide is mounted on a cork screw looking bar which guides the hose onto the reels drum in even back and forth layered distribution. So no more wrangling the hose and no more getting your hands dirty from touching the hose because this hose reel does all the work. Leave it to Germany for designing a quality product! This is the Mercedes of hose reels! I love how compact it is, the handle folds in and the bottom stabilizer bar collapses underneath making this unit have a small storage footprint. It's very easy to maneuver and winds up my 150 foot Flexzilla hose quickly. Love this item!

NO HOSE, despite representation it comes with more than 66 feet of hose. AND the reel mechanism on which the hose winds is suspended by a PLASTIC rod. Cheap, and it has already broken. Attempted to contact Gardena, not the company it once was. The brand was bought out years ago and now products have been cheapened. Sad.