Glahoden Retractable Hose Reel Review: Wall Mount, Rewind and Pressure Claims

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If you are considering the Glahoden retractable hose reel, the first questions are whether the wall can take the reel’s weight and whether the 75-foot hose fits your yard and faucet. A retractable reel is only as useful as its mount and its rewind, so the mounting and the weight matter as much as the hose length. This review covers only what the listing states about size, weight, wall mount, hose, fitting, nozzle, materials and rewind. It does not report any test of the reel under load or pressure, and it repeats the maker’s performance figures only as the maker’s claims. Use the listing to decide whether the reel fits your wall, and check the wall before you install it.

Quick answer

The Glahoden is a gray, wall-mounted retractable hose reel listed for a 5/8-inch by 75-foot hose with a 3/4-inch brass fitting. The item weighs 24.3 pounds and measures 20.47 by 10.83 by 17.52 inches. The bullets say the reel retracts automatically, has a 9-pattern nozzle, and comes with an expansion screw for mounting. The listing describes the reel as having a 220-pound static load rating for the wall mount, which is the maker’s test claim. The specs state no warranty term, and the bullets claim a UV-resistant and freeze-proof polymer, which the listing does not verify.

What to check in a retractable hose reel

Four details decide whether this reel fits. Each one can rule it in or out.

1. Weight and wall. The specs give an item weight of 24.3 pounds, and the item dimensions give 20.47 by 10.83 by 17.52 inches. A reel of this weight on a wall needs a wall that can carry it, and the listing does not name the wall type it suits. Check whether the wall is a stud or a masonry wall, and use the expansion screw as the maker’s instructions describe.

2. Hose length and fitting. The title gives a 5/8-inch hose and 75 feet, and the bullets say the hose has a 3/4-inch brass fitting. The bullets describe a three-layer PVC hose with a reinforced fiber braid. Measure the distance from the faucet to the far end of your yard, because the hose is listed at 75 feet and not longer.

3. Rewind and locking. The bullets describe an automatic rewind, a dual ratchet lock and a self-aligning guide. The bullets give figures for the lock accuracy and the number of cycles the rewind has been tested through, and say the rewind retracts 20 percent slower to reduce whipping. Those are the maker’s figures, and the listing gives no test condition for them.

4. Materials, claims and warranty. The specs give an anti-UV and anti-freeze polymer material. The bullets claim the reel is tested from minus 4 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit and that the hose has a 348 PSI burst rating against a 120 PSI working pressure. The specs state no warranty term. These claims are the maker’s figures, so check the product page before relying on any of them.

Use these rules to choose:

• Choose this reel if your wall can carry 24.3 pounds, the 75-foot hose reaches your yard, and you want a wall-mounted automatic rewind.
• Choose a different reel if your wall cannot carry the weight, because the listing names no wall type.
• Choose a different reel if you need a stated warranty, because the specs state none.

For other reel options, the best heavy duty garden hose reel guide covers heavy reels, and the best 4 wheel garden hose reel cart guide covers a movable cart.

The Glahoden hose reel

The reel is a gray, mechanical, automatic-rewind unit mounted on a wall with an expansion screw. The specs give the model number as NW-I30 and the manufacturer as GLAHODEN Technologies. The included components are a 9-style water gun, the expansion screw, the reel and an instruction book. The installation method is wall mount, and the operation mode is automatic.

The reel fits a reader with a small or medium yard who wants a hose that rewinds on its own and stays on a wall. The bullets describe the nozzle as having nine patterns, which include mist, jet and fan.

The listing has several things to check. The bullets say the hose is for urban gardens and small gardens, patios and balconies, which is the maker’s description of use. The bullets describe the rewind speed and the lock accuracy as figures from the maker’s tests. The specs list the material as polymer and do not describe a metal frame. The listing states no warranty term.

Who should skip it: a reader whose wall cannot take 24.3 pounds, a reader who needs a stated warranty, and a reader who needs a verified pressure rating for a high-pressure tap.

Wall mounting and load

The bullets say the reel’s brackets and rods pass a 220-pound static load test, and that a hidden quick-release handle lets you remove the hose for winter storage. The 220-pound figure is the maker’s test result and does not say how the reel behaves on a wall that is not solid. Anchor the reel to a stud or to a masonry anchor that suits your wall, following the included instructions. Do not hang heavy items from the reel itself.

Worked example: how a 40-foot run leaves 35 feet of hose spare

Compare that run with the hose length in the title, so you can see how much hose stays on the reel.

• Hose length: 75 feet, from the title.
• Run in this example: 40 feet.
• Hose left on the reel: 75 minus 40 = 35 feet.

Check the arithmetic again. 75 minus 40 is 35. The example shows that a 40-foot run leaves 35 feet of hose. Rewind the hose slowly if you can, and check the lock before you let go of the hose.

What a reel is asked to do with the hose

A garden hose is typically made of extruded synthetic rubber or soft plastic, often reinforced with an internal web of fibers, according to the Wikipedia overview of garden hoses. That flexibility is what lets the hose be pulled past trees and posts, and the same source says a typical hose is tough enough to survive occasional scraping and being stepped on. A reel adds a rewind, so the hose is wound and unwound many times.

The Glahoden bullets describe a three-layer PVC hose with a fiber braid. The Wikipedia overview of PVC says rigid PVC is used in pipes, and that adding plasticizers makes PVC softer and more flexible. The listing does not say which PVC grade the hose uses, so the flexibility you get depends on the hose’s construction, not on the reel. Check the hose by hand before you rely on it for a full rewind.

Connections at the faucet and the hose end

The Wikipedia overview of garden hoses says the female end of a hose uses a small washer to prevent leakage, because the threads alone do not seal. The Glahoden bullets describe a 3/4-inch brass fitting. Check that the washer is in place at the faucet and at any connector you add, and replace a washer that is flattened or cracked.

What a constant-force spring is

The listing says the reel uses an automatic rewind system, but it does not say what the rewind is built from. The Wikipedia overview of constant-force springs says an ideal constant-force spring exerts a constant force over its range of motion, and that the real ones are generally rolled ribbons of spring steel. A rewind built on that principle would wind the hose with a steady pull. The listing does not confirm that design, so check the product page or the reel before you rely on it for a heavy hose.

Five common mistakes

1. Mounting without checking the wall. The reel weighs 24.3 pounds, and the listing names no wall type.
2. Trusting the maker’s test figures. The lock, cycle and pressure figures are the maker’s claims.
3. Assuming a warranty. The specs state none.
4. Assuming a freeze claim. The listing says anti-freeze polymer and freeze-proof, and this review does not verify it.
5. Hanging heavy items. The reel carries the hose, not extra loads.

FAQ

How long is the hose?

The title gives 75 feet.

How heavy is the reel?

The specs give 24.3 pounds.

How is it mounted?

The specs give a wall mount, and the kit includes an expansion screw.

What fitting does it use?

The bullets describe a 3/4-inch brass fitting.

How many nozzle patterns?

The bullets say nine patterns.

Does it come with a warranty?

The specs state no warranty term.

Bottom line

The Glahoden retractable reel suits a reader who wants a wall-mounted automatic reel for a 75-foot, 5/8-inch hose with a 3/4-inch brass fitting, on a wall that can carry 24.3 pounds. The listing gives the size and nine nozzle patterns, but its performance, pressure and freeze figures are the maker’s claims, and it states no warranty. Check the wall, anchor the reel as the instructions describe, and measure the run before you buy.

Sources

• Garden hose, Wikipedia: hoses are made of extruded rubber or plastic with fiber reinforcement; female ends use washers to prevent leakage.
• Polyvinyl chloride, Wikipedia: rigid PVC is used for pipes; plasticizers make PVC softer and more flexible.
• Constant-force spring, Wikipedia: rolled ribbons of spring steel that approximate a constant force.