The Best Soaker Hoses for Your Yard and Garden

Unlike other soaker hoses that contain unsafe chemicals, the Water Right 25-Foot x 1/2″ Polyurethane Soaker Hose is made of FDA-grade polyurethane with no phthalates or BPA. The brass fittings are lead-free, so not only is this hose safe for vegetable gardens, but you can also feel free to take a sip from it yourself! The flexible design means gardeners can position the hose even in cold weather, while strain reliefs at both ends prevent kinking so water runs uninterrupted from the spigot. Even pressure throughout the entire length of the hose ensures consistent watering of plants. UV stabilization prevents the hose from degrading from direct sunlight exposure.

Whether the Gilmour Flat Weeper Soaker Hose lies above ground or beneath a thin layer of mulch, clog-resistant recycled vinyl ensures continuous water flow and protection from damaging ultraviolet light. The weeping watering method limits the amount of water lost to evaporation so that more water is delivered slowly and gently to plants’ root systems. This hose is lightweight for its size and stores flat, making it easy to position around plants in the growing season and store in the offseason. When in use, the hose fills with water that weeps slowly into the ground. For best results, use inexpensive 6-inch U-shaped landscape staples to keep the soaker hose in position around seedlings and other plants that could get damaged if the hose shifts. The Gilmour Flat Weeper also is available in 75- and 50-foot lengths.

The Melnor Flat Soaker Hose maintains equal pressure from beginning to end, a difficult thing for longer-length soaker hoses to do. A removable rust-resistant endcap makes it possible to connect additional lengths of soaker hose for larger spaces. The hose is pliable and soft, making it easy to place around plants, in lawns, or beneath a thin layer of mulch. Unlike traditional hoses that are cumbersome and difficult to store, this soaker hose flattens down and can rest in something as small as a shoe box, according to the company. Two washers come with the hose to ensure a leak-free seal. Tight turns are challenging for this hose, which tends to kink, stopping water flow when forced into sharp angles. Using gentle curves to position the hose in different directions gives the best results.

Whether installed above ground or 6-inches below, the Dramm ColorStorm soaker hose is a great option for someone who’d rather not think about the hose once it’s installed. Not even a cold winter, in which many other soaker hoses would burst if frozen, should faze this Dramm soaker hose. Made of recycled rubber, the hose wall is 50 percent thicker than the competition to prevent the “geyser effect,” which occurs when pressure sprays water through the holes in jets instead of seeping water slowly into the soil. Nickel-plated brass couplings are crush-proof, so even running over the connectors shouldn’t cause serious damage. To minimize evaporation when used above ground, cover the kink-resistant hose with landscape rock or mulch. Gardeners with larger landscapes can connect several hoses, up to 500 feet. Longer lengths might result in less pressure toward the end of the line and less effective irrigation in that area, however.

The Swan Products Element Sprinkler Soaker Hose has six perforations per foot and a white stripe that runs the entire length meant to help you correctly position it based on the intended use. When the stripe is up, the hose becomes a sprinkler, ideal for watering the lawn. Stripe down, and you’ve got a drip system for landscape borders and vegetable gardens. Made of 65 percent recycled rubber, the soaker hose rolls out flat and won’t kink or twist. Consider using landscape staples to keep the hose in place around turns and at the base of trees and shrubs. Male and female brass fittings won’t corrode and plastic couplings make connecting multiple lengths fast and easy. Ultraviolet protection ensures that the hose won’t degrade with sun exposure.

Unlike other hoses that twist and kink when snaked through tight spots, this 25-foot Gilmour soaker hose is ideal for those hard-to-reach areas where sharp turns are inevitable. Installed above or below ground, the flexible black vinyl hose blends in well, and brass fittings at the ends won’t rust or corrode. Available in 25-foot and 50-foot lengths, each hose has a male and female end so you can add length as your garden expands. Pairing it with a timer lets you set it and forget it. Unlike flat soaker hoses that store discreetly, this one retains its cylindrical shape when not in use and might be more difficult to store. Despite good weather resistance, it’s best stored indoors in climates where freezing is an issue.

Many soaker hoses don’t give users control over how fast they emit water from the spigot and distribute it to plants, but the One Stop Gardens Flat Seeper Soaker Hose is an exception. Gardeners might want to slow the flow so that plants have more time to fully absorb every last drop. This 50-foot soaker hose comes with three water restrictor washers, each with a different diameter. The largest allows for the greatest amount of water to enter the hose as it leaves the spigot. The heavy-duty vinyl hose is great for winding around new and established beds and works best when anchored in place with landscape staples to avoid damaging young plants and seedlings if the hose shifts.