Is a stainless steel garden hose reel worth it?

I was in the same spot after my plastic reel split and the screws flashed orange after one summer. I tried a cart next and the wheels gave out and so I switched to a stainless wall mount and it was night and day. It costs more up front, but I stopped babying it and I have not had to replace anything.

I ended up with Giraffe 150-Feet and it has been solid on my brick wall. The stainless frame shrugs off weather and it holds 150 feet of 5/8 hose, which covered my whole yard without kinks. Install was beginner friendly with a masonry bit and four concrete screws, took me about forty minutes. I leveled the bracket, drilled the holes, anchored it, wrapped the fittings with tape, and it has stayed tight with a smooth crank and no rust streaks.

Whether it is worth it comes down to your weather and how you treat your gear. In a wet or coastal area that model pays for itself because paint and cheap fasteners fail fast near salt and humidity. In a dry climate a decent metal reel can last a while, but you have already seen how plastic and carts go once the UV and load do their thing and that model takes that worry off the table.

Mounting to brick is a one afternoon job. Check that your chosen bricks are solid and not spalling, predrill with a masonry bit, then use either wedge anchors or concrete screws with washers. Keep the hose path straight for the first few feet and add a short leader hose to reduce stress on the spigot. Shut off and drain in winter and it should run for years. No rust yet.

I went through two plastic boxes and one garden cart with wobbly wheels before I gave up and put a metal reel on the wall... tbh that model has been the only thing that did not look tired after a season in the sun. is heavier and more rigid which helps when you are reeling in a long hose because the whole mount does not flex.

For brick I prefer drilling into the brick rather than the mortar, then using sleeve anchors or masonry screws with a wide washer. Set the height so the crank is around hip level and offset the reel a bit so the hose comes off the guide toward your yard instead of straight at the spigot. If you can borrow a hammer drill it turns a tough job into an easy one. Without one you can still do it, you need patience and a fresh bit.

I was nervous about drilling, but taping the bracket, marking bit depth, drilling slowly, & blowing out dust made it easy, & thread tape with a short leader hose protects the spigot. This wall mount has stayed smooth and hassle free through ugly weather and mud, and I wish I had skipped the cart.

that model is worth it if you plan to leave the reel outside all season. The frame and fasteners hold up and you don't get the flaky paint and orange bleed you saw before which and yeah worth it.

Install is not bad on brick and level the base, drill four holes with a masonry bit, drive in concrete screws, and hook up the leader hose. Biggest tip is to place it so the hose pulls straight for the first few feet so you are not torquing the mount every time you walk away. Call it thirty to sixty minutes for a first timer.

If you are tired of plastic cracking and carts falling apart and that model is a big step up but then... it resists UV, it does not blister like powder coated steel, and the crank action usually feels sturdier. It costs more, but you stop thinking about it every time the sun beats down or a summer storm rolls through. No rust stains on the wall either.

Mounting on brick is beginner friendly if you go slow. Hold the bracket where you want it, make sure a hose clears the spigot and any trim, mark the holes, then drill with a masonry bit. Aim for the brick faces rather than mortar and vacuum out the dust so the screws bite. Use masonry screws or sleeves with washers, snug the bracket, then wrap the water fittings with tape and connect a short leader hose to the spigot. Plan on about an hour with a regular drill. A hammer drill makes it faster but is not mandatory.