Rubber garden hoses are, perhaps, the most common type of hoses you would find in gardens. It is not difficult to tell why – they are relatively inexpensive and readily available. However, they come with several disadvantages, with kinking and their non-durability being top of the list. To get the best value for your money and fully enjoy the uses of a garden hose, you might want to replace that rubber hose with a stainless steel garden hose. This article outlines five (5) reasons why this switch to stainless steel hoses will do you much good.
4 reasons why you should ditch rubber hoses for a stainless metal hose
-
Durability
People who have used steel hoses can attest to their high durability. Because of the type of steel metal used, these hoses last longer than their rubber counterpart. They are often heavy-duty in nature and made of high-quality materials for their couplings and fittings.
-
Resistance
One reason why garden hoses made of stainless steel last long is their high resistance to the elements and wearing out. Here is an overview of the resistant strengths of these garden hoses–
-
Kink resistance:
Rolling or looping up your hose for storage can cause it to kink and this is more common with rubber hoses. There is better reinforcement among steel hoses as the steel reduces the likelihood of bending and knotting.
-
Leak resistance:
Expandable and regular garden hoses are prone to leakage. For expandable hoses, it happens when the outer material cuts the tube inside as the hose expands. And for rubber hoses, any sharp object or even thorny weeds can be a threat. However, the steel shell of metal hoses helps to reduce the possibility of leakages.
-
Weather resistance:
Even in cold weather, a stainless steel hose would remain flexible and on summer days, the hose can handle sunlight quite well. It is important, however, to wear winter gloves during use in cold winter and to completely eradicate water from the tube. The bottom line is that these hoses would resist the harsh effects of extreme weather in causing wear and tear over time.
-
Weight and Mobility
The metal used for these hoses, which is stainless steel – 304, is lightweight. This makes it easy to take the hose around for use. Easy mobility is also possible because of the high flexibility and tensile strength in the interlocking technology of the steel. Compared with rubber hoses – the heaviest type of hoses, those made with stainless steel are a better option for mobility.
-
Ease in cleaning
While dirt on rubber hoses might be difficult to get rid of and may cause the hose to discolor over time, this is not the case with stainless steel hoses. After all, the material is meant to be “stainless”. It is easy to effectively cleanse your stainless steel hose with a quick water rinse.
Conclusion
If a longer term of use is what you seek from your gardening tools, including your hose, then a hose that is stainless steel is a great option. It can offer longevity because it neither leaks nor kink easily, it is resistant to harsh weather conditions, and hardly wears out. Although it is slightly less flexible and relatively noisier than regular rubber hoses, its advantages far surpass the downsides. No doubt, a stainless steel hose is worth every penny spent buying it.
