Tuesday, May 7, 2013

'Pocket Hose'? Euphemism or 'As Seen on TV' ad...

Actually it's both.















 The concept is simple enough -- and yes, I did see it on TV. It's a hose that shrinks down when empty, saving space, and when it's full of water, it expands to a 50 foot hose. Viola.

 I bought this 'pocket hose' for $20 at Bed Bath and Beyond yesterday because our old hose spontaneously decided to burst open and water the garden all on its own. I figured what the hell, it was $20 and if it was as good as it appeared it might be, it was a deal. It weighs less than a pound and is very easy to move when empty. Also, when it drains, you can hide it in a small flower pot. Very nifty indeed.





















So I plugged it in to the  spigot, unraveled it a bit to get it started, and turned on the water. It immediately expanded and all the wrinkles dissappeared, leaving me with what appeared to be about a 3/4" taut hose. It worked!

The business end of the hose was closed off with a small toggle valve, and in order to get the water out of the end of the business end, you had to twist the knob.

Which promptly snapped off in my hand, spewing me from head to toe with several gallons of water.





















So long story short, the hose filled up with water, then lasted approximately 5 seconds before breaking.





















I love the concept. I love the water pressure.
I hate the poor fittings and the impromptu shower.

If they makers ever get the crappy plastic fittings shored up, I'll think about buying another one, but this one is going back to the store tomorrow for a refund.

Also, why neon green?? Come on people, it's going top get dragged through the mud, how about making one MUD COLOURED?




5 comments:

The Young Ones said...

Btw: I bought another one after getting some feedback on FB. It of course has been raining so much here I haven't been able (needed to) try it out. I'll let you know how it goes.

The Wife said...

OK, the second attempt was much better. We even used it to clean out the gutter last weekend. It was rather easy and light to carry up to the third floor by tying a light bit of twine around the nozzle and pulling it up. MUCH easier than the regular hose.

We have a winner.
Sorry I doubted you, 'pocket hose'.

Old House Lover said...

Looks like you can unscrew the on/off valve part of the hose and replace with one of your choosing.

The Wife said...

btw - since the first hose exploded on me, I have since bought three more replacements. Each time the cheap plastic valve cracks, leaks or breaks. I love the concept but they really need to step up their quality of fittings.

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