Giraffe Retractable Garden Hose Reel

I was dubious that Giraffe Tools AW40 Retractable Hose Reel would be very sturdy. Boy, was I wrong. Mounting the unit was fairly simple, but, depending on where you are mounting it, there may be challenges. Trying to find a stud from the outside of the house can be difficult, if not impossible. I was hoping to find a stud for at least one set of bolts, but that was not to be. I used the wall anchors provided with the unit and they are working just fine. The quality of the supplied hose is excellent. Same with the provided spray nozzle. But I am most impressed with the retraction mechanism. The rewind is very strong (hold on to the hose when retracting!) and seems very durable. I have used this daily for over a month and all functions work well. I highly recommend this unit.

I am revising my review to 5 stars as a result of the response and great support I received from Grace at Giraffe. She was genuinely concerned about my experience and the product quality. Products occasionally have minor flaws and when Grace took control of my order, she was great. I am now a very happy and satisfied customer. I will not hesitate to buy Giraffe products specifically because of their support and service.I bought this item on June 27, 2025 very excited to have an automatic retractable hose. I mounted it immediately and have used it every day until August 5 (9 DAYS AFTER THE 30 DAY WARRANTY) when the hose itself blew up like an anaconda that just ate 5 rats. 5 big bulges in the hose, and then it split and leaked uncontrollably. I filed a product quality issue with Giraffe, but they haven't even responded.BUYERS BE WARE!

Thought this was a good buy for a while but slowly it started not retrieving to the point I always have to fight with it to get it out away it's a complete nightmare. The reel guide doesn't go back and forth to guide it anymore. It's Octobery return window closed in June so that gives you an idea of how long it lasted. It's mounted under a shaded area in a suburban subdivision only got used for car washing. Absolutely waste of money.***Increasing rating due to their customer outreach. They reached out to fullfil the apparent 2 year warranty on the item since mine went to crap so soon. I really appreciate and recommend a company that would be that considerate. I am however hoping this one last a lot longer or ultimately my old review will stand as this will ultimately be a review on the product itself....which I will say works great when it works! Giving it a second shot so it's Oct 2024 now if you don't see another post it's a good indication things are going well!

I’ve had this hose reel installed for a week now, and I’m already loving the convenience it brings. The retractable feature is a game-changer, keeping my yard looking tidy and saving me from the hassle of coiling hoses manually.However, the installation process was a bit of a saga. The instructions recommended a drill bit that was too large, so when I drilled into the stud, the bolts just spun freely. This meant I had to relocate the mount, drill another set of holes, and patch the old ones—talk about a DIY detour!Also, some of the instructions were hard to understand — definitely not a native-English writer.For anyone installing this on wood without anchors, I’d suggest starting with a smaller drill bit than what the instructions recommend. Only go larger if the bolts give you trouble. This little tip could save you a lot of time and frustration like I had.Despite the installation hiccup, the reel itself is fantastic. It’s sturdy, swivels smoothly, and rewinds the hose with ease. If you’re looking for a reliable hose reel and don’t mind straying from the instructions, this one is a solid choice. Just be prepared to improvise a bit during installation. Happy watering!

I purchased this hose reel about two months ago and love, love, loved it! I hate reeling in the garden hose and this made it so much easier. Unfortunately, that only lasted a month, and then the hose started not reeling in all the way. This was caused by a critical error in the design of the mechanism that slides the hose back and forth so it will spool evenly and not get bunched up. There is a drive belt that is not designed well and it flipped inside out so the smooths side is trying to engage with the drive gear. It still reels in, but I have to try to manually move that gizmo back and forth so it will wind evenly and not get bunched up in one spot. Disappointed that they couldn't design that part better.