Hose Reel - Wall Mounted Vs Wheeled Cart

2 seasons ago I finally upgraded my entry level Hozelock hose with their Ultimate (Tricoflex) hose. The old one kinked badly and sprung a few leaks. The Ultimate is a huge improvement but I haven't used it anywhere near as much as I'd like, due to what a nightmare it is to reel back onto my old reel. In fairness, I think that was a reel that came with the shorter (somewhere between 15-25M I guess) starter hose, and I now have a 30M one, you have to have arms like Popeye to get this thing back onto the reel.

Also the fact that I reel it in at ground level doesn't help. I mean it never bothered me before, but the old hose was so much easier to reel, well apart from it wanting to kink all the time! So I end up filling watering cans just to avoid having to reel it back in. I pretty much only use it for washing the car out the front so need to sort it. I wrote a list of garden stuff I wanted to sort this season, and getting a more suitable hose storage device is high up on the list as the current one is driving me potty.

What I have is the 3-point triangle type, which stands on the floor. I don't think it can be wall mounted, but even if it could it would be pointless as I just need a bigger reel! I am torn between a wall mounted reel and a wheeled cart. Space is a little limited in the courtyard area where the outside tap & drain are, so I've been sitting the reel round the corner and just plugging it in as needed. It's another annoyance really having to shift it each time I want to use it. For this reason I am thinking wall mounted reel, but despite what I just said I'm not sure I want it sticking out there all the time either, so maybe the wheeled cart is best. Going round in circles on this one, all I know is I have to get a bigger reel as it's driving me nuts, and it will be nice to be able to water the plants actually using the hose, and reel it back in easily.

Also just realised there is the enclosed auto case reel type too, and the 2 in 1 type which clips onto the wall but appears to stick out a lot. I don't want anything too intrusive, as we walk past it a lot and can just see my wife snapping the thing off the wall as she brings in washing (just to the right of the pic is a separate outhouse with some appliances in), if it sticks out too far. Any recommendations appreciated. Note: Current one is not wall mounted, I just put it on a hook to take the pic. You can geet some idea from the pic what a flaming nightmare this thing is to get back onto that puny reel. Thanks

 

We changed to the expanding hoses a couple of years ago. We've had the usual 'explosions ' from them, and replacements I might say, and overall are pleased. We prefere to use watering cans and have5 butts around the garden including two fed by half the house roof. A couple of builders diverted the whole of a downpipe into two big butt's on a solid base and an overflow directed into vegetable plot. So far we only water plants that need the stuff or that need a little fertiliser very occasionally. Pots have saucers and frankly upon review i'm more prone to overwatering!
Re; the expanding hose, I've managed to join two and use 'good end ' of a broken one to use in conservatory/greenhouse so it is possible to fettle them!