Those As Seen On TV shrinking hoses are pretty neat - but do they work?

You’ve probably seen the amazing shrinking garden hoses on TV infomercials and on the shelves. So should you buy one?

That all depends on how you plan to use it. Consumer Reports put the lightweight, expandable hoses to the test and found some pros and cons. They really are better than traditional hoses with less folding and kinking issues. They’re also much lighter and a lot easier to handle and store.

Now the bad news. If you get a tear or hole in your new fancy hose, you won’t be able to repair it with a simple duct tape patch, like you would with your old hose. They shouldn’t be left out in the sun or elements. Also, as promised, they start to retract with less water pressure. That can be a problem if you don’t plan to use your hose on full blast. They’re great for washing cars but may come up short in the trickle department and can’t really be used on timed sprinklers.