The 5 Best Soaker Hoses (2023 Guide)

If your plants frequently get dry or oversaturated from inconsistent or improper watering with a traditional garden hose, consider a soaker hose. Soaker hoses keep the roots and soil around your plants just moist enough. If this sounds like the solution you’ve been searching for, the This Old House Reviews Team is here to help. We researched the best soaker hoses on Amazon. Here are our top recommendations.

Top 5 Soaker Hoses

• Best Flow Rate: GREEN MOUNT Garden Soaker Hose
• Best Eco-Friendly Hose: Gilmour Flat Weeper Soaker Hose
• Best Round Hose: Suneed Soaker Hose
• Best Seal: Melnor Soaker Hose
• Best Basic Hose: LINEX Garden Soaker Hose

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Best Flow Rate: GREEN MOUNT Garden Soaker Hose

Key Features

• Has a flow rate of three gallons per minute and a pressure of 50–60 pounds per square inch
• Measures 50 feet long
• Made of rubber and vinyl
• Weighs 2.83 pounds
• Comes with a one-year warranty

What Customers Are Saying

Happy customers thought this hose effectively soaked the roots of their plants, delivering an even amount of water to both ends. However, some reviewers complained about the stiff rubber and vinyl materials, stating that the hose couldn’t bend or flex.

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Best Eco-Friendly Hose: Gilmour Flat Weeper Soaker Hose

Key Features

• Has a pressure of 60 pounds per square inch
• Measures 50 feet long
• Made of vinyl
• Weighs 1.33 pounds
• Comes with a seven-year warranty

What Customers Are Saying

Positive reviewers liked this soaker hose’s durable, anti-kink design and various length options. They also thought it was easy to handle. Others experienced issues with unintentional leaking and inconsistent dripping. 

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Best Round Hose: Suneed Soaker Hose

Key Features

• Has a flow rate of two gallons per two minutes and a pressure of 60 pounds per square inch
• Measures 50 feet long
• Made of rubber and polyethylene 
• Weighs 2.69 pounds
• Comes with a seven-year warranty

What Customers Are Saying

Overall, this soaker hose operated as designed, saving many customers money on their water bills. Most users found the soaker hose to be flexible enough to coil around the roots of plants. Some users had issues with water not flowing to the ends of the hose. 

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Best Seal: Melnor Soaker Hose

Key Features

• Measures 25 feet long
• Weighs 14.9 ounces
• Comes with a two-year warranty

What Customers Are Saying

Satisfied customers found this soaker hose to be easy to connect. They said it delivered a consistent flow of water to the base of various plants. However, there were complaints about the plastic material of the coupling, which resulted in unintentional leaking. 

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Best Basic Hose: LINEX Garden Soaker Hose

Key Features

• Has a flow rate of two gallons per two minutes and a pressure of 60 pounds per square inch
• Measures 50 feet long
• Made of rubber and vinyl
• Weighs 3.54 pounds
• Comes with a two-year warranty

What Customers Are Saying

Positive reviews for this soaker hose mentioned its durability and reach. However, critical customers mentioned longevity issues. They also had trouble maintaining even water flow to the ends. 

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Buying Guide for Soaker Hoses

A soaker hose waters your plants during dry spells and prevents mold and fungus growth from oversaturation. This buying guide will help you select the best soaker hose for your garden. 

Length

Most soaker hoses are 25, 50, 75, or 100 feet long. Longer soaker hoses can water more plants at once, but they are at greater risk of getting kinks, clogs, and tangles. Measure your garden before buying a soaker hose to purchase a length that meets your needs.

Material

Soaker hoses are made from porous materials that allow small amounts of water to drip through them. The most common material is rubber, but soaker hoses made from polyurethane and vinyl are also popular. Many of these materials are recycled or repurposed, making the hoses environmentally friendly.

Kink Resistance

Even when a soaker hose is labeled as kink-resistant, it’s still prone to kinking, leading to cracks and leaks. For more durability, consider a thick rubber expandable garden hose. 

Hose Type

There are two types of soaker hoses—flat and round. Flat hoses take up less space, but they only drip water on one side. Round soaker hoses release water from all sides, but they’re bulkier than flat hoses.

Clog Protection

Because soaker hoses are so porous, dirt and grit can build up inside of them, causing clogs that affect water movement. Some soaker hoses have anti-clogging features, such as end cap filters and body coverings, that minimize this risk.

Accessories

To enhance the performance of your soaker hose, consider these optional accessories: 

• Calcium filters: To prevent clogs, these filters minimize mineral deposits in your hose. 
• End caps: End caps prevent water from flowing out of the ends of the hose.
• Flow discs: Flow discs distribute water over greater distances. 
• Regulators: Regulators provide consistent water pressure. 
• Stakes: Stakes keep your soaker hose in place. 

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Soaker Hose Watering Tips

Although soaker hoses have a fairly intuitive design, it’s important to understand how they differ from regular garden hoses. To help you set up and use yours, we outlined some basic tips below. 

• Don’t connect your soaker hose to your sprinkler system: The water pressure of a sprinkler system is often too strong for the average soaker hose. Instead, connect your soaker hose to the spigot that’s fixed to the outside of your home. 
• Keep the end caps attached: Don’t remove the end caps to see if the water is flowing through the conduit. You want the water to stay trapped so that the hose fills enough to push the water out. 
• Position your soaker hose downhill from your water source: Gravity plays a major role in water flow. Since water naturally flows downhill, keep your spigot above your soaker hose. 
• Test your soaker hose: Don’t bury your new soaker hose without testing it first. After you’re satisfied with the positioning of your soaker hose, run water through it for 10–15 minutes, monitoring the watered areas. 

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Frequently Asked Questions About Soaker Hoses

How is a soaker hose different from a regular hose?

Regular garden hoses release a high-pressure jet of water from one end. Soaker hoses, on the other hand, slowly drip water from their entire length. Because they require less water pressure to work, they’re less likely to damage or overwater your plants.

What do I do with my soaker hose during the winter?

You can remove your soaker hose from your garden bed during the winter. Coil it and store it somewhere dry. However, if your soaker hose is buried underneath mulch or soil, you can leave it there during the winter as long as you disconnect it from faucets, spigots, and other hoses.

How much water pressure do soaker hoses need?

Soaker hoses can function with low water pressure, requiring a minimum of eight to 10 pounds per square inch of pressure. If your home’s water pressure is too high, you may need to purchase a pressure regulator to use your soaker hose.

Will my soaker hose work if it’s buried in the ground?

Some soaker hoses are designed to work buried in the ground. Bury your soaker hose no more than four inches deep. A soaker hose experiences more wear and tear when it’s buried versus aboveground.

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