YESTAR Water Hose Reel Cart, Holds 65-100 Ft of 5/8 Inch Hose, Green Wall Mounted Garden Hose Cart, Portable Hose Reel for Convenient Storage and Watering

I was tired of stepping over a green tangle by the spigot, so I gave the Yestar reel a workout across a couple weeks of lawn watering, car rinsing, and patio cleanup. It’s a compact, mostly plastic reel with a carry handle and the option to mount it on a wall. In practice, it hits a sweet spot for light-duty hose management, but it also exposes the limits of budget reels—especially if you push capacity or expect metal-reel rigidity.

Setup and first impressions

Out of the box, assembly was quick and tool‑free. The frame snaps together, the handle presses onto the crank spindle, and the drum mates cleanly with the side panels. Expect a five–ten minute build. Everything is lightweight; the plastic is thin in places, but the parts seated squarely and there were no burrs or flashing on my unit.

A few important notes from setup:

• The reel doesn’t include a leader hose. Plan on a short leader (3–6 ft) to go from your spigot to the reel inlet. Depending on your setup, you may also want a simple adapter to match hose-thread genders.
• The manufacturer clearly states it’s not for expandable hoses. Honor that—expandable hoses twist and collapse in ways that don’t play well with a rigid drum.
• “No tools required” applies to assembly. If you decide to wall‑mount, you’ll need basic hardware and a drill. I mounted mine to a fence post at hip height with exterior screws and washers.

Once built, the reel is easy to carry. The non‑slip handle is grippy enough even with wet hands, and the triangular base keeps it upright on flat concrete and compacted soil. On uneven ground, it can wobble; anchoring or wall mounting helps.

Capacity and compatibility

Yestar rates the reel for 65–100 ft of 5/8‑inch hose or 85–120 ft of 1/2‑inch hose. In my testing:

• A 75 ft 5/8‑inch rubber hose fit comfortably with a clean, even lay.
• A 100 ft 5/8‑inch hose fit, but it was tight. You have to guide the layers carefully to avoid bulging past the rim, and the overall weight makes rewinding more work.
• A 100 ft 1/2‑inch hose was easy—lots of room left on the drum.

If you’re planning to run a full 100 ft of 5/8‑inch hose, consider wall mounting for stability and expect to use your off hand to guide the wind. For 50–75 ft hoses, portable use feels more natural.

Design and build quality

This is a lightweight reel through and through. The frame, drum, and crank are plastic; the fasteners are minimal. That has upsides—no rust to fight, easy to carry, and nothing to oil—but you feel a bit of flex in the handle when you crank against a heavy hose. The triangular geometry does a decent job resisting tipping as long as the hose is pulling straight off the drum. If you yank hard at a sharp angle, it can hop or pivot.

The crank turns smoothly. There’s no bearing system; it’s plastic-on-plastic, which is fine at this price point. There’s also no level-wind mechanism, so you do need to guide the hose back and forth while rewinding to avoid stacking. This is standard for compact reels, but it’s worth noting if you’ve used pricier models with hose guides.

The biggest design omission for me is a brake or simple ratchet to resist free-spooling. If the reel is freestanding and you pull the hose rapidly, the drum can spin. You can mitigate that by placing a foot on the base, keeping a hand on the frame, or—best—mounting it to a wall.

Installation tips that helped

• Use fresh rubber washers at both hose ends. That alone eliminated a small drip at my quick-connect.
• Wrap two or three turns of PTFE tape on the threaded inlet before attaching the leader hose. It’s garden hose thread, not pipe thread, but PTFE helps in imperfect plastic-to-metal unions.
• If wall-mounting, choose a height where your crank elbow sits comfortably at your side. Too high and you’ll tire quickly; too low and you’ll be stooping.
• Warm a stiff hose in the sun before your first wind. It relaxes coil memory and makes the first layer lay flat.

Performance in daily use

Pulling hose off the drum is smooth as long as you keep the line in plane with the reel. Mounted to a fence, the experience felt noticeably better—more like a lightweight, fixed reel. Freestanding on the patio, I sometimes had to brace the frame with a foot during fast pulls. Rewinding is straightforward: the crank is comfortable, the drum spins without squeaking, and the handle has enough grip. With a 75 ft 5/8‑inch hose, I could re-stow in under a minute.

Leaks? Initially I saw a couple of drops at the inlet when pressurized. Reseating the washer and snugging the fitting by hand fixed it. After that, the setup stayed dry during use. I didn’t notice drips at the hub while winding.

The portability is genuinely useful. If I needed to rinse the car in the driveway, I’d carry the reel over with the hose already attached and crank it back afterward. That said, lugging a full 100 ft 5/8‑inch rubber hose plus the reel isn’t light. For truly portable intent, 50–75 ft hoses feel like the right match.

Wall-mounted vs. portable use

• Wall-mounted: The reel is more stable, rewinding is easier, and you’re less likely to drag the frame around. It also keeps the hose neatly stacked and off the ground, which is nice for storage and cleanliness.
• Portable: Best for short to medium hoses where the reel’s light weight is an asset. Expect to hold the frame or place a foot on the base when pulling hose quickly to avoid free-spooling.

In both modes, the lack of a hose guide means you’ll get the tidiest coil by guiding with your off hand. If you’re after one-handed rewind, this isn’t the reel for you.

Durability and weather

Plastic reels live and die by UV exposure and user handling. I wouldn’t store this in direct sun year-round if you can avoid it; a shaded spot or garage in the off-season will extend its life. The handle and crank arm are the stress points—avoid cranking against a fully pressurized hose or using the handle as a lever to lift a heavy coil off the ground. After two weeks of daily use, mine shows no cracks or stress whitening, but I’m realistic: this is a light-duty reel and should be treated as such.

On the upside, there’s nothing to rust, and rinsing mud or grass clippings off the frame is quick.

Value

For the price, the Yestar reel offers tidy hose storage, genuine portability, and the option to mount without committing to a heavy, permanent fixture. You give up metal-frame rigidity, hose guiding, and a brake/ratchet. If your main goal is to get a hose off the ground and make rewinding less of a chore without adding bulk or weight, it accomplishes that. If you need to wrangle a 100 ft 5/8‑inch hose daily, you’ll be happier with a heavier-duty metal reel.

Pros

• Lightweight and easy to carry
• Quick, tool-free assembly
• Accepts 65–100 ft of 5/8" or 85–120 ft of 1/2" hose (non-expandable)
• Works mounted or freestanding
• Smooth crank, no squeaks

Cons

• Mostly plastic; handle and frame flex under heavy loads
• No level-wind or brake; needs guiding and occasional bracing
• Tight with full-length 5/8" hoses
• Leader hose and adapters not included
• Not compatible with expandable hoses

Recommendation

I recommend the Yestar reel for light-duty users who want an inexpensive, compact way to store and deploy a standard garden hose—especially 50–75 ft lengths. It’s easy to assemble, simple to use, and it tidies up a space quickly. Mount it on a wall for the best experience, use a proper leader hose with fresh washers, and guide the wind for a clean coil.

If you routinely haul or rewind a heavy 100 ft 5/8‑inch hose, tug hard from sharp angles, or want one-handed rewind with zero frame movement, look elsewhere at a sturdier metal reel with a hose guide and brake. For everyone else—small to medium yards, occasional car washes, patio cleanups—this reel gets the job done without much fuss.