If you’re the type who mainly uses an air compressor in a garage, workshop, or repair shop, do yourself a huge favor and get a good quality air compressor hose reel. Eliminate the all-too-common hassles of having to always unfurl the air hose, getting it tangled around your feet, and finally spending the time properly storing it. The best air hose reel will be able to be mounted on either the wall, ceiling, or even floor.
Spend the extra money getting a retractable reel (instead of a one with a hand crank) and thank yourself later. Also, avoid the “sealed” varieties which have a plastic cover that generally do more harm than good and don’t allow hose replacement. Finally, keep in mind that a quality reel will also include a good quality hose in most cases. No need to upgrade the hose unless you want to add more length to it. Here’s what we recommend for standard 3/8 inch air hoses:
3 Best Air Hose Reel 2017
#1 – GOODYEAR 46731 50-Ft Retractable Air Hose Reel
The Goodyear brand is synonymous with high-quality air tool accessories. That’s why it’s currently our top pick for air hose. This professional grade all-steel reel has a heavy duty dual arm and 4-roller guide to allow the included famous bright yellow 3/8” 50 foot Goodyear rubber hose to smoothly guide hose travel at almost any angle. Its 12-position ratchet gearing is able to lock the hose to any length.
The rewind spring tension seems just about right. Also, when you stop pulling on the hose, the hose doesn’t retract like some of the cheaper models. While the reel itself is made in China (fairly typical), it’s excellent quality and the hose itself is made in the USA. Install is very easy and frankly, it’s one of the best looking hose reels, especially when mounted on the ceiling.
The only minor gripe may be that the bracket screws aren’t exactly the best quality so it’s a bit puzzling considered the rest of the construction is top notch. While it may not be quite as heavy duty as the Cyclone Pneumatic model below, it’s still very sturdy and more than enough for most applications. Highly recommended!
#2 – TEKTON 46781 50-Ft Retractable Air Hose Reel
This Tekton is a slightly less expensive option but still very good. This model uses a single, multi-position guide arm and 8-position ratchet gear for hose locking. The company is smart to include a high quality USA-made 50 foot Goodyear air hose (in red). Even the paint quality is excellent. Like others, it can be mounted in variety of positions.
A template for bolt locations is provided to help with installation along with other helpful items including teflon tape (nice touch). Tekton is known for their excellent customer support so if you ever have an issue, they’ll take care of you. Finally, the deep red color is a very close match to many tool chests and air compressors out there.
#3 – CYCLONE PNEUMATIC 100-Ft Retractable Air Hose Reel
Truly a heavy duty hose reel weighing close to 70 pounds with the included 100 foot air hose. Speaking of which, while the rubber hose rates at a high 300psi, it’s not Goodyear brand and not as flexible. The well-balanced return spring makes retracting it smooth and easy but with a small number of squeaks and rattles. Can be mounted on the ceiling, wall, floor, or even to a truck bed.
Installation on the ceiling or wall can be a little tricky because of the weight so definitely plan on having help available. Also, the coloring from the hose seems to come off on your hands pretty easily, moreso than most rubber hoses. But, if you need a solid hose reel that can take some abuse, the Cyclone Pneumatic is a good option.