There's a new breed of as-seen-on-TV expandable garden hoses that promise to be lighter, easier to use and will never kink. Consumer Reports checked out the Pocket Hose, FlexAbleHose and XHose.

Before we break down which kinds of hoses work best for which jobs, there are some basic guidelines for any garden hose you buy. Gardening expert and author Ron Daniels has been growing plants and ...