Guide · Garden, tools and outdoors

How long should a garden hose last in Australia?

A garden hose bought for around $40 should last about 2 years or more.

Even a $40 hose is covered. If it splits or leaks well before it should, take it back.

That’s our guide, and plenty last longer.

The law doesn’t set a fixed number. Goods have to last as long as a reasonable person would expect, given what they are and what you paid. If it fails sooner through no fault of yours, the shop that sold it has to put it right, even when the maker’s warranty has run out.

Check yours

Takes a minute. It works out where you stand and what to say.

Is mine still covered?

Our guide to how long a garden hose should last, by price:

Price paid	Should last about
Up to $200	2 years
$200 to $800	4 years
Over $800	6 years

For one bought around $40:

Under 14 months: very likely covered.
14 months to 2 years: borderline, so worth asking.
Over 2 years: harder, but it isn’t a cut-off.

These are guides, not law.

Signs it’s a fault

It splits, bulges or kinks for good in the first season or two
The fittings leak or crack
The hose goes stiff and brittle in the sun

What usually isn’t covered

Damage from being driven over or dragged across sharp edges
Leaving it pressurised in the sun when the maker says not to
A change of mind, misuse, or a fault you knew about when you bought it.

What to do

Find your proof of purchase. The receipt is best. A bank or card statement, an order email or a warranty registration also works.
Go back to the shop you bought it from. Not the maker. The shop is responsible, and it can’t send you to the manufacturer instead.
Say what’s wrong and what you want. For a minor problem, the shop can choose to repair it first. For a major one (it’s unsafe, or you wouldn’t have bought it if you’d known), you choose a refund or a replacement.
If they say no, go up a step. Ask again politely, in writing if you can, and keep copies. Then contact your state or territory consumer protection agency. If you need to, your state tribunal is the next step.

What to say at the counter

“I bought a garden hose here on [date]. [What’s wrong.] It hasn’t lasted as long as I’d reasonably expect for what I paid, so it isn’t of acceptable quality under the Australian Consumer Law. I’d like it repaired, replaced or refunded.”

A tip for a garden hose

Take a photo of the split with the hose beside it. That’s all you need to show the shop.

Check yours

It's Stuffed works out where you stand, helps you find your proof of purchase and writes what to say. It also keeps your receipts and warranties in one place, so you’re not hunting for them next time.

Check yours

Common questions

How long should a garden hose last?

By our guide, a garden hose bought for around $40 should last about 2 years or more, and plenty last longer. The law doesn’t set a fixed number. Goods have to last as long as a reasonable person would expect, given what they are and what you paid.

Does the consumer guarantee still apply to a garden hose after the warranty ends?

Yes. They’re separate from the maker’s warranty and from any extended warranty, and they don’t have an end date. What matters is whether it lasted as long as a reasonable person would expect for what it was and what it cost.

Who do I go to if a garden hose fails, the shop or the maker?

The shop that sold it. The shop is responsible for putting it right under the consumer guarantees, and it can’t send you to the manufacturer instead.

Is it worth the bother if a garden hose was cheap?

Yes. Cheap things are covered too, with no minimum price. A quick, polite ask at the service desk is usually the way to go. You’ll still need proof you bought it. A receipt, a bank or card statement or an order email will do.

More guides

Where this comes from

ACCC: consumer rights and guarantees