Gets a great length of hose off the lawn and out of site when not needed.  That was my principal reason for purchasing it.  I haven't had this hose reel long enough to comment on how well it will hold up, but it seems that-- if handled gently-- it should last a good while.  Retrieving the hose from storage isn't a very smooth operation.  This reel is 100% plastic.  It would be better if the crucial moving parts were metal.