I decided to buy an Eley Free-Standing Hose Reel because it was the sturdiest reel I could find…and it was drinking water safe.
I have no plans on drinking water from my hose but what this feature tells me is that each individual part of these reel is designed, sourced, and manufactured to the highest standard possible. The leader hose and the brass connections are durable and safe. The rubberized washers between fittings are leak-proof and non-toxic. The inside diameter of each fitting is sized to let the correct amount of water pass.
One of my pet peeves was a hose accessory that serves up an interior diameter of 5/8″ but each fitting was smaller. With Eley this is not the case. Even the interior diameter of the fittings is a full 5/8″ or 3/4″ thick.