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How high should I mount a retractable hose reel from the ground?
I want it to be easy to reach (for children too), not damage plants that are nearby, and not be too high or low that it will look strange.
The Holman Industries site says "An ideal height to mount the reel, is to have about 150mm between the bottom of the reel & the ground", but that seems way too low to me.
The measurement the manufacturers have given is just a minimum clearance between the ground or obstruction and your wall mounted retractable hose. Having used many of these in other people's gardens over the years, the optimum height from the ground is, in my estimation, around 4 feet (120cm), although if you're very tall, that might seem a little low. They work better when placed directly above clear ground, not over planting (you can see that guy in Coomie's picture leaning over at an awkward angle), and if your reel has a manual handle, it's much easier to use at the height I've suggested.
There's no benefit in installing it low other than that children (and small adults) will be able to reach it.
It may be a typo, and they may mean 150cm (not mm). If you scroll down the page you linked to in your question there is a video with a man and the reel is around head height... It looks too high.
Either way. It's a personal preference. I would go waist height, so you don't have to bend so much... but I'm pretty lazy.
Edit: This is the video in question. The man is leaning over, but the top of the reel is at head height...
I have two and they are mounted just below my hip. Works fine for me. The retraction will work at any height so post it at what height works best for your location.
