The 5 Best Welding Cable Lead Reels in 2022

Last Updated on May 2022

Naturally, welding workshops are usually full of cables and gas hoses, which can be quite untidy if not well arranged. Having a welding cable reel is the best way to keep your cables safe and easily accessible. You also reduce the risk of trip hazards with a storage reel by your side.

With several products in the market, finding the best lead reel to store your cables and gas welding hoses is not easy. As a result, it is crucial to take extra caution to ensure that you get quality reels that will last long enough. In case you are looking to buy a welding reel for your warehouse, then you are in the right place.

Read on as we review six of the best welding cable lead reels in the market.

5 Best Welding Cable Lead Reels Reviewed

Reelcraft A5850OLP 1/2 –Inch by 50-feet Air/Water Spring Driven Hose Reel

Specifications

  • Reinforced Steel
  • Stress-Free Swivel
  • Long Life Drive Spring

The Reel craft hose reel boasts of a robotically welded and positioned base that offers maximum strength for storage of heavy welding gas hoses. This highly rated hose reel is made from reinforced, highly durable steel that guarantees long term usage at the workshop. The tough surface makes the reel resistant to easy scratching; thus allowing it to maintaining its colorful appearance.

Another great feature that comes with this high quality Reel craft hose reel is its stress-free swivel. The swivel is full flow and combines perfectly with materials and bearings to allow for smooth and convenient operation. The reel`s drive spring comes with a de-clutching arbor that eliminates all possibilities of the spring getting damaged as a result of reverse winding.

You can expect the reel to resist gradual corrosion especially from chemicals or hard contact due to the use of powder coated components on the exterior. The reel isn’t too heavy and can be mounted on different locations from the walls to the floor and even ceiling as it boasts of an adjustable guide arm.  Its compact size makes it easy to store as it only measures 16.5x7x17.5 inches. It comes with a high-quality ½ inch hose with a fairly good hose stop.

Pros

  • Heavy duty
  • Affordable
  • Individually powder coated components

Cons

  • No cons

Reelcraft CA32112-L Hand Crank Hose Reel for ½ Inch Air/Water Hose

Specifications

  • Easy Hose Replacement
  • Stress Free Swivel
  • Quality Finish

Reelcraft is a well reputed name in the reel business and the CA32112-L is no different. This welding reel boasts of a unique design as it has no welded joints, which tend to weaken over time. It has a study, bolt inspired construction that allows for heavy duty applications. This bad boy reel is designed to hold extra- long hoses and cables without breaking or weakening over time. It is easy to maintain this reel as it needs regular lubrication, especially before use. The bearings are made from quality steel that blend well with the swivel, thus allowing for easy unwinding of the reel.

You can expect this reel to last long enough since it is built from highest quality steel. The components are powder coated to prevent premature corrosion. Impressively, this reel also boasts of a T-handle tensioning component that allows for the application of necessary tension on the spool to prevent free spooling.

You can easy replace the hose or cable due to the presence of an easily removable goose neck. This allows you to add long length cables without overwhelming the reel. One challenge with this reel, however, is its ease of tipping over, especially when used to unwind long heavy cables. To curb this challenge is easy; you just have to mount the reel in a sturdy surface or location.

It`s not among the most portable reels since it needs to be mounted on a study surface. But this heavy duty reel is built to last and will serve you for years without wear or tear provided you regularly lubricate its bearings.

Overall, this reel is ideal for heavy duty welding projects. It has no welds that can crack and its full flow swivel makes it among the best in the market. It is designed for low pressure water and air application and can easily accommodate cables up to 200-feet.

Pros

  • Heavy duty
  • Well constructed
  • Well packaged

Cons

  • Quite expensive

Coxreels 1125WCL-6-C Large Capacity Hand Crank Welding Cable

Specifications

  • Lubricated Bearings
  • Locking Pin
  • Adjustable Tension Brake

If you are big on workshop equipment, then you don’t need any introduction to Coxreels, one of the biggest names in the industry. The Coxreels 1125WCL-6-C Large Capacity Hand Crank Welding Cable stands at an impressive 18 inches by 21 inches, thus giving it an unconventionally large drum that gives you extra advantage during use. The drum allows you to wind up to 250 feet of #1 cables and 300 feet of #2 cables. Another loveable feature of this top performing reel is its use of high-quality heavy duty steel in its manufacture. The use of reinforced steel guarantees that this reel will last long enough to serve you for years and also withstand heavy duty use. The 2-year warranty indicates the manufacturer’s confidence in the performance and durability of the product.

One flaw that makes the Coxreels 1125WCL-6-C Large Capacity Hand Crank Welding Cable less attractive is its difficulty to retract the cable. It uses a compact hand crank to retract as opposed to power. While a hand crank can come in handy when unwinding cables, power cable reels are usually ideal for winding cables as they save on both energy and time.  Other than that single flaw, the Coxreels 1125WCL-6-C Large Capacity Hand Crank Welding Cable is guaranteed to provide you long-lasting service. You can easily mount this cable on different areas in your workshop depending on space and convenience. The drum size gives you great freedom when choosing cables.

Pros

  • Impressive 18 inches by 21 inches
  • High-quality heavy duty steel
  • 2-year warranty

Cons

  • No cons

ADT Tools 31170 Twin Welding Hose Reel

Specifications

  • Twin 1/4 inch x 50 feet 
  • Solid brass fittings 
  • 8-position ratchet mechanism locks reel 

When it comes to adjustability and versatility, not many welding hose reels can compare to the ADT Tools 31170 Twin Welding Hose Reel. You can position the roller outlet arm at five unique angles. Impressively, the ratchet comes with 8 different settings to allow for the smooth locking of your hose or cord. You get to choose the most ideal length for you. This bad boy reel is made from heavy duty, professional grade steel, thus giving it a sturdy feel that allows you to mount and use with ease. You can mount this reel on the ceiling, floor, workbenches or a wall depending on our preferences. For more information on the best welding tables and benches for a cable reel [Read our full Guide]

Unlike most welding hose reels, the ADT Tools 31170 Twin Welding Hose Reel comes with two hoses that are ¼ inch and 50 feet long. The hoses also come in varying colors to allow you to easily distinguish between acetylene and oxygen to keep your welding operations safe. The hoses are made from quality solid brass and come with O-ring seals that help prevent leakage during use. This all in one reel can help you conserve a lot of workshop space, and is also made from quality material, thus making it one of the best in the market.

Pros

  • Heavy duty
  • Swivel joint is high quality

Cons

  • Spring could be better

 10” Black Double Fixed Base Welding Cable Lead Reel

Specifications

  • Reels are fully rebuildable with full line of replacement parts.
  • Powder coated for a lasting finish
  • Cable capacity per 10” Reel: 150’ of 1/0 cable & 125’ of 2/0 cable

The 10’’ Black Double Fixed Base Welding Cable Lead Reel is a space saving monster that is a must have for busy or large metalwork shops. Not too many products compare in terms of usability and efficiency during use. The welding hose reel comes with a heavy duty friction that is manually adjusted. The friction break allows you to adjust the tension during which helps prevent free lead spooling. Another great feature that comes with this reel is its powder coat that allows it to maintain its black crisp polish and resist easy wear and tear.

The vented circular design allows for proper flow of air over the lead to assist in cooling. You can secure the cables using the locking pull pin when the reel is not in use. This bad boy reel comes with a standard 600 amp isolator and ball bearing spools which are made from all steel, heavy duty construction.  The  10” Black Double Fixed Base Welding Cable Lead Reel is built to last and will help keep your cables and hoses fully organized at the warehouse.

Pros

  • Heavy duty friction
  • Powder coat that allows it to maintain its black crisp polish
  • 600 amp isolator

Cons

  • Can’t lock reel to base

Buyer’s Guide

The main aim of having welding hose reels is to store wires welding extension cords and cables safely, increase their durability and most importantly reduce the risk of falls that can lead to injury at the workshop. Having a reel increases convenience, accessibility and efficiency at the workplace.

Now that we have analyzed some of the best reels in the market, it is time to take a look at some of the main things to keep in mind when looking to buy a welding hose reel.

Manual Reels

Manual reels are cheaper compared to reels that are electrically powered. However, if you chose to go the manual way, you must be prepared to take more time and energy to wind the cables. Manual reels are ideal for small workshops or home garage. Using a manual reel will take some getting used to, so you should anticipate putting some effort if you choose to buy manual reels. Another advantage associated with manual reels is their durability since they are not subject to factors like electrical faults or faulty power connections.

Power Reels

Power reels are a lot easier to use and wind cables with a lot of ease. However, to get one of these bad boys, you must be willing to spend more as compared to manual reels. Unlike manual reels which are easily portable, you must have an alternative power source when using the reel outside the workshop. If you operate a busy workshop or want a reel for industrial welding, having a power reel will come in handy. It is easy to wind and reverse cables when using power reels compared to manual reels.

Extra Features

Going the manual way should not be an excuse to miss out on amazing features. Always check if a real comes with an automatic retract function that will help you wind the welding cable back up. You should also check if your reel has a locking mechanism to maintain your cable at your preferred length. Before you decide to purchase a particular reel, check on whether it comes with some if not all of these additional features.

Material

Welding cable reels are usually made from different materials. Most are either made from plastic, steel or even wood. However, we wouldn’t recommend going for wooden reels as wood can act as a fire catalyst, especially in hot environments. Going for heavier and tougher metals will cost you more, but serve you for longer. While plastic reels are affordable, they can prove to be flimsy, especially when used to store heavy cables. Going for steel reels is usually the best idea if your budget allows.

Coating

Some reels come with powder coats to keep them glossy and resistant to gradual wear and tear. Going for powder coated reels will keep your reel looking new even after months of continuous use. While powder coating is not a bare minimum when buying reels, it can come in handy in keeping your reels well maintained.

 Portability

You want to get a reel that is easy to set up and mount. Some reels are hard to fit in walls or floors. Be sure to get one that is easy to set up or even move around with when you need to use the cables at an external work space.

Best Places to Purchase Welding Cable Lead Reels

Amazon

There are several options when considering a pipe welding machine. For worry-free return policies, transparency in terms of product quality and customer service, and fast shipping, head over to Amazon.

When you browse on Amazon, you can see what previous buyers thought of the pipeline welder they bought, and find out everything about things like material quality, protective features, weight dimessions and design. You don’t need to go out to compare prices or features.

If you have any sort of problems with your pipe line welder in general, you can also quickly and easily return them hassle free.

Conclusion

Welding cable reels are must have accessories that will make your welding experience better. If you fail to get the right reel you might end up having to make several purchases before landing on one that perfectly suits your cable storage needs.

Choosing between manual and power reels should be inspired by the type of activity conducted at your workshop. We advise going for power reels if you tend to deal with heavy and lengthy cables or for industrial welding projects. The golden rule; however, is to stay away from wooden reels as they can increase the risk of fire at the workplace. For more information on the top rated welding fire safety extinguishers [Read our full Review]

Choose the best welding cable reels based on your needs. Always consider factors like cable length, warranty and material used to ensure that you make the right investment. While having a welding hose reel is not compulsory, having one at your workshop will keep your cables and hoses organized, and increase your overall safety. It is also the best way to store your cables and prevent the risk of gas leakage.

Now that we have discussed the best welding cable reels and also provided a detailed buyer`s guide, the ball is in your court to select the product that suits you best. Remember to go for a quality product that will last and prove to be a worthy investment.


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