Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I bought 3 of these for my new home a few years ago. They are in fact made in china, but look very good out of the box. I had to buy mounting hardware to bolt them to the stucco wall of my house as mounting hardware was not included. My hose bibs are all on softened water, so the hardness of the water is minimized and my sink faucets do not show any signs of calcium deposits or rust. The first hose reel developed a drip at the swivel after only 6 months of use. I live in San Diego, so the weather is not an issue and the reels are mostly shaded from the sun. After 8 or 9 months the drip turned into a steady leak at the swivel. The leak developed on all 3 reels about the same time. This tells me the factory would definitely know about the defect if they were tested properly. Last week I contacted Liberty to ask if the swivels were covered under the warranty. I received an email from Megan Miller, a Liberty employee who informed me "The swivel connectors are considered moving/working parts and are not covered under our warranty." I told her it was a hose reel, all the parts are moving. She said they sell a brass swivel for customers with hard water. I asked her why the reel doesn't come with the brass swivel from the factory. She told me the brass swivel was a new item and the aluminum swivel work just fine. After debating with Megan for a few emails, I asked her what she was going to do about the leaky situation. She told me she would sell me the brass swivel at a reduced cost of $17 each (they are normally $22 each), plus $5.80 for shipping. I reluctantly purchased three of the brass swivels. I also noticed the swivels on the website are shipped free, so they still got my money in the end. I paid just over $100 for each reel and now have another $20 each into them. They have lowered the price recently since the Rapid Reel has come out. The Rapid Reel comes with a 10 year, no leak warranty. I have a neighbor with one and can say the design is better and it's built to last. The Rapid Reel is also made in China, but the company stands behind their product. One last thing, The aluminum frame on the Liberty reel is not treated prior to painting/powder coating, so it corrodes from the inside out. All 3 of my reels are flaking off and fading. The company even states on their website that you should disassemble the reel every year and spray with clear coat to protect the finish. ("Some of our most loyal customers recommend that at the end of each season, the unit be cleaned and painted with a clear acrylic paint.") I hope this review has helped, I have also posted pictures of my leaky reel. Do your homework before you purchase a hose reel or you might end up with holes in your wall when you need to replace it...