The present invention relates to portable hose reel carts for handling and storage of flexible hoses, such as garden or air hoses. The cart is primarily constructed of plastic components having a centrally rotatable spool for winding of the flexible hose, a frame for supporting the spool, wheels at one end of the base of the frame, and a handle assembly for tilting the frame onto the wheels to facilitate moving the cart. The handle assembly which may or may not be foldable includes a crank mounted near the top of the handle assembly. The crank remotely drives the spool, for winding the hose, through a series of gears located within the handle. The device may further include a reciprocating guide assembly that operates during rotation of the spool to rewind the hose into a compact configuration.