A hose reel assembly wherein the crank assembly/handle is directly coupled to the basket assembly or barrel is provided. This configuration allows for rotational energy, provided by the user, to be directly transferred to the basket assembly. Thus, energy loss due to friction in the gears is reduced. The hose reel assembly further includes a transfer assembly that couples the crank assembly to the autotrack device. The transfer assembly may include a gear, a belt, a chain or similar devices structured to transfer rotational motion from one component to another.