The best garden water meters, compared.
Top pick: Insoma 3/4 inch brass meter Best value: RESTMO meter with tap adaptors – Within 10 points of the top score, the lower shelf price with at least 50 reviews: about £21.99, named adaptors, and 4.2 from 261 reviews. Updated October 2026.
A garden water meter is a counter on a garden hose, or in the pipe to an outside tap, so you can see how much a session uses. UK buyers portion watering, fill a pond or a caravan tank, or keep a private note of outside-tap use. It is not the water company’s revenue meter. That meter still sets a metered bill in cubic metres, and a private reading does not by itself change the wastewater charge. Look for a litres display, because a US gallon is not a bill unit. Match the thread to a UK outdoor tap, commonly 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch BSP, and do not treat a bare 3/4 inch line as that thread. Prefer a stated flow range, a total you can reset, and a dry battery bay. An IP code describes water jets, not immersion and not frost. A less-than-5% line is a listing claim, not the in-use error for a trade cold-water meter. Those checks are set out in the [garden water meter buying guide](/hub/garden-supplies/garden-water-meter/sub/garden-water-meter-buying-guide).
A garden water meter is a counter on a garden hose, or in the pipe to an outside tap, so you can see how much a session uses.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where will the meter sit?
Insoma is the cheapest brass hose meter here at about £18.04: 3/4 inch faucet and hose thread claimed, IPX5, four modes and a CR2032 in the pack. The model number is SGS05-UK, and the bullet stacks two accuracy phrases, under 5% and within 0.1 gallons, without a printed flow range. Litres per minute or gallons per minute appear in flow mode. Last use, a seven-day average and a total sit beside them. The amazon.co.uk rating is 5.0 from a single rating with no review text in the file, so there is nothing British to quote on thread fit or litre behaviour. BSP is not stated, only 3/4 inch, and the body is listed at about 105 g. Treat the star line as almost empty evidence and plan a watering-can check before you trust a season total. It is a budget brass bullet for buyers who will verify the thread themselves.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a cheap brass 3/4 inch bullet and you can test it yourself with a watering can.
Less suitable: You want UK reviewers to have already tried the thread and the litre mode.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the pack include a battery?
Yes. The bullet lists one meter, one CR2032 and one manual. Fit it in the direction of the arrow.
Is 3/4 inch the same as BSP?
The listing says 3/4 inch faucet and hose thread. It does not say BSP. The model number is SGS05-UK.
What do reviewers say?
The file has 5.0 from 1 rating and no review text. There is nothing to quote.
Rainpoint is the dearest hose meter in this folder at about £37.99: dual brass connectors, a 180° screen, five modes, Bluetooth and a ±5% bullet. The amazon.co.uk line shows 4.7 from 73, but only two of the first 50 review blocks are from the UK, so that star figure is not treated as a British field report. The app claims tank capacity, a low-water alert, daily to yearly totals and a cost figure. Battery type, flow range and IP rating are absent from the spec block. One UK buyer filled a pond and disliked a mid-fill pause that restarted the count. Another was told by a Severn Trent call centre that they had not heard of the device. That is context, not a product defect rate. At 330 g it is heavier than the plastic RESTMO bodies, which helps on a windy outdoor tap but does not prove BSP. Skip it when you are choosing on stacked UK review text rather than brass and an app.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want brass ends and an app, and you do not need a stack of UK reviews.
Less suitable: You are choosing on British review text, or you need the meter to keep a count through a pause.
Specifications
Common questions
What does the app add?
The bullet says tank capacity, a low-water alert, daily to yearly totals and a cost figure. Battery type and thread standard are not in the spec block.
How many UK reviews are in the extract?
Two of the first 50 blocks. One filled a pond and disliked a mid-fill reset. One was told by a Severn Trent call centre that they had not heard of the device.
Is 4.7 from 73 a UK sample?
The star line is the amazon.co.uk listing total. The review text in the file is mostly from other countries, so it is not used as British experience.
Across 1,083 amazon.co.uk reviews at 4.6, the RESTMO brass hose meter sits between tap and hose at about £26.99 and shows flow, last use, a week average and a running total. A long press in flow mode switches US gallons and litres, which matters on a UK bill reckoned in cubic metres. Brass inlet and outlet with an ABS body, plus a claimed IPX6 rating and a one-year warranty line, put it ahead of the plastic RESTMO bodies in this set for listing fit. UK reviews still report a high-pitched paddle-wheel whistle, a hard-to-read decimal, and leaks until the joint is wound on very tight. One jug check in the file showed 21 litres on the meter against 30 litres in the jug, so the less-than-5% bullet is not treated as a measured result. The thread is not named BSP, only brass ends for a hose or faucet. It is the top pick in this set for a click-on hose total you can read in litres without an app.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a hose meter with brass ends, a litres switch, and a large review count.
Less suitable: You need a stated BSP thread, a stated flow range, or a quiet meter on copper pipe.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing state litres?
Yes. A long press in flow mode switches gallon and litre. A long press in the other modes resets. The screen sleeps after about a minute.
Is the thread named as UK BSP?
No. The listing says brass inlet and outlet for a hose or faucet. It does not say BSP or GHT.
What do UK reviews say about noise and accuracy?
Some describe a high-pitched paddle-wheel whistle. One jug test showed 21 litres on the meter and 30 litres in the jug. Another said a known container matched.
DEWIN is the only inline dial meter in this set: a 15 mm copper cold-water body of about 640 g at about £25.99, rated 4.6 from 80 amazon.co.uk reviews. It is a mechanical word wheel and pointer, so there is no button cell and no LCD to fog. UK buyers fitted it on the pipe feed to an outside tap and still had to buy a 3/4 inch or 15 mm female connector plus PTFE tape. The bullets allow vertical or horizontal mounting and claim a protective cover. They do not print an accuracy figure or a hot-water range. One review reported a leak after about 11,000 litres. Another said the dial arrived off zero. The file shows no WRAS or MID mark, so a water-company dispute mentioned in a review is not treated as approval. Skip it if you only want a click-on hose gadget between a tap and a Hozelock fitting.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are fitting a cold-water meter into 15 mm pipe, not clicking a body onto a hose.
Less suitable: You want litres per minute on an LCD between the tap and a Hozelock fitting.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a hose click meter?
No. It is a 15 mm cold-water dial meter. UK reviews bought a 3/4 inch or 15 mm female connector and PTFE tape before it fitted.
Can it meter hot water?
The bullets describe a cold-water meter. No hot-water range is printed.
Does the file show WRAS or MID approval?
No. UK reviews used it for a garden total and, in one case, a bill dispute. That is not an approval mark.
This is the Bluetooth hose meter with the largest review count here: 4.3 from 3,940 at about £29.99. The bullet pairs it with the Smart Living app, rules out Wi-Fi, and claims history for up to three years on flow, last use, daily and total modes. All 50 sampled review blocks in the file are dated United Kingdom, so the star line is not borrowed from another marketplace. The listing still omits thread size, IP rating and an accuracy figure, and the printed size 60 × 20 × 50 mm does not match a review that called it about 5 cm wide. UK texts describe a non-UK thread that leaked until an adaptor was fitted, water in the battery bay, pairing with the wrong app, and a report that would not download. Reviews also say there is no off switch, so cells are removed between uses. Take it only if you already use that app and will confirm the thread before you trust the total.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already use the Smart Living app and you can confirm the thread with an adaptor before you rely on it.
Less suitable: You want a BSP size in the bullet, or a total you can download for a water company.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this model use Wi-Fi?
The bullet says Bluetooth to the Smart Living app, and that Wi-Fi is not supported. It also says data can be kept for up to three years.
Will it screw onto a UK tap?
The listing does not name the thread. UK reviews say it is not a UK thread and leaked until a separate adaptor was fitted.
Can the app replace a written log?
Not on the evidence in the file. UK reviews say the report would not download and the total could not be reset.
Shrivee is the hose LCD with the fullest number set in this folder: 2–45 L/min, 0–8 bar, 3–45°C, IPX5, and a 3/4 inch brass inlet at about £28.87. Litres or US gallons switch on a short press, with total, single-use, flow and day modes, and a CR2032 in the pack. Fit it with the arrow in the direction of flow. The listing’s ±5% line is a bullet claim, not a lab result on this page. The amazon.co.uk line is only 4.3 from 13 ratings, so the star score carries less weight than on the RESTMO brass meter. Twelve UK texts in the file are mostly positive, but one says the stored total reset itself after the return window. BSP is not named, only 3/4 inch. Choose it when printed flow and pressure limits matter more than a large UK review pile.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the stated flow and pressure limits and can accept a small review count.
Less suitable: You want a season total you have seen survive a battery change, or hundreds of UK reviews.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it show water pressure?
The listing gives a working range of 0–8 bar. It does not say the screen shows pressure.
What flow does the bullet allow?
2–45 L/min, with a stated tolerance of ±5%, at 3–45°C. Fit it with the arrow in the direction of flow.
How many UK reviews are in the file?
Twelve UK texts. Most are positive. One says the stored total reset itself after the return window.
The RESTMO adaptor meter is the best value in this set at about £21.99: a plastic body, a litres switch, and 4.2 from 261 amazon.co.uk reviews. The bullet names a 3/4 to 1/2 inch inlet adaptor and a 1/2 inch hose connector, so you are not guessing which spare part to buy first. Modes match the brass sibling: flow, last use, week average and total, on a 1.3 inch screen, and the body weighs about 150 g. There is no IP rating in the file, and UK reviews describe water inside the housing and a blank screen after a few months. Accuracy is mixed: some reviewers accepted five-litre jugs, others saw a one-litre bottle read as 0.2 litre or a slow flow read about double. One UK text identifies US garden-hose thread; another reports a plastic nut that sheared when tightened. Buy it when the price and the named adaptors matter more than brass ends or a waterproof mark.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the cheaper RESTMO hose shape and can check the thread before you tighten it.
Less suitable: You want brass ends, a stated IP rating, or a meter for a very slow trickle.
Specifications
Common questions
Which tap sizes does the bullet cover?
An inlet adaptor for 3/4 inch to 1/2 inch, and a connector for a 1/2 inch hose. A UK review says the thread was US garden-hose thread.
Does it state a waterproof rating?
No IP code is in the file. UK reviews describe water inside the housing and a blank screen after a few months.
How did UK jug checks go?
Some reviewers accepted 5 litre jugs or an irrigation controller. Others saw a 1 litre bottle read as 0.2 litre, or a slow flow read about double.
This RESTMO adds a 360° control panel on a 170 g ABS hose body at about £29.99, with 4.1 from 561 amazon.co.uk reviews. The bullet promises a long-press litres switch and a tolerance under 5%, and UK reviews like the click-fit end when the tap is awkward. Thread size and IP rating are missing from the specification block, so the listing does not prove a BSP fit. More than one UK review says the display stayed in US gallons and litres never appeared, which undercuts the litres bullet. Others report leaks at the joint and water inside the case. One owner still used theirs after two years. At the same shelf price as the Bluetooth RESTMO, you pay for the rotating panel rather than an app log. It suits a hose run where you need the screen to face you and can verify litres yourself.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already use Hozelock fittings and want the screen to face you.
Less suitable: You need the listing itself to prove a litre mode and a BSP size.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the panel rotate?
The bullet says a 360° control panel and a 1.3 inch LCD. UK reviews say that helps when the tap is awkward.
Can you switch to litres?
The bullet says a long press in flow mode switches gallon and litre. More than one UK review says litres never appeared.
Is a Hozelock end in the specification?
Not in the spec block. UK reviews say one end is a screw thread and the other is Hozelock-compatible.
Hoite is the lowest shelf price in this set at about £16.99: a 3/4 inch hose mount, four reading types and a green display, with solar named only in the specification field. The amazon.co.uk line is 3.6 from 12 reviews, and the file holds three UK texts. One is positive on guesswork, one calls it accurate for car washing, and one calls it inaccurate. No litres switch, no IP rating and no tolerance figure appear in the listing, so you cannot score it as a verified litre counter. The packing dimensions look oversized against a 150 g body. Treat that as a listing quirk, not a measured meter size. Solar power is not explained with a cell type or a charge note, so overnight storage is unknown from the file. It is an entry counter only if you will check a known volume yourself and accept thin UK evidence.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the cheapest counter in this folder and you will check a known volume yourself.
Less suitable: You want a tolerance, a litre button, or more than three UK reviews.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the display backlit?
The listing asks that question. The bullets describe a green display. They do not say it is backlit.
What power source is listed?
The specification field says solar powered. No cell type is named.
What do the UK reviews say?
Three texts. One says it removes guesswork. One calls it accurate for car washing and watering. One calls it inaccurate.
Nine amazon.co.uk listings were scored from the shelf prices, star lines and UK review notes on those pages, dated 19 October 2026. There is no laboratory test. A bullet that says less than 5%, IPX5, IPX6 or solar is not scored as a measured result. Ofwat, the Measuring Instruments Regulations 2016 and the water-company pages explain the job. They are not a score for any listing. The highest score is the top pick, once. Among the other products within 10 points of that score, the lower shelf price is best value, once, and it must have at least 50 reviews. The weights below sum to 100.
Amazon evidence
30%Star rating on amazon.co.uk, scaled to 20, then reduced when the count is small, plus a count band up to 10. No review line scores 0. The count multiplier on the star part is full at 100 reviews or more, 0.8 from 50 to 99, 0.4 from 3 to 19, 0.2 for one or two, and zero when there is no rating. The two parts are added and capped at 30.
Listing fit
35%Five checks, 7 points each: a litres switch in the bullet or highlight; a named thread or adaptor; a numeric tolerance or a numeric flow range (both score 7, one scores 4); an IP code, a cold-water label or a temperature range; and no broken field. A suspect dimension line scores 3 on the last check.
Review outcome
20%UK texts only. A known-volume check that the reviewer accepted scores higher than a file with two UK texts. A jug test far outside 5%, a wiped total, or water in the battery bay lowers the score. It is not a defect rate.
Value
15%Shelf price in GBP against a litres switch and a review count you can read. The lowest price does not win this block when the UK texts are three lines and no tolerance is printed.
Choose the job before the price. A click-on body counts a hose session. A 15 mm dial is for the pipe, and UK reviews of that body still bought a connector. Neither replaces the company’s meter. A litres switch, a thread you can name, a stated flow range and a total you can still read later matter more than a star line with almost no UK text. A less-than-5% bullet is a claim, not a lab result. The nine rows are amazon.co.uk listings dated 19 October 2026.
A garden water meter is a counter on a hose, or a dial in the pipe that feeds an outside tap, so you can see litres used in a session or a flow rate while you water. UK buyers use one to portion beds and containers, fill a pond or a caravan tank, or keep a private note of outside-tap use. It is not the water company’s revenue meter.
A UK water bill is in cubic metres. One cubic metre is 1,000 litres. A US gallon is about 3.785 litres. If the screen stays in gallons, a jug check and a bill will not agree. Change the unit, then read the screen, before you record a total.
A common UK outdoor connector is 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch BSP. A line that only says 3/4 inch, or brass ends with no standard named, can still be a US garden-hose thread. Reviews here describe leaks until an adaptor was added, and a plastic nut that sheared when it was forced.
A hose reading does not automatically reduce wastewater charges, and it does not beat the company’s meter. Several companies already allow 5% or 10% for water that does not return. IPX5 is not submersion, and a total that reviews say wiped itself is not a log you can send as proof.
Start with the job. A click-on body sits between the tap and the hose and counts a session. A dial meter in this set is for 15 mm cold-water pipe, and it is not a click fitting. Neither shape replaces the company’s meter. Bills are cubic metres. One cubic metre is 1,000 litres, so a display you can switch to litres is the unit that matches a UK note of use. A US gallon is about 3.785 litres. If the screen stays in gallons, a jug check and a bill will not agree.
A stated flow range is more useful than a bare under-5% line. One hose listing in this set prints 2–45 L/min, 0–8 bar and 3–45°C beside a ±5% claim. Others say less than 5% with no flow points. Schedule 6 of the Measuring Instruments Regulations 2016 sets in-use errors of ±6% and ±2.5% for a cold-water meter used for trade. These listings do not show that approval. A jug test in the files both matches a known volume and misses it by a wide margin. Do not quote 5% as a measured result.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want brass hose ends, a litres switch, an IP mark and a large review count. The RESTMO brass hose meter is about £26.99, with 4.6 from 1,083 amazon.co.uk reviews. UK notes include impeller noise and at least one jug test that was well off. The thread is not named BSP.
You want the lower hose price that still has hundreds of ratings, and you can check the thread before you tighten it. The RESTMO adaptor meter is about £21.99, plastic, with adaptors named in the bullet and 4.2 from 261 reviews. Accuracy notes are mixed, and one UK text identifies a US thread.
You are cutting into 15 mm pipe, not clicking a body onto a hose. The DEWIN dial is a cold-water meter at about £25.99, 4.6 from 80 reviews, about 640 g. UK reviews bought an extra connector and tape. The file shows no trade-approval mark.
The top pick is the RESTMO brass hose meter at about £26.99. It leads this set on score: brass inlet and outlet, a claimed IPX6 rating, a litres switch, and 4.6 from 1,083 amazon.co.uk reviews. The thread is not named BSP. UK reviews include a paddle-wheel whistle and one jug test at 21 litres on the meter against 30 litres in the jug, so the less-than-5% bullet is not a measured result. The best value is the RESTMO adaptor meter at about £21.99, within 10 points of that score, with 4.2 from 261 reviews and the adaptors named in the bullet. It has no IP rating. UK reviews include a sheared plastic nut, a US garden-hose thread, and a slow flow read about double. The about £16.99 meter is not best value: a UK review calls it inaccurate and the listing prints no tolerance.
RESTMO meter with tap adaptors
Within 10 points of the top score, the lower shelf price with at least 50 reviews: about £21.99, named adaptors, and 4.2 from 261 reviews.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources for this comparison. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk listings in this set. Page updated 22 October 2026.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Lee Burkhill (Garden Ninja) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are from the amazon.co.uk listings. This is not a laboratory test.
