Garden hose spray gun buying guide: connector first
Updated: 21 October 2026
You are at the outside tap with a hose that already has a connector on it, and the last gun either split or never quite clicked on. A garden hose spray gun buying guide should settle the fitting, the shut-off, and two sprays you will actually use before you count icons. Peter F. updated this on 21 October 2026 from nine amazon.co.uk listings priced from about £5.99 to £21.99. There was no lab test. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. The ranked table sits on the [garden hose spray gun comparison](/hub/painting-supplies/garden-hose-spray-gun).
You are at the outside tap with a hose that already has a connector on it, and the last gun either split or never quite clicked on.
You are at the outside tap with a hose that already has a connector on it, and the last gun either split or never quite clicked on. A garden hose spray gun buying guide should settle the fitting, the shut-off, and two sprays you will actually use before you count icons. Peter F. updated this on 21 October 2026 from nine amazon.co.uk listings priced from about £5.99 to £21.99. There was no lab test. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. The ranked table sits on the garden hose spray gun comparison.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Inlet | Shut-off | Patterns | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Onarway Onarway metal spray gun | 1/2 inch quick-connect | Thumb knob and trigger lock | 10 listed | 8.5 | about £15.74 | View offer |
| Alternative |  Hozelock Hozelock Multi-Jet gun | Hozelock male quick-connect | Lock and separate flow control | 5 named | 8.1 | about £20.20 | View offer |
| Best value |  Draper Draper 7-pattern gun | Universal in the title; 1/2 inch thread | Rear nut; lock not named | 7 | 8.3 | about £12.49 | View offer |
On this page
Match the connector before the pattern count
UK outside taps are commonly 3/4 inch BSP, about 26.5 mm, or an older 1/2 inch BSP, about 21 mm. The hose is not in these boxes, and a Hozelock review says the pack has no connectors.
If the hose already uses that click, the Multi-Jet names a male quick-connect. Draper's 25342 says universal in the title and 1/2 inch in the thread field. Vintoney's European quick connector has shot off a hose in a review. RAINPOINT claims a 3/4 inch BSP quick-connect that may arrive as brass or aluminium alloy. Budget a spare washer. Weight and frost sit on the metal vs plastic hose spray gun page.
Shut-off and the two patterns you will use
A pattern dial changes the shape of the water. It is not a flow control, and it is not a lock. You want one soft plant spray, such as a shower, rose, or cone, and one hard spray, such as a jet or a flat. Hozelock's pattern guide says a hard jet bounces off mulch.
The Hozelock in this set names five patterns plus a lock and a separate flow control. RAINPOINT and the WASH IT! lance use a thumb slide that can stay on. Draper's bullets do not name a lock. Water Regs UK still expects a double check valve for a handheld hose on premises built after 1 July 1999. A trigger does not replace that valve, and it does not exempt you from a temporary use ban.
What the prices in this set are buying
Shelf prices run from £5.99 to £21.99, and they will move. Under £13: the BBU at £5.99, the ONEHOSE at £11.99, and the aluminium Draper at £12.49. BBU reviews include leaks and crossed threads, so the lowest price is not the best value. Onarway is £15.74, the WASH IT! lance £15.95, Vintoney £18.99, the Hozelock £20.20, and the RAINPOINT £21.99.
BBC Gardeners' World on 30 April 2026 also reviews Claber, Gardena, and dearer Hozelock models that are not these nine ASINs. Paying more than £13 here buys a metal body, a named lock, or a brand connector. It does not buy a frost-proof mark.
What to leave for another page
If the hose already has a Hozelock click and you want the lightest pistol, start with HZ2676P0000 and accept a plastic body that can crack if you drop it. If you are replacing a split plastic gun and you can hold about 390–460 g, look at the metal pistols on the main comparison. If the basket is out of arm's reach, a 49 cm wand is not a 90 cm lance.
Do not buy on the pattern count alone, and do not assume a European quick connector will hold a water-stop fitting you already trust.
Common questions
How many spray patterns do I actually need?
You need two that feel different in your hand: a soft spray for plants and a hard spray for dirt. Hozelock's own guide separates a jet, which bounces off mulch, from a rose, shower, or cone for beds. Listings that print eight or ten icons, including Anytime Garden and ONEHOSE, still draw complaints that some settings feel useless. Count the two you will use, then ignore the rest.
Will it fit the Hozelock hose I already own?
Only if the listing or a review describes that click. The Hozelock HZ2676P0000 is sold as a male quick-connect for the Hozelock system, and the box is the gun alone. ONEHOSE and BBU reviews mention fitting an existing hose, including one Hozelock hose, which is a buyer report rather than a specification. Vintoney's European quick connector has shot off a hose in a review, so test the click with the tap barely open.
Does the box include a hose or connectors?
No hose is listed for these nine products. The Hozelock size line says spray gun only, and a review says there are no hose connectors in that pack. ONEHOSE bullets do not list a hose either, which matches a buyer question on the listing. You bring the hose and, if the old washer is flat, a new one. A gun that arrives without a fitting you already own is not a faulty spray pattern.
Is a flow dial the same as a pattern dial?
No. The front head changes the shape. A separate control changes how much water comes out, or holds the trigger so you can let go. The Hozelock in this set names both a lock and a flow control. Draper's bullets do not. RAINPOINT uses a thumb slide instead of a squeeze. If the only moving part is the rotating head, you do not have a volume control, even when the listing says the flow is adjustable.
Should I pay more than £13?
Pay more than £13 in this set when you want a metal body, a lock written on the listing, or the Hozelock connector, and you have checked the fitting. Onarway at £15.74 and RAINPOINT at £21.99 are that step up. They are not frost-proof, and magazine guns over £30 are a different shelf. If £13 is the ceiling, the aluminium Draper is the metal option under that line, with trigger wear already in the reviews.
What breaks if I leave it outside?
Water left inside expands when it freezes. Hozelock reviews describe a seam that splits after a winter on the hose. A Vintoney review describes a metal body that shattered in the first hard frost. Plastic collars and internal springs on the Draper also fail with time and damp, not only with a drop. Bring every gun indoors. None of these listings states a frost-proof mark.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures for these nine ASINs.
- Flood and Water Management Act 2010, section 36 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- Ofwat, hosepipe bans (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- Thames Water, temporary use ban (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- Water Regs UK, hose union taps (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- WaterSafe, outside tap advice (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- Hozelock, spray-pattern guide (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- Hozelock, maintenance (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- BBC Gardeners' World, best spray guns 2026 (retrieved 21 October 2026)