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Metal vs plastic hose spray gun: what actually fails

Updated: 21 October 2026

The plastic gun on the patio tap has split along a seam, and the metal ones look heavy before you have held them. A metal vs plastic hose spray gun choice, in this amazon.co.uk set, is about what actually breaks and whether you can hold the body, not about a frost-proof badge. Peter F. updated this on 21 October 2026 from nine listings and their review themes. These guns were not dropped or frozen for this page. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and scores live on the [garden hose spray gun comparison](/hub/painting-supplies/garden-hose-spray-gun). Plastic here means Hozelock, ONEHOSE, and BBU. Metal means Draper, Anytime Garden, Onarway, Vintoney, and RAINPOINT.

The plastic gun on the patio tap has split along a seam, and the metal ones look heavy before you have held them.

Our top picks

Onarway Onarway metal spray gun

Best overall

Onarway Onarway metal spray gun
8.5/10about £15.74
View offer
Hozelock Hozelock Multi-Jet gun

Alternative

Hozelock Hozelock Multi-Jet gun
8.1/10about £20.20
View offer
Draper Draper 7-pattern gun

Best value

Draper Draper 7-pattern gun
8.3/10about £12.49
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What the listings mean by metal and by plastic
  2. 2.What fails on each
  3. 3.Weight and hands
  4. 4.When to pick which

What the listings mean by metal and by plastic

Plastic here is ABS or an unnamed plastic body: Hozelock at 120 g and £20.20, ONEHOSE at 140 g and £11.99, and BBU at a listed 280 g and £5.99. Metal is not one alloy. Draper is aluminium at £12.49. Anytime Garden lists metal at 330 g and £13.99. Onarway is zinc alloy at 460 g and £15.74. Vintoney is zinc alloy with a brass head at 399 g and £18.99. RAINPOINT is zinc alloy at 390 g and £21.99. Onarway reviews mention plastic hose-release tabs. Draper reviews mention plastic collars that crack. None of these listings states a frost-proof mark.

What fails on each

Hozelock reviewers describe cracks from a drop and a seam that splits if the gun stays on the hose through a freeze. ONEHOSE reviews include a cracked housing. BBU reviews include leaks at the neck, crossed threads, and a gun that could not hold ordinary mains pressure. Metal does not delete leaks. Onarway's early reviews often say no leaks, which is early use, not a lifetime seal. Draper reviews report a spring that rusted after two years so the gun would not shut off, plus cracked plastic collars. One RAINPOINT review says the pressure regulator burst after two months. A Vintoney review says the body shattered in the first hard frost. Hozelock's storage note, that leftover water expands, is not limited to plastic.
Onarway Onarway metal spray gun

Testsieger

Onarway Onarway metal spray gun
8.5/10about £15.74
View offer

Weight and hands

The English Garden separates a 610 g die-cast gun from a 235 g plastic gun. Those weights are their test, not Onarway. The heaviest pistol listed here is the Onarway at 460 g. RAINPOINT is 390 g, Vintoney 399 g, and Anytime Garden 330 g. The Hozelock is 120 g and the ONEHOSE is 140 g. Draper's 20 g line sits beside a 23.5 cm body, so ignore it. If your grip is weak, a trigger you must hold matters as much as the weight. The Hozelock names a lock. RAINPOINT's thumb slide stays on without a squeeze. ONEHOSE reviews disagree about a constant-on control.

When to pick which

Choose a metal body if you drop tools or you have already split a plastic gun, and choose the light Hozelock if you will store it indoors and you already own the connectors. That is the condition, not a single winner. Onarway is the metal gun reviewers name after a Hozelock split, at 460 g, if you can hold it. The Draper is the cheaper aluminium option if you accept trigger and spring wear, which is why the best garden hose spray gun page separates top pick from best value. The Hozelock remains reasonable at 120 g when the click you own matches it. A weak grip should look at the Hozelock lock or the RAINPOINT thumb slide before the heaviest zinc body.

Common questions

Will metal stop the leaks I had with plastic?
It can move the leak from a split body to a washer, a trigger, or a connector, which is a different repair. Onarway's early reviews often report no leaks after people left plastic Hozelock guns. Draper reviews still describe a spring that failed and plastic collars that cracked. Vintoney reviews include a gun that would not stay on the hose. Fit the washer first. Do not expect a metal listing to be leak-proof.
Is the Hozelock plastic gun too light to last?
At 120 g it is the lightest pistol here, and reviewers do report drop cracks and a seam split after frost. The same 15,414-review sample includes people who buy it again as the everyday gun. The listing warranty is one year, matching Hozelock's base Multi Spray period, not the longer cover on other models. It lasts better if you store it indoors than if you leave it on the tap.
How heavy are the metal guns in this set?
Onarway lists 460 g, Vintoney 399 g, RAINPOINT 390 g, and Anytime Garden 330 g. Draper's size is 23.5 cm long, while the weight field says 20 g, which conflicts with the body and should not be used. The English Garden's 610 g die-cast figure is a different gun. If 460 g already feels like too much at the shelf, the Hozelock at 120 g is the light comparison, with the plastic limits above.
Can a zinc gun still crack in frost?
Yes. A Vintoney review says the body shattered in the first hard frost, and the listing does not claim a frost-proof mark. Hozelock's storage note applies to hose-end tools generally: water left inside expands. BBC Gardeners' World discusses frost claims on other brands. Those claims are not printed on Onarway, Draper, or Vintoney in this set. Bring the zinc gun in with the plastic one.
Are the triggers and collars still plastic on a metal gun?
Often the wearing parts are. Draper reviews describe cracked plastic outer collars and a trigger connection that feels weak, on an aluminium body. Onarway's hose-release tabs are plastic in a review, on a zinc-alloy body with brass fittings. RAINPOINT's grip is TPR rubber. You are buying a metal body, not a gun with no plastic anywhere on it.
What should I buy if my grip is weak?
Prefer a lock or a thumb slide over the heaviest body. The Hozelock names a locking trigger at 120 g. RAINPOINT's thumb control stays on without a squeeze, at 390 g and the top price in the set. Onarway has both a thumb flow knob and a trigger lock, at 460 g, so try the weight before you rely on the features. ONEHOSE reviews do not agree that a lock is even there.

Related pages

Garden hose spray gun buying guide

How to use a garden hose spray gun

Garden hose spray gun

Best garden hose spray gun: top pick or best value

Watering lance for hanging baskets: is 49 cm enough

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures for these nine ASINs.

  1. Flood and Water Management Act 2010, section 36 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  2. Ofwat, hosepipe bans (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  3. Thames Water, temporary use ban (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  4. Water Regs UK, hose union taps (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  5. WaterSafe, outside tap advice (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  6. Hozelock, spray-pattern guide (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  7. Hozelock, maintenance (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  8. BBC Gardeners' World, best spray guns 2026 (retrieved 21 October 2026)