Best hose spray guns 2024
Which unit can handle the pressure of washing a car the best?
When your car is seriously mucky, you’ll want a pressure washer to get it clean, but for the typical weekly wash, using a spray gun to give a boost to a garden hose should be enough. Although usually designed for handling domestic and gardening tasks, all spray guns can be used for car cleaning.
There’s a wide range of materials and designs to suit a variety of budgets. Shower and jet are the main modes required for cleaning cars, but if the gun has to double up in the garden, a wider range may be better. So which is the one to help make your car gleam? We plugged in eight guns to find out.
How we tested them
A good selection of spray modes makes life easier when you are handling various tasks. We measured how far the jet spray could reach to get an idea of the overall power available. This is something that is essential when cleaning road grime from under the wheelarches and the lower half of the car.
We also wanted the spray guns to be comfortable to use, not too heavy and with sufficient grip to prevent the unit slipping out of wet hands. Being able to lock the trigger open is a vital feature to prevent aching fingers during long periods of use. We also took into account the latest prices from online sources.
Reviews
Draper Seven-Pattern Spray Gun 25342
- Price: Around £11.60
- Modes: Seven
- Rating: 5 stars
- Website: drapertools.com
Our previous test winner happily remains unchanged, because it’s so good as it is. We like the effective and stylish mix of materials – aluminium, plastic and rubber along with a brass bayonet connector for the hose itself.
Its range of standard spray patterns (flat, shower, soaker, centre, jet, mist and cone) also impress and it has plenty of power, with a 6.5-metre maximum range. The sculpted rubber handle is grippy and comfortable, while the rear-mounted trigger is easy to use. Last but not least, its basic flip-over lock saves aching fingers when using it for long periods.
Draper Eight-Pattern Spray Gun 19722
- Price: Around £12.20
- Modes: Eight
- Rating: 4.5 stars
- Website: drapertools.com
There’s more than just an extra spray mode on this Draper compared with our winner – the whole design is different. We like that it features a brass bayonet connector, which is more robust than plastic, and the range of modes (full, soaker, centre, cone, stream, mist, flat and shower) is clearly marked around the head for accurate selection.
The rubberised, slightly sculpted handle is comfortable and gives lots of grip when wet. While the rear-mounted, thumb-operated lever gives power levels from a dribble to a blast, it isn’t quite as instinctive to use as a trigger.
Sealey Nine-Pattern Water Spray Gun CC79
- Price: Around £9.00
- Modes: Nine
- Rating: 4 stars
- Website: sealey.co.uk
Well made as usual, the all-plastic Sealey is a comfortable weight, at 176g. We like the large front-mounted trigger, which spring-locks into place on every use. But the water control is thumb operated and not as easy to use as some.
On full whack, the jet reached more than six metres, which is impressive and ideal for getting rid of all the muck from under wheelarches. The Sealey also features the most spray modes on test, covering straight, jet, mist, shower, angle, flat horizontal, flat vertical, fan and tap, so there’s no shortage of rinsing options.
Verve Five-Function Hose spray gun
- Price: Around £12
- Modes: Five
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Website: diy.com
This design is very simple, made from ABS plastic, and in effect is a piece of bent tube with a spray nozzle attached. The handle is almost smooth, which makes it a bit tricky to hold once there’s lots of water around.
The five-function nozzle clicks neatly into each mode, which comprises jet (5.5 metres), flat, fast fill, fine mist and wide. The last two are aimed more at gardening use and are a bit weak for car-cleaning duties. We had to squint to decipher the moulded icons around the nozzle, but it’s not a bad gun and has a two-year warranty.
Verve Three-Function Spray Nozzle
- Price: Around £10
- Modes: Three
- Rating: 3 stars
- Website: diy.com
Although described as two-function, there are actually three on this Verve, with icons around the nozzle to prove it. The main mode is Jet, which has a reasonable 5.5-metre range. Turning the nozzle produces a rinse, followed by a much weaker mist that’s less suited for car work.
The basic product is identical to the five-function model, just with a less complex nozzle. Again, the smooth ABS handle is a bit slippy on occasion and it also has a top-mounted on/off/water adjuster. The three-function Verve also shares the impressive two-year warranty.
Kärcher Multifunctional Spray Gun 2.645–265.0
- Price: Around £10
- Modes: Two
- Rating: 3 stars
- Website: halfords.com
This is a simple device that’s similar to the Hozelock Jet Plus, although made from plastic. It is the second lightest on test, at 112g, which is less than half the weight of the Hozelock. The large, front-mounted trigger features a handy spring lock and the water control lever is at the top rear.
We like the self-emptying feature that will help stop frost damage. There are just two modes – jet and cone – which are accessed simply by turning the end of the nozzle. Its maximum range of around four metres means that there is less power than we’d ideally like with a spray gun.
Hozelock Jet Plus Spray Gun
- Price: Around £15.80
- Modes: Two
- Rating: 2.5 stars
- Website: hozelock.com
We like the rather stylish, powder-coated grey finish to the Hozelock’s main body, although being metal, it is the second heaviest here, at around 256g. The large, plastic front-mounted variable trigger is easy to use and accurate, and can be held in position via a three-stage lock.
The choice of spray mode is limited to just cone (wide) or jet, the latter managing a 4.5-metre maximum range. It’s a well made product that comes with a two-year warranty. But considering its limited range of features, the Hozelock is rather pricey.
Uni-Wert Garden Hose Nozzle Spray
- Price: Around £17
- Modes: One
- Rating: 2.5 stars
- Website: amazon.co.uk
The Uni-Wert is mainly constructed from metal (powder-coated zinc and brass), and that explains its 376g weight, which is quite a lot to hold for any length of time. The lock is a simple-though-effective metal hook that slips over the variable trigger.
Adjustment from jet to cone is done by simply turning the end of the nozzle, and it powered to a good 5.5-metre maximum. We like the brass hose fitting and the rubberised handle, which gives plenty of grip in use. But its price is too much for the performance and lack of preset modes.
Verdict
Draper’s 25342 wasn’t broke, so they didn’t fix it. The spray gun wins again, followed once more by its eight-mode stablemate. The nine-mode Sealey came close, but couldn’t quite topple the duo from Draper.
- Draper Seven-Pattern Spray Gun 25342
- Draper Eight-Pattern Spray Gun 19722
- Sealey Nine-Pattern Water Spray Gun CC7
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