How to Choose a Hose Connector That Matches Your Needs

If you’re a professional gardener or contractor, a suitable hose is imperative for delivering efficient irrigation for your clients.

Interestingly, the COVID-19 pandemic saw a rise in the demand for gardening supplies, and this trend isn't expected to slow down, with a predicted growth rate of 4.3% between now and 2027.

If you’ve found yourself more in demand due to clients’ renewed interest in all things green, or you just want the best tools for the job, keep reading.

We’ll explain the different connectors, their uses, and things you need to look out for when choosing the perfect hose connector. We'll also provide some recommendations for hose connectors you can buy today.

Let's dive in!

What You Need to Know About Hose Connectors

First, let’s look at how hose connectors are designed. Then, we’ll move on to some differences you can expect between types of connectors, examples, and uses.

Size

Connector sizes vary between countries. Generally, it’s measured by the diameter of the thread in inches.

In the US, garden connectors are usually between 3/4 and 5/8 of an inch. Always check the size of your connector before buying.

Gender

Another aspect is whether the connector is female or male, which refers to different hose connector thread types. You'll see the size and gender of the parts written as:

(Size) FHT female hose thread and (size) MHT male hose thread is used when connecting two hoses.
(Size) FPT female pipe thread and (size) MPT male pipe thread is used when connecting to a pipe or water outlet.

(Common Abbreviations: FHT to FH, MHT to MH, FPT to FP, MPT to MP)

Materials

Generally speaking, brass hose connectors are the most popular choice. Of course, you can get plastics or steel as well. However, metal connectors usually have a much tighter connection and more strength than plastic.

Types of Hose Connectors

To understand why there are so many different connectors, you need an idea of how a hose system is set up:

Tap/faucet
Splitter and shut-off
Connectors and adaptors
Repairers

Let's look at each in turn...

Tap/Faucet

Let's say your primary inlet is from outside or inside the faucet; there will have to be a tap connector between the outlet and hose. Most metal tap connectors have a male or female component.

These threaded fittings screw around or into the water outlet. So if you have a male fixture on your tap, you will need a female connector and vice versa.

Splitter and Shut-off

Connected to the tap connector, you can have a splitter or shut-off valve for the garden hose connector. These come in handy when you have a large-scale area to cover or need multiple hoses in operation simultaneously.

It will split the water flow across two or more hoses. Usually, a shut-off valve will be mounted on each connector, so you turn one off as needed.

This is especially useful for irrigation systems where you want to distribute water to one area and not another. Here are some examples of multi-valve connectors:

2-Way Valve: This is a two-way connector with a built-in shut-off valve. It's a suitable connector for small to medium-sized plots or gardens that need dual hose access.

4-Way Valve: This is a four-way connector. Each outlet has a built-in shut-off valve. It's ideal for managing multiple plots or irrigation.

Connectors and Adapters

Adapters and connectors extend the length of hose lines. It goes between two separate hoses and is commonly used for irrigation or increasing coverage range.

A connector is a part that joins two hose connector fittings together. Like tap connectors, hose fittings are gendered to suit different fitting types.

For instance, a male fitting may not link with another male fitting. This is where connectors are used to join same-gendered or opposite-gendered hose fittings together.

Here's an example of a quick connector:

Female threaded quick connector: This is an easy-to-use connector designed for a water-tight connection between two hose fittings.

Adapters do a similar job but are often chosen for more complex systems where the size or standard of a fitting is incompatible with another.

For instance, if you’re using American hose parts with European parts, there may be compatibility issues.

Here's an example of an adaptor designed to join a female and male fitting of different sizes.

Hose adapter 3/4MH-1/2MP: This adapter joins a 3/4 inch female hose fittings with a 1/2 inch male hose fixture.

Repairers

As the name implies, a repairer connector is designed for a hose where a fitting or area of the hose is damaged. Essentially, it’s used to replace the broken part with a new fitting.

You cut out the damaged area and insert the repairer directly into the hose. Of course, you'll need to select the right size to ensure it’s a tight fit. And, if you already have a system, the correct gender suits your connector.

Here's an example of a repairer.

5/8 Hose Repair: This is a 5/8 of an inch male repairer connector.

Nozzles

The nozzle allows you to control the pressure and flow of the water. If your hose is set to work in a specific area, you may just need a simple nozzle with one setting. For example:

Metal Adjustable Thumb Control Nozzle: This nozzle adjusts water pressure by thumb control. Depending on your need, you can set it to a powerful jet stream or a drizzle.

The water flow is distributed the same way regardless of how much pressure you use.

A flow nozzle is a better choice to give yourself more water distribution options—for example, the Zinc 7 Pattern with Top Lever Flow Control.

This nozzle allows you to choose from various flow options, such as jet, mist, flood, flat, angled, shower, fan, cone, or center distribution. You can adjust the water flow pattern directly for your needs.