Last Updated on June 24, 2022 by Gary Stephen
Truth be told, garden hoses are every gardener’s badass partner. It can help you water the plants, wash the car, clean the patio or the driveway, and even bathe the pets or have playtime with your kids. The garden hose got your back in all sorts of household chores. But, what happens now when you want to do two or maybe three tasks at the same time? Can you still handle it? Thanks to this amazing tool a.k.a the garden hose splitter, the answer is YES!
This hose connector allows you to divert the water flow from the faucet and into different channels. That way, you can use two or more garden hoses and other accessories simultaneously. So, you can pretty much do whatever you want all the while the timer and the sprinkler system are up and running too.
In this article, let us get to know more about garden hose splitters. How does it work? What benefits do you get out of using them? What do you need to consider when buying one? And, of course, we will also reveal which hose splitters on the market are the best.
How Does a Garden Hose Splitter Work?
Well, a hose splitter is an attachment device meant to “split” the water flow into two or more channels or outlets.
The main head comes with a threaded female fitting that can be connected to the hose spigot. From there, the body of the splitter branches out into a specific number of hose outlets. Usually, it is available in 2 or 4-way valves. And, each of these ends has threaded male fittings for different hoses and timers to attach to.
Most often, each of the channels in the splitter comes with its own shutoff valves. This then allows you to control the water flow to designated hoses. You can turn the valves on and off separately, or simultaneously together. It just basically depends on which channels you wish to use at the moment.
What are the Benefits of Using Garden Hose Splitters?
The advantages of using a garden hose splitter are more than just convenience. It can actually offer more benefits towards making our daily lives more efficient. Here are some of it:
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Enables Multi-Tasking
Having two or more hoses attached to the splitter enables you to do more than just one task. You can have the sprinklers turned on while another hose is filling up your kid’s kiddy pool. At the same time, your husband can wash up the car or the driveway without interfering with your chores.
All that tasks can possibly be done together with the aid of a hose splitter. The more channels there are, the more hoses can be attached too. And so, more tasks can be concurrently done without having the need to connect to another faucet.
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Saves You Time
Without splitters, it can be quite tiring to screw and unscrew different hoses over and over again. But most importantly, it tends to waste your precious time too. That said, having different hoses connected to the splitter spares you from all that hassle. Plus, multiple hoses also means that you can do several chores at the same time. Now, that is a wise way to be productive.
For example, you can freely connect different types of hoses for different purposes. Attach a sprinkler or a soaker for your garden while a pressure washer nozzle is hooked up to another hose for power cleaning. The possibilities are endless really.
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Minimizes Wear & Tear on Garden Hoses
One thing that can contribute to the wear and tear of garden hoses is the constant movement from one place to another. Moreover, having it frequently attached and detached to the spigot can dull out its threading.
The friction created between the metal surfaces damages these threads. Thus, causing the hose fitting to eventually lose its tightness and ability to create a good seal. Eventually, it can result in water leaking.
The use of a splitter minimizes these chances by having the hoses attached to the spigot most of the time, if not permanently. Let the multiple channels be your alternative outlet for other hose attachments.
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Maximizes the Use of your Faucet
With splitters, you don’t need to have several faucets to get all your hoses hooked up. You only need one and the splitter will take charge diverting the water flow to different outlets. With that, you can use two or more hoses with just a single water source. Not unless, of course, if the number of hoses you need to attach exceeds the capacity of your splitter.
What to Look for When Buying A Garden Hose Splitter?
There are plenty of garden hose splitters available in the market today. Choosing which would suit you best can be overwhelming for a start. Thus, we wrote a list of guidelines to help you easily sort out and find the right one.
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Number of Channels
To begin with your quest for the best splitters, you must first decide how many garden hoses do you intend to use. From there you will know exactly how many channels you would likely need.
A two-way splitter is the most common type. Because of its shape, it is also referred to as the Y-connector. Aside from the main outlet, you still have an extra slot for attachment to another hose or a timer perhaps. Hence, this type of device is perfect for basic household chores.
The two-way splitter is compatible to use in locations with low to high water pressure. Nevertheless, this is your best go-to option if your area consistently experiences a weak water flow.
A three-way hose splitter is also fairly common. Moreso is the four-channel design. But, you should know that the more channels there are, the more water pressure is required as well. Your location needs to have extremely good pressure for it to be able to sustain a stable water flow throughout the channels.
Check out these garden hose splitters:
2Wayz All-Metal Body Garden Hose Splitter
Atdawn 2-Way Brass Hose Splitter
Orbit 3-Way Plastic Hose Faucet Valve
HydroMaster 4-Way Garden Hose Splitter
Hourleey 4-Way Brass Garden Hose Splitter
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Material
The quality of the material is very important when it comes to garden hose splitters. It has a significant impact on the performance and the longevity of the device. So, the more sturdy the material is, the more reliable it will do its job as well.
Garden hose splitters are available in different materials. But most often, it is made with metals and plastics. It can be constructed with a single material or a hybrid of both.
Let’s start with metals.
1. Metals
Such as brass, aluminum, nickel, zinc alloy, and stainless steel are the most commonly used. Nevertheless, solid brass is known to be the most durable of all kinds.
Metals, in general, have good tensile strength. Hence, they are better at withstanding varying levels of water pressure. Moreover, they are also better at resisting abrasions and environmental elements. Usually, splitters made with metals are designed for heavy-duty usage.
The drawback though with metal splitters is the cost. Garden hose splitters made with metal, especially brass, tend to have a higher price point. This is quite expected though considering the sturdiness and the longer service lifetime of the material. After all, you can well consider it as a good investment in your garden.
Check out these metal hose splitters:
Morvat Heavy-Duty Brass Garden Hose Connector Tap Splitter
Homitt Nickle Garden Hose Splitter
Glorden 4-Way Garden Hose Splitter
Another typical material used in hose splitters is plastic.
2. Plastic
Such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene or ABS, in short, is one of the most widely used plastic materials. This type of thermoplastic is well-favored for its ability to resist corrosion and very cheap price point.
Modern industrial plastics like ABS are more sturdy than they are decades ago. Nowadays, such a material is more capable of withstanding strong impacts. Thus, giving you a more sturdy structure for your garden hose splitter. Nevertheless, plastics still aren’t as strong as metals are.
With every material presenting its own pros and cons, manufacturers then opt to marry the best features of each. By combining metal, plastic, and even rubber materials, it paved the way for the creation of more durable yet affordable hose splitters. This easily makes these hybrid versions a popular choice among consumers.
Check out these plastic hose splitters:
Orbit Sunmate Plastic Hose Y Faucet Connector with Shut Off Valve
Camco WYE Garden Hose Plastic Valve
HiFlo 4-Way Garden Hose Valve Splitter
Check out these hybrid hose splitters:
IPOW Solid Brass 2-Way Y Valve Garden Hose Connector Splitter
Trazon 2-Way Garden Y Hose Water Splitter
Melnor EZ Flow 4-Way Control Valve Garden Hose Splitter
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Design & Craftsmanship
The design defines more than just the physical aesthetics of the product. Withal, it also enhances the functionality and the ergonomics of the hose splitter. Hence, allowing the user to have a more comfortable and efficient experience with the device.
Like with any other products, hose splitters come in a wide array of designs. Some come in simple and straightforward. While others are full-packed with amazing features.
Shut Off Valves
Features such as easy accessibility to shut off valves are one of the main factors to look out for. The knobs should be visible and large enough to grip. This will allow you to turn on and off the water flow towards each channel without any hassle.
Rubberized Grips
Speaking of knobs, some splitter models are designed to have rubberized grips. The grippy texture of the rubber material will provide a non-slip hold even when wet. Also, this protects your hands from getting burnt especially from metal splitters exposed to intense heat from the sun. A rubberized grip is ideal too for people with stiff hands or suffering from arthritis.
Aside from controlling the shutoff valves, it would also be helpful to have the ability to regulate the water flow separately. With that, you can individually increase or decrease the amount without disrupting other channels.
To ensure you will not have an issue with leaky hoses, make sure the threadings fit perfectly. The grooves in the female and the male connectors should fit like a glove. To further safeguard your hose system from leaks, it is also a must to have a rubber ring or washer in between the female and the male hose fittings. This will help fill in the gap in the middle of both surfaces leaving no space for water to seep out to.
Rotation Hose Splitter
Another great feature to have is the 360-degree rotation of the splitter. This allows you to tug and pull the hose here, there, and in every direction possible. You can do all this movement without the worry of putting in a lot of stress on the port.
Last, but definitely also not least, is the ease of installation. Installing a garden hose splitter is designed to be a no-brainer task. It is as easy as screwing the splitter to the spigot, and the hose to the splitter. And that should just be it. It should not be in any way complicated.
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Safety with Drinking Water
One biggest concern with all types of water systems is their suitability with drinking water. Unfortunately, not all kinds of materials are safe to use with water for human and animal consumption.
Lead is one of the most common chemicals found in garden hose systems. Exposure to it in large amounts can cause toxicity mainly damaging the kidney and the brain. There is no way in the world we would ever want that near our family, pets, and even our garden.
However, in as much as we want to avoid it, there will always be traces of something that will be present in our water. What we should, however, be mindful of is if it is within the safe level. We want it to be as near as zero as possible. But a lead level of no more than 0.25% is considered fine.
You should also know that lead is not biodegradable. Once it is in your soil, it will stay there for thousands of years. Thus, make it a priority to look for garden hose splitters that guarantee to be lead-free. This is very important especially when you intend to use the hose system for bathing your kids, feeding your pets, and even watering your edible garden.
Check out these lead-free hose splitters:
Litorange Solid Brass Lead-Free Body 2-Way Y Valve Garden Hose Connector
2Wayz All Metal Body Garden Hose Splitter
JustM 4-Way Lead-Free Garden Hose Splitter
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Cost
Cost is any smart shopper’s concern. Although hose splitters, in general, are fairly affordable. Then again, it is still good to get your money’s worth.
The price point of garden hose splitters usually ranges from $5 up to as much as $30. There are plenty of factors that can add to the cost of the product.
For one, it would greatly vary depending on the number of channels, the quality, and the materials used. Of course, the more channels there are, the more pricey it can get too. And as mentioned earlier, plastics are cheaper compared to solid metals. However, they do not tend to last as long as metals do. On the same note, metals are more expensive than plastics simply because they are more durable and reliable.
Another thing is branding. As you may notice off the shelves, some splitters look exactly the same but from different brands. This is the very reason why it is best to get to know and understand the features of the product. That way, you can get to assess it not by its brand, but because of the quality of the splitter itself.
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Manufacturer’s Warranty
To further make the most of your money’s worth, it is best to opt for splitters with a good warranty condition. Most manufacturers offer a one-year warranty. While there are also some that provide a two to three-year period, or even a lifetime warranty.
Of course, the longer the period the better. Then again, do check as well the terms of conditions. Some might offer limited coverage only. While there are some companies that would be glad to shoulder a full refund or product exchange should you be by any means unsatisfied with their product.
Either way, it is good to know that the manufacturer vouches and takes responsibility for the quality of their product. That is so, even after some time of use.
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Product Review
There are times when products simply fall short from what it claims to be. The description may be good, but the performance just doesn’t seem to live up to expectations. Hence, one of the best ways to get to know a device is to learn from other people’s first-hand experiences.
Product reviews are often written by customers who have bought and tried out the product themselves. By reading their feedback, you will somehow gain an idea of how the splitter performs in actuality. This is also a great avenue for you to learn some tips and tricks.
Sometimes, consumers use the product review ratings as one of the gauges of their purchase decision. That is because the higher the positive ratings are, the more likely credible the product seems to be too. This may be a helpful basis. But, in the end, remember still that everyone has their own unique set of expectations and experiences.
Our Top 5 Picks for A Garden Hose Splitter
1. 2wayz all-metal body garden hose splitter
Features:
- Constructed from zinc and stainless steel
- Corrosion-resistant
- Compatible to use with a standard 5/8-inch garden hose
- Rubber-coated body
- Long handle measuring 4 cm in length
- Spouts are reinforced with bolts
- Body is rotatable 360-degrees
- Smooth threads with rubber ring
- 0.0019% lead in alloy
- Color green/black
- Easy to install
- Lifetime unlimited money-back guarantee no questions asked
Why do we love it?
Actually, it is not only us that love it. There are more than 10 thousand other people who are quite satisfied with the performance of this splitter. With its 4.5 star rating on Amazon, you can never go wrong with this product.
Well, the 2Wayz hose splitter deserves all the credits. It ticks all the good qualities of a well-built and reliable Y-connector. The company did all the proper research and development to provide its consumers the best splitter there is in the market. Hence, they are proud and confident to offer a lifetime unlimited warranty to their products.
Verdict: BEST OVERALL!
2. Morvat heavy-duty brass garden hose connector tap splitter
Features:
- 2-way channel
- Constructed with full solid brass on both body and connections
- Rust and break-resistant
- Suitable to use in all-weather conditions
- With adjustable flow control
- Fitted with high-quality ball valves
- 360-degree rotation at the tip
- Can hold a maximum pressure of up to 250 psi
- 3/4-inch US standard diameter
- Compatible to use with all standard hoses
- Package includes 2 extra rubber washers
- 100% money-back guarantee for a period of 1 year
Why do we love it?
This latest version of the Morvat hose splitter has been upgraded and redesigned to improve overall durability. It is also more efficient to operate now that it has larger and wider handles. Its full-brass construction is built to last you a lifetime. It is basic, easy to use, and very much dependable to do every watering and washing chores. Indeed, a worthy investment piece for your garden.
Verdict: BEST ALL-BRASS GARDEN HOSE SPLITTER.
3. Litorange solid brass lead-free bodY 2-way y valve garden hose connector
Features:
- Constructed with solid brass
- Lead-free material
- Compliant with drinking water safety standards
- Corrosion-resistant
- Suitable to use in all weather conditions
- Can be used in both cold and hot water lines
- 3/4-inch US standard diameter
- With easy to turn swivel connector on hose adapter
- Package includes 4x extra silicone washers
- 100% risk-free guarantee
Why do we love it?
If you intend to use your garden hose with drinking water, then this product is the best fit for you. The Litorange brass splitters are lead-free. Hence, feel confident to use it in water activities involving your kids, pets, and in your garden too.
Verdict: BEST FOR DRINKING WATER USE.
4. Orbit 3-way plastic hose faucet valve manifold
Features:
- 3-way hose outlet
- 3 separate shut-off valves
- 2 side hose connections
- Constructed with durable poly plastic-ribbed material
- Female brass threaded swivel connection
- 3/4-inch US standard diameter
- Leak-free ball valves
- Package includes mounting bracket
- For outdoor use with cold water line only
Why do we love this?
This Orbit splitter is a good choice if you simply wish to extend your hose connection into three outlets. This product will ensure to fulfill the job pretty well. We also like the fact that the package includes its own mounting brackets. This will give your splitter a more secure placement.
However, do note that this Orbit connector is meant to be used with cold water only. Remember, it is made with plastic. Thus, they are likely to melt when exposed to extremely hot water temperatures.
Verdict: BEST IN 3-WAY GARDEN HOSE SPLITTERS.
5. Atdawn 4-way brass hose splitter
Features:
- 4-way hose outlet
- With 4 separate shut-off valves
- Body is constructed with 100% solid brass material
- 3/4-inch US standard diameter
- Compatible to use with all standard hose and water outlets
- Equipped with high-quality ball valves
- Package includes 4x rubber gaskets
- Package also includes 1x PTFE pipe seal tape
- For outdoor use with cold water line
- 100% satisfaction warranty
Why do we love it?
The Atdawn 4-way brass splitter is the perfect solution when you need to use multiple hoses all at the same instance. The 4-way hose outlets can be separately regulated. Hence, you can duly control which valves to turn on or off at any given moment.
This splitter comes with a simple yet effectively functional design. It is made with solid brass material and so you can expect a long service life from it.
Verdict: BEST IN 4-WAY GARDEN HOSE SPLITTERS
Wrapping Up about Using A Hose Splitter
Garden hose splitters simply are the best tool to maximize the use of your water hose system. Not only will it give you extra outlets for other hoses, but it does allow you to hook up a timer too at the same time. Thus, you can do more chores more efficiently all from a single water source.