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Weight, comfort and robustness are important considerations when selecting a sprayer. Sally Drury reports
Hozelock Professional
Thought Hozelock was just hosepipes and garden sprinklers? Well the company has been making this professional sprayer for a few years now and this is the latest version. We are surprised we don't see more being used - it's a tough sprayer and it's obvious a lot of thought has gone into it.
The Hozelock is delivered in a box and needs assembling. It's well packaged and comes with instructions. Though the print is tiny and the diagrams small, there are detailed explanations for container and lance assembly, along with advice on spraying and maintenance plus a spares list and user guarantee.
The container is one of the strongest we have seen. "The plastic is thick and the tank is robustly built. Hozelock has done a good job; but how about this for a clever idea?" says Allbutt as he swaps the filler cap and pump assembly. They are the same sized holes and, with the pump-assembly unit removable in one piece, it means the sprayer can be quickly adapted from left- to right-handed use. Allbutt is also impressed with the filter; it has mesh to the sides and bottom. "That's very good. It means splashback is reduced," he says.
The glass-fibre lance is heavy duty and the nozzle will accept spray tips for specialist calibrated spraying applications. The pump handle is chunky and looks as though it should be comfortable to use. What's more, its shape means it can be folded up and it clips in nicely between the tank and pump rod it's not going to get broken off in transit or storage. There's even a lance holder to fit the rod.
"One of the biggest nuisances is breaking the handle and lance - but these are good thick components and the rod is also strong," says Ekin.
"It's the best handle storage system I have seen,"Allbutt adds.
Putting the straps on is fun. Where does this go? Should it be the other way round? Where are those instructions? When it is finally assembled we find the straps form a full harness and have all the features you would expect on a quality rucksack, including...