My thoughts exactly...I'm tired of replacing watering wands twice or more a season. I get what seems to be a good one, and then the trigger goes. Some, the triggers are fine and the heads or fittings leak. Arghh!

Cheers, Barrie.

Same sentiments here as well. My ideal would be a long
wand with gun type trigger and adjustable sprays. What
do you think of these?

http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=1&p=10413&cat=2,2280,33160&ap=2

http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/Product.asp?PG=1077

I bought the Lee Valley wand several years ago. The valve leaked under the trigger on the first hit. I returned it and the same thing happened a couple of months later. Not recommended.

The Ritten House wand is one I've not tried. I like the design, but wonder about the valve quality. If it where to hold up, it may be a good one.

Cheers, Barrie.

Does look like the rose is adjustable watering patterns though, is it?

Lee Valley: so much for 'will last for generations' - pity.

Ritten House: the rose doesn't seem to be adjustable, only
the spray nozzle which is the trigger gun, which I suppose
would make the whole somewhat adjustable.

Dramm: don't be tempted to buy one of these - just saw
them at a local garden center and they're really flimsy
with lots of plastic.

Depends on what you buy of Dramm. They make some outstanding products. I backed over my Dramm rose and it is not even bent.

I had trouble with Lee Valley wands too. Rose collapsed upon impact after being dropped about 18". Next one had a leaky trigger. Lee Valley did refund my money on the second one and sent out e-mails about the faulty product, so I continue to buy from them. Dang! I thought sure this forum would lead to a cure.

I checked out some of the products on Dramm's website.
All of their wands only have lever shut-offs and of course
no adjustable stream heads, but they do offer a consumer
life-time guarantee. Will have to check out what that
entails but it's a good sign.

http://www.dramm.com/html/main.isx?sub=2

I have a Dramm that must be close to 10 years old. I broke off the plastic on/off turn thing but use one of those that you can buy for the end of your hose that does the same thing (so you don't have to go back to the faucet, you can turn any hose off at the working end.) Just last week the tinny 'rose' center blew out with a big burst of water pressure and I realized that it was set thinly in the plastic surround which had chipped over the 10 years with dropping sun etc. Can't complain at its age. So I looked at my greenhouse supply place and Dramm makes replacement rose pieces for the wand. I could have gotten the same again, plastic with the tinny center rose part that could last another 10yrs. Instead I got a solid one piece one, should last 100 years I think but it is a bit heavier and I notice it by the time I'm done watering. I can't complain about Dramm tho.

Donna

I've got one that I've had for several years, with no leaks or anything.. I'll have to get the name when I get home..

OTOH, does anyone have a recommedation for quality hose bibs? I've replaced the bushings every summer and don't want to keep doing it.. It's the same old problem - turning the handle too hard when shutting the water off.. I'm envisioning a Cadillac of a hose bib, with stainless steel roller bearings and a different way to close the water flow..!

Lee Valley's dual bib is great...levers instead of twist knobs and instant conversion from one spigot to two. I've had mine about 5 years without a moment's trouble. 'Course, you'll have to replace those bushings one last time.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lee Valley Tools

This one really will last a lifetime - solid brass, and at $73 it's not much more than the plastic wands

Haws Brass Water Wand from Lee Valley Tools

My purple Dramm one always dribbled down my arm when it raised it up to water hanging baskets, drove me crazy.