Not much has changed in the way we plug in hoses over the years, with the male/female thread connectors for the most part keeping our gardening gear locked and loaded. But Seattle-based startup Aquor believes there is room for improvement, developing a plug-and-play adapter that connects hoses and accessories with a simple push and twist in less than a second.
Aquor is doing away with the fiddly threaded hose mounts in favor of a a double O-ring design for its connectors. These can be affixed to typical gardening appliances like sprinklers and nozzles on one end, and plugged into the garden hose at the other. Rather than screwing the pieces together, the ends are simply pushed into one another and locked into place with a gentle twist.
In addition to promising a quick, painless way to hook up your hose, there are a couple of other features that might come in handy. The hose adapter has a valve that remains closed unless the connector is locked in place, meaning the water stops when you unplug so there's no need to run back and forth to turn the tap. The company also claims its gear is leak-proof, so there's no need to drain the hose before storage.
Aquor has also developed a replacement for outside faucets called the House Hydrant. Made from stainless steel, this new take on the tap will require professional installation, but promises the quick connection offered by the hose adapter with the same O-ring design, and the valve remains closed until the connector is plugged in so the water turns on and off automatically.
The Hose Adapter Kit is priced at US$25 with extra connectors costing another $11, while the House Hydrant Kit will set you back $50.
Source: Aquor Water Systems
That said, there's nothing wrong with competition in the market. This looks like a well designed system, but I don't think we'll be seeing new homes being built exclusively with the proprietary connectors any time in the near future (or ever?).
All you EU folk - don't assume that just because you read about a new product that we don't already have something in the US. Don't worry, we're adequately hosed here ;-)
It's WAY better than anything I've used from Home Depot so far, and I've tried them all....Gardena, brass, etc. Considering I go through at least one set of Gardena connectors every season (they all leak or break eventually), I have no regrets paying twice as much for something that will last much longer. The Aquor stuff seems a lot more solid and well built.
Might not be a new concept, but these guys have definitely executed it better.