Ray Padula hose nozzle: creative design but cheap constructionBefore recently purchasing a Ray Padula thumb control hose nozzle, I was just remotely aware of the multi-million dollar business that Ray Padula has developed. Since a 2007 push to enter the national retail market, Padula's company has developed 300 newly patented, patent pending, and exclusive hose-end products, according to the corporate website.
When I needed a new hose nozzle, I was intrigued by the new design on the Series R hose nozzle I saw at a local retailer. Instead of squeezing a trigger, you simply flick a lever with your thumb to turn on the water.
For the first two weeks I was quite happy with my $10 purchase, but today I learned that this hose nozzle is a poorly-constructed waste of money. I reached for the nozzle after dropping it on the ground and I noticed that the mechanism upon which the nozzle adjustment is seated had cracked.
A closer inspection showed that this mechanism is plastic, and that even a three-foot fall onto the lawn was enough force to break the nozzle adjustment device, rendering the hose nozzle worthless. The internal mechanism looked to be PVC coated with a shiny metallic finish, a far cry from the "die cast metal inner housing" the website claims for nozzle construction.
So, potential buyers beware: my experience with Ray Padula hose nozzles has been a bust. The traditional metal trigger-handled hose nozzle looks a lot more enticing right about now, and I doubt I will ever purchase a Ray Padula product again after this disappointing experience.
