The best stubby pressure washer gun is the one that fits your hose and is rated for your machine. For an M22 hose on a home detailing setup, we recommend our own The Drivers HQ Stubby Short Trigger Gun. For 3/8 inch hoses and professional machines, look at the DTLR guns. Browse every stubby trigger gun we stock.
What is the best stubby pressure washer gun in the UK?
For an M22 hose on a home detailing setup, our own Drivers HQ Stubby Short Trigger Gun. For a stronger machine on an M22 hose, the Reverse Short Trigger Gun is rated to 225 bar. For a 3/8 inch hose, the DTLR Professional Short Trigger Gun, or its 9.5cm lance version rated to 345 bar and 90 degrees C.
All four have a 1/4 inch quick release outlet, so the same nozzle tips and foam lance can move from one gun to another. On a Karcher, the gun goes on through an adapter, covered further down.
What is a stubby pressure washer gun?
A stubby gun, also called a short trigger gun, is a compact trigger gun that takes the place of the long gun and lance supplied with a pressure washer. The hose connects to its inlet, and a nozzle tip, a short lance or a snow foam lance clicks into its quick release outlet at the front.
The short body keeps the spray close to your hand. That makes it far easier to work around door mirrors, grilles, wheels and the lower panels, where a long lance is awkward to angle, and it is lighter on the wrist over a full wash and foam.
A stubby gun changes how the spray feels in your hand, not what the machine delivers. The pressure and flow still come from the washer, so the gun has to be rated for that machine and its hose fitting has to match.
Will a stubby gun fit my pressure washer?
It will if its inlet matches the end of your hose and its pressure rating is at least your machine's maximum. Look at where the hose joins the gun you use now: an M22 screw thread, a 3/8 inch connector and a Karcher click fitting each need a different gun, or an adapter.
Then check the outlet. Every gun on this page has a 1/4 inch quick release outlet, so the nozzle tip, lance or foam lance you fit needs a 1/4 inch plug. An M22 thread can also differ inside: the Reverse gun, for example, has a 14mm internal spigot. Our guide to pressure washer fittings shows each connector type, and our guide to pressure washer hoses explains the hose ends.
Stubby pressure washer guns compared
The table sets out the fittings and ratings of the guns and the Karcher adapter we stock.
| Product | Inlet | Outlet | Rated to | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Drivers HQ Stubby Short Trigger Gun | M22 male | 1/4 inch quick release | 60 degrees C | M22 hoses on home detailing setups | Our own gun, black and red; check the rating on your washer and gun before you connect |
| Reverse Short Trigger Gun | M22 male, 14mm internal spigot | 1/4 inch female quick release | 225 bar, 60 degrees C | M22 hoses on stronger machines | Reverse handle, soft-touch rubber grips |
| DTLR Professional Short Trigger Gun | 3/8 inch male stainless swivel | 1/4 inch female quick connect | 60 degrees C, 30 litres a minute | 3/8 inch hoses | Brass internals, safety latch |
| DTLR Professional Short Trigger Gun 9.5cm Lance | 3/8 inch male stainless swivel with built-in filter | 1/4 inch brass female quick connect | 345 bar, 90 degrees C, 50 litres a minute | 3/8 inch hoses on high-flow machines | 9.5cm stainless lance fitted, safety latch |
| Better Detailing Karcher Stubby Trigger Gun Adapter | Compatible Karcher machines | To a stubby trigger gun | - | Using a stubby gun on a Karcher | Adapter only; compare your fitting with its pictures |
Which stubby gun should you buy?
Start with the end of your hose, then check the pressure. Every pick below is in stock with us.
For an M22 hose
The Drivers HQ Stubby Short Trigger Gun
Our own black and red stubby gun with an M22 male inlet and a 1/4 inch quick release outlet, for water up to 60 degrees C. Made for car detailing and light-duty washing, and takes foam lances, nozzles and detailing lances. Check the rating on your washer and gun before you connect.
The pick for a stronger machine on an M22 hose. It takes an M22 hose on a 22mm male thread with a 14mm internal spigot, has a 1/4 inch female quick release for accessories and is rated to 225 bar and 60 degrees C, with a reverse handle and soft-touch rubber grips.
£29.95In stock
For a 3/8 inch hose
DTLR Professional Short Trigger Gun
A 3/8 inch male stainless steel swivel inlet for 3/8 inch hose connectors and a brass 1/4 inch female quick connector for nozzles and foam lances. Rated to 30 litres a minute and 60 degrees C, with brass internals and a safety latch.
£59.95In stockDTLR Professional Short Trigger Gun 9.5cm Lance
The same short gun format with a 9.5cm stainless steel extension lance already fitted, a built-in filter in its 3/8 inch swivel inlet and a 1/4 inch brass quick connector. Rated to 345 bar, 50 litres a minute and 90 degrees C, for high-flow machines.
£74.95In stock
For a Karcher machine
Better Detailing Karcher Stubby Trigger Gun Adapter
Lets a compatible Karcher pressure washer run a stubby trigger gun instead of the standard gun. It is the adapter only, sealed with an O-ring, so compare your existing fitting with the product pictures before you order.
Nozzle tips
Better Quick Release Pressure Wash Nozzle Set
Four stainless steel quick connect tips, 0 degree red, 15 degree yellow, 25 degree green and 40 degree white, for wands and guns with a quick connect socket. The white 40 degree tip is the one for rinsing paintwork.
What pressure rating do you need?
At least your machine's maximum pressure, which is given in its manual and on its specification label. Check the rating on your washer and on the gun before you connect them: the Reverse gun is rated to 225 bar and the DTLR 9.5cm lance version to 345 bar.
Check the temperature and the flow as well. If your washer heats the water, the DTLR 9.5cm lance version is the only gun here rated to 90 degrees C; the others stop at 60 degrees C. On large professional machines, compare the flow too: the DTLR Professional is rated to 30 litres a minute and the 9.5cm lance version to 50.
A gun with a higher rating than the machine is fine, because the washer sets the pressure. A gun rated below the machine is the one to avoid, even if its fittings match perfectly, so read both numbers before you order rather than going by the fitting alone.
How do you fit a stubby gun?
Switch the machine off and let the pressure out before you touch any fitting, then make one join at a time and test it for leaks before you wash.
- Switch off: turn the machine off, unplug it and turn off the water supply.
- Release the pressure: point the old gun at the ground and squeeze the trigger until no water comes out.
- Take off the old gun: unscrew or unclip the hose from it.
- Check the seal: look at the O-ring or washer on the hose end and replace it if it is worn, flattened or split.
- Connect the hose: fit the hose to the stubby gun's inlet, with the Karcher adapter in between where you need one, and make sure it locks securely.
- Fit the tip: pull back the quick release collar, push in the nozzle tip or lance and let the collar go so it locks.
- Test for leaks: turn the water back on, start the machine, aim away from the car and check every join before washing.
Which nozzle should you use on a stubby gun?
Use the widest tip on paint. In the Better nozzle set that is the white 40 degree tip, which rinses paintwork; the red 0, yellow 15 and green 25 degree tips concentrate the spray for tough dirt on hard surfaces and never go on paint.
The wider the angle, the gentler the spray, so the narrow tips are for jobs such as a muddy patio or driveway rather than bodywork. Swapping a tip takes seconds with the machine off and the trigger squeezed. A snow foam lance with a 1/4 inch plug fits the same outlet, and our guide to the best snow foam covers what to put in it.
Is there a stubby gun for Karcher pressure washers?
Yes. A Karcher takes a stubby gun through an adapter such as the Better Detailing Karcher Stubby Trigger Gun Adapter, which joins a compatible Karcher to the gun. Karcher fittings differ between ranges and generations, so compare your hose end with the adapter's pictures first, or send us your model number.
A newer Karcher K series machine can also take a longer braided hose, and our guide to upgrading a Karcher for car detailing covers those hoses and the snow foam side.
Common questions
Is a stubby gun better than a standard lance for washing a car?
For most of a car wash, yes: it is easier to handle around mirrors, grilles, wheels and the lower panels, and less tiring on a long wash. A long lance still reaches further across a roof, so the DTLR version with a 9.5cm lance, or a short lance in any of the guns, gives you some of that reach back.
Can you use a snow foam lance with a stubby gun?
Yes, when the lance has a 1/4 inch quick release plug to match the gun's outlet. Our own gun and both DTLR guns are made to take foam lances as well as nozzle tips.
What does a swivel inlet do?
It lets the hose turn at the gun, so the hose does not twist and kink as you walk round the car. Both DTLR guns have a stainless steel swivel on their 3/8 inch inlet.
What is the safety latch for?
It locks the trigger so the gun cannot fire by accident. Both DTLR guns have one: set it whenever you put the gun down or change a tip.
How do you look after a stubby gun?
Rinse it with clean water after use, store it clean and dry, and check the O-rings at each join now and then. Replace a worn O-ring straight away: a sound seal stops leaks and keeps the full pressure at the tip.
Need help choosing?
Send our team your pressure washer's make and model with a photo of the hose end, and we will tell you which stubby gun or adapter fits before you order. You can also browse our adapters and quick connects and nozzles, wands and extensions.
