Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

The quick connect hose with a regulator is for the Big Buddy (18k btu) heater. The quick connect is critical only if you want to use larger propane cylinders with your heater on HIGH (18k btu). You can use the cheaper hose without the quick connect and it will run the Big Buddy on LOW (4K) or MED (9k) just fine but it WILL NOT run on HIGH (18k btu). This is the very reason they designed the quick connection port on the Big Buddy. And if you’re wondering why it’s because the built in regulators that you connect the 1lb propane bottles into are not capable of transferring enough propane fast enough to supply the heater while running in HIGH. You’ll notice the manual specifies that to use the heater on high (18k) you must have both 1lb bottles connected. The regulator on the quick connect hose from Mr Heater reduces the pressure from high to low pressure. High pressure (no regulator) causes ALL rubber hoses to leach oils that will eventually clog catalytic heaters. The regulator solves this oil leaching problem. So if you use a hose without a regulator then you NEED to use a filter (to trap the leaching oils). Quick connect hose w/regulator = no filter required & Big Buddy works on HIGH (18k btu). If not using quick connect (ie has normal screw onto the Big Buddy’s built in 1lb bottle regulator = any rubber hose + filter will be fine. Big Buddy will only work on MED or LOW (never HIGH).