A hose clamp is used to connect a hose to a pipe or other fitting. There are several different types of hose clamps to choose from, each with their own characteristics and uses.

There are two basic types of hose clamps, screw/band and snap close or ratchet. The type of clamp you choose depends on the application, the size and diameter of the hose and how it will be used.
The most common hose clamps are screw/band clamps which have a band and a captive screw threaded end. This is screwed around the hose, and then turned to tighten or loosen the band.

Another type of hose clamp is the wire clamp. These are essentially a strip of spring steel with one or more tabs on each side that are bent outward to form a loop.

These are typically used on vacuum hoses, as they don't provide much clamping force, and they also prevent the hose from sliding off of the barb.

Other types of hose clamps include ear clamps and open end clamps. Ear clamps have a stainless steel band into which the ends of the ear are formed (usually with multiple ear points).

Open end hose clamps consist of a preformed wire-wrapped ring. This ring has a space between the ends to which the hose is then attached, and this space contains a narrow slit that can be fed through the band.

The band can be tightened by turning a captive screw, which acts as a worm drive pulling the threads of the band and causing it to tighten or loosen around the hose. Other types of hose clamps include screwless, stepless and self-compensating.