The home-improvement industry has long offered a wide range of paint sprayers, from residential models to professional grades. In the past, these sprayers were primarily used by contractors and painters, but more and more homeowners are turning to paint sprayers for their own home-improvement projects.
What are the Best Paint Sprayers ?
We get asked all the time what the best paint sprayers are that you can purchase on Amazon.
So we selected the five best paint sprayers currently available online as well as one “best for the money” model that we feel is a great value for the price . . . . . .
If you’re not familiar with paint sprayers, there are two main operational types: high pressure, and low pressure.
The former, often called “airless” sprayers, work by forcing paint through a hose from a compressor that creates a lot of suction.
There are 3 different types of paint sprayers that I want to highlight here.
They are the following:
- Airless Paint Sprayers
- HVLP Paint Sprayers
- Handheld Sprayers
Let’s break down each one so that you can decide what is best for you.
Airless Paint Sprayers
Just as the name suggests, this is a paint sprayer that does not use air pressure to function.
It pumps the paint through a pump at high pressure.
Usually up to 3000 PSI (pounds per square inch).
Then it pushes the paint through a hose that is connected to the spray gun.
The spray gun has a tip that atomizes the paint and creates a fan pattern.
Tips come in different sizes.
Depending on your needs you will have to pick a tip that has a fine finish for trim and woodwork.
Or a broad tip for wide coverage like for new construction walls and/or exteriors.
What is the best Airless paint sprayer
That really depends on what you will be using your paint sprayer for.
Sprayers or “rigs” come in different sizes and price ranges.
The most commonly used and most sold brands for home improvement painting projects are:
- Graco
- Titan
- Wagner
There are different variations of these airless paint sprayers as well.
You have an option to choose between corded/electric rigs and gasoline-operated rigs.
These sprayers can come carted, which means that it has a cage with wheels for easy transportation.
Or you can opt-in for a less expensive version that comes footed.
But what paint airless sprayer is right for you?
If you do a lot of spraying you want to invest in a bigger rig.
The Graco Ultra Max II 490 ProContractor Series is a workhorse when it comes to large projects.
It has a well-built pump that has a longer life span than most other sprayers of that size.
This rig is perfect for big commercial size jobs.
If you are looking for a mid-size sprayer that can handle spraying exterior homes at ease.
Then the Titan Impact 440 is a powerhouse and worth every penny.
Personally, I own 2.
My first one is going strong for 6 years now.
We push about 80-100 gallons through that pump weekly.
They are easy to repack and replacement parts are not too expensive.
The 440 and the 440i are safe choices for any professional painter.
HVLP Paint Sprayers
HVLP stands for High Volume Low Pressure and is most commonly found in automotive painting and cabinet refinishing.
These sprayers are perfect for fine finishes.
They have less over-spray than other paint sprayers.
You have the option of using an air compressor or a portable turbine setup.
The benefit of operating with the turbine set up is that it weighs less than a compressor and is less loud.
When deciding on what turbine you should purchase you should know this.
The more “stages” it has, means the more air pressure it can consistently push through the hose.
The more air pressure you can produce the more atomization you can achieve.
What HVLP Sprayer Should You Get?
If you paint kitchen cabinets a lot then a solid choice is the FinishPro HVLP 9.5 ProContractor.
It has a 5 stage turbine that has an automatic shut-off when you are not spraying.
This HVLP is great for beginners and professional home improvement projects.
It is a great introduction to HVLP sprayers and will last a long time if handled properly.
Handheld Paint Sprayers
Handheld paint sprayers are convenient for smaller jobs such as painting an exterior door, trim and molding, or touch-ups.
By creating positive pressure with airflow via a small turbine, handheld sprayers push the paint from the cup through the tip where it is atomized.
I wouldn’t suggest using handheld paint sprayers for bigger jobs than spraying trim, doors accent walls, and so on.
What Handheld Sprayer should you get?
Although the Graco Ultimate Cordless Handheld Airless Sprayer had quite the buzz when first introduced to the professional painting community, it quickly faded out because it just seemed to have too many problems with the motor burning out.
We shot about 80 gallons of paint through it at 518 Painters before we had the same problem.
The benefit is that it is cordless and you can use interchangeable tips.
The same tips that work with an airless spray gun.
You can use the fflp tips which are fine finish tips and have less over-spray than most other tips.
Our favorite handheld for home improvement painting projects is the Titan FlexSpray by Titan hands down.
It is not cordless but does what you would expect from a handheld.
The interchangeable cups make switching colors easy.
I would suggest getting the fine finish sprayer tip for a better finish.
The TitanFlex lets you dial in the air pressure and how much material you want it to flow.
In addition, you can switch between a wide fan pattern and a round pattern which is perfect for spraying stair railings and spindles.
A lot of people don’t know this but WAGNER, Titan, and SprayTECH operate under the same umbrella and therefore have very similar products.
In some cases, you can even find Wagner replacement parts that fit the other brands.
A less expensive version of the TitanFlex is the WAGNER FLEXIO 590 Hand-Held Paint Sprayer.
It has the same features as the Titan but costs much less.
What’s the best paint Sprayer For Cabinets?
Overall, a good HVLP sprayer will be the best paint sprayer for kitchen cabinets.
It’s great for beginners and pros.
You have total dial-in control over airflow and material flow.
Related articles What’s The Best Paint Finish?
That will allow you to reduce the possibility of drips and runs compared to an airless sprayer.
Our favorites:
Graco 9.5 Pro (click here to see)
Titan Capspray 115 (click here to see)
and the more affordable
Fuji Mini-Mite (click here to see)
In conclusion
There is a lot to learn about paint sprayers.
But they can be quite pricey and that might stop you from committing to purchase one.
The sprayers mentioned in this article are perfect for any beginner and professional that has not had a lot of experience with paint sprayers but wants to get started and not regret spending that type of money.
There are more high-end options available but they are exponentially higher in price as well.
Interested in spray booths?
Check out this article about different types of spray booths from commercial to portable.
The paint sprays you mentione, Which paint sperays better for me?
With which I can paint my house, furniture and other myself. It would be great for me if you could tell me a little bit.