Airless Paint Sprayers: A Short Introduction
When you start to really dig into the details, choosing a good airless paint sprayer is actually quite complex. As you might know by this point, airless paint sprayers are known for the extremely smooth finish they produce. This sets them distinctly apart from HVLP sprayers and other types of paint sprayers which are intended for other uses.
In this review, we’ll delve into the details of what makes a great airless paint sprayer and which are the best on the market right now. We’ll take a look at the key features in-depth, and help you find out which might be the most important for your application.
Two bands somewhat dominate the market: Graco and Wagner. We’ll take a look at their top offerings in each category, as well as some less well-known brands that offer the opportunity to save a few dollars.
The 9 Best Airless Paint Sprayers for 2021
Best Overall
1. Graco Magnum X5 Airless Paint Sprayer
Key Features
⤍ Superb power in a small package
⤍ Reversible nozzle to clear blockages
⤍ Variable pressure pump & hose cleaning hookup
Specifications:
Gallons per Year: 125
Max Nozzle Pressure: 3000 psi
Motor Power: 0.5hp
Max Hose Length: 75ft
Weight: 13lbs
Our Rating
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Our Take
When it comes to our best overall pick, the Graco Magnum X5 is a clear standout. Offering a range of commercial-grade features in a small and more reasonably-priced package. This mighty little machine will certainly not disappoint you.
Getting right on into the details, the Graco Magnum X5 has all the key features you’d expect from a good quality airless sprayer. With a 1/2hp motor pushing out 3000 psi of pressure, there’s plenty of power on tap, and enough to spray unthinned paints. The pump is also powerful enough to support hoses of up to 75ft, which makes it perfect for outdoor projects.
What makes the Graco Magnum X5 stand out, however, is the details in the extra features. First up, you have a hose connection system to make cleaning the machine much easier. Secondly, you have variable pressures, which allow you to fine-tune the machine to whatever your application and the paint you are using.
Finally, you have Graco’s reversible tip on the sprayer, which enables you to flip the tip around and clear blockages. That means you don’t have to get down of the ladder – you can keep on spraying.
All in all, the Graco Magnum X5 is an excellent airless paint sprayer for most applications. While a commercial buyer might need more power and easier maintenance, for most buyers, this machine is a clear winner.
Premium Homeowner Choice
2. Graco Magnum X7
Key Features
⤍ Cart helps with maneuvering
⤍ Works with hoses up to 100ft
⤍ Reasonably-priced professional-grade machine
Specifications:
Gallons per Year: 125
Max Nozzle Pressure: 3000psi
Motor Power: 5/8hp
Max Hose Length: 100ft
Weight: 23lbs
Our Rating
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Our Take
For homeowners looking for a more heavyweight option, the Graco Magnum X7 is our go-to. This sprayer is even good for commercial usage, and many painting pros have been highly impressed with the results.
This machine offers a step up from the Magnum X5 in a few areas. First off, you get a 5/8hp motor, so there’s more power on tap, giving you the ability to work with hoses up to 100ft. That extra horsepower also translates into more painting flow, with a bump in gallons/min up to 0.31.
Most obvious is the addition of the cart, which makes rolling this machine around much easier. It sounds funny, but we also believe it helps to reduce the chance of paint cans getting knocked over – as it’s a little higher and more visible to folks at their eye level.
Like its smaller cousin, you get the hose pipe flush system, reversible tip, and the ability to vary the paint flow pressure. Finally, you have the ability to run a slightly larger tip on this paint sprayer, due to the more powerful motor.
If you’re taking on a bigger job and looking for an airless paint sprayer with a bit more grunt, then the Graco Magnum X7 won’t disappoint. Great power, easy portability, and a host of features make using this machine a delight.
Best Value Choice
3. TOMIC Himalaya Airless Paint Sprayer
Key Features
⤍ Powerful 5/8hp motor
⤍ Limited to 25ft hose
⤍ Compact lightweight design
Specifications:
Gallons per Year: Unknown
Max Nozzle Pressure: 3000psi
Motor Power: 0.6hp
Max Hose Length: 25ft
Weight: 18lbs
Our Rating
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Our Take
For buyers working to a tighter budget, the TOMIC Himalaya airless paint sprayer is a standout option. For around $170 you’re getting a ton of performance, and while it might not have all the bells and whistles of a Graco or a Wagner, it’s a great place to start.
Equipped with a 5/8hp motor, this machine packs plenty of punch for a sprayer at this budget level. While that does give you 3000 psi of tip power, you are limited to a 25ft hose, so this machine is slightly less effective for outdoor jobs.
As with most prosumer and commercial paint sprayers, this machine doesn’t use a hopper, and you can draw paint directly from the tin. This helps to reduce refills and means you can work consistently across larger projects. The compact design also features an integrated carry handle, which helps to prevent damage to the machine while you’re working.
While you don’t get the fancy hose-hookup, the variable pressure or the easy priming of a more expensive airless paint sprayer, for folks just looking to get into spraying this machine is a great starting point. Plenty of performance, and tons of glowing reviews online, it’s a great piece of gear to use for your next painting project.
Honorable Mention
4. Wagner Control Pro 170
Key Features
⤍ Supports hoses up to 80ft
⤍ Potent 0.6hp motor
⤍ Not as easy to clean or unclog
Specifications:
Gallons per Year: 300
Max Nozzle Pressure: 1500psi
Motor Power: 0.6hp
Max Hose Length: 80ft
Weight: 20lbs
Our Rating
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Our Take
While the top spot was taken by the Graco Magnum X5, the Wagner Control Pro 170 deserves mention as the runner up for the best overall. This machine is similar but doesn’t quite match the Magnum X5 in terms of reliable performance.
Taking a look at the numbers, you’re actually getting a touch more performance on paper with the Wagner Control Pro 170. This machine is capable of running an 80ft hose and features a slightly higher max flow rate of 0.33 gal/min. That’s a result of a slightly powerful motor, at 0.6hp, compared to the 0.5 in the Graco.
Variable power is included on this machine, but it stumbles slightly as we start to get into the details. Priming with this machine is a bit more hassle, as it doesn’t feature the same easy priming ability you’ll find on the Graco. The next issue emerges during the cleanup when you’ll have to do it manually rather than hooking up the hose to the machine. Finally, there’s no reversible tip, so this machine is slightly more of a pain when it comes to unclogging.
Finally, it’s worth pointing out that some customers have had issues with reliability. By no means is this a large number, but enough for us to raise it as a concern. Some owners have reported issues with the motor, while others have had problems with the machine clogging.
Wrapping up, on paper it’s an alternative to the Graco Magnum X5, but our preference is to opt for the X5 if you’re looking for a mid-capacity airless paint sprayer.
5. HomeRight Power Flo Pro 2800
Key Features
⤍ Slightly short 25ft hose capacity
⤍ Reversible tip for easy unclogging
⤍ Variable pressure adjustment
Specifications:
Gallons per Year: Unknown
Max Nozzle Pressure: 2800psi
Motor Power: 0.5hp
Max Hose Length: 25ft
Weight: 15lbs
Our Rating
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Our Take
Another contender for all-round performance, the HomeRight Power Flo Pro 2800 is aimed at the mid-level homeowner market. This machine sits in the same group as the Wagner 170 and the Graco X5.
Getting right into the basic numbers, you’re looking at a 0.5hp machine, which comes equipped with a 25ft hose. It’s unclear whether it could support a longer hose – as we couldn’t find any details in the manual or manufacturer specifications. Tip pressure is slightly below the Wagner and the Graco – at 2800 psi, and HomeRight does not specify a maximum paint flow rate.
As with the Wagner machine, the HomeRight Power Flo Pro 2800 is let down to some extent in the details of the design. You aren’t getting a hose pipe hook-up on this unit, but it does come equipped with variable pressure and a reversible nozzle tip. This helps with unclogging the sprayer while you’re working and is a must-have from our point of view.
In summary, this machine is another “best of the rest” product in the line-up. It offers reasonable performance, but buyers point out that priming the machine is difficult and reliability has been a problem for some. For a similar price point, you could pick up the widely-praised Magnum, which is what we would do.
6. Wagner Control Pro 130
Key Features
⤍ Great for painting rooms and small projects
⤍ Single speed motor
⤍ Paint hopper for easy priming
Specifications:
Gallons per Year: 50
Max Nozzle Pressure: Unknown
Motor Power: 0.375hp
Max Hose Length: 50ft
Weight: 11lbs
Our Rating
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Our Take
Buyers who prefer to work with a paint hopper will certainly see the appeal of the compact Wagner Control Pro 130. Paint hoppers are loved by some and hated by others – so it’s really a question of where you fall. We’ll discuss the pros and cons in more detail in the section below.
On to the details, and this machine is pitched as a smaller and slightly lower power airless paint sprayer when compared to its larger cousin, the Control Pro 170. Equipped with a 0.375hp motor, this machine has a respectable flow rate of 0.24 gallons per minute, and a maximum hose length of 50 feet (although it is supplied with a 25 ft hose).
It’s clear that this is designed to be a more simple setup, as it does not feature adjustable pressure. For many home applications, that’s ok, but more ambitious owners will see it as a shortcoming.
Onto the elephant in the room – the hopper. The main advantage of running a hopper is that you get a gravity feed on the paint, which makes priming much easier. The downside is you need to top it off, and it’s another thing to clean. This machine has a hopper that works well for small projects but will be limiting for outdoor jobs as it isn’t the largest capacity.
All in all, this machine is a decent option if you’re painting rooms or other small projects. The motor isn’t as powerful as some of the other models in this review, but the convenience of the hopper and the small hose makes it a nice compact machine for small projects.
7. Titan Control Max 1700
Key Features
⤍ Replaceable fluid parts for servicing
⤍ Powerful enough for unthinned paint
⤍ Nozzle clogs easily & is hard to replace
Specifications:
Gallons per Year: Unknown
Max Nozzle Pressure: 1500psi
Motor Power: 0.6hp
Max Hose Length: 30ft
Weight: 19.4lbs
Our Rating
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Our Take
Titan’s Control Max 1700 airless paint sprayer fits in along with the Magnum X5 and the Wagner 170 as a prosumer airless paint sprayer, and a contender to our best overall. As we’ll see though, when the rubber hits the road there are some reasons why the other sprayers come in just ahead in the overall ranking.
As usual, we’ll kick off with the basics – this unit runs a 0.6hp pump, which makes the sprayer capable of 0.33 gallons/minute. That firmly puts it at the top end of the capacity rankings. With a 300 gallons per year rating as well, there’s space for plenty of usage of this machine on a variety of projects.
Like the Graco, you have the ability to control the pressure with this machine, and the motor is powerful enough to tackle unthinned paint. One nice feature on this machine is the design allows for easy replacement of the fluid section of the pump. So if it gets clogged with paint, you’re able to replace parts rather than the whole machine.
So, why didn’t the Titan Control Max 1700 make our top ranking? Well, many users have reported clogging issues with the nozzles, and difficulty replacing them. Unlike the Graco, this doesn’t have a flappable nozzle, which makes unclogging it a pain. Furthermore, cleaning it isn’t as easy, as you don’t have a hose-rinse port. Priced similarly to other quality sprayers in the review, we’d like to see more performance out of this machine in order to bump it up the rankings.
8. Graco Ultra Corded Airless Handheld Paint Sprayer
Key Features
⤍ Ultra-compact handheld design
⤍ Variable pressure sprayer
⤍ Pressure up to 2000 psi and interchangeable tips
Specifications:
Gallons per Year: 50
Max Nozzle Pressure: 2000psi
Motor Power: N/A
Max Hose Length: N/A
Weight: 5lb
Our Rating
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Our Take
The Graco Ultra Corded is a slightly different type of airless paint sprayer when compared with other machines in this review. It’s aimed at smaller jobs and touch up work, or hobby buyers who want the airless finish without the large machine.
Unlike other machines in this review, this sprayer draws paint from a small container attached to the handle. This helps with portability and allows you to work with smaller quantities of paint for smaller projects. Power comes direct from a mains outlet, so that is the only cable the sprayer attaches to, giving you lots of freedom.
A variety of different tips are available to produce a range of finishes. The pressure is also variable, exactly like the larger sprayers, and you can hit tip pressures of up to 2000 psi.
Despite its small size, this little machine packs a real punch. If you’re taking on smaller jobs like furniture or hobby work, then a small sprayer like this is a great option. Same great airless finish – much less cleaning and much more flexibility.
9. Scuddles Paint Sprayer
Key Features
⤍ 1200 Watt sprayer
⤍ 5 spray rotations and 3 nozzle sizes
⤍ Extra parts included
Specifications:
Gallons per Year: Unknown
Max Nozzle Pressure: Unknown
Motor Power: 1200 Watt
Max Hose Length: 5 spray rotations and 3 nozzle sizes
Weight: 4.43lbs
Our Rating
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Our Take
Another option for comparison in this review is the Scuddles airless paint sprayer. Scuddles don’t quite have the reputation as some of the other tool and paint sprayer specific companies, however, Amazon buyers rate the product well.
Nonetheless, this machine offers a reasonable level of performance, if not particularly stand out in any one area. With 5 different spray rotations and 3 nozzle sizes, you get 1200 Watts worth of power for a pretty low price. It’s got enough grunt to handle small jobs – pulling paint from small buckets and working well with vinyl and oil-based paints.
It doesn’t quite have the horsepower of a Graco, but you do get variable pressure adjustment. Unlike other lower-ranking sprayers, this sprayer claims to be quite mess-free. You also get additional cleaning attachments included.
Nonetheless, this is a reasonable option for buyers looking for a mid-low-level airless paint sprayer. If you are expecting to take on moderate DIY jobs then this little machine should suit you well.
Choosing An Airless Paint Sprayer: What To Consider
Airless paint sprayers are fairly complex pieces of equipment, and a wide range of different machines exist. In this section, we’ll take a look at what key features you should consider when buying an airless paint sprayer – so you can find the perfect machine for your needs.
Check out our great selection of glow in the dark paints!
Motor Power
Motor power is really the most important factor when choosing an airless paint sprayer, for a number of reasons. Firstly, motors with power upwards of 0.5hp will allow you to spray latex paints without thinning them. Anything less than that and you could struggle.
Secondly, more power means you can run longer hoses, which is essential for outdoor work, especially if you’re working on a roof or away from the sprayer. You’ll notice that machines less than 0.6hp will typically require 60ft hoses or less.
Cleaning
The next most important thing to think about is cleaning. Paint sprayer easily becomes clogged, and most of the time that’s because they aren’t properly cleaned. Failing to clean and keep up maintenance for the machine can seriously shorten its life.
The best paint sprayers have simple hose hookups, so you can flush fresh water straight through the machine to clean it. You should also look to ensure that you can easily remove and obtain spare parts for any part of the machine that touches paint.
Annual Spraying Rating
Most machines are rated to spray a certain amount of paint per year. This gives you a sense of how robust the motor and pump system is. It also gives you a sense of how well the machine will hold up to extended use.
Adjustable Pressure Airless Paint Sprayers
Adjustable pressure is a nice feature to have, allowing you to really fine tune your finish. Since the thickness and texture of paints and finishing products varies, this helps you get better results.
Hopper vs. Bucket Feed
Hopper feeds mean no priming, which is a major plus for many owners. They are also a bit more straightforward to use, and some people find them a little less easy to kick over. Generally, they work well for indoor work, or other medium to small jobs.
For larger jobs, you’ll want to be able to use larger buckets of paint. Hoppers need constant replenishment, and so are unpopular with folks looking to do large or outdoor projects.
Nozzles
Different nozzles allow you to achieve different finishes. The best sprayers will allow you to accept a variety of nozzles – but the catch here is to choose a solid brand. Often nozzles aren’t compatible, so rather like cordless power tools, it’s worth sticking with a quality brand so you can get great spare nozzles.
Reversible tip nozzles are another great innovation to buy if possible. If you get a paint clog while working, you can simply flip the nozzle around and keep working.
Portability
For many folks, it’s likely you’ll be moving your airless paint sprayer to wherever you are working. Give some thought to the weight, and just how portable you need your machine to be. Some of the larger sprayers come equipped with a cart for easier transportation, which is certainly a nice addition.
Airless Paint Sprayer FAQs
It really depends on the job you are doing. Airless paint sprayers are excellent at producing good quality uniform paint. They can also help you achieve textures and popcorn effects.
Finally, if you are painting a large area, they are much, much, quicker than using a roller or a brush. Compared to other forms of paint sprayers, they have less overspray and a more uniform finish.
The downside really is the setup time, cleaning, and maintenance. If you’re only doing a small job, it’s probably not worth the setup required to run an airless paint sprayer. And after you’re done with the job, they require extensive cleaning.
Overspray will always be a problem with any kind of spray painter. You can reduce overspray by doing a couple of things.
First, you can use the lowest possible pressure when painting. This helps to reduce the quantity of excess paint.
Secondly, you can use the correct (and clean) nozzle for the task. Using too tight a nozzle with high pressure will result in lots of overspray.
Really, it depends on the application. Airless paint sprayers tend to be very good for home use, and outdoor use in particular. This is because you don’t need a compressor setup, and you can just hook the machine up and go. The downside of airless is that they can require a lot of cleaning, and are complex to set up.
Pneumatic sprayers are much simpler, but they use paint much less efficiently, and you need a compressor nearby. That said, the cleanup is easier, and they are very popular in automotive and industrial settings.
In our view, the Graco Magnum X5 is a clear standout for home use. This paint sprayer is powerful, compact, and easy to use. It’s very easy to clean, accepts a range of nozzles, and is backed by hundreds of great reviews online. We believe it’s a clear winner.
It really depends on the paint and your airless paint sprayer. But, let’s take latex paint as an example, which is considered to be the thickest in common use. This is fine in medium to small quantities with an airless sprayer of around 0.5hp and up.
Any less power than that and you will need to thin the paint. Bear in mind this also assumes that your sprayer is clean and well maintained, and you aren’t using a very long hose.
